Surveying system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9541392-B2
Application number	US-201314436445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2013
Priority date	Oct 18, 2012
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

Surveying system for measuring the position of a measuring point on the ground is disclosed. The surveying system may include a survey pole with a body having a pointer tip for contacting the measuring point and position giving means for making available the coordinative determination of a referenced position, being placed on the body with a defined spatial relationship relative to the tip. Determination means may be included for repeatedly determining the referenced position of the position giving means. Evaluation means may also be included for deriving the position of the measuring point. In some embodiments, the survey pole may also include an inertial measuring unit placed on the body with a defined spatial relationship relative to the position giving means.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A surveying system for measuring the position of a measuring point on the ground, the surveying system comprising:
a survey pole including:
a body having a pointer tip for contacting the measuring point; and
position giving means for making available the coordinative determination of a referenced position, the position giving means being placed on the body with a defined spatial relationship relative to the tip, wherein the position giving means comprise a retro reflector and/or a GNSS-antenna,

determination means for repeatedly determining the referenced position of the position giving means; and
evaluation means for deriving the position of the measuring point at least based on the determined referenced position and on the defined spatial relationship of the position giving means relative to the tip;
wherein the survey pole further comprises an inertial measuring unit placed on the body with a defined spatial relationship relative to the position giving means,
wherein the inertial measuring unit comprises IMU-sensors including accelerometers and gyroscopes,
wherein the surveying system further comprises IMU-processing means for repeatedly determining inertial state data based on measurements taken by the inertial measuring unit and in that the evaluation means are further configured to
feed a predefined filter algorithm with the repeatedly determined referenced position and the repeatedly determined inertial state data and deriving therefrom referenced attitude data for the survey pole, taking into account the defined spatial relationship of the inertial measuring unit relative to the position giving means,
use a Divided Difference Filter within the predefined filter algorithm, and
further use the referenced attitude data for deriving the position of the measuring point.

2. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inertial measuring unit is designed in form of a micro-electro-mechanical system and comprises IMU-sensors including accelerometers and gyroscopes.

3. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inertial measuring unit comprises inertial sensors of tactical grade or lower accuracy.

4. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inertial measuring unit comprises inertial sensors of industrial grade or lower accuracy.

5. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inertial measuring unit comprises at least three accelerometers in a mutually orthogonal configuration and at least three gyroscopes in a mutually orthogonal configuration,
the IMU-processing means are configured for determining inertial attitude, inertial velocity data and inertial position data as part of the inertial state data, and/or
the evaluation means are further configured for deriving a referenced yaw angle as well as a referenced pitch angle and a referenced roll angle of the survey pole as the referenced attitude data.

6. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inertial measuring unit further comprises at least one magnetometer, and
wherein the IMU-processing means are configured for determining also compass-attitude data as part of the inertial state data.

7. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the inertial measuring unit further comprises two or three magnetometers in a mutually orthogonal configuration, and
wherein the IMU-processing means are configured for determining also compass-attitude data as part of the inertial state data.

8. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein:
the IMU-processing means are configured for repeatedly determining the inertial state data at an equal or a higher rate than the determination means the referenced position, and
the evaluation means are configured for feeding the predefined filter algorithm with the repeatedly determined inertial state data with an equal or a higher rate than with the repeatedly determined referenced position.

9. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein the position giving means comprise a retro reflector, wherein:
the determination means comprise a total station or a tachometer for measuring the referenced position of the retro reflector.

10. The surveying system according to claim 1 , wherein the position giving means comprise a GNSS-antenna,
wherein the determination means comprise a GNSS-processing unit for processing output-signals of the GNSS-antenna and deriving therefrom the referenced position of the GNSS antenna.

11. An upgrade kit for a surveying system for measuring the position of a measuring point on the ground, the upgrade kit being adapted for detecting attitude data, the surveying system comprising:
a survey pole with:
a body having a pointer tip for contacting the measuring point and
position giving means for making available the coordinative determination of a referenced position, the position giving means being placed on the body with a defined spatial relationship relative to the tip, wherein the position giving means comprise a retro reflector and/or a GNSS-antenna,

determination means for repeatedly determining the referenced position of the position giving means and
first evaluation means for deriving the position of the measuring point at least based on the determined referenced position and on the defined spatial relationship of the position giving means relative to the tip, wherein:
the upgrade kit comprises:
an inertial measuring unit to be placed on the body with a defined spatial relationship relative to the position giving means, wherein the inertial measuring unit comprises IMU-sensors including accelerometers and gyroscopes,
IMU-processing means for repeatedly determining inertial state data based on measurements taken by the inertial measuring unit, and
second evaluation means configured for:
receiving the repeatedly determined referenced position and the repeatedly determined inertial state data,
feeding a predefined filter algorithm with the repeatedly determined referenced position and the repeatedly determined inertial state data and deriving therefrom referenced attitude data for the survey pole, taking into account the defined spatial relationship of the inertial measuring unit relative to the position giving means,
using a Divided Difference Filter within the predefined filter algorithm, and
using the referenced attitude data for deriving the position of the measuring point.

12. The upgrade kit according to claim 11 , further comprising:
attaching means for attaching the upgrade kit or parts thereof to the survey pole.

13. The upgrade kit according to claim 11 , further comprising:
means for detecting and/or defining a spatial relationship of the inertial measuring unit relative to the position giving means.

14. The upgrade kit according to claim 11 , further comprising:
attaching means for attaching the inertial measuring unit to the survey pole.

15. A surveying module for a surveying system for measuring the position of a measuring point on the ground, the surveying module being adapted for detecting attitude data, wherein:
the surveying system comprises a survey pole with a body having a pointer tip for contacting the measuring point, and
the surveying module comprises:
position giving means for making available the coordinative determination of a referenced position, wherein the position giving means are to be placed on the body with a defined spatial relationship relative to the tip, wherein the position giving means comprise a retro reflector and/or a GNSS-antenna,
determination means for repeatedly determining the referenced

Assignees

• Leica Geosystems Ag

Inventors

• Dusha Damien

Classifications

• G01C21/188

  for accumulated errors, e.g. by coupling inertial systems with absolute positioning systems · CPC title

• G01C21/1654

  with electromagnetic compass · CPC title

• G01C21/165

  combined with non-inertial navigation instruments · CPC title

• G01C21/16

  by integrating acceleration or speed, i.e. inertial navigation · CPC title

• G01C15/06 Primary

  Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers · CPC title