Laser measuring means for measuring a distance from an object, and method of operating same

Method of operating a laser measuring device for measuring a distance from an object, the method comprising:

• emitting a laser pulse at the beginning of a measuring cycle by means of a pulse laser;
• generating detection signals by means of at least one detection unit of an optical sensor, the detection unit comprising at least one detector for detecting individual photons, wherein during the measuring cycle, one of the detection signals is generated by the detection unit each time one of the photons is detected by the detector;
• generating coincidence signals by means of a coincidence recognition stage, wherein during the measuring cycle, one of the coincidence signals is generated each time the detection signals generated by the detection unit reach at least a preset coincidence depth within a coincidence time;
• presetting the coincidence time for the coincidence recognition stage by a coincidence time presetting stage, the coincidence time being preset such that the coincidence time monotonically increases during the measuring cycle;
• and
• determining the distance by means of a travel-time measuring device on the basis of a travel-time measurement of the coincidence signals.

A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method of operating a laser measuring device for measuring a distance from an object, said method comprising:

• emitting a laser pulse at the beginning of a measuring cycle by means of a pulse laser;
• generating detection signals by means of at least one detection unit of an optical sensor, the detection unit comprising at least one detector for detecting individual photons, wherein during the measuring cycle, one of the detection signals is generated by the detection unit each time one of the photons is detected by the detector;
• generating coincidence signals by means of a coincidence recognition stage, wherein during the measuring cycle, one of the coincidence signals is generated each time the detection signals generated by the detection unit reach at least a preset coincidence depth within a coincidence time;
• presetting the coincidence time for the coincidence recognition stage by a coincidence time presetting stage, the coincidence time being preset such that the coincidence time monotonically increases during the measuring cycle;
• and
• determining the distance by means of a travel-time measuring device on the basis of a travel-time measurement of the coincidence signals,
• when said computer program is run by a computer.