Surveying system and method of operating a surveying system
AssigneeTrimble Inc.
InventorMichael Vogel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surveying system comprises a base 3, a first alidade 7 mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a first axis 9, a first optical instrument 17 mounted on the first alidade 7, wherein the first optical instrument is configured to emit a first beam 41 of measuring light, a second alidade 19 mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a second axis 21, and a second optical instrument 25 mounted on the second alidade, wherein the second axis substantially coincides with the first axis. The first optical instrument includes a scanner 31, and the second optical instrument includes at least one camera 63.
Claims15
A surveying system, comprising:
- a base;
- a first alidade mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a first axis;
- a first optical instrument mounted on the first alidade, wherein the first optical instrument is configured to emit a first beam of measuring light;
- a second alidade mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a second axis;
- and
- a second optical instrument mounted on the second alidade;
- wherein the second axis substantially coincides with the first axis.
A surveying system, comprising:
- a base;
- at least one alidade mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a first axis;
- a first mirror rotatable about a second axis of the at least one alidade;
- a first light source configured to emit a first beam of measuring light onto the first mirror such that the first beam of measuring light reflected from the first mirror can be directed to a distant object;
- at least one support rotatable about a third axis;
- at least one second mirror mounted on the at least one support at a distance from the third axis;
- and
- at least one optical instrument mounted on the at least one support;
- wherein the at least one optical instrument includes optical components configured to provide at least one optical beam path;
- wherein the at least one second mirror is positioned in the at least one optical beam path;
- and
- wherein the surveying system is configured such that the first mirror can be rotated to an angular position such that the first beam of measuring light reflected from the first mirror extends along a beam axis substantially coinciding with a main axis of a portion of the at least one optical beam path.
A method of operating a surveying instrument, comprising:
- measuring distances of remote objects by operating a scanner;
- and
- recording images of the remote objects by operating at least one camera;
- wherein the measuring of the distances comprises rotating the scanner about a first axis at a constant speed;
- wherein the recording of the images comprises repeating:
- (i) rotating the at least one camera about a second axis at a speed greater than the constant speed for a first duration of time, and then
- (ii) maintaining the at least one camera at a stationary angular position about the second axis for a second duration of time;
- and
- wherein the second axis substantially coincides with the first axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.