Multiple single-axis trackers for survey equipment
AssigneeTrimble Inc.
InventorWayne Johnston
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A total station includes a telescope and a tracking system for aligning an axis of the total station with a target. The tracking system includes a first emitter that emits first light toward the target and a first sensor that receives the first light reflected off the target. The first emitter and first sensor are horizontally offset from a lens center of the telescope. The tracking system also includes a second emitter that emits second light toward the target and a second sensor that receives the second light reflected off the target. The second emitter and second sensor are vertically offset from a lens center of the telescope. Corrective rotations are computed based on the received first light and the received second light.
Claims20
A geodetic apparatus comprising:
- a telescope comprising a front lens having a lens center;
- a tracking system for aligning an axis of the geodetic apparatus with a target, the tracking system comprising:
- a first emitter horizontally offset from the lens center and configured to emit first light toward the target;
- a first sensor horizontally offset from the lens center and configured to receive the first light reflected off the target;
- a second emitter vertically offset from the lens center and configured to emit second light toward the target;
- and
- a second sensor vertically offset from the lens center and configured to receive the second light reflected off the target;
- and
- a processor configured to compute one or more corrective rotations for aligning the axis of the geodetic apparatus with the target based on the received first light and the received second light.
A method of operating a geodetic apparatus having a telescope, the method comprising:
- emitting, by a first emitter horizontally offset from a lens center of the telescope, first light toward a target;
- receiving, by a first sensor horizontally offset from the lens center, the first light reflected off the target;
- emitting, by a second emitter vertically offset from the lens center, second light toward the target;
- and
- receiving, by a second sensor vertically offset from the lens center, the second light reflected off the target;
- and
- computing one or more corrective rotations for aligning an axis of the geodetic apparatus with the target based on the received first light and the received second light.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
- causing a first emitter horizontally offset from a lens center of a telescope to emit first light toward a target;
- causing a first sensor horizontally offset from the lens center to receive the first light reflected off the target;
- causing a second emitter vertically offset from the lens center to emit second light toward the target;
- and
- causing by a second sensor vertically offset from the lens center to receive the second light reflected off the target;
- and
- computing one or more corrective rotations for aligning an axis with the target based on the received first light and the received second light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.