# US 2014/0190025 A1 · Surveying appliance and method having a targeting functionality which is based on the orientation of a remote control unit and is scalable > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190025 A1 - Document ID: US20140190025A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/238,175 - Filed: 2012-07-27 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-11 - Assignees: Leica Geosystems AG - Inventors: Kurt Giger; Christian Schorr; Asif Iqbal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190025A1 ## CPC - G01C 5/00: Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels (G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence) - G01C 15/002: {Active optical surveying means (optical plumbing G01C15/105)} - G08C 17/00: Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link - H04Q 9/00: Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom - G08C 2201/32: Remote control based on movements, attitude of remote control device - G08C 2201/71: Directional beams - H04Q 2209/75: by polling or interrogating the sub-stations - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract A surveying appliance for surveying targets has a targeting unit and a remote control unit for prompting changes in the orientation of the targeting unit, equipped with measurement functionality for determining a three-dimensional orientation of the remote control unit or for determining movements by the remote control unit. The surveying appliance also has an evaluation and control unit. The extent or speed of the changes in the orientation of the targeting unit can be scaled to corresponding changes in an orientation or speed of change of orientation of the remote control unit such that at least two targeting modes having different levels of transmission ratio are provided. The surveying appliance can be used with corresponding handheld, moving remote control units, computer program products for providing, controlling and performing a targeting functionality for the surveying appliance and methods for tracking and surveying targets using the surveying appliance. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-15. (canceled) ### Claim 16 A surveying appliance for surveying target points, comprising: a sensor unit that includes: a laser source; a distance determining detector; a sighting unit that is mounted so as to be able to swivel about a swivel axis on an upper part that is mounted so as to be able to rotate about an axis of rotation on a base; and a first and a second rotary drive that render the upper part and the sighting unit drivable and orientable; a remote control unit for prompting changes to the orientation of the sighting unit and equipped with a measuring functionality for determining a spatial orientation of the remote control unit and/or for determining movements by the remote control unit; and an evaluation and control unit; wherein, a spatial orientation of the sighting unit relative to the base can be detected by means of two goniometers; the evaluation and control unit is connected to the laser source, the distance determining detector and the goniometers to associate a detected distance with a corresponding orientation and hence to determine coordinates for target points; and the changes in the orientation of the sighting unit in an azimuthal and/or elevational direction can have their extent and/or their speed scaled to corresponding changes in an azimuthal and/or elevational orientation or speed of change of orientation of the remote control unit such that at least two sighting modes that differ from one another at least in terms of a transmission ratio level are provided. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: scaling of the transmission ratio and/or of the extent and/or the speed of the change of orientation of the sighting unit is user-definable by adjustment of the remote control unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: scaling of the transmission ratio and/or of the extent and/or the speed of the change of orientation of the sighting unit is dependent on a distance between the sighting unit and a target point. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 18, wherein: scaling of the transmission ratio and/or of the extent and/or the speed of the change of orientation of the sighting unit is user-definable by adjustment of the remote control unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the remote control unit includes compass and inclination sensors that can be used to match the orientation of the sighting unit to a current azimuthal orientation and inclination of the remote control unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the remote control unit includes an inertial measuring unit with acceleration sensors and/or rotation rate sensors configured to determine changes in the orientation of the remote control unit, the inertial measuring unit enabling corresponding changes in the orientation of the sighting unit to be prompted. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the remote control unit has an input capability for an operator that can be used to activate or deactivate changes in the orientation of the sighting unit in line with the spatial orientation of the remote control unit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the sighting unit includes an imaging detector; and the remote control unit includes a display for presenting the orientation of the sighting unit with respect to a target point in an image from the imaging detector. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 23, wherein: the display is in the form of a touchscreen on which commands from a user can be input by touch. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: changes in the orientation of the sighting unit in accordance with changes in the orientation of the remote control unit can be prompted in the same direction as or in the opposite direction from the latter. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: said changes in the orientation of the sighting unit are prompted on a user-definable basis using an input capability on the remote control unit. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the sighting unit has an orientation-indicating functionality for indicating an orientation of the sighting unit with respect to a spatial point as a sighting point. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the orientation indicating functionality produces a reticle for indicating an orientation of the sighting unit with respect to a spatial point as a sighting point. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The surveying appliance as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the evaluation and control unit are integrated in the remote control unit. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) A hand held, mobile remote control unit configured for use with the surveying appliance of claim 16, the remote control unit comprising: a display for presenting the orientation of the sighting unit with respect to a sighted spatial point in an image from an imaging detector using orientation indicating functionality; and measuring functionality for determining at least one of: a spatial orientation of the remote control unit; and changes in the spatial orientation of the remote control unit. ### Claim 31 A method for surveying target points using a surveying appliance having a sensor unit that includes: a laser source; a distance determining detector; a sighting unit that is mounted for swiveling about a swivel axis on an upper part that is mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation on a base; and a first rotary drive and a second rotary drive that render the upper part and the sighting unit drivable and orientable; a remote control unit that is configured to prompt changes to the orientation of the sighting unit and has measuring functionality for determining a spatial orientation of the remote control unit and/or for determining movements by the remote control unit; and an evaluation and control unit, wherein: a spatial orientation of the sighting unit relative to the base can be detected using two goniometers; and the evaluation and control unit is connected to the laser source, the distance determining detector and the goniometers to associate a detected distance with a corresponding orientation and hence to determine coordinates for spatial points; the method comprising: determining the spatial orientation of the remote control unit and/or changes in the spatial orientation of the remote control unit using a measuring functionality of the remote control unit; prompting changes in the orientation of the sighting unit in line with the spatial orientation and/or the changes in the spatial orientation of the remote control unit; and scaling the transmission ratio between the changes in the orientation of the remote control unit and the changes in the orientation of the sighting unit in an azimuthal and/or elevational direction, such that at least two sighting modes that differ from one another at least in terms of a transmission ratio level are provided. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising: presenting the orientation of the sighting unit with respect to a target point in an image from an imaging detector of the sighting unit using an orientation indicating functionality on a display of the remote control unit. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein: scaling of the transmission ratio, of the extent and/or the speed of the change of orientation of the sighting unit: is adjustable on the remote control unit, and/or is dependent on a distance between the sighting unit and a target point. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein: scaling of the transmission ratio and/or of the extent and/or the speed of the change of orientation of the sighting unit is user-definable by adjustment of the remote control unit. ### Claim 35 (depends on 16, 31) A computer program product having program code, which is stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium and that performs the method of claim 31 when the program code is executed on an electronic data processing unit in the form of an evaluation and control unit of the surveying appliance of claim 16.