US 4,732,472 A · Methods of, and systems for, determining the position of an object

A unit for use in a positional determination system;

said unit comprising a laser, an optical system, a beam splitter orientated to re-direct a beam from the laser through the optical system, a lens system with a central window on the axis of the optical system through which the laser beam is emitted and a symmetrical array of lenses around the window with optical axes parallel to that of the optical system and sensing means for receiving reflected light from the array of lenses to indicate whether a reflected beam entering the array is parallel to the emitted beam.

A method of determining the position of an object remote from a reference station (A) at a predetermined position by survey measurements effected on computer controlled laser generated light beams representing measurement vectors (R, R1, R2) extending between the reference station and further measurement stations (B, B1, C) representing polygonal points;

said method comprising the steps of:
(a) emitting a first laser light beam from the reference station, displacing said first beam udner computer control while detecting a reflection of the first beam from a first measurement station (B) until coincidence occurs, ascertaining from angular displacement relationships necessary to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the first measurement station relative to the reference station, ascertaining from a measurement of the transit time of the first beam and its reflection the distance between the first measurement station and the reference station;
(b) emitting a second laser light beam from the first measurement station, displacing said second beam under computer control while detecting a reflection of the second beam from a second measurement station (C) positionally associated with the object until coincidence occurs, ascertaining from angular displacement relationships necessary to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the second measurement station relative to the first measurement station, ascertaining from a measurement of the transit time of the second beam and its reflection the distance between the first and second measurement stations;
and
(c) transferring resultant measurement data via at least one of the beams and collecting and assessing all the measurement data to evaluate the position of the object.

2 more elements

A method of determining the position of an object remote from a reference station (A) by survey measurements effected on computer controlled laser generated light beams representing measurement vectors (R, R1, R2) extending between the reference station and further measurement stations (A1, B, C) representing polygonal points;

said method comprising the steps of:
(a) emitting a first laser light beam from the reference station, displacing said first beam under computer control while detecting a reflection of the first beam from a first measurement station (A1) of known location until coincidence occurs, ascertaining from angular displacement relationships necessary to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the reference station relative to the first measurement station, ascertaining from a measurement of the transit time of the first beam and its reflection the distance between the first measurement station and the reference station;
(b) emitting a second laser light beam from a second measurement station (B), displacing said second beam under computer control while detecting a reflection of the second beam from a further measurement station (C) positionally associated with the object until coincidence occurs, ascertaining from angular displacement relationships necessary to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the further measurement station relative to the second measurement station, ascertaining from a measurement of the transit time of the second beam and its reflection the distance between the second and further measurement stations.
(c) emitting a third laser light beam from the reference station, displacing said third beam under computer control while detecting a reflection of the third beam from the second measurement station (B) until coincidence occurs, ascertaining from angular displacement relationships the spatial co-ordinates of the second measurement station relative to the reference station, ascertaining from a measurement of the transit time of the third beam and its reflection the distance between the second measurement station and the reference station;
and
(d) transferring resultant measurement data via at least some of the beams and collecting and assessing all the measurement data with a central computer to evaluate the position of the object.

3 more elements

A system for determining the position of an object, said system comprising:

(a) a reference station (A) at a predeterminable position;
(b) a first measurement station (A1) at a known location;
(c) a second measurement station (C) positionally associated with the object;
(d) means (1) for successively emitting a laser light beam from the reference station to the first measurement station and the second measurement station;
(e) means (2) at the first and second measurement stations for reflecting said beam when incident;
(f) computer-controlled means (15) at the reference station for displacing said beam;
(g) means (10, 7) at the reference station for detecting the reflection of the beam from the first measurement station until coincidence occurs, for ascertaining from angular displacement relationships to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the reference station relative to the first measurement station and from a measurement of the transit time of the beam and its reflection the distance between the first measurement station and the reference station, for detecting the reflection of the beam from the second measurement station until coincidence occurs, and for ascertaining from angular displacement relationships to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the second measurement station relative to the reference station and from the transit time of the beam and its reflection the distance between the reference and second measurement stations;
(h) means for transferring and receiving measurement data between the stations and via at least one of the beams;
and
(i) computer means (D) for collecting an assessing all the measurement data to evaluate the position of the object.

7 more elements

A system for determining the position of an object, said system comprising:

(a) a reference station (A) at a predeterminable position;
(b) a first measurement station (A1) at a known location;
(c) a second measurement station (C) positionally associated with the object;
(d) a further measurement station (B) intermediate the reference and second measurement stations;
(e) means (1) for succesively emitting a laser light beam from the reference station to the first measurement station and the further measurement station;
(f) means (2) at the first and further measurement stations for reflecting said beam when incident back to the reference station;
(g) computer-controlled means (15) at the reference station for displacing said beam;
(h) means (10, 7) at the reference station for detecting the reflection of the beam from the first measurement station until coincidence occurs, for ascertaining from angular displacement relationships necessary to achieve coincidence the spatial coordinates of the reference station relative to the first measurement station and from a measurement of the transit time of the beam and its reflection the distance between the first measurement station and the reference station, for detecting the reflection of the beam from the further measurement station until coincidence occurs, and for ascertaining from angular displacement relationships necessary to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the further measurement station relative to the reference station and from the transit time of the beam and its reflection the distance between the reference and further measurement stations;
(i) means for emitting a further laser light beam from the further measurement station (B);
(j) means (2) at the second measurement station (C) for reflecting said further beam when incident back to the further measurement station;
(k) computer-controlled means (15) at the further measurement station for displacing said further beam;
(l) means (10, 7) at the further measurement station for detecting the reflection of the further beam from the second measurement station until coincidence occurs, for ascertaining from angular displacement relationships necessary to achieve coincidence the spatial co-ordinates of the second measurement station relative to the further measurement station and from a measurement of the transit time of the beam and its reflection the distance between the further measurement station and the second measurement station;
(m) means for transferring and receiving measurement data between the stations and via at least one of the beams;
and
(n) computer means (D) for collecting and assessing all the measurement data to evaluate the position of the object.

12 more elements

Methods of, and systems for, determining the position of an object

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Abstract

Claims26

Methods of, and systems for, determining the position of an object

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26