# US 8,772,719 B2 · Coordinate measuring device

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- Number: US 8,772,719 B2
- Document ID: US8772719B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/377,739
- Filed: 2010-06-14
- Published: 2012-05-10
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2009-06-23
- Assignees: Leica Geosystems AG
- Applicants: Burkhard Böckem; Simon Fuchs
- Inventors: Burkhard Böckem; Simon Fuchs
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772719B2

## CPC

- G01C 3/08: Use of electric radiation detectors
- G01C 15/002: {Active optical surveying means (optical plumbing G01C15/105)}
- G01S 17/66: Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
- G01S 17/86: Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
- G01S 17/87: Combinations of systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
- 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)
- G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES

## Abstract

A coordinate measuring device includes a carrier that can be rotated automatically about two axes and that can be directed toward a measuring aid. The following are arranged on the carrier so as to be able to move together: an optical distance measuring device for measuring the distance to the measuring aid; an infrared light source for emitting an infrared target beam, which is visible as an infrared target point when reflected on the measuring aid; a fine target detection unit for determining a fine position of the infrared target point on a first position detection sensor, wherein the fine target detection unit and the distance measuring device have a common exit lens system; a second light source, the light of which is visible as a second target point when reflected on the measuring aid; a rough target detection unit for determining a rough position of the second target point on a second position detection sensor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A coordinate measurement apparatus, comprising:
a carrier which with respect to a base is rotatable about at least two axes, wherein the carrier by way of rotation about these at least two axes by way of a closed-loop control device, is configured to be automatically aligned onto a measurement aid movable in space,
wherein at least in each case at least one of an exit optical system and entry optical system of the following units are arranged on the carrier in a commonly movable manner,
at least one optical distance measurement device for measuring the distance to a measurement aid moved in space;
an infrared light source and optical elements for radiating an infrared target beam, wherein the infrared target beam, with a reflection on the measurement aid, is visible as an infrared target point;
a fine target detection unit for determining a fine position as the position of the image of the first infrared target point on a first position detection sensor, wherein the fine target detection unit and the distance measurement device have a common exit optical system;
a second light source which radiates light at least in the infrared region, wherein this light, with a reflection at the measurement aid, is visible as a second target point;
a coarse target detection unit for determining a coarse position as the position of the image of the second target point on a second position detection sensor, wherein the coarse target detection unit is only sensitive to light in the infrared region;
and wherein the closed-loop control device is set up for aligning the carrier onto the measuring aid by way of rotation about the at least two axes of the carrier in accordance with the fine position and the coarse position.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical distance measurement device is an absolute distance measurement apparatus or an interferometer, or a combination of both.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light radiated by the infrared light source, as a target beam, is coupled into the common beam path of the distance measurement device and of the fine target detection unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an optical axis of the fine target detection unit runs outside the coordinate measurement apparatus coaxially to the optical axis of the distance measurement device on a common measurement axis.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical axes of the fine target detection unit and of the coarse target detection unit do not run coaxially outside the carrier.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fine target detection unit has a viewing angle of less than 3°.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coarse target detection unit has a viewing angle of more than 3°.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fine target detection unit and the coarse target detection unit are sensitive in regions of the infrared spectrum which are different from one another, and the fine target detection unit is sensitive to light of the infrared light source and the coarse target detection unit to light of the second light source.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the fine target detection unit comprises a first band-pass filter with a first transmission range, the coarse target detection unit a second band-pass filter with a second transmission range, and the two transmission ranges do not overlap, and the first band-pass filter filters out measurement light of the distance measurement device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pointer light source for producing light in the visible region, as well as an incoupling for coupling in this light as a beam into the common beam path of the distance measurement device and of the fine target detection unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an overview camera sensitive at least in the visible range, for the coarse localisation of the measurement aid by way of light in the visible region.

### Claim 12

A method for operating a coordinate measurement apparatus, comprising the following steps:
providing a coordinate measurement apparatus that includes a carrier which with respect to a base is rotatable about at least two axes, wherein at least in each case one exit optical system and/or entry optical system of the following units are arranged on the carrier in a commonly movable manner,
at least one optical distance measurement device;
an infrared light source;
a fine target detection unit, wherein the fine target detection unit and the distance measurement device have a common exit optical system;
a second light source;
a coarse target detection unit, wherein the coarse target detection unit is only sensitive to light in the infrared region;
the method further comprising the following steps:
measuring the distance to a measurement aid moveable in space, by way of the optical distance measurement device;
radiating an infrared target beam by way of the infrared light source and optical elements, wherein the target beam, reflected at the measurement aid, is visible as an infrared target point;
determining a fine position as the position of the image of the infrared target point on a first position detection sensor of the fine target detection unit;
radiating light at least in the infrared region by way of a second light source, wherein this light, reflected at the measurement aid, becomes visible as a second target point;
determining a coarse position as the position of the image of the second target point on a second position detection sensor of the coarse target detection unit;
automatically aligning the carrier onto the measurement aid by way of rotating about the at least two axes of the carrier by way of a closed-loop control device, in accordance with the fine position and the coarse position.

### Claim 13

A coordinate measurement apparatus, comprising:
an optical distance measurement device;
a carrier which with respect to a base is rotatable about at least two axes, wherein the carrier by way of rotation about these at least two axes, by way of a closed-loop control device, is configured to be automatically aligned onto a measurement aid movable in space,
wherein the carrier is rotatable about a tilt axis running at least approximately horizontally in operation of the coordinate measurement apparatus, and about a pivot axis running at least approximately vertically, and wherein a measurement axis does not intersect the tilt axis and/or the measurement axis does not intersect the pivot axis, and,
wherein a light beam of the distance measurement device is coupled into a beam path of a fine target detection unit by way of a semitransparent mirror, and an axis of the beam path of the fine target detection unit is displaced parallel by way of this semitransparent mirror.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the measurement axis and the tilt axis are distanced from one another by a distance of between 1.4 mm and 2.5mm.

### Claim 15

A coordinate measurement apparatus, comprising:
a carrier which with respect to a base is rotatable about at least two axes, wherein the carrier by way of rotation about these at least two axes, by way of a closed-loop control device, is configured to be automatically aligned onto a measurement aid movable in space,
the coordinate measurement apparatus further comprising at least one optical distance measurement device for measuring the distance to a measurement aid moved in space,
wherein the distance measurement device comprises a measurement light source for producing a measurement light beam, as well as a beam splitter which couples out a part of the produced measurement light beam, and a beam expander which expands the coupled-out measurement light and by way of this leads it onto two separate detectors.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The coordinate measurement apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the beam expander comprises a cylinder prism or a row of cylinder prisms which lie next to one another and are formed of one piece.