Indirect position determination with the aid of a tracker

US6675122B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG · CH

Inventors

• Albert Markendorf · Suhr, CH
• Raimund Loser · Bad Säckingen, DE
• Bernhard Hauri · Schweiz, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 25, 2002
• Grant date: Jan 6, 2004
• Expiry date: Feb 25, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/88
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

For indirect determination of point positions and/or of surface orientations in point positions a laser tracker (1) adapted for relative and absolute distance measurement is used. A measuring device is utilised, the device including a target point (retro-reflector 3) for the laser beam of the tracker, the target point being movable along a trajectory path (A). The position and orientation of the trajectory path (A) of the target point is precisely defined relative to a reference point (R) of the device (2) and the device (2) is positionable in the region of a point position (P) to be determined such that the position of the reference point (R) relative to the point position (P) to be determined is precisely defined. For determining the point position (P), the device (2) is positioned in the region of the point position (P) to be determined, the target point is positioned in a starting position (3.1) and is detected by the tracker (1) by direction determination and absolute distance measurement. Then the target point is moved along the trajectory path (A) being followed by the tracker (1), while direction and distance changes are recorded. In comparison with an indirect determinatio…