Handheld optical distance measurement device

US7568289B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Aragon Burlingham · San Francisco, US
• Andrew G. Butler · Palo Alto, US
• Calvin Chan · Tsuen Wan, CN
• Mark Della Bona · Los Altos, US
• Jeffery Fincher · Redwood City, US
• Daniel Lester Hill · Bloomington, US
• Bob Lewis · Bend, US
• Chris Tacklind · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 8, 2005
• Grant date: Aug 4, 2009
• Expiry date: Dec 8, 2025

Classification

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

Abstract

A handheld measurement device of an embodiment of the invention includes a distance measurement engine and an angular position measurement engine. A controller controls the distance measurement engine and associates an elevation, azimuth position, or relative angular position from the angular position measurement engine with distance measurements taken from the elevation engine. In preferred operations, each point measured from a target under the control of a user is automatically associated with an elevation and/or azimuth position obtained from the angular position engine. Preferably, the controller determines a set of relative coordinates in space for a plurality of related target points. The controller may then calculate a variety of useful distances, areas, volumes, etc., regarding the plurality of target points.