Patent · US Active

Surveying instrument

US9945665B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
6References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 16, 2015
Grant dateApr 17, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 27, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01C17/34
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention provides a surveying instrument comprising a frame unit rotatable in a horizontal direction, a telescope unit as mounted rotatably in a vertical direction on the frame unit, a driving unit for rotating and driving the frame unit and the telescope unit, a horizontal angle measuring unit for detecting a horizontal angle of the frame unit, a vertical angle measuring unit for detecting a vertical angle of the telescope unit and a control device, wherein the telescope unit has a telescope for sighting an object to be measured and a wide angle camera having a wider field angle than the telescope and for acquiring an image in a sighting direction, wherein the wide angle camera is set so that a sighting position of the sun is on a photodetection element and the sighting position of the sun is at a known position deviated from a field of view of the telescope, wherein the control device detects an image of the sun and a center of the image of the sun from an image acquired by the wide angle camera and controls the driving unit so that the center of the sun coincides with the sighting position of the sun, and is adapted to determine a true north based on a time moment, a horizo…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.