Patents Assigned to Leica Geosystems AG
  • Patent number: 10273000
    Abstract: Method for aerial image capturing by means of an unmanned and controllable aircraft comprising a camera, more particularly a drone, during a flight maneuver of said aircraft, comprising continual determining of a camera position and alignment of an optical camera axis and acquiring of a series of aerial images. For each aerial image of said aerial image series, the capturing of the respective aerial image is triggered by flying through a respective image trigger region with said aircraft, wherein the location of said respective image trigger region is determined at least in each case by one trigger position assigned to said respective image trigger region and triggered subject to the alignment of the camera axis when flying through said respective image trigger region, with respect to fulfilling a defined, maximum angle deviation relative to a predetermined spatial alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Rüdiger J. Wagner, Michael Naderhirn
  • Patent number: 10260873
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include a surveying apparatus that includes an optoelectronic distance measuring device having a measuring beam path, a base for placing the surveying apparatus, a support which is mounted on the base such that it is rotatable about a vertical axis, a beam directing unit which is mounted in the support such that it is rotatable about a tilting axis, an angle measurement system for measuring the axial positions, and an actuatable positioning device driving the beam directing unit or the support. In some embodiments the positioning device may include a plurality of coils which are arranged in a positionally fixed manner in the form of a ring about the tilting axis and/or vertical axis, with winding axes which are axially parallel to the tilting axis or vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Oliver Faix, Christoph Herbst, Daniel Auer, Josef Müller
  • Publication number: 20190107392
    Abstract: A sensor module for connection to a handheld rangefinder instrument and for providing sensor data for the rangefinder instrument includes an electronic interface for connection to an applicable interface of the rangefinder instrument, and at least one electronic sensor component for generating the sensor data. A system for the handheld measurement of distances to a surface region of an object includes a sensor module of this kind and a handheld rangefinder instrument having a first laser rangefinder. When the interfaces are connected to one another, the sensor module is configured for transmitting the sensor data to the rangefinder instrument, and the interfaces are configured for transmitting electric power from the rangefinder instrument to the sensor module, in which the sensor module is configured to operate the at least one sensor component by means of the electric power transmitted by the rangefinder instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Thomas BÖSCH, Markus HAMMERER
  • Patent number: 10247542
    Abstract: The invention relates to a handheld measuring aid for use in a system having a station for determining the position and orientation of the measuring aid, the handheld measuring aid for surveying an object surface. The measuring aid has a body and visual markings disposed in a defined spatial relationship, forming a pattern, on the body in a marking region. In addition, the measuring aid has a connection for receiving a measuring, inspection or processing tool, wherein the connection has a joint, such that the tool is pivotable or rotatable in at least one direction. Furthermore, the connection or tool has a position encoder for determining the rotational position of the joint or tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventor: Michael Lettau
  • Publication number: 20190094344
    Abstract: A hybrid LiDAR-imaging device is configured for aerial surveying and comprises a camera arrangement adapted for generating orthophoto data and a LiDAR device, in which an overall exposure area is provided by the camera arrangement, which has a transverse extension of at least 60 mm and the LiDAR device has a longitudinal extension axially along a ground viewing nominal LiDAR axis and a lateral extension substantially orthogonal to the nominal LiDAR axis, in which the longitudinal extension is larger than the lateral extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Patrick STEINMANN, Werner KIRCHHOFER
  • Publication number: 20190094345
    Abstract: A laser scanner device can be adapted to be mounted to a vehicle, the device comprising a LiDAR module working based on a laser measuring beam and time-of-flight-measurement-principle. The LiDAR module is configured to provide a horizontal field of view of at least 60°, an instantaneous vertical field of view of at least ±2°, a scan resolution of at least one point per 0.8° in horizontal and vertical direction, and a frame rate of at least 10 Hz for scanning at least the entire horizontal and instantaneous vertical field of view with said scan resolution, wherein the LiDAR module comprises a multibeam transmitter configured for generating a plurality of measuring beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicants: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG, HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Julien SINGER, Lukas HEINZLE, Jochen SCHEJA, Simon MARK, Jürg HINDERLING, Burkhard BÖCKEM
  • Patent number: 10222476
    Abstract: In some embodiments a scanning method for deriving information about surfaces of objects for a surveying system is disclosed. In some embodiments, the surveying system may include a control and evaluation unit with scanning functionality, such as, for example, a laser scanner or a total station. In some embodiments, the recorded point set of the detected object points is kept available in a volatile memory of the control and evaluation unit and by means of the control and evaluation unit as part of the scanning process an adaptation of the recorded point set is effected depending on at least one point density of the recorded point set. The adapted point set generated thereby, with loss of the recorded point set, is stored in a permanent memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Christoph Herbst, Patrick Spettel
  • Patent number: 10215563
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surveying instrument comprising a telescope, at least one camera providing first, second or more image signals and a controller, wherein the controller is adapted to combine the image signal data of the first, second or more image signals in order to simultaneously display at least two of the images corresponding to the first, second or more image signals on display means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Werner Leinhart, Hans-Martin Zogg, Norbert Kotzur, Daniel Nindl
  • Patent number: 10187567
    Abstract: Some embodiments include determining geometrical data in a space, with a measurement sequence having a measurement of a first distance to a first target point by emitting a laser beam in a first emission direction, and a measurement of a second distance to a second target point by emitting a laser beam in a second emission direction. In some embodiments the geometrical data comprises a distance between the two target points and/or a solid angle between the first emission direction and the second emission direction. Some embodiments include detecting a series of images; relating the detected images to one another using image processing and using the at least one common image area; determining a distance between the mappings of the target points in the images put in relationship with one another; and determining the geometrical data on the basis of the distance between the mappings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventor: Kurt Giger
  • Publication number: 20190011258
    Abstract: A laser level comprising a first laser module and a second laser module, each comprising a laser diode and an optical unit, a holder arranging the first laser module and the second laser module in a fixed relative position, and a housing, in which the holder is suspended with a gimbal or ball joint. Each optical unit comprises a collimating lens arranged along the beam path following the laser diode, and configured for collimating a beam emitted by the laser diode; a pair of partially transmitting mirrors, each arranged along the beam path following the collimating lens, and configured for laterally reflecting less than half of the collimated beam in terms of the beam cross-section, and in terms of the beam intensity; and a cylindrical lens arranged along the beam path following the pair of partially transmitting mirrors, and configured for shaping the collimated beam into a fan beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Kai FEI, Guanghua MA, Thomas BÖSCH
  • Patent number: 10162057
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention relate to a method for capturing a relative position of at least one first spatial point by means of a portable distance measuring device, the method comprising positioning a known reference object, which has known features which may be captured by optical means, said features being arranged in a pattern designed for a resection, at least one first measuring process, comprising measuring a first distance to the first spatial point, and recording a first reference image linked in time with measuring the first distance, the reference object being imaged in the first reference image, and ascertaining the position and orientation of the distance measuring device relative to the reference object comprising identifying the reference object, recalling stored information about the known features of the identified reference object and identifying positions of known features of the reference object in the first reference image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Metzler, Beat Aebischer, Knut Siercks, Siegfried Wiltsche
  • Publication number: 20180355638
    Abstract: A portable protective case for the safe transport and storage of measuring devices and other electrical equipment. The protective case is designed to protect a valuable and sensitive measuring device located inside it against theft, unauthorized use and/or potentially harmful environmental influences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Thomas HARRING, Katherine BRODER, Burkhard BÖCKEM
  • Publication number: 20180347980
    Abstract: A geodetic surveying instrument, such as a total station, stationed with instrument center coordinates at ground coordinates in a stationing height above ground. The instrument comprises a sighting unit for aiming a measurement target point, with an opto-electronic distance meter to determine a target distance and two axes for aiming the sighting unit, with goniometers to determine a target direction. It also comprises a tilt sensor to determine a tilt value of the instrument and a measurement-controller to derive measured coordinates of the measurement target point based on this target direction and target distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Norbert KOTZUR, Gerhard KLEEMAIER, Hannes MAAR, Gian-Philipp PATRI
  • Patent number: 10140756
    Abstract: Method for creating a spatial model of a target object with a hand-held distance measuring device, the device comprising a laser distance meter, a camera, a computing unit and a data storage device, the method comprising measuring with the laser distance meter one or more distances to the target object from different positions, storing the measured distances in the data storage device, capturing with the camera a plurality of images of the target object, wherein each of the measured distances is associated with one of the captured images, determining with the computing unit relative camera poses for the plurality of images, and calculating with the computing unit based on the plurality of images and on the determined relative camera poses a three-dimensional geometry of the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Elmar Vincent Van Der Zwan, Bernhard Metzler, Thomas Ammer, Nicolas Boehrer, Michael Helmberger
  • Publication number: 20180335304
    Abstract: A light receiver designed to determine a position or orientation relative to a reference light wherein the light receiver comprises an elongated rod-shaped light receptor with two ends, a light coupler, a light guide, and light detection means at one or both ends for detection of guided reference light and a signal processor to process the at least one detection signal of the detection means and to determine the position by an evaluation of the detection signal. The light coupler comprises light absorbing and emitting material like fluorescent or phosphorescent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Peter SEITZ, Thomas AMMER, Martin WINISTÖRFER
  • Publication number: 20180335305
    Abstract: A light receiver designed to determine a position or orientation relative to a reference light wherein the light receiver comprises an elongated rod-shaped light receptor with two ends, a light coupler, a light guide, and light detection means at both ends and a signal processor to process the electric signals of the detection means and to determine the relative position and/or orientation by a comparative evaluation of the electric signals. The light guide serves as a light propagation path of defined length for light coupled into the light guide by the light coupler and the signal processor determines the position and/or orientation based on light propagation speed of the reference light propagating in the light guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Peter SEITZ, Thomas AMMER, Jürg HINDERLING
  • Patent number: 10126124
    Abstract: In a surveying device having a base for positioning the surveying device and a pitch component having an optical beam path for surveying a target, the pitch component is radially and axially mounted and is rotatable in relation to the yaw component in a yaw component, which is movable in relation to the base, on the basis of a rotation body chucked in a self-centering manner in two cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Josef Müller, Stefan Petkov, Benjamin Schöll
  • Patent number: D843860
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Matthias Wieser
  • Patent number: D844468
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Matthias Wieser
  • Patent number: D845794
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Matthias Wieser