Abstract: A positioning device comprises a frame (60); a motor (61) having a drive shaft; a spindle (63) having a first end (71) and a second end (76) and being rotatable in relation to the frame (60); a coupling (62) resiliently connecting said drive shaft to said first end (71) of said spindle (63) such that the spindle (63) rotates when the drive shaft of the motor (61) rotates; and a support assembly (72, 74, 75) elastically supporting at the frame (60) at least one of the second end (76) of the spindle (63) and the motor (61).

Abstract: A geodetic apparatus, in particular tacheometer or theodolite, comprises an optical device for sighting objects, a first support on which the optical device is supported such that the optical device may turn around a first axis, and a first gear unit for transmitting a drive torque on the optical device so as to turn the optical device around the first axis. In thegeodetic apparatus, the first gear unit comprises a worm and a worm gear meshing with each other, wherein the worm has a plate-like body and a spirally extending worm thread is formed on a first side face of the body, and the worm gear has a plurality of teeth evenly distributed along a circle.

Abstract: A motor drive apparatus for a surveying instrument and a control method for controlling a surveying instrument enables a fast rotation of an instrument axis with high angular resolution. The motor drive apparatus for a surveying instrument includes a first motor for rotating an instrument axis. The first motor includes a stator and a rotor having a rotation axis and a plurality of step positions relative to the stator. The motor drive apparatus also includes a mounting unit for mounting the first motor so as to be pivotable around the rotation axis and an adjusting unit for rotating the stator of the first motor around the rotation axis.

Abstract: A feature detection apparatus and method for obtaining in a defined area of interest a parametric shape based on a selected combination of parameter values, constituting an approximation to an object feature. The feature detection apparatus includes an input unit for receiving at least two area indicator lines for defining in a digital image an area of interest, a parameter range defining unit for defining ranges of at least two parameters of a parametric shape, for which the parametric shape intersects at least one of the area indicator lines; a parameter selection unit for selecting a combination of parameter values from the parameter ranges, for which the parametric shape constitutes an approximation to an object feature of the object in the area of interest; and an output unit for providing the parametric shape based on said combination of parameter values for a display in the digital image.

Abstract: A leveling apparatus for optically detecting a height difference relative to a leveling staff includes an objective, a two-dimensional detector, a mount for rotating both the objective and the detector about a fixed vertical axis of the apparatus, and a processor. The detector is arranged such that its rows are inclined to an image of a vertical axis of the object by an acute angle. A method of detecting a height difference of an apparatus relative to a leveling staff includes imaging the leveling staff onto an array of detectors such that the image of a vertical axis of the staff is inclined to detector rows at an acute angle.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an optical clinometer comprising a housing or vessel with a transparent liquid which forms a liquid horizon and which is suitable for changing the direction of at least one optical beam bundle depending on inclination. At least one light source is provided for illuminating at least one structure or for generating at least one light point or light spot. An optical device is responsible for imaging the at least one structure or the at least one light point or light spot through the liquid and by of total reflection at the surface of the liquid on photoelectric sensor elements of at least one line-shaped or surface-shaped sensor arrangement, wherein the optical device for imaging the structure or the light point or light spot is arranged on the underside of the bottom of the housing or are a component part of this bottom, and the optical device is formed of an individual optical element which couples light in and out and images the structure or the light point or light spot.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting inclination employ a point source of light from which light is emitted through a lens toward a reflective surface of a liquid contained in a vessel. Light reflected from the surface passes through the lens to form a defocused image of the point source on a two-dimensional array of detector elements. Data acquired from the array represents intensity of the light incident on each of the detector elements. A center of gravity representing inclination of the vessel is determined from the data.

Abstract: An optical instrument and a method for obtaining distance and image information of an object is disclosed to improve the speed and accuracy of data acquisition. The instrument comprises a camera, positioning unit, distance measuring unit, lens arrangement and control unit. The camera acquires images of an object and the control unit defines an area to be scanned and measurement pixels of an object in the image, wherein the measurement pixels are converted into an approximation of coordinates of positions to be measured assuming a default distance to the positions, and the optical axis of the lens arrangement is adjusted sequentially onto the positions to be measured. After measuring the distances to the positions, the coordinates are recalculated increasing the accuracy of the coordinates.

Abstract: An optical instrument and a method for obtaining distance and image information of an object is disclosed to improve the speed and accuracy of data acquisition. The instrument comprises a camera, positioning unit, distance measuring unit, lens arrangement and control unit. The camera acquires images of an object and the control unit defines an area to be scanned as well as an object feature of the object, wherein measurement pixels corresponding to positions on the object may be defined in the area with an increased density of measurement pixels at the object feature. Subsequently, the distances to the object at the selected positions of interest are measured.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a surveying instrument is disclosed the survey instrument comprising a base element (3) and a camera with an image sensor (10), the camera being rotatable about a vertical axis (2) fixed with respect to said base element and being rotatable about a tilting axis (4), the tilting axis being rotated about the vertical axis with rotation of the camera about the vertical axis, In the method, data associated with calibration points (P) and images (P1) of the calibration points on the image sensor captured in different faces are used, the data for each of said calibration points comprising distance data and the data for each of the images of each said calibration point comprising image position data and orientation data.

Abstract: A calibration error correction device for an optical instrument includes a detector operable to detect a position of a focusing lens of an optical instrument along a mechanical path of the focusing lens. A line of sight through an image plane of the optical instrument and the focusing lens at a present position defines an actual viewing direction. The device also includes a memory configured to store viewing direction errors specifying a deviation between a known theoretical viewing direction and the actual viewing direction associated with a plurality of different positions of the focusing lens along the mechanical path and an indicator of at least one value indicative of the actual viewing direction based on the theoretical viewing direction and the viewing direction errors at each of the different positions of the focusing lens along the mechanical path.

Abstract: An electronic leveling apparatus for optically measuring a height difference relative to a leveling staff comprises a telescope, a camera fixed to the telescope, a first actuator for rotating both said telescope and said camera in a horizontal plane about a fixed vertical axis of the apparatus, and a controller. The camera has a depth of focus that is at least twice a depth of focus of the telescope. The controller uses a first output signal from said telescope to output a leveling signal representing a detected height difference. The controller uses a second output signal from said camera to identify a representation of a leveling staff and to control the first actuator based on the identified representation of the leveling staff. Furthermore a method for optically measuring a height difference of an electronic leveling apparatus relative to a leveling staff is provided.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for minimizing the influence of disturbing signals during calculation of shape elements from coordinate points. An aim of the embodiments of the invention is to exclude the coordinates which are not to be locally assigned to the desired shaped element from the calculation of the shaped element. Said aim is achieved by combining compensation methods for calculating the desired type of shaped element with recognition methods for the same type of shaped element and using the recognition methods for filtering the coordinate points that are relevant for calculating the shaped element out of all input coordinate points.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting inclination employ a point source of light from which light is emitted through a lens toward a reflective surface of a liquid contained in a vessel. Light reflected from the surface passes through the lens to form a defocused image of the point source on a two-dimensional array of detector elements. Data acquired from the array represents intensity of the light incident on each of the detector elements. A center of gravity representing inclination of the vessel is determined from the data.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for carrying out an information flow and data flow in a geodetic instrument with image processing is disclosed. For this purpose, the data flow and information flow needed for image processing are distributed to a plurality of function modules which are arranged in the instrument and which comprise function groups and are carried out by means of these function groups. The arrangement includes a plurality of function groups which are arranged in the instrument at locations determined by its construction design. These function groups are composed of a plurality of function modules.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for minimizing the influence of disturbing signals during calculation of shape elements from coordinate points. An aim of the embodiments of the invention is to exclude the coordinates which are not to be locally assigned to the desired shaped element from the calculation of the shaped element. This aim is achieved by combining compensation methods for calculating the desired type of shaped element with recognition methods for the same type of shaped element and using the recognition methods for filtering the coordinate points that are relevant for calculating the shaped element out of all input coordinate points.

Abstract: A multiple beam path surveying instrument is provided, which possesses an upper part that is rotatable about a vertical axis and which comprises a telescope body that can be swiveled about a tilt axis, with the vertical and tilt axes orthogonally intersecting at an intersection point S. At least two optical arrangements with optical beam paths are set up inside the telescope body. Driving and/or adjustment devices are provided for rotating the upper part about the vertical axis and the telescope body about the tilt axis. Further, measuring systems for determining the rotational angle of the upper part of the survey instrument about the vertical axis and the telescope body about the tilt axis are provided. A computer system may be used to evaluate the measurements, determine, display and/or record the measurement results, as well as to control the driving and adjustment devices for the telescope body and the upper part.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of a reflector rod provided with a reflector, using a sighting beam emitted from a base station is disclosed. The reflector and a first position sensor define a first coordinate system. The direction of the sighting beam to the reflector is measured from the base station in a second coordinate system, using horizontal and vertical angles. A second position sensor arranged in the direction of the sighting axis of the base station determines the location and orientation of the reflector rod. Measurement data in the first coordinate system is generated to determine the spatial orientation of the reflector relative to the light beam. Imaging optics are used to image the reflector on the second position sensor. The position of the reflector in the second coordinate system and the distance from the base station to the reflector are determined.

Abstract: The invention relates to an autofocusing method, particularly for telescopes for surveying instruments which are fitted with image sensors that resolve the image signal into individual image elements (pixels), such as CCD lines and/or matrices as well as CMOS image sensors. On the basis of the pixel that is located closest to the optical axis, the local signal amplitude is calculated from the monotonically decreasing or increasing signal all the way to the next local maximum and minimum. In this process, as long as this local signal amplitude is considerably smaller than the maximum signal and the focusing member of the telescope lens is in the focusing position for short focusing distances, this focusing member is shifted in large increments. Depending on the magnitude of the local signal amplitude, the focusing distance is shortened in the area of greater focusing distances in relation to the maximum signal and to the position of the focusing member.

Abstract: A multiple beam path surveying instrument is provided, which possesses an upper part that is rotatable about a vertical axis and which comprises a telescope body that can be swiveled about a tilt axis, with the vertical and tilt axes orthogonally intersecting at an intersection point S. At least two optical arrangements with optical beam paths are set up inside the telescope body. Driving and/or adjustment devices are provided for rotating the upper part about the vertical axis and the telescope body about the tilt axis. Further, measuring systems for determining the rotational angle of the upper part of the survey instrument about the vertical axis and the telescope body about the tilt axis are provided. A computer system may be used to evaluate the measurements, determine, display and/or record the measurement results, as well as to control the driving and adjustment devices for the telescope body and the upper part.