Patents by Inventor Juerg Hinderling

Juerg Hinderling has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9752863
    Abstract: A device having a scan function comprising an electro-optical distance measuring element having a laser axis as the target axis, a motorized optical deflection unit, which deflects the target axis by a deflection angle, and an angle measuring element for determining at least one angular position of the deflection unit. First measurement of angle coordinates of a reticle in a first angular position of the deflection unit as the first position, and second measurement of angle coordinates of the reticle in a second angular position of the deflection unit as the second position. The first and second measurements of the reticle are carried out on the basis of images taken with a camera, the optical axis of which is deflected by the deflection unit, and calibration parameters are determined on the basis of the angular positions and the angular coordinates in the first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Bianca Gordon, Bernd Walser
  • Patent number: 9347773
    Abstract: Highly accurate electro-optical time of flight distance measuring device for determining a distance to a target, including a transmitter for sending out a pulse shaped optical radiation to the target as well as a receiver for an optical signal built for turning the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a filter with a transfer function for filtering the electrical signal whereby the filter is built in such a way that its transfer-function is of at least 4th order, in particular 5th or 7th or higher order, so that aliasing is suppressed. Further a waveform-sampler, as an analog-to-digital-converter, for digitalizing the pulse shape from the filtered electrical signal as time- and value-quantized digital data, and a computation means for a numerical evaluation of the distance according to the pulse shape or a pulse shape representing numerical signature from the digital data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Reto Stutz, Robert Fritsch, Juerg Hinderling, Marcel Rohner
  • Patent number: 9114493
    Abstract: A method and system for determining the position of a hand-held power tool on a wall including measuring distances within a plane perpendicular to a tooling axis in at least two directions, comprising at least the direction to one side wall and the direction to the floor or the ceiling. At least one non-contact measurement sensor module measures distances in a multitude of angles in an angular range of at least 1° around the at least two directions. From the distance sequence measured by the at least one measurement sensor module a calculation and storing unit automatically calculates a function, wherein extrema represent shortest distances to walls, floor and/or ceiling adjacent to the wall. From said function the calculation and storing unit deduces the shortest distances, and output means provide information about the shortest distances so as to allow positioning relative to the shortest distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Bo Pettersson, Juerg Hinderling, Benedikt Zebhauser
  • Publication number: 20140333918
    Abstract: Highly accurate electro-optical time of flight distance measuring device for determining a distance to a target, including a transmitter for sending out a pulse shaped optical radiation to the target as well as a receiver for an optical signal built for turning the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a filter with a transfer function for filtering the electrical signal whereby the filter is built in such a way that its transfer-function is of at least 4th order, in particular 5th or 7th or higher order, so that aliasing is suppressed. Further a waveform-sampler, as an analog-to-digital-converter, for digitalizing the pulse shape from the filtered electrical signal as time- and value-quantized digital data, and a computation means for a numerical evaluation of the distance according to the pulse shape or a pulse shape representing numerical signature from the digital data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Reto STUTZ, Robert FRITSCH, Juerg HINDERLING, Marcel ROHNER
  • Patent number: 8848171
    Abstract: Highly accurate electro-optical time of flight distance measuring device for determining a distance to a target, including a transmitter for sending out a pulse shaped optical radiation to the target as well as a receiver for an optical signal built for turning the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a filter with a transfer function for filtering the electrical signal whereby the filter is built in such a way that its transfer-function is of at least 4th order, in particular 5th or 7th or higher order, so that aliasing is suppressed. Further a waveform-sampler, as an analog-to-digital-converter, for digitalizing the pulse shape from the filtered electrical signal as time- and value-quantized digital data, and a computation means for a numerical evaluation of the distance according to the pulse shape or a pulse shape representing numerical signature from the digital data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Reto Stutz, Robert Fritsch, Juerg Hinderling, Marcel Rohner
  • Patent number: 8839526
    Abstract: A sighting device includes an objective unit, an image unit, a transmitter for emitting measurement beams as transmitted beams and/or a receiver for capturing measurement beams as received beams, and at least one optical deflection means for coupling the transmitted beams into the optical beam path of the sighting device. The at least one lens comprises a cylindrical recess around the optical axis, the recess extending in the direction of the optical axis. Furthermore, the deflection means comprises a cylindrical fastening section that extends inside the recess such that a gluing gap is created between the outer lateral surface of the fastening section and at least a portion of an inner lateral surface of the lens defined by the recess, and the deflection means is fastened to the at least one lens, mediated by an adhesive located in the gluing gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Laurent Stauffer, Frank Saupe, Jochen Scheja
  • Publication number: 20140007442
    Abstract: A method and system for determining the position of a hand-held power tool on a wall including measuring distances within a plane perpendicular to a tooling axis in at least two directions, comprising at least the direction to one side wall and the direction to the floor or the ceiling. At least one non-contact measurement sensor module measures distances in a multitude of angles in an angular range of at least 1° around the at least two directions. From the distance sequence measured by the at least one measurement sensor module a calculation and storing unit automatically calculates a function, wherein extrema represent shortest distances to walls, floor and/or ceiling adjacent to the wall. From said function the calculation and storing unit deduces the shortest distances, and output means provide information about the shortest distances so as to allow positioning relative to the shortest distances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Bo Pettersson, Juerg Hinderling, Benedikt Zebhauser
  • Publication number: 20140009604
    Abstract: A device having a scan function comprising an electro-optical distance measuring element having a laser axis as the target axis, a motorized optical deflection unit, which deflects the target axis by a deflection angle, and an angle measuring element for determining at least one angular position of the deflection unit. First measurement of angle coordinates of a reticle in a first angular position of the deflection unit as the first position, and second measurement of angle coordinates of the reticle in a second angular position of the deflection unit as the second position. The first and second measurements of the reticle are carried out on the basis of images taken with a camera, the optical axis of which is deflected by the deflection unit, and calibration parameters are determined on the basis of the angular positions and the angular coordinates in the first and second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Bianca Gordon, Bernd Walser
  • Patent number: 8422035
    Abstract: A device projecting a reference line, wherein at least one part of the reference path may be detected upon passing through by the human eye and/or detectors as a reference line. In conjunction with passing through the reference path, a distance measurement occurs to at least one point on the reference path by transmitting a measurement beam that is parallel or coaxial to the reference beam or using the reference beam as a measurement beam. After receipt of portions of the reflected measurement beam, a signal is derived from said portions and a distance from at least one point is determined from the signal, wherein the guidance along the reference path is repeated at least once more and, upon each instance of passing through the reference path, a distance or distance-related variable is determined for each point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Anton Kehl, Wolfgang Rebhandl, Roland Graf
  • Publication number: 20120300191
    Abstract: A device projecting a reference line, wherein at least one part of the reference path may be detected upon passing through by the human eye and/or detectors as a reference line. In conjunction with passing through the reference path, a distance measurement occurs to at least one point on the reference path by transmitting a measurement beam that is parallel or coaxial to the reference beam or using the reference beam as a measurement beam. After receipt of portions of the reflected measurement beam, a signal is derived from said portions and a distance from at least one point is determined from the signal, wherein the guidance along the reference path is repeated at least once more and, upon each instance of passing through the reference path, a distance or distance-related variable is determined for each point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Juerg HINDERLING, Anton KEHL, Wolfgang REBHANDL, Roland GRAF
  • Publication number: 20120257187
    Abstract: Highly accurate electro-optical time of flight distance measuring device for determining a distance to a target, including a transmitter for sending out a pulse shaped optical radiation to the target as well as a receiver for an optical signal built for turning the optical signal to an electrical signal, and a filter with a transfer function for filtering the electrical signal whereby the filter is built in such a way that its transfer-function is of at least 4th order, in particular 5th or 7th or higher order, so that aliasing is suppressed. Further a waveform-sampler, as an analog-to-digital-converter, for digitalizing the pulse shape from the filtered electrical signal as time- and value-quantized digital data, and a computation means for a numerical evaluation of the distance according to the pulse shape or a pulse shape representing numerical signature from the digital data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Reto Stutz, Robert Fritsch, Juerg Hinderling, Marcel Rohner
  • Patent number: 8269984
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) projecting a reference line, having an electro-optical distance measurement unit that guides an optical reference beam (RS) along a defined reference path (RP), wherein at least one part of the reference path (RP) may be detected upon passing through by the human eye and/or detectors as a reference line. In conjunction with passing through the reference path (RP), a distance measurement occurs to at least one point (Pi) on the reference path (RP), particularly to a plurality of points (Pi), by transmitting a measurement beam that is parallel or coaxial to the reference beam (RS) or using the reference beam (RS) as a measurement beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Anton Kehl, Wolfgang Rebhandl, Roland Graf
  • Publication number: 20120198712
    Abstract: A sighting device includes an objective unit, an image unit, a transmitter for emitting measurement beams as transmitted beams and/or a receiver for capturing measurement beams as received beams, and at least one optical deflection means for coupling the transmitted beams into the optical beam path of the sighting device. The at least one lens comprises a cylindrical recess around the optical axis, the recess extending in the direction of the optical axis. Furthermore, the deflection means comprises a cylindrical fastening section that extends inside the recess such that a gluing gap is created between the outer lateral surface of the fastening section and at least a portion of an inner lateral surface of the lens defined by the recess, and the deflection means is fastened to the at least one lens, mediated by an adhesive located in the gluing gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Laurent Stauffer, Frank Saupe, Jochen Scheja
  • Publication number: 20100296075
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) projecting a reference line, having an electro-optical distance measurement unit that guides an optical reference beam (RS) along a defined reference path (RP), wherein at least one part of the reference path (RP) may be detected upon passing through by the human eye and/or detectors as a reference line. In conjunction with passing through the reference path (RP), a distance measurement occurs to at least one point (Pi) on the reference path (RP), particularly to a plurality of points (Pi), by transmitting a measurement beam that is parallel or coaxial to the reference beam (RS) or using the reference beam (RS) as a measurement beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Anton Kehl, Wolfgang Rebhandl, Roland Graf
  • Patent number: 7826039
    Abstract: For the deliberate attenuation of beam components which originate from multiple reflections, an attenuation filter (18; 19) which produces an attenuation of the intensity by at least a factor of 0.7, preferably at least 0.5 or 0.3, is arranged in each case before a receiver (2) and after a transmitter (1). Alternatively or additionally, deflection means, such as a mirror (10) or a cubic prism (14), can be formed so as to attenuate a beam. Since multiply reflected beam components pass through the attenuation means at least twice as frequently as the regular beam components the former are accordingly more greatly attenuated. Furthermore, an entry surface (5) of the receiver (2) may be surrounded by a conical deflection surface which substantially absorbs light incident on it and reflects the remainder in directions other than the direction of incidence, so that this cannot give rise to multiple reflections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Juerg Hinderling
  • Patent number: 7463339
    Abstract: A device for measuring the distances (d) to far-off objects (8) and close objects by emitting modulated laser beams (1) that are reflected on the objects. The device includes an objective (2), structure(s) (12, 36, 38, 39, 40) for selecting beams, and a receiver (7). Beams are bundled by the objective, the beams not only containing the laser beams (3) reflected on the objects but also background beams (28). The beams in an associated cross-sectional region (34, 37) of the bundle are selected from a bundle of beams by the selection structure(s) (12, 36, 38, 39, 40). The cross-sectional region includes a first section (5) and at least one second section (6), laser beams (3) reflected by a far-off object being associated with the first section (5), and laser beams (3) reflected by a close object (8) being associated with the at least second section (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Paul Benz, Marcel Buerki
  • Publication number: 20080062526
    Abstract: For the deliberate attenuation of beam components which originate from multiple reflections, an attenuation filter (18; 19) which produces an attenuation of the intensity by at least a factor of 0.7, preferably at least 0.5 or 0.3, is arranged in each case before a receiver (2) and after a transmitter (1). Alternatively or additionally, deflection means, such as a mirror (10) or a cubic prism (14), can be formed so as to attenuate a beam. Since multiply reflected beam components pass through the attenuation means at least twice as frequently as the regular beam components the former are accordingly more greatly attenuated. Furthermore, an entry surface (5) of the receiver (2) may be surrounded by a conical deflection surface which substantially absorbs light incident on it and reflects the remainder in directions other than the direction of incidence, so that this cannot give rise to multiple reflections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2005
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Applicant: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Juerg Hinderling
  • Publication number: 20070242258
    Abstract: A device for measuring the distances (d) to far-off objects (8) and close objects by emitting modulated laser beams (1) that are reflected on the objects. The device includes an objective (2), structure(s) (12, 36, 38, 39, 40) for selecting beams, and a receiver (7). Beams are bundled by the objective, the beams not only containing the laser beams (3) reflected on the objects but also background beams (28). The beams in an associated cross-sectional region (34, 37) of the bundle are selected from a bundle of beams by the selection structure(s) (12, 36, 38, 39, 40). The cross-sectional region includes a first section (5) and at least one second section (6), laser beams (3) reflected by a far-off object being associated with the first section (5), and laser beams (3) reflected by a close object (8) being associated with the at least second section (6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Juerg Hinderling, Paul Benz, Marcel Buerki
  • Patent number: 6123427
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for retroreflection of an optical ray using triple prisms. Six to ten triple prisms (1, 2, 3, 131, 132, 133) arm provided with triangular light entry surfaces, wherein the side faces of adjacent triple prisms are in contact. This results in continuous retroreflection at a high level of intensity for one angle area, of 360.degree.. When used in particular in geodesy or in construction surveying, this all-round reflector provides a high degree of measurement accuracy for angles and distances from any direction on which a bearing is taken. Alignment towards a surveying instrument is therefore not necessary. Measurement of short distances is also definite and reliable. The all-round reflector is particularly advantageous for automatic surveying, since, irrespective of its orientation, it can be automatically tracked by a motorised surveying instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventor: Juerg Hinderling
  • Patent number: 6031606
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process and device for the rapid detection of the position of a target marking. The target marking is picked-up by imaging optics and a local opto-electronic detector of a theodolite or tachymeter. Electric signals from the detector are rapidly evaluated in a pre-processing unit by formation of sum functions for determining coordinates of the target marking in such a way that the target marking is immediately automatically detected in coarse targeting and its further movement can be followed automatically. Its track data can simultaneously be recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Bayer, Juerg Hinderling, Helmut Ghesla