Patents by Inventor Kaoru Kumagai
Kaoru Kumagai 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).
-
Publication number: 20050275824Abstract: A surveying instrument for projecting a distance measuring light to an object to be measured and for measuring a distance from a reflected light, comprising at least an image pickup unit for picking up an image of a spreading range of the distance measuring light, and a control unit for performing edge extraction from the image captured by the image pickup unit and for judging whether there is an edge or not within the spreading range.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2005Publication date: December 15, 2005Inventors: Fumio Ohtomo, Kaoru Kumagai
-
Publication number: 20050275825Abstract: A light wave distance measuring method, using a light wave distance measuring system with a focusing function, comprising a step of comparing a reference distance to an object to be measured obtained based on a position of a focusing lens with a measuring distance obtained by light wave distance measurement, and a step of defining the measuring distance approximately equal to the reference distance as a result of measurement.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2005Publication date: December 15, 2005Inventors: Fumio Ohtomo, Kaoru Kumagai
-
Patent number: 6957493Abstract: The present invention comprises an illumination portion (11), which is disposed in a surveying machine body (8), for illuminating measurement light toward a reflector (2), a light receiving portion (12), which is disposed in the surveying machine body (8), having an image sensor for receiving a reflection light image (M0) of the measurement light illuminated toward the reflector (2), arithmetic means (37) for calculating a position in an area (Q2) of the image sensor (27) for the reflection light image (M0) from the reflector, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the survey machine body (8) so as to position the reflector (2) on a light receiving optical axis (O2) of the light receiving portion (12) based on the position obtained by the arithmetic means (37), and a light receiving area (Q3) which is a smaller area than the area (Q2) of the image sensor (27) and has the light receiving optical axis (O2) as a center is provided in the area (Q2) of the image sensor (27).Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2003Date of Patent: October 25, 2005Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TopconInventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Masahiro Saito, Shinji Yamaguchi
-
Publication number: 20050172503Abstract: The present invention provides a surveying instrument (20), comprising a surveying instrument main unit (21) which projects a measuring light to an object to be measured and measures a position based on a reflection light from the object to be measured and an operation device (67) which is removably attached on the surveying instrument main unit, wherein the surveying instrument main unit comprises a distance measuring unit (54) and (55) for emitting the measuring light and for measuring a distance, an image pickup unit (51) and (53) for acquiring an image, a reflection mirror (45) rotatably mounted and used for directing the measuring light toward the object to be measured, for directing the reflected light from the object to be measured toward a light receiving unit, and for directing the image in a projecting direction toward the image pickup unit, a detecting means (31) for detecting a rotating position of the reflection mirror, and a control unit (74) for controlling at least the distance measuring unit,Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2003Publication date: August 11, 2005Inventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Fumio Ohtomo
-
Publication number: 20040246498Abstract: The present invention relates to a position detection instrument, and more particularly to a position detection instrument that emits distance measuring light and measuring light to perform three-dimensional measurement of a target position, and that records image data in its emission direction or in directions other than the emission direction. An object of the present invention is to provide such a position detection instrument. A light source unit emits measuring light, and an image sensor then receives its reflected light. An emitting means emits measuring light and then leads its reflected light to the image sensor. A swinging mechanism swings an emitting means, and an angle detector detects an emission direction of the emitting means accordingly. The light source unit and the image sensor are provided in such a manner that they are fixed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Inventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Fumio Ohtomo
-
Publication number: 20040145723Abstract: An electric distance meter of the present invention comprises a device (1) to generate a modulation signal for modulating measuring light which is irradiated to an object, a device (4) to periodically generate an intermittent pulse signal for generating intermittent modulated measuring light by intermittently adding the modulation signal to a light emitting element (10), a device (5A) to generate an internal frequency signal (S5) with a frequency different from the modulation signal (S2), a light receiving element (27) for outputting a light receiving signal by receiving the intermittent modulated measuring light, a device (7) to generate an intermittent difference frequency signal (S7) by inputting the light receiving signal (S4) and the signal (S5), an arithmetic logical unit (36) for calculating a distance to the object based on a phase difference between a phase of the signal (S7) output from the device (7) and a phase of the intermittent difference frequency signal obtained through a reference optical paType: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2004Publication date: July 29, 2004Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOPCONInventors: Fumio Ohtomo, Kaoru Kumagai, Kenichiro Yoshino
-
Publication number: 20040125357Abstract: A distance-measuring device, comprising a light source unit for emitting a distance-measuring light, a photodetection optical system, a projecting optical system for projecting the distance-measuring light from the light source unit to an object to be measured and for guiding the distance-measuring light reflected by the object to be measured to the photodetection optical system, and an internal reference optical system for guiding the distance-measuring light from the light source unit toward the photodetection optical system, wherein the light source unit can emit two distance-measuring lights having different spreading angles and having the same or almost the same wavelengths, and the photodetection optical system has an optical filter which transmits light components of narrower wavelength range of the distance-measuring light.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2003Publication date: July 1, 2004Inventors: Fumio Ohtomo, Kaoru Kumagai, Jun-Ichi Kodaira
-
Publication number: 20040101164Abstract: The present invention comprises an illumination portion (11), and, a light receiving portion (12) having an image sensor (27) which are disposed in a surveying machine body (8), arithmetic means (38) for calculating a position of a reflection light image (MO) from a reflector (2) in an area of the image sensor (27) based on a received light of the image sensor (27), a rotation mechanism for rotating the surveying machine body (8) so as to position the reflector (2) on a light receiving optical axis of the light receiving portion (12) based on the position obtained by the arithmetic means (38), a storing portion (45) for storing a quantity of light of each pixel in the image sensor (27), and an edge position detecting portion (46) for detecting a beginning edge position (La) and end edge potion (Lb) of the reflection light image (MO) every scanning line in the image sensor (27).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOPCONInventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Masahiro Saito, Shinji Yamaguchi
-
Publication number: 20040101163Abstract: The present invention comprises an illumination portion (11), which is disposed in a surveying machine body (8), for illuminating measurement light toward a reflector (2), a light receiving portion (12), which is disposed in the surveying machine body (8), having an image sensor for receiving a reflection light image (M0) of the measurement light illuminated toward the reflector (2), arithmetic means (37) for calculating a position in an area (Q2) of the image sensor (27) for the reflection light image (M0) from the reflector, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the survey machine body (8) so as to position the reflector (2) on a light receiving optical axis (O2) of the light receiving portion (12) based on the position obtained by the arithmetic means (37), and a light receiving area (Q3) which is a smaller area than the area (Q2) of the image sensor (27) and has the light receiving optical axis (O2) as a center is provided in the area (Q2) of the image sensor (27).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOPCONInventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Masahiro Saito, Shinji Yamaguchi
-
Publication number: 20040100628Abstract: The present invention comprises an illumination portion (11), a light receiving portion (12), disposed in the surveying machine body (8), having an image sensor (27) for receiving a reflection light image (M0) of the measurement light, arithmetic means (38) for calculating a position in an area of the image sensor (27) for the reflection light image (M0) from a reflector (2), and a rotation mechanism for rotating the surveying machine body (8) so as to position the reflector (2) on a light receiving optical axis of the light receiving portion (12) based on the position obtained by the arithmetic means (38), and the light receiving portion (12) is provided with a light receiving sensor (47) having a smaller area than the area of the image sensor (27) on the light receiving optical axis in a conjugated position with the image area (27), and the arithmetic means (38) distinguishes the reflector 2 based on an output of the light receiving sensor (47).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOPCONInventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Masahiro Saito, Shinji Yamaguchi
-
Patent number: 6734412Abstract: The present invention relates to a position detection device having a function of an electronic shutter. The position detection device is devised to perform the following: a light sending means sends out emitted light, which comes from a light emitting means, to a target object; a two-dimensional light receiving means receives reflected light coming from the target object, and converts the reflected light into an electric charge; and an arithmetic processing means determines a position of the target object on the basis of a light receiving signal from the two-dimensional light receiving means. In addition, the two-dimensional light receiving means has a function of an electronic shutter for discharging an accumulated electric charge in order to adjust the quantity of received light. Moreover, the arithmetic processing means can drive the light emitting means within a period of time during which the electronic shutter is stopped and the two-dimensional light receiving means is accumulating an electric charge.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2002Date of Patent: May 11, 2004Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCONInventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Fumio Ohtomo
-
Patent number: 6693703Abstract: The present invention provides a distance measuring device for measuring a distance, comprising a light emitting unit for emitting a measuring light beam toward an object to be measured, and a photodetection unit for receiving a reflected measuring light beam reflected from the object to be measured, wherein said distance measuring device comprises a gain control unit for changing photodetection sensitivity of said photodetection unit by a bias voltage and a light amount switching unit for variably changing a light amount of the light emitting element which emits the light beam toward the photodetection unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2000Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCONInventors: Masahiro Ohishi, Kaoru Kumagai, Ken-ichiro Yoshino
-
Patent number: 6677863Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary encoder for detecting an angle, and more particularly to an absolute encoder which can read a pattern even when rotating at high speed. The present invention also relates to an encoder reading device that projects a pattern formed on an encoder onto a light receiving means using light emitted from a light source means so as to read a position of the encoder. The light source means is configured to emit a pulse that is synchronized with a shift pulse for moving an electric charge to a transfer gate of the light receiving means, and that is sufficiently shorter than a time interval (accumulation time) of the shift pulse.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2002Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCONInventor: Kaoru Kumagai
-
Patent number: 6621559Abstract: The present invention intends to provide an electronic leveling apparatus or the like in which a pattern image of a staff received on a photoelectric converting unit is converted into an electric signal, a peak of contrast is detected based on the obtained electric signal, and thus focusing control is carried out.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2000Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Inventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Toshio Sasakura
-
Patent number: 6573981Abstract: An electronic level for converting a pattern on a leveling rod to be collimated by photoelectric conversion and for determining difference of elevation, wherein there is provided an irradiation device for irradiating auxiliary survey light to be projected to the leveling rod by pulsed irradiation.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2000Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCONInventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Fumio Ohtomo
-
Publication number: 20030065446Abstract: A base station is installed in a predetermined area where a large number of target points are studded around the station. When the operator moves a mobile station around the base station, display means is provided for both or either of the base station that guides the operator and the mobile station, and a display screen of the display means displays 2 kinds of a Forward (foreground) mode and a Back (background) mode. In the Forward (foreground) mode, the display screen of the display means displays a landscape in a forward direction (opposite direction to the mobile station by 180° when seen from the base station) of the operator (mobile station) when the operator sees the base station from the current position of the mobile station, or from the next target point if the operator reaches the next target point.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2002Publication date: April 3, 2003Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha TOPCONInventors: Fumio Ootomo, Akio Kimura, Kaoru Kumagai, Kazuki Osaragi, Kunihiro Hayashi
-
Patent number: 6473714Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an inclination setting rotational laser apparatus and so on for use with a laser surveying instrument. According to the present invention, there is provided an arrangement in which a laser projector projects a laser beam, tilting means tilts the laser projector in at least one direction, a first optical system of inclination detecting means directs the light from a light source toward a liquid member having a free surface, light receiving means receives the light reflected on the liquid member, a second optical system guides the light reflected on the liquid member to the light receiving means, and arithmetic operation means calculates the inclination based on the received signal of the light receiving means, whereby the laser projector can be settled to have an inclination by driving the tilting means based on the inclination.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 1999Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TopconInventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Fumio Ohtomo, Masayuki Nishi
-
Publication number: 20020153470Abstract: The present invention relates to a position detection device having a function of an electronic shutter. The position detection device is devised to perform the following: a light sending means sends out emitted light, which comes from a light emitting means, to a target object; a two-dimensional light receiving means receives reflected light coming from the target object, and converts the reflected light into an electric charge; and an arithmetic processing means determines a position of the target object on the basis of a light receiving signal from the two-dimensional light receiving means. In addition, the two-dimensional light receiving means has a function of an electronic shutter for discharging an accumulated electric charge in order to adjust the quantity of received light. Moreover, the arithmetic processing means can drive the light emitting means within a period of time during which the electronic shutter is stopped and the two-dimensional light receiving means is accumulating an electric charge.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2002Publication date: October 24, 2002Inventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Fumio Ohtomo
-
Publication number: 20020149764Abstract: An electronic level for converting a pattern on a leveling rod to be collimated by photoelectric conversion and for determining difference of elevation, wherein there is provided an irradiation device for irradiating auxiliary survey light to be projected to the leveling rod by pulsed irradiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2000Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: Kaoru Kumagai, Fumio Ohtomo
-
Publication number: 20020140580Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary encoder for detecting an angle, and more particularly to an absolute encoder which can read a pattern even when rotating at high speed. The present invention also relates to an encoder reading device that projects a pattern formed on an encoder onto a light receiving means using light emitted from a light source means so as to read a position of the encoder. The light source means is configured to emit a pulse that is synchronized with a shift pulse for moving an electric charge to a transfer gate of the light receiving means, and that is sufficiently shorter than a time interval (accumulation time) of the shift pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2002Publication date: October 3, 2002Inventor: Kaoru Kumagai