Patents by Inventor Kurt Giger
Kurt Giger 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).
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Patent number: 10187567Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventor: Kurt Giger
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Patent number: 9817122Abstract: An electro-optical distance measuring device includes a laser driver for a laser diode for emitting laser light pulses. The laser driver has a laser diode voltage supply for providing a voltage below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode, an inductive component in a supply path of the laser diode, and an electronic switching element. The electronic switching element is arranged in an interacting manner such that a current flow through the inductive component can be generated in a first switching position of the switching element and the current flow can be conducted through the laser diode in a second switching position of the switching element. One of the laser light pulses can be emitted as the result of a switch from the first switching position to the second switching position, and laser light cannot be emitted in the static first switching position or the static second switching position.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2012Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl, Kurt Giger
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Patent number: 9753139Abstract: An electro-optical distance measuring device includes a laser driver for a laser diode for emitting laser light pulses. The measuring device further includes a laser diode voltage supply having a cascade of at least two voltage regulators, each of which provides an output voltage at a level below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode. By changing from a first to a second switching position of an electronic switching element of the measuring device, one of the laser light pulses can be emitted and, in the steady-state first and the steady-state second switching positions, no laser light is emitted.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2013Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Kurt Giger, Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl
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Patent number: 9677883Abstract: The invention relates to an optoelectronic distance measuring device, comprising a transmitting unit and comprising a receiving unit of an electronic evaluating unit. The transmitting unit has a circuit board, a semiconductor laser, and a laser diode driver for transmitting high-frequency intensity-modulated optical radiation. In order to receive a component of the optical radiation reflected by a target object by means of a photosensitive electrical component, the receiving unit is equipped with an electrical output signal as a received signal, a conditioning unit for conditioning the received signal, and an analog/digital converter for digitizing the conditioned received signal. The electronic evaluating unit determines a distance from the distance measuring device to the target object on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitized received signal. The semiconductor laser is attached to the circuit board as a laser substrate that does not have a housing.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Kurt Giger, Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl
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Patent number: 9599713Abstract: The invention relates to an electro-optical distance-measuring device, more particularly a laser rangefinder, with a transmitting unit for transmitting intensity-modulated optical radiation, a receiving unit for receiving a portion of the optical radiation reflected back from a target in a photosensitive electrical component and converting it into an electrical received signal, an input filter for filtering the received signal, an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the filtered received signal and an electronic analysis unit that calculates the distance from the rangefinder to the target object on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitized received signal. The input filter is implemented as a time-discrete and continuous-value filter structure, more particularly a digital filter structure.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2012Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Kurt Giger, Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl
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Patent number: 9470792Abstract: Some embodiment include a handheld distance measuring device having a laser distance meter for measuring distances to target points in an environment and an image acquisition unit for acquiring images of the environment, characterized by a control unit having program code for controlling a spatial modeling functionality having a measurement sequence, in the scope of which images of a region of the environment are acquired from different positions of the distance measuring device, these images having a shared image region, wherein the image acquisition unit assumes different, which represent the respective position and alignment of the distance measuring device, during the acquisition of the first image and the second image.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2015Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventor: Kurt Giger
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Patent number: 9453719Abstract: A measuring appliance in which inputted or measured spatial points and a horizontal projection representation or spatial representation of at least some spatial points from the quantity of spatial points can be displayed, said points being at least partially connected by lines. The measuring appliance has a representation-changing functionality in the framework of which, according to a line selected on the user side from the lines displayed in a horizontal projection representation or a spatial representation, in an automatically controlled manner by means of the evaluation and control unit: a virtual surface is defined by the selected line and a direction provided as the vertical; a subset of spatial points is selected from the quantity of spatial points, lying inside a buffer zone surrounding the virtual surface in a defined manner; and a vertical projection representation of exclusively such spatial points pertaining to the subset is displayed on the display.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2012Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Christian Schorr, Frank Schroeder, Romy Koch, Kurt Giger
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Patent number: 9377303Abstract: A surveying appliance for surveying targets has a targeting unit and a remote control unit for prompting changes in the orientation of the targeting unit, equipped with measurement functionality for determining a three-dimensional orientation of the remote control unit or for determining movements by the remote control unit. The surveying appliance also has an evaluation and control unit. The extent or speed of the changes in the orientation of the targeting unit can be scaled to corresponding changes in an orientation or speed of change of orientation of the remote control unit such that at least two targeting modes having different levels of transmission ratio are provided. The surveying appliance can be used with corresponding handheld, moving remote control units, computer program products for providing, controlling and performing a targeting functionality for the surveying appliance and methods for tracking and surveying targets using the surveying appliance.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2012Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Kurt Giger, Christian Schorr, Asif Iqbal
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Publication number: 20150309174Abstract: Some embodiment include a handheld distance measuring device having a laser distance meter for measuring distances to target points in an environment and an image acquisition unit for acquiring images of the environment, characterized by a control unit having program code for controlling a spatial modeling functionality having a measurement sequence, in the scope of which images of a region of the environment are acquired from different positions of the distance measuring device, these images having a shared image region, wherein the image acquisition unit assumes different, which represent the respective position and alignment of the distance measuring device, during the acquisition of the first image and the second image.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2015Publication date: October 29, 2015Inventor: Kurt GIGER
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Publication number: 20150109407Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventor: Kurt Giger
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Publication number: 20140327902Abstract: The invention relates to an optoelectronic distance measuring device, comprising a transmitting unit and comprising a receiving unit of an electronic evaluating unit. The transmitting unit has a circuit board, a semiconductor laser, and a laser diode driver for transmitting high-frequency intensity-modulated optical radiation. In order to receive a component of the optical radiation reflected by a target object by means of a photosensitive electrical component, the receiving unit is equipped with an electrical output signal as a received signal, a conditioning unit for conditioning the received signal, and an analog/digital converter for digitizing the conditioned received signal. The electronic evaluating unit determines a distance from the distance measuring device to the target object on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitized received signal. The semiconductor laser is attached to the circuit board as a laser substrate that does not have a housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2012Publication date: November 6, 2014Inventors: Kurt Giger, Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl
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Publication number: 20140307248Abstract: The invention relates to an electro-optical distance-measuring device, more particularly a laser rangefinder, with a transmitting unit for transmitting intensity-modulated optical radiation, a receiving unit for receiving a portion of the optical radiation reflected back from a target in a photosensitive electrical component and converting it into an electrical received signal, an input filter for filtering the received signal, an analogue-to-digital converter for digitising the filtered received signal and an electronic analysis unit that calculates the distance from the rangefinder to the target object on the basis of a signal propagation time using the digitised received signal. The input filter is implemented as a time-discrete and continuous-value filter structure, more particularly a digital filter structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2012Publication date: October 16, 2014Inventors: Kurt Giger, Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl
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Publication number: 20140226147Abstract: An electro-optical distance measuring device includes a laser driver for a laser diode for emitting laser light pulses. The laser driver has a laser diode voltage supply for providing a voltage below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode, an inductive component in a supply path of the laser diode, and an electronic switching element. The electronic switching element is arranged in an interacting manner such that a current flow through the inductive component can be generated in a first switching position of the switching element and the current flow can be conducted through the laser diode in a second switching position of the switching element. One of the laser light pulses can be emitted as the result of a switch from the first switching position to the second switching position, and laser light cannot be emitted in the static first switching position or the static second switching position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2012Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Reto Metzler, Bernhard Fiegl, Kurt Giger
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Publication number: 20140204396Abstract: An electro-optical distance measuring device includes a laser driver for a laser diode for emitting laser light pulses. The measuring device further includes a laser diode voltage supply having a cascade of at least two voltage regulators, each of which provides an output voltage at a level below a laser threshold voltage of the laser diode. By changing from a first to a second switching position of an electronic switching element of the measuring device, one of the laser light pulses can be emitted and, in the steady-state first and the steady-state second switching positions, no laser light is emitted.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Kurt GIGER, Reto METZLER, Bernhard FIEGL
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Publication number: 20140190025Abstract: A surveying appliance for surveying targets has a targeting unit and a remote control unit for prompting changes in the orientation of the targeting unit, equipped with measurement functionality for determining a three-dimensional orientation of the remote control unit or for determining movements by the remote control unit. The surveying appliance also has an evaluation and control unit. The extent or speed of the changes in the orientation of the targeting unit can be scaled to corresponding changes in an orientation or speed of change of orientation of the remote control unit such that at least two targeting modes having different levels of transmission ratio are provided. The surveying appliance can be used with corresponding handheld, moving remote control units, computer program products for providing, controlling and performing a targeting functionality for the surveying appliance and methods for tracking and surveying targets using the surveying appliance.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2012Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Kurt Giger, Christian Schorr, Asif Iqbal
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Publication number: 20130293705Abstract: A measuring appliance in which inputted or measured spatial points and a horizontal projection representation or spatial representation of at least some spatial points from the quantity of spatial points can be displayed, said points being at least partially connected by lines. The measuring appliance has a representation-changing functionality in the framework of which, according to a line selected on the user side from the lines displayed in a horizontal projection representation or a spatial representation, in an automatically controlled manner by means of the evaluation and control unit: a virtual surface is defined by the selected line and a direction provided as the vertical; a subset of spatial points is selected from the quantity of spatial points, lying inside a buffer zone surrounding the virtual surface in a defined manner; and a vertical projection representation of exclusively such spatial points pertaining to the subset is displayed on the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2012Publication date: November 7, 2013Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Christian Schorr, Frank Schroeder, Romy Koch, Kurt Giger
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Patent number: 8279421Abstract: The invention relates to an optical-electronic distance measuring method according to the phase measurement principle by emitting of optical measuring radiation, which is modulated according to the burst modulation principle, having a burst period duration made of an active burst time and a dead time, receiving at least a part of the measuring radiation (23), which is reflected on the measured object, wherein transforming into an input measuring signal (ES) is performed, and determining a distance to the measured object by analyzing a measuring signal (MS, gMS) generated from the input measuring signal (ES).Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Leica Geosystems AGInventors: Peter Forrer, Kurt Giger
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Publication number: 20100296078Abstract: The invention relates to an optical-electronic distance measuring method according to the phase measurement principle by emitting of optical measuring radiation, which is modulated according to the burst modulation principle, having a burst period duration made of an active burst time and a dead time, receiving at least a part of the measuring radiation (23), which is reflected on the measured object, wherein transforming into an input measuring signal (ES) is performed, and determining a distance to the measured object by analyzing a measuring signal (MS, gMS) generated from the input measuring signal (ES).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2009Publication date: November 25, 2010Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AGInventors: Peter Forrer, Kurt Giger
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Patent number: 7259842Abstract: The invention relates to an optical inclinometer, in which radiation is emitted form a radiation source. After passing through a receptacle containing at least one first medium, said radiation is reproduced in a camera. Information concerning the inclination of the inclinometer can be gathered from the position of the first medium, in particular a liquid level, in relation to the inclinometer or the camera. The recording of the position of the first medium by a camera permits the evaluation of a plurality of characteristics, in particular the form, dimension and position of a boundary layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2003Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Assignee: Leica Geosystem AGInventors: Kurt Erne, Kurt Giger
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Publication number: 20070121096Abstract: The invention relates to a method for ensuring interaction between a distance meter and a surveying application. The system used for carrying out the inventive method comprises a computer unit (la) for executing the surveying application (2a), a distance-measuring element for measuring the distance to an object (4a) and recording a measured distance value that can be processed by the surveying application, and a remote-control element which has a wireless communication link (6a) with the computer unit (1a) for the purpose of interaction between the distance meter and the surveying application (2a).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2004Publication date: May 31, 2007Inventors: Kurt Giger, Kurt Erne