Abstract: The invention relates to a laser tracker for the industrial, coordinative position determination of a target, the laser tracker providing two measurement functionalities, namely a measurement functionality for measuring and tracking a cooperative, e.g. retroreflective, target and a measurement functionality for the e.g. scanning measurement of a target with diffuse scattering, wherein both measurement functionalities can be carried out and referenced to each other by means of the same optoelectronic distance measurement device.

Abstract: An electro-optic distance meter according to the time-of-flight principle with a receiver chain for generating a digital signal from a received light pulse, the receiver chain comprising a photodetector, a first gain stage, in particular a transimpedance amplifier or a current-mode electronic, for converting an input current from the photodetector associated to the returned light pulse into an output voltage, a filter and an analog-to-digital converter, whereby the digital signal provides an unambiguous relationship between intensity-time delay of the optical pulse and signalshape-time delay of the electrical signal, wherefore the photodetector, the first gain stage and the analog-to-digital converter are adapted to each other such that the analog-to-digital converter remains unclipped in a linear operating range even when the first gain stage shows a non-linear time-invariant response or a well-defined time-invariant saturation response to the input current of the photodetector.

Abstract: An image based opto-electronic encoder for a joint, the encoder having a reading head for the first part of the joint and an optical system, comprising a ball lens for the second part of the joint. The ball lens has a front surface transparent for measuring light and an at least partially reflective, structured back surface. The ball lens has -with respect to the measuring light- a refractive index of at least approximately two or an equal radially varying refractive index, such that a bundle of measuring light rays reflected inside the ball lens from a point of the back surface of the ball lens forms at least approximately a parallel bundle after getting refracted at the front surface of the ball lens. The reading head and the ball lens are rotatable relative to each other in at least two degrees of freedom.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-beam distance measuring device, configured for timing the time-of-flight of transmission pulses by using a programmable integrated circuit, which has a plurality of parallel delay lines. Each delay line has a plurality of delay elements, which sequentially propagate an input signal of the respective delay line, wherein each of the delay elements is configured to provide a binary output as a function of the input signal. Time measurement of a signal change of a return signal is carried out by sampling binary outputs of a respective delay line and simultaneous consideration of the sampled binary outputs at a certain point in time, by further taking into account individual time delays of the delay elements.

Abstract: A Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) system comprising a CMM, a rotary table, and a rotation arrangement, wherein the CMM system is configured to be calibrated by determining the 6 dof pose of a jig, and to a method for calibrating. The jig may be mounted such that a current pose of the jig is associated with a current pose of the rotary table with respect to the CMM. The rotary table may be moved into multiple poses, and the 6 dof pose of the jig is measured for each of the multiple poses of the rotary table. An error map is generated, based on the angles associated with the poses of the rotary table, and is used to generate a coordinate transformation from the CMM coordinate system to the part coordinate system, which is associated with the rotary table, based on the error map.

Abstract: A distance measuring method and device, wherein a first and a second laser radiation are generated so that the first laser radiation has a first frequency modulation and the second laser radiation has a second frequency modulation, wherein at least in sections a time derivative of the first frequency modulation is different from a time derivative of the second frequency modulation. In accordance with the invention the first and the second laser radiation are generated by modulating a base radiation by means of an electro-optical modulator, so that an output radiation comprising a carrier component and a plurality of sideband components is produced, wherein a first sideband component provides the first laser radiation and a second sideband component provides the second laser radiation.

Abstract: A distance measuring method and a distance meter for a distance measurement according to the principle of a frequency-modulated continuous wave radar, wherein at least a part of a first laser radiation, which comprises a first frequency modulation defining a first modulation band, and at least a part of a second laser radiation, which comprises a second frequency modulation defining a second modulation band, are emitted as the first or as the second emission radiation, respectively, to a target. A parameter is determined, which is indicative of a frequency offset between the first and the second modulation band, and the parameter is taken into consideration during the determination of the at least one distance to the target to derive a frequency difference between the first frequency modulation and the second frequency modulation.

Abstract: A distance measuring method and device, wherein a first and a second laser radiation are generated so that the first laser radiation has a first frequency modulation and the second laser radiation has a second frequency modulation, wherein at least in sections a time derivative of the first frequency modulation is different from a time derivative of the second frequency modulation. In accordance with the invention the first and the second laser radiation are generated by modulating a base radiation by means of an electro-optical modulator, so that an output radiation comprising a carrier component and a plurality of sideband components is produced, wherein a first sideband component provides the first laser radiation and a second sideband component provides the second laser radiation.

Abstract: A capacitive distance sensor for determining distances from an object, wherein the distance sensor has at least one sensor electrode and at least one compensation electrode. Deviations from an ideal parallel orientation of distance sensor and object and/or errors caused by capacitive edge effects can be compensated by means of the compensation electrode.

Abstract: A distance measuring method and a distance meter for a distance measurement according to the principle of a frequency-modulated continuous wave radar, wherein at least a part of a first laser radiation, which comprises a first frequency modulation defining a first modulation band, and at least a part of a second laser radiation, which comprises a second frequency modulation defining a second modulation band, are emitted as the first or as the second emission radiation, respectively, to a target. A parameter is determined, which is indicative of a frequency offset between the first and the second modulation band, and the parameter is taken into consideration during the determination of the at least one distance to the target to derive a frequency difference between the first frequency modulation and the second frequency modulation.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include a capacitive linear encoder for determining positions comprising a scale and a read head for capacitively scanning the scale, wherein scale and read head are movable relative to one another. The scale has at least one, preferably capacitive, position reference marker. On the basis of the position references provided by the capacitive position reference marker, the positions are locatable in absolute terms and verifiable.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include an absolute capacitive rotary encoder comprising a first disk, which is rotatable relative a second disk, and a first sensor ring and a second sensor ring. The first and the second sensor ring each have a multiplicity of first coupling electrodes and second coupling electrodes capacitively coupling to one another. The first coupling electrodes of a respective sensor ring have different coupling signal phases. The first sensor ring and the second sensor ring are matched to one another in such a way that an angle is determinable absolutely.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for surveying at least one target using a geodetic device. According to said method, a camera of the device captures a visual image and surveys an angle and/or a distance to the target with geodetic precision, the angle and/or distance surveillance being supported or controlled by the visual image. At the same time of capture of the visual image at least two distance points of a distance image are captured as the spatial distribution of discrete distance points in the area of detection. When the visual image and the distance image are correlated with each other, the target is recognized or the measuring process is controlled.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention relate to a method for measuring spatial points with a laser scanner. The method may include: scanning multiple spatial points on an object; determining coordinates of the respective spatial point, determining a close range about a central spatial point with at least two spatial points whose angle coordinates are in a defined angular space adjacent to those of the central spatial point; aggregating coordinates of the spatial points in the specific close range; and replacing coordinates of the central spatial point by aggregating coordinates of the spatial points in the specific close range. In some embodiments, the laser scanner forms the origin of the coordinates, and the coordinates comprise a distance and at least one angle.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include an absolute capacitive rotary encoder comprising a first disk, which is rotatable relative a second disk, and a first sensor ring and a second sensor ring. The first and the second sensor ring each have a multiplicity of first coupling electrodes and second coupling electrodes capacitively coupling to one another. The first coupling electrodes of a respective sensor ring have different coupling signal phases. The first sensor ring and the second sensor ring are matched to one another in such a way that an angle is determinable absolutely.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention include a capacitive linear encoder for determining positions comprising a scale and a read head for capacitively scanning the scale, wherein scale and read head are movable relative to one another. The scale has at least one, preferably capacitive, position reference marker. On the basis of the position references provided by the capacitive position reference marker, the positions are locatable in absolute terms and verifiable.

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.

Abstract: Method and systems for determining a change of distance to an object by interferometry with emitting measurement laser light from a laser diode are disclosed. The method may include receiving at least a part of the measurement laser light, superimposing the reflected measurement laser light with a reference laser light and thereby providing at an interferometric phase and determining the change of distance to the object depending on the superimposition. In some embodiments, the measurement laser light may be emitted with low coherence and broad spectral bandwidth. An emitting wavelength of the measurement laser light may be fluctuating hop-freely within the spectral bandwidth causing interferometric phase fluctuations.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention relate to a method for measuring spatial points with a laser scanner. The method may include: scanning multiple spatial points on an object; determining coordinates of the respective spatial point, determining a close range about a central spatial point with at least two spatial points whose angle coordinates are in a defined angular space adjacent to those of the central spatial point; aggregating coordinates of the spatial points in the specific close range; and replacing coordinates of the central spatial point by aggregating coordinates of the spatial points in the specific close range. In some embodiments, the laser scanner forms the origin of the coordinates, and the coordinates comprise a distance and at least one angle.

Abstract: Method and systems for determining a change of distance to an object by interferometry with emitting measurement laser light from a laser diode are disclosed. The method may include receiving at least a part of the measurement laser light, superimposing the reflected measurement laser light with a reference laser light and thereby providing at an interferometric phase and determining the change of distance to the object depending on the superimposition. In some embodiments, the measurement laser light may be emitted with low coherence and broad spectral bandwidth. An emitting wavelength of the measurement laser light may be fluctuating hop-freely within the spectral bandwidth causing interferometric phase fluctuations.