Patents by Inventor Norbert Kotzur

Norbert Kotzur 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: 9046361
    Abstract: Target point recognition method including emitting electromagnetic radiation to illuminate targets, moving the scanning beam within a predetermined angular range in order to scan the surveying environment, detecting reflections of the electromagnetic radiation on the targets, wherein the targets are defining the target points, and determining the angle to the target points. The method further including a capturing procedure with capturing an overall image of the surveying environment, wherein the overall image comprises at least one single image taken by the camera, and determining target points and their angle on the overall image by image processing by matching targets with one or more predetermined search criteria, storing the target points together with their angle a data base, and displaying the overall image together with marks for indicating a position of the target points detected within the scanning procedure and the capturing procedure in the overall image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYTEMS AG
    Inventors: Daniel Nindl, Hans-Martin Zogg, Werner Lienhart, Norbert Kotzur
  • Publication number: 20140298666
    Abstract: A method for surveying an object for and/or using a geodetic surveying device that include a derivation of an item of surface information at least for one object region, at least one geodetically precise single point determination for the object region, wherein a position of at least one object point is determined geodetically precisely, and an update of the item of surface information based on the determined position of the at least one object point. In some embodiments a scan to derive the item of surface information may be performed using object-point-independent scanning of the object region by progressive alignment changes of the measuring radiation, with a determination of a respective distance and of a respective alignment of the measuring radiation emitted for the distance measurement for scanning points lying within the object region, and having a generation of a point cloud which represents the item of surface information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Hans-Martin ZOGG, Norbert KOTZUR
  • Publication number: 20140300886
    Abstract: A geodetic surveying method includes deriving surface information for an object and geodetically accurate individual point measuring to at least one reference point. A position reference to an external coordinate system may also be provided by the at least one reference point. The method may also include aligning measurement radiation on the at least one reference point. The method may also include determining at least one direction to the reference point in an internal coordinate system. A method for reference point-independent scanning is also disclosed for deriving the surface information, the method may comprise scanning by continuously changing the alignment of the measurement radiation, determining a respective distance and a respective alignment of the measurement radiation emitted for a distance measurement for scanning points lying within the specified scanning region, and producing a point cloud representing the surface information and having the scanning points, in the internal coordinate system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Hans-Martin ZOGG, Norbert KOTZUR
  • Publication number: 20140232859
    Abstract: A measuring system for marking a known target point in a coordinate system includes a mobile marking unit and a geodetic measuring device. The measuring device has a sighting unit, angle measurement functionality, and a camera for capturing a camera image. The measuring system has a database storing a target point position, an output unit that presents the camera image, and a control and processing unit. The measuring system has presentation functionality that presents a spatial deviation between the marking unit and target point positions on the output unit in first and second directions using, respectively, using first and second deviation displays. The first deviation display indicates a distance of the target point position from a plane defined by the measuring device and the marking unit. The second deviation display indicates a distance of the target point position from a normal to the plane defined by the marking unit position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Norbert Kotzur, Jürgen Mayer
  • Publication number: 20130278759
    Abstract: Method for determining, with geodesic precision, the position of a target point on a target object by using a geodesic measuring device, said method comprising a sighting device which comprises at least one objective unit that defines an optical line of sight, an electronic distance measuring unit, and a thermal imaging camera for recording a thermal image in the direction of the optical line of sight. An angle measuring function is provided for recording the line of sight alignment, and a control unit is provided for controlling the angle measuring function, the thermal imaging camera. In a thermal imaging mode when a measurement procedure is triggered, position data of the sighted target point which are determined in said measurement procedure are linked to temperature information which is read out from the thermal image for the target point at which the line of sight is aimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Jan Zimmermann, Norbert Kotzur, Bernd Möller, Stefan Sieber, Vincent Legrand
  • Publication number: 20130162469
    Abstract: A survey system including a target unit that has a survey stick having a high-precision localizable target and a hand-held remote control unit. The remote control unit has an electronic graphical display and can be mounted on a holder on the survey stick such that the remote control unit is in a fixed position relative to the target fitted to the survey stick. The remote control comprises a camera for taking a camera image in a defined shooting direction. In addition, an image processing and evaluation unit with a data link to the position-finding unit and to the camera is provided which, from knowledge of the fixed relative position and of a defined shooting direction and also on the basis of the determined target position, can spatially relate image data from the camera to the targets in the coordinate system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Hans-Martin Zogg, Werner Lienhart, Daniel Nindl, Norbert Kotzur
  • Publication number: 20130093882
    Abstract: A geodatic surveying device which is equipped with an automatic target point sighting functionality for determining the position of a target point. A reticle pattern that corresponds to the outer shape of the known reticle is stored, wherein a main point of the reticle pattern is predefined as indicating the target point. In order to carry out an automatic target point sighting functionality, the evaluation means are designed such that, after the function start, a camera image of the reticle is automatically recorded, the reticle pattern is aligned with the reticle in the camera image by means of image processing and, depending on a position of the main point in the camera image in the matched state of the reticle pattern, the orientation of the sighting apparatus is changed in a motorized manner such that the optical target axis OA is oriented with high precision at the target point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Norbert Kotzur, Bernhard Metzler
  • Publication number: 20120320193
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surveying instrument comprising a telescope, at least one camera providing first, second or more image signals and a controller, wherein the controller is adapted to combine the image signal data of the first, second or more image signals in order to simultaneously display at least two of the images corresponding to the first, second or more image signals on display means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Werner Lienhart, Hans-Martin Zogg, Norbert Kotzur, Daniel Nindl
  • Publication number: 20120249783
    Abstract: Target point recognition method including emitting electromagnetic radiation to illuminate targets, moving the scanning beam within a predetermined angular range in order to scan the surveying environment, detecting reflections of the electromagnetic radiation on the targets, wherein the targets are defining the target points, and determining the angle to the target points. The method further including a capturing procedure with capturing an overall image of the surveying environment, wherein the overall image comprises at least one single image taken by the camera, and determining target points and their angle on the overall image by image processing by matching targets with one or more predetermined search criteria, storing the target points together with their angle a data base, and displaying the overall image together with marks for indicating a position of the target points detected within the scanning procedure and the capturing procedure in the overall image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Daniel Nindl, Hans-Martin Zogg, Werner Lienhart, Norbert Kotzur