Patents by Inventor Roland Zumbrunn

Roland Zumbrunn 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: 8279430
    Abstract: A measuring system includes a laser tracker (10), a target point marked by a reflector (12), a surveying apparatus (13), and an arithmetic and control unit (14). The laser tracker emits a measuring beam (M) which is reflected by the reflector, a process that is used for determining the distance between the laser tracker (10) and the reflector (12). The surveying apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to the measuring beam (M) while preferably being embodied as a survey camera. The inventive measuring system is designed so as to track the reflector (12) via the measuring beam (M). In a normal tracking mode (A), a measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from the detection of the measuring beam reflected by the reflector (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Dold, Daniel Moser, Roland Zumbrunn
  • Publication number: 20120120391
    Abstract: A measuring system includes a laser tracker (10), a target point marked by a reflector (12), a surveying apparatus (13), and an arithmetic and control unit (14). The laser tracker emits a measuring beam (M) which is reflected by the reflector, a process that is used for determining the distance between the laser tracker (10) and the reflector (12). The surveying apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to the measuring beam (M) while preferably being embodied as a survey camera. The inventive measuring system is designed so as to track the reflector (12) via the measuring beam (M). In a normal tracking mode (A), a measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from the detection of the measuring beam reflected by the reflector (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Dold, Daniel Moser, Roland Zumbrunn
  • Patent number: 8125629
    Abstract: A measuring system includes a laser tracker (10), a target point marked by a reflector (12), a surveying apparatus (13), and an arithmetic and control unit (14). The laser tracker emits a measuring beam (M) which is reflected by the reflector, a process that is used for determining the distance between the laser tracker (10) and the reflector (12). The surveying apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to the measuring beam (M) while preferably being embodied as a survey camera. The inventive measuring system is designed so as to track the reflector (12) via the measuring beam (M). In a normal tracking mode (A), a measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from the detection of the measuring beam reflected by the reflector (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Dold, Daniel Moser, Roland Zumbrunn
  • Patent number: 8031331
    Abstract: A coordinate measurement instrument includes an optical distance measurement device (200, 300) for measuring the distance from an auxiliary measurement means (5) which can move in space, a zoom camera (106), which can rotate with respect to at least two axes, with a zoom lens, and an overview camera (104) for coarse localization of the auxiliary measurement means (5). A light exit and light receiving optical system (101, 102) of the distance measurement device (200, 300), the zoom camera (106) and the overview camera (104) are arranged on a shared carrier (1) which can rotate with respect to at least two axes (A, Z). The optical axis (111) of the distance measurement device (200, 300) and the optical axis of the overview camera (104), preferably extend coaxially outside the coordinate measurement instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Dietrich Meier, Roland Zumbrunn, Thomas Jensen, Bernhard Braunecker
  • Publication number: 20110181872
    Abstract: A measuring system includes a laser tracker (10), a target point marked by a reflector (12), a surveying apparatus (13), and an arithmetic and control unit (14). The laser tracker emits a measuring beam (M) which is reflected by the reflector, a process that is used for determining the distance between the laser tracker (10) and the reflector (12). The surveying apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to the measuring beam (M) while preferably being embodied as a survey camera. The inventive measuring system is designed so as to track the reflector (12) via the measuring beam (M). In a normal tracking mode (A), a measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from the detection of the measuring beam reflected by the reflector (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Dold, Daniel Moser, Roland Zumbrunn
  • Publication number: 20100253931
    Abstract: A coordinate measurement instrument includes an optical distance measurement device (200, 300) for measuring the distance from an auxiliary measurement means (5) which can move in space, a zoom camera (106), which can rotate with respect to at least two axes, with a zoom lens, and an overview camera (104) for coarse localization of the auxiliary measurement means (5). A light exit and light receiving optical system (101, 102) of the distance measurement device (200, 300), the zoom camera (106) and the overview camera (104) are arranged on a shared carrier (1) which can rotate with respect to at least two axes (A, Z). The optical axis (111) of the distance measurement device (200, 300) and the optical axis of the overview camera (104), preferably extend coaxially outside the coordinate measurement instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Dietrich Meier, Roland Zumbrunn, Thomas Jensen, Bernhard Braunecker
  • Patent number: 7312862
    Abstract: A measurement system for determining six degrees of freedom (?, ?, d, ?, ?, ?) of a reflector (2) or of an object (3) on which the reflector is arranged, comprises an angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1), e.g. a laser tracker, operating with a laser beam as a measurement beam (4). The reflector (2) is designed for a parallel reflection of the measurement beam (4) and has an apical opening or surface (6), in a manner such that a part of the measurement beam (4) directed onto the reflector (2), passes through the apical opening or surface (6), and is incident on a light-sensitive surface (7) arranged behind the reflector apex. Five degrees of freedom (?, ?, d, ?, ?) of the reflector (2) or the object (3) are computed from measurement data produced by the angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1) and by the light-sensitive surface (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG
    Inventors: Roland Zumbrunn, Albert Markendorf, Raimund Loser, Jürgen Dold
  • Publication number: 20060222314
    Abstract: A measurement system for determining six degrees of freedom (?, ?, d, ?, ?, ?) of a reflector (2) or of an object (3) on which the reflector is arranged, comprises an angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1), e.g. a laser tracker, operating with a laser beam as a measurement beam (4). The reflector (2) is designed for a parallel reflection of the measurement beam (4) and has an apical opening or surface (6), in a manner such that a part of the measurement beam (4) directed onto the reflector (2), passes through the apical opening or surface (6), and is incident on a light-sensitive surface (7) arranged behind the reflector apex. Five degrees of freedom (?, ?, d, ?, ?) of the reflector (2) or the object (3) are computed from measurement data produced by the angle- and distance measurement apparatus (1) and by the light-sensitive surface (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Roland Zumbrunn, Albert Markendorf, Raimund Loser, Jurgen Dold
  • Patent number: 5003187
    Abstract: For sensing the surface of an object, a number of gratings with linear line patterns of different periods on a common carrier are successively projected onto the surface. Images of the line patterns deformed at the object surface are detected and stored by a television camera and evaluated by an electronic circuit. The evaluation comprises computing, from the residual phases of the object points within each fringe of the linear pattern, the absolute heights of these points with respect to a common reference plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Kern & Co., AG
    Inventors: Roland Zumbrunn, Linus Richner