Patents by Inventor Roman Steffen

Roman Steffen 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: 20230332648
    Abstract: A reality capture device, particularly a reality capture device having a lightweight construction, being configured for generating a digital representation of an environment. The reality capture device comprises a probing unit with a pivoting component configured to be pivoted relative to a base part of the reality capture device in order to generate probing data of the environment. The pivoting component is mounted on the base part by a four-point roller bearing configured as wire race bearing. Applicability of a four-point roller bearing in the form of a wire race bearing for supporting the probing unit of the reality capture device is achieved by a specific design of the inner and/or outer race supporting the raceway wires in order to reduce unwanted pressure in the bearing, e.g. due to thermal behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Roman STEFFEN, Matthias WOZASEK
  • Publication number: 20230314616
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Benjamin MÜLLER, Roman STEFFEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Jürgen DOLD, Jochen SCHEJA, Lukas HEINZLE, Charles Leopold Elisabeth DUMOULIN
  • Publication number: 20230305157
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Benjamin MÜLLER, Roman STEFFEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Jürgen DOLD, Jochen SCHEJA, Lukas HEINZLE, Charles Leopold Elisabeth DUMOULIN
  • Publication number: 20230305158
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Benjamin MÜLLER, Roman STEFFEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Jürgen DOLD, Jochen SCHEJA, Lukas HEINZLE, Charles Leopold Elisabeth DUMOULIN
  • Publication number: 20230296778
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Benjamin MÜLLER, Roman STEFFEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Jürgen DOLD, Jochen SCHEJA, Lukas HEINZLE, Charles Leopold Elisabeth DUMOULIN
  • Publication number: 20230296777
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Benjamin MÜLLER, Roman STEFFEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Jürgen DOLD, Jochen SCHEJA, Lukas HEINZLE, Charles Leopold Elisabeth DUMOULIN
  • Publication number: 20230296779
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Benjamin MÜLLER, Roman STEFFEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Jürgen DOLD, Jochen SCHEJA, Lukas HEINZLE, Charles Leopold Elisabeth DUMOULIN
  • Patent number: 11703597
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon Mark, Klaus Bereuter, Benjamin Müller, Roman Steffen, Burkhard Böckem, Jürgen Dold, Jochen Scheja, Lukas Heinzle, Charles Leopold Elisabeth Dumoulin
  • Publication number: 20230050932
    Abstract: A system for autonomously measuring workpieces, the system comprising one or more mobile robots, configured to move autonomously in a production environment with a plurality of production facilities that produce a plurality of different workpieces, each of the mobile robots comprising a spatial localization system for deriving a location of the mobile robot in the production environment, an autonomous navigation and propulsion unit configured for providing mobility of the mobile robot in the production environment, a wireless communication interface providing a data link to at least one other mobile robot and/or to computation and storage system, wherein a first mobile robot comprises a sensor setup comprising one or more sensors and is configured to use one or more of the sensors for identifying a workpiece to be measured and for determining an at least rough position of the workpiece that allows collecting or measuring the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: HEXAGON TECHNOLOGY CENTER GMBH
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Roman STEFFEN, Matthias WIESER, Pascal JORDIL, Claudio ISELI, Silvan MEILE, Lukas HEINZLE
  • Publication number: 20220414915
    Abstract: A reality capture device configured to perform a measuring process for generating a digital representation of an environment comprising a body defining a first axis, and an imaging unit with one or more 2D cameras configured to provide 2D image data of the environment. The device comprises a ToF camera arrangement configured for capturing 3D point-cloud data of the environment and comprising at least two time-of-flight cameras, wherein each time-of-flight camera comprises a sensor array and one or more laser emitters, the sensor array of each of the time-of-flight cameras having an optical axis and being configured to receive reflections of light pulses emitted by the one or more laser emitters of the respective time-of-flight camera, the time-of-flight cameras being arranged around the first axis so that each sensor array has one or two other sensor arrays as a neighbouring sensor array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Rainer WOHLGENANNT, Lukas HEINZLE, Garance BRUNEAU, Ralph HARTI, Roland GRAF, Roman STEFFEN, Simon MARK
  • Publication number: 20220373685
    Abstract: A reality capture device for generating a digital three-dimensional representation of an environment enables an object within an infrastructure to be surveyed or detected. The reality capture device is compact and easy to use, allowing for fast and reliable capture. The reality capture device can be carried and moved by a mobile carrier, particularly a person, robot or vehicle, and can be moved during a measuring process for generating a digital representation of an environment. The mobile reality capture device includes a localization unit for providing a simultaneous localization and mapping functionality, a laser scanner, and a camera unit. The mobile reality capture device is configured to be carried by a user through the room. The room is surveyed during the movement of the mobile reality capture device. The data from the laser scanner and the camera unit are referenced to each other by means of the localization unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Jürgen DOLD, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Roman STEFFEN, Lukas HEINZLE, Ralph Patrick HARTI, Hendrik DESCHOUT, Roland GRAF, Mattheus Henricus Maria MICHELS, Michael DIETSCHI, Adam BAIJRIC, Andrea BONFANTI, Kristian Walker MORIN, Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Markus RIBI, Michele PORTENTOSO, Matthias WIESER
  • Publication number: 20210405198
    Abstract: The invention relates to a reality capture device for generating a digital three-dimensional representation of an environment, particularly for surveying or monitoring an infrastructure. The reality capture device comprises a laser scanner and a housing enclosing an internal space, which has a first and a second climate zone. The reality capture device has a common air circulation element to provide active air circulation through an air guiding arrangement, wherein the air guiding arrangement is configured in such a way that different air flow characteristics of the active air circulation are achieved with respect to different regions associated with cooling of the two different climate zones. The first climate zone is configured to be free of active air circulation and the second climate zone is configured to have active air circulation for directing air to the inside part of a corresponding heat dissipation element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Roland GRAF, Roman STEFFEN
  • Publication number: 20210254308
    Abstract: A construction machine comprising a chassis, a steering, and a powertrain for driving the construction machine by the chassis, an earth-moving tool for working a terrain, and a measuring system having a first measuring unit configured for generating first measuring data in a first detection range and comprising at least a first camera and a first LiDAR scanner configured for rotating a first measuring beam around a first axis and around a second axis non-parallel to the first axis with a rotating speed of at least 0.5 Hz with respect to each axis, an interface connecting the first measuring unit to a computer configured for, based on the first measuring data, at least one of generating a three-dimensional model of the terrain within the first detection range, identifying an obstacle or a person within the first detection range, and controlling the steering, the powertrain, and/or the earth-moving tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicants: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY A/S, LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG, HEXAGON GEOSYSTEMS SERVICES AG
    Inventors: Magnus THIBBLIN, Tommi Juhani KAUPPINEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Matthias WIESER, Roman STEFFEN, Pascal GOHL
  • Patent number: 10738910
    Abstract: A valve with a valve housing having a first connection along a first axis, a second connection along a second axis and a valve seat which surrounds the first connection arranged in the flow path of a flow chamber. A valve part is displaceable along a movement axis such that a closure surface can interrupt and release the flow path. A motorized drive unit to displace the valve part having a valve rod with a contact element, the drive unit has a guide mechanism with an actuating element configured to rotate about an actuating axis defining an outer track. The distance of the track from the actuating axis is adjustable by a rotation of the actuating element about the actuating axis. A rotation of the actuating element of the valve part is movable so that the interruption or release of the flow path can be provided thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: VAT HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Roman Steffen, Thomas Vogt, Roger Bless
  • Publication number: 20200209394
    Abstract: A laser scanner and a system with a laser scanner for measuring an environment. The laser scanner includes an optical distance measuring device, a support, a beam steering unit rotatably fixed to the support which rotates around a beam axis of rotation. The beam steering unit includes a mirrored surface which deflects radiation used in the optical distance measurement and an angle encoder for recording angle data. The optical distance measurement is performed by a progressive rotation of the beam steering unit about the beam axis of rotation and the continuous emission of a distance measurement radiation, the emission being made through an outlet area arranged in the direction of the mirrored surface on the support, the receiving optics for receiving radiation are arranged on the support, and wherein the outlet area has a lateral offset with respect to the optical axis of the receiving optics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: LEICA GEOSYSTEMS AG
    Inventors: Simon MARK, Klaus BEREUTER, Benjamin MÜLLER, Roman STEFFEN, Burkhard BÖCKEM, Jürgen DOLD, Jochen SCHEJA, Lukas HEINZLE, Charles Leopold Elisabeth DUMOULIN
  • Patent number: 10184570
    Abstract: The vacuum valve includes a closure member that can be moved, parallel to a longitudinal movement direction, between an open position in which it unblocks the valve opening and an intermediate position in which it covers the valve opening but is raised off the valve seat, and that can be moved, parallel to a transverse movement direction, between the intermediate position and a closed position in which it bears against the valve seat; a valve rod that bears the closure member is mounted for displacement parallel to the longitudinal and transverse movement directions; a displacement part rigidly connected to the valve rod; and a drive motor which rotates a driveshaft about an axis parallel to the longitudinal movement direction in order to move the closure member between the open position, the intermediate position and the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: VAT Holding AG
    Inventors: Christoph Bohm, Roman Steffen
  • Publication number: 20180328515
    Abstract: A valve is disclosed with a valve housing having a first connection along a first axis, a second connection along a second axis and a valve seat which surrounds the first connection arranged in the flow path of a flow chamber. A valve part is displaceable along a movement axis such that a closure surface can interrupt and release the flow path. A motorized drive unit to displace the valve part having a valve rod with a contact element, the drive unit has a guide mechanism with an actuating element configured to rotate about an actuating axis defining an outer track. The distance of the track from the actuating axis is adjustable by a rotation of the actuating element about the actuating axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Roman STEFFEN, Thomas VOGT, Roger BLESS
  • Publication number: 20180058591
    Abstract: The vacuum valve includes a closure member that can be moved, parallel to a longitudinal movement direction, between an open position in which it unblocks the valve opening and an intermediate position in which it covers the valve opening but is raised off the valve seat, and that can be moved, parallel to a transverse movement direction, between the intermediate position and a closed position in which it bears against the valve seat; a valve rod that bears the closure member is mounted for displacement parallel to the longitudinal and transverse movement directions; a displacement part rigidly connected to the valve rod; and a drive motor which rotates a driveshaft about an axis parallel to the longitudinal movement direction in order to move the closure member between the open position, the intermediate position and the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: VAT Holding AG
    Inventors: Christoph Bohm, Roman Steffen
  • Patent number: 9261362
    Abstract: A measuring device for measuring a distance between a reference mark and a target object is disclosed. The device includes a beam source, which is embodied as an electro-optical component and emits a laser beam along an optical axis, a detector, which is embodied as an additional electro-optical component and receives a reception beam reflected and/or scattered by the target object along an optical axis, a beam forming optics, which forms the laser beam and the reception beam along an optical axis, and a beam splitting optics, which deflects the laser beam or the reception beam. An optics carrier is provided with a first receptacle for mounting a first of the electro-optical components and a second receptacle for mounting the beam forming optics. The optics carrier is monolithic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torsten Gogolla, Stefan Tiefenthaler, Roman Steffen, Helmut Seifert, Gero Schusser
  • Publication number: 20140253904
    Abstract: A measuring device for measuring a distance between a reference mark and a target object is disclosed. The device includes a beam source, which is embodied as an electro-optical component and emits a laser beam along an optical axis, a detector, which is embodied as an additional electro-optical component and receives a reception beam reflected and/or scattered by the target object along an optical axis, a beam forming optics, which forms the laser beam and the reception beam along an optical axis, and a beam splitting optics, which deflects the laser beam or the reception beam. An optics carrier is provided with a first receptacle for mounting a first of the electro-optical components and a second receptacle for mounting the beam forming optics. The optics carrier is monolithic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicants: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft, ESW Gmbh
    Inventors: Torsten Gogolla, Stefan Tiefenthaler, Roman Steffen, Helmut Seifert, Gero Schusser