The present disclosure relates to a tracking system for tracking the position and/or orientation of an object in an environment, the tracking system including: at least one camera mounted to the object; a plurality of spaced apart targets, at least some of said targets viewable by the at least one camera; and, one or more electronic processing devices configured to: determine target position data indicative of the relative spatial position of the targets; receive image data indicative of an image from the at least one camera, said image including at least some of the targets; process the image data to: identify one or more targets in the image; determine pixel array coordinates corresponding to a position of the one or more targets in the image; and, use the processed image data to determine the position and/or orientation of the object by triangulation.

A surveying system can include a surveying instrument, a control system, a tilt measuring system, a levelling unit, a camera system, and a second distance meter, wherein the control system is configured for obtaining an image position of a captured image, adjusting a tilt status until a first tilt status is obtained, the second distance meter aiming onto the location on the ground in the first tilt status, determining the first tilt status, effecting the second distance meter to measure a distance to the location on the ground, effecting a first angle encoder to measure a rotatory position of a support unit, effecting the levelling unit to adjust the tilt status, and calibrating a preconfigured centre point based on the distance to the location on the ground, a deviation between the first tilt status and the second tilt status, and/or the rotatory position of the support unit.

The present disclosure provides a method for determining a direction to a geodetic target from a geodetic instrument. The method includes emitting an optical pulse from the geodetic target, capturing a first image and a second image of the geodetic target using a camera arranged at the geodetic instrument, obtaining a difference image between the first image and the second image, and determining a direction to the geodetic target from the geodetic instrument based on the position of the optical pulse in the difference image. The method further includes synchronizing the geodetic instrument and the geodetic target for emitting the optical pulse concurrently with the capturing of the first image and nonconcurrently with the capturing of the second image. The present disclosure also provides a geodetic instrument, a geodetic target and a geodetic surveying system.

The present disclosure provides a method for determining a direction to a geodetic target from a geodetic instrument. The method includes emitting an optical pulse from the geodetic target, capturing a first image and a second image of the geodetic target using a camera arranged at the geodetic instrument, obtaining a difference image between the first image and the second image, and determining a direction to the geodetic target from the geodetic instrument based on the position of the optical pulse in the difference image. The method further includes synchronizing the geodetic instrument and the geodetic target for emitting the optical pulse concurrently with the capturing of the first image and nonconcurrently with the capturing of the second image. The present disclosure also provides a geodetic instrument, a geodetic target and a geodetic surveying system.

A method, device and system for automatically deriving stationing zones for an electronic measuring or marking device in a worksite environment. The method includes querying a database (DB) for a construction plan information for the worksite environment and acquiring a worksite-task-information of a worksite-task to be executed. The worksite-task-information includes spatial points in the construction plan which have to be measured and/or marked to accomplish the worksite-task. It also comprises an acquiring of at least coarse 3D-data of the actual real world worksite environment, and a merging of the at least coarse 3D-data and the construction plan information to form an actual state model of the worksite environment. An automatic calculating of at least one stationing zone within the actual state model is established, the stationing zone including at least one stationing location from which the measuring or marking of the spatial points are accessible by the device without obstructions.

A geodetic instrument, e.g. a total station, laser scanner, laser tracker or laser level, for example for construction works. The geodetic instrument is separated into a static base part and a rotatable targeting part. The base part comprises a power unit for powering the geodetic instrument and the targeting part comprises a surveying and/or projection module for geodetic surveying and/or projection in a changeable target direction. Any change of the target direction is effected with the base part remaining static wherefore the targeting part is rotatable relative to the base part. The base part inertia is equal to or greater than the target part inertia.

A surveying device including a base defining a base axis, a support structure rotatable around the base axis and defining a rotation axis, a light emitting unit emitting light and a light receiving unit for detecting reflected light. A rotation unit is mounted on the support structure for emitting and receiving light in defined directions, wherein the rotation unit comprises a rotation body rotatable around the rotation axis including a scanning mirror arranged tilted relative to the rotation axis. An imaging unit for capturing an image of a scanning region is provided. The imaging unit comprises a camera fixedly arranged on the support structure, the rotation body comprises at least one reflecting deflecting surface assigned to the camera. The imaging unit and the rotation body are arranged so that the field of view comprises a defined field angle around the rotation axis.

A surveying device including a base defining a base axis, a support structure rotatable around the base axis and defining a rotation axis, a light emitting unit emitting light and a light receiving unit for detecting reflected light. A rotation unit is mounted on the support structure for emitting and receiving light in defined directions, wherein the rotation unit comprises a rotation body rotatable around the rotation axis including a scanning mirror arranged tilted relative to the rotation axis. An imaging unit for capturing an image of a scanning region is provided. The imaging unit comprises a camera fixedly arranged on the support structure, the rotation body comprises at least one reflecting deflecting surface assigned to the camera. The imaging unit and the rotation body are arranged so that the field of view comprises a defined field angle around the rotation axis.

A measuring device for determining the location of one or more measurement points relative to the measuring device. The measuring device is arranged to be coupled to a non-contact distance measuring device (EDM) and one or more sensors for determining the EDM's orientation. The measuring device comprises an image capture device (ICD) operable to output digital images and being arranged to be coupled to the EDM such that the ICD moves in known registration with respect to the EDM. A controller is arranged to receive data from the one or more sensors and the ICD. The controller can associate an image with the orientation of the EDM during exposure of the image, locate one of the measurement points within the image, and use the location of the measurement point within the image and the EDM's orientation to establish the direction of the measurement point with respect to the measuring device.

A measuring device for determining the location of one or more measurement points relative to the measuring device. The measuring device is arranged to be coupled to a non-contact distance measuring device (EDM) and one or more sensors for determining the EDM's orientation. The measuring device comprises an image capture device (ICD) operable to output digital images and being arranged to be coupled to the EDM such that the ICD moves in known registration with respect to the EDM. A controller is arranged to receive data from the one or more sensors and the ICD. The controller can associate an image with the orientation of the EDM during exposure of the image, locate one of the measurement points within the image, and use the location of the measurement point within the image and the EDM's orientation to establish the direction of the measurement point with respect to the measuring device.