SURVEYING INSTRUMENT

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.

Claims

1. A surveying instrument comprising: a base; a support being rotatable with respect to the base; an aiming structure being swivelable with respect to the support and including: an objective optical system defining an aiming axis; and at least a first camera in a direction of the aiming axis, wherein the at least first camera is provided as an on axis camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, wherein the first camera provides at least a first image signal having an optical magnification factor; and a wide angle camera as a second camera that is integrated into the aiming structure providing a second image signal, wherein the first image corresponding to the first image signal is a magnification of a detail of the second image being an overview image; angle encoders for determining an angle of rotation of the support as well of the aiming structure; a distance meter configured to determine—along the aiming axis—a distance to a target; a display; and a controller being programmed so as to provide for an aiming mode in which the first image signal and the second image signal are processed in order to generate image signal data so that a first image and a second image are displayed simultaneously on the display, wherein the first image corresponds with the first image signal and the second image corresponds with the second image signal, wherein each of the first image signal and the second image signal represent a real time video stream, wherein the first image from the on axis camera is overlaid with an aiming mark indicating the aiming axis.

2. A surveying instrument comprising: a base; an aiming structure being swivelable in two directions with respect to the base of the surveying instrument and including: an objective optical system defining an aiming axis; and at least a first camera in a direction of the aiming axis, wherein the at least first camera is provided as an on axis camera that is integrated into the aiming structure and that is seeing through the objective optical system, wherein the first camera provides at least a first image signal having an optical magnification factor; and a wide angle camera as a second camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, the optical axis of the wide angle camera being parallel to the aiming axis, providing a second image signal, wherein the first image corresponding to the first image signal is a magnification of a detail of the second image being an overview image; angle and distance measurement functionality configured to determine the direction of the aiming axis and of a distance to a target; a display; and a controller being adapted so that the first image signal and the second image signal are processed in order to generate image signal data so that a first image and a second image are displayed simultaneously on the display, wherein the first image corresponds with the first image signal and the second image corresponds with the second image signal, wherein each of the first image signal and the second image signal represent a real time video stream.

3. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein the surveying instrument is a theodolite or total station.

4. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein the wide angle camera has a lower optical magnification factor than the first camera.

5. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein: the first image from the on axis camera is displayed laying over the second image from the wide angle camera in such a way that it is displayed in a central region of the display; and an offset from the aiming axis to the optical axis is considered for simultaneously displaying the first image and the second image.

6. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein: the at least first image signal is processed on side of the surveying instrument and the at least first and second images are displayed on the display at the surveying instrument as one single image and/or the generated image signal data is transferred to a remote controller and the images corresponding to the generated image signal data are displayed on display at the remote controller, or the at least first image signal is transferred in parallel to the remote controller, processed on side of the remote controller so as to generate the image signal data and the at least first and second images are displayed on the display at the remote controller.

7. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein the at least first and second images corresponding to the at least first image signal are arranged on the display in an adjacent manner.

8. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein one or some of the at least first and second images corresponding to the at least first image signal are arranged in a manner to partly and/or fully overlap one or some of each other.

9. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein an overlapping of the at least first and second images is generated by displaying at least one of the images in the foreground in a semi-transparent manner.

10. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein some or all of the image signals are provided by separate cameras.

11. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the at least first and second image is provided in defined color-channels and/or in adapted representation modes, in particular adapted by image processing.

12. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein the display is implemented as an electro optical viewer.

13. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein: the controller is adapted to process information from one or more wavelength channels; and/or the controller comprises input means for manually adapting the arrangement of the images and for marking and/or selecting points and areas.

14. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein a user input on one of the images is performed on at least one adjacent and/or one overlapping image.

15. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein a marking and/or selecting points or areas on one of the images is automatically performed on at least one adjacent and/or one overlapping image.

16. A surveying instrument according to claim 2, wherein the optical axis of the first camera is coaxial to the aiming axis.

17. A surveying instrument comprising: a base; an aiming structure being swivelable in two directions with respect to the base of the surveying instrument and including: an objective optical system defining an aiming axis; and at least a first camera in a direction of the aiming axis, wherein the at least first camera is provided as an on axis camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, wherein the first camera provides at least a first image signal having an optical magnification factor; and a wide angle camera as a second camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, the optical axis of the wide angle camera being parallel to the aiming axis, providing a second image signal, wherein the first image corresponding to the first image signal is a magnification of a detail of the second image being an overview image; angle and distance measurement functionality configured to determine the direction of the aiming axis and of a distance to a target; a display; and a controller being adapted so that the first image signal and the second image signal are processed in order to generate image signal data so that a first image and a second image are displayed simultaneously on the display, wherein the first image corresponds with the first image signal and the second image corresponds with the second image signal, wherein each of the first image signal and the second image signal represent a real time video stream, wherein the first image from the on axis camera is displayed laying over the second image from the wide angle camera in such a way that it is displayed in a central region of the second image.

18. A surveying instrument according to claim 17, wherein the first image from the on axis camera is overlaid with an aiming mark indicating the aiming axis.

19. A surveying instrument according to claim 18, wherein the aiming mark is a reticle.

20. A surveying instrument according to claim 17 wherein the first image from the first camera is displayed laying over the second image from the wide angle camera such that it is arranged at the position of the target in the second image.

21. A surveying instrument according to claim 17, wherein an offset from the aiming axis to the optical axes of the on axis camera and/or the wide angle camera is considered for simultaneously displaying the first image and the second image.

22. A surveying instrument according to claim 21 wherein the first image from the first camera is displayed laying over the second image from the wide angle camera in such a way that the optical axes of the first camera and the wide angle camera coincide at the same point on the display.

23. A surveying instrument comprising: a base; an aiming structure being swivelable in two directions with respect to the base of the surveying instrument and including: an objective optical system defining an aiming axis; and at least a first camera in a direction of the aiming axis, wherein the at least first camera is provided as an on axis camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, wherein the first camera provides at least a first image signal having an optical magnification factor; and a wide angle camera as a second camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, the optical axis of the wide angle camera being parallel to the aiming axis, providing a second image signal, wherein the first image corresponding to the first image signal is a magnification of a detail of the second image being an overview image; angle and distance measurement functionality configured to determine the direction of the aiming axis and of a distance to a target; a display; and a controller being adapted so that the first image signal and the second image signal are processed in order to generate image signal data so that a first image and a second image are displayed simultaneously on the display, wherein the first image corresponds with the first image signal and the second image corresponds with the second image signal, wherein each of the first image signal and the second image signal represent a real time video stream, wherein the first image from the on axis camera is overlaid with an aiming mark indicating the aiming axis.

24. A surveying instrument according to claim 23, wherein the aiming mark is a reticle.

25. A surveying instrument comprising: a base; an aiming structure being swivelable in two directions with respect to the base of the surveying instrument and including: an objective optical system defining an aiming axis; and at least a first camera in a direction of the aiming axis, wherein the at least first camera is provided as an on axis camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, wherein the first camera provides at least a first image signal having a selectable optical magnification factor; and a wide angle camera as a second camera that is integrated into the aiming structure, the optical axis of the wide angle camera being parallel to the aiming axis, providing a second image signal, wherein the first image corresponding to the first image signal is a magnification of a detail of the second image being an overview image; angle and distance measurement functionality configured to determine the direction of the aiming axis and of a distance to a target; a display; and a controller being adapted so that the first image signal and the second image signal are processed in order to generate image signal data so that a first image and a second image are displayed simultaneously on the display, wherein the first image corresponds with the first image signal and the second image corresponds with the second image signal, wherein each of the first image signal and the second image signal represent a real time video stream.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In the drawings:

[0030] FIG. 1a is a schematic view of a surveying instrument according to the invention positioned in a measurement scenery.

[0031] FIG. 1b is a schematic view of a man-machine-interface (MMI) comprising display means, which is used with the surveying instrument of FIG. 1a;

[0032] FIG. 2a is a schematic view of a possible arrangement of images on display means at a surveying instrument or at a remote controller according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0033] FIG. 2b is a schematic view of another possible arrangement of images on display means of a surveying instrument according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2c is a schematic view of still another possible arrangement of images on display means at a surveying instrument or at a remote controller according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a process changing the arrangement of images on display means according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an arrangement of two images, one being a measurement scenery, the other one being an edge presentation of the measurement scenery in the first image.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The invention will be described on the basis of presently preferred embodiments together with the attached figures. However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but is merely defined by the scope of the attached claims.

[0038] FIG. 1a schematically shows a surveying instrument 1 according to the invention, which is placed in a measurement scenery. Among other components, the surveying instrument 1 includes a wide angle camera (WAC) having a comparatively wide field of view and no or low optical zoom factor and an on-axis camera (OAC) being integrated into the optical axis of the telescope of the surveying instrument. Both these cameras provide a continuous video stream. While the wide angle camera provides an overview image 9 of the whole measurement scenery, the on-axis camera provides an image 7 of a sector of the overview image, being in the field of view of the telescope. Therefore, usually, as will be explained later, the sector image 7 has a substantially higher magnification factor that the overview image. The cameras may be arranged such that their optical axes and/or aiming axes are in parallel and nearly collimate at a target point T in far distance.

[0039] Furthermore, the surveying instrument comprises a man-machine-interface (MMI) which among other components has display means 3 as well as a keyboard 5. A not shown controlling unit is used for converting the image signal data of the WAC and the OAC and for combining the two video stream images 7, 9 in one picture which is displayed on the display means 3, as can be seen from FIG. 1b. Image 9 is provided by the WAC while image 7 is provided by the OAC. As can be seen from FIG. 1b, images 7 and 9 are arranged in an adjacent manner on the display means 3.

[0040] Via the keyboard 5 it is possible to control the presentation on the display means, for example to control the size of the single images 7, 9, the kind of arrangement of the single images 7, 9, control the images presented, choose the sources providing the images such as the WAC and the OAC, control the WAC and the OAC and so on. Additionally, the input unit can be a touch display. Therefore, some of the above controls can be effected directly via the touch display instead of using the keyboard.

[0041] For sake of simple presentation, in the following FIGS. 2a to 4, merely the display 3 is shown and other components of the MMI are omitted.

[0042] FIGS. 2a to 2c show different arrangements of images 7, 9 on the display means 3, which are provided by two different cameras which are named as camera 1 and camera 2. As can be seen from FIG. 2a, image 7 from camera 1 can be laid over the second image 9 from camera 2 such that it is arranged at the position of the target point in image 9. Assuming that camera 1 is the OAC providing a magnified image and camera 2 is the WAC providing an overview image of the measurement scenery, this way of presentation enables a direct and real time recognition of the correct target point in the proper location of the overview image. Another advantage of this kind of presentation is that the overview image has the largest possible size on the display means. Hence, high precise aiming onto a specific target point is enabled by looking onto displayed image 7 provided by the OAC, but anyway, at the same time, the user may also remain an overview of the scenery by considering image 9 (of the WAC) being displayed around the OAC-image. Particularly, image 7 may be laid over image 9 in such a way that the aiming axes (optical axes) of both cameras (WAC and OAC) coincide at the same point on the combined and merged picture being displayed.

[0043] FIG. 2b shows an arrangement of the images 7, 9 where image 7 from camera 1 is arranged adjacent to image 9 of camera 2. This alternative kind of presentation can be useful in case it is necessary to maintain the target point area in the overview image 9, for instance, if there is a plurality of similar objects resembling the target point object close to each other.

[0044] FIG. 2c shows another possible arrangement of the two images 7, 9 on the display means 3. Here, image 7 from camera 1 is laid over the overview image 9 from camera 2, but is arranged in a corner of the latter. Thus, the full display size is available for the overview image while the sector of the target point is fully visible in the overview image 9 as well as in the magnified image 7.

[0045] While in the description of FIGS. 2a to 2c it was assumed that camera 1 is an OAC and camera 2 is a wide angle camera, it is to be noted that other sources can be used as cameras 1 and 2 instead. For instance one of the cameras can also be a camera for automatic target recognition (ATR-camera). Such cameras usually are used in order to properly and automatically align with a reflector. Particularly, the ATR-camera may be integrated in the telescope and built for detecting in a specific wavelength range (e.g. infrared). Also, both images can be provided from the same camera, but one of the image signal data can be modified for instance by digitally zooming and/or by other image processing methods and/or by selecting one single color-channel or an infrared channel.

[0046] By pressing directly on the overview image 9 on a touch display, e.g. with a finger, the corresponding area of the overview image is magnified in the image 7 as shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an operating process in which the presentation on the display can be changed from the two image presentation shown in the upper display means to a one image presentation. According to this embodiment, the display means 3 is embodied in the form of a touch display. When touching image 7 provided by camera 1 (OAC) in a defined way, e.g. twice within a short time period (double click), the image is extended to the full size of the display means 3 as can be seen in the lower display. Accordingly, image 9 of camera 2 (WAC) is then faded out. By pressing a specified button on the keyboard 5 or touching the screen in a defined way (e.g., typing on a displayed button or a certain area on the screen), the previous arrangement is restored.

[0048] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of display means 3 presenting two images 7, 9. Both images 7, 9 are video stream images and originate from the same source. They show the same sector of the measurement scenery while image 7 was digitally converted to an edge presentation. A semi-transparent overlapping of both images, for highlighting regions of interest, is possible as well.

[0049] While some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in the above, it is to be noted that alternative and additional modifications to the described embodiments are possible.

[0050] While according to the described embodiments, the MIMI is provided in the form of a remote control, alternatively the MIMI can be provided directly at the surveying instrument or can be implemented in the surveying instrument in the form being visible in the telescope eyepiece.

[0051] In the embodiments, the image sources are a wide angle camera and/or an on-axis camera. Additional or alternative sources such as a camera for automatic target recognition, different wavelength channels of the same video stream, different zoom factors of the same video stream may be used to provide additional or alternative image information. Furthermore, the image source may be formed by just one single camera. In this case the image provided by the one camera may be altered by digitally or optically zooming into a sector of the image, or by others such as the ones described in the following paragraph.

[0052] Furthermore, the images presented on the display means may be altered by changing color channels or changing the kind of the image presentation, for instance to an edge presentation, an infrared presentation or a night vision presentation. Furthermore, particularly adding additional information such as a reticle, distance information, image counters to the respective images is also possible. While in the embodiments described above, video stream images are used, alternatively static images or a combination of both may be used. Using simultaneous video stream images enables an actual real time determination of the measurement scenery. Alternatively, it is possible to use a static overview image together with a video stream of an OAC. In this case the overview image is useful for purpose of orientation.

[0053] Furthermore, the number of provided images displayed on the display means is not limited to two but can be more than two, depending on the requirements. For instance any of the images 7 or 9 in FIG. 4 can be supplemented by a magnification of a target point sector such that an additional image is provided or in a manner corresponding to the presentation of FIG. 2a.

[0054] Furthermore, it may be considered to combine one or more of the video streams of the cameras at the surveying instrument (WAC, OAC, ATR) with that of another camera located in a different position (controller camera). In this case the images from the WAC, OAC and/or ATR as well as those of the controller camera may be shown on the display means.

[0055] Furthermore, it is possible to use more display means. For instance one display may be provided at the surveying instrument while another display may be provided on the remote controller. In this case, both displays may show the same picture, or may show different pictures. For instance, the display on the surveying instrument may show the video streams from the WAC and/or the OAC, while the display of the remote controller may show the picture of the display on the surveying instrument plus additional images. Furthermore, there can be a possibility that the user individually handles each single image. For instance zooming, exposuring, marking, selecting or coloring might be done via a keyboard or via a touch display or via other control means. Moreover, a change in one image can automatically and/or manually be transferred to an at least second image.

[0056] Furthermore, a user input on one of the images can be updated, in particular automatically updated, in a second or in more images.

[0057] Additionally, there can be a possibility to link and change the images to foreseen areas on the display means.

[0058] Furthermore, several similar or different video-streams (dynamic sequences of images) or images (static images) can be displayed on one display, but each of the video-streams or images can be overlaid with additional information such as design data, prism information, measurement values, lines, points, areas and/or crosshairs.

[0059] Advantages provided by the invention are that, since at least two video-streams or static images or a combination thereof can be displayed simultaneously on display means of a surveying instrument, there is no more need to switch between video-streams from different cameras or the same camera but with different zoom factors. A possible offset of the optical axes of the camera may already be considered for a simultaneously displaying. Therefore, a very fast and accurate aiming of a target point by the surveying instrument is possible. The overview and the detail of the scenery are displayed at once. Furthermore, the simultaneous display of multiple video-streams enables the proper selection of the target points, for instance for measurements on prisms or for reflectorless measurements.