Method for Comparing a Received Beam Incident on a Laser Receiver with a Rotating Laser Beam

Abstract

Method for comparing a received beam (24) incident on a laser receiver (12) in a longitudinal arrangement with a rotating laser beam (22), which is moved by a rotating laser (11) in a horizontal position about an axis of rotation (21), wherein the laser receiver (12) comprises an evaluation unit and at least one detection field (25) having a longitudinal direction (28) and a transverse direction (29). The rotating laser (11) is arranged on a tripod (14) adjustable along an axis (15) and the horizontal laser plane that the rotating laser beam (22) produces is moved by the tripod (14) in a height direction (16) along the axis (15). In the longitudinal direction (28) of the detection field (25), the evaluation unit determines an adjustment direction of the received beam (24) relative to the laser receiver (12), and the evaluation unit compares the adjustment direction of the received beam (24) with the height direction (16) of the tripod (14).

Claims

1. Method for comparing a received beam (24) incident on a laser receiver (12) having a rotating laser beam (22), which is moved by a rotating laser (11) about an axis of rotation (21), wherein the laser receiver (12) comprises an evaluation unit (48) and at least one detection field (25) having a longitudinal direction (28) and a transverse direction (29), characterized by the method steps: the rotating laser (11) is arranged on a tripod that is adjustable along an axis (15), wherein the axis of rotation (21) of the rotating laser (11) and the axis (15) of the tripod are oriented parallel to a gravitational direction (27) of the gravitational field, the laser receiver (12) is oriented in a longitudinal arrangement, wherein in the longitudinal arrangement, the longitudinal direction (2) of the at least one detection field (25) is oriented parallel to the gravitational direction (27) and the transverse direction (29) of the at least one detection field (25) is oriented perpendicular to the gravitational direction (27), the rotating laser (11) is adjusted on the tripod (14) in a height direction (16) along the axis (15) at least until the received beam (24) is incident on at: least one detection field (25) of the laser receiver (12), in the longitudinal direction (28) of the at least one detection field (25), the evaluation unit (48) determines an adjustment direction (63; 73) of the received beam (24) relative to the laser receiver (12) and the adjustment direction (63; 73) of the received beam (24) is compared by the evaluation unit (48) with the height direction (16) of the tripod (14).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a first incident position (61; 71; 81) of the received beam (24) on the at least one detection field (25) at a first point in time (t.sub.1) is stored by the evaluation unit (48) as a first height position (H.sub.1) and a second incident position (62; 72; 82) at a later point in time (t.sub.2) is stored as a second height position (H.sub.2), and the adjustment direction (63; 73) of the received beam (24) is determined by the evaluation unit (48) from the first and second height positions (H.sub.1, H.sub.2).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the received beam (24) is categorized by the evaluation unit (48) as an extraneous beam when the first and second height positions (H.sub.1, H.sub.2) of the received beam (24) essentially match.

4. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the adjustment direction of the received beam (24) is determined by the evaluation unit (48) when the first and second height positions (H.sub.1, H.sub.2) of the received beam (24) are different.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the received beam (24) is categorized by the evaluation unit (48) as a rotating laser beam (22), when the adjustment direction (63) of the received beam (24) and the height direction (16) of the tripod (14) are oriented in the same direction.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the laser receiver (12) is switched into a measurement mode by the evaluation unit (48), wherein a position of the received beam (24) is determined in the measurement mode.

7. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the received beam (24) is categorized by the evaluation unit (48) as a reflected laser beam, when the adjustment direction (73) of the received beam (24) and the height direction (16) of the tripod (14) are oriented in opposite directions.

8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating laser beam (22) produces a horizontal laser plane (38) limited to an angle () less than 360.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotating laser beam (22) is moved in a direction of rotation (23) across 360 about the axis of rotation (21), wherein the rotating laser beam (22) is switched on within the angle (c) and switched off outside the angle ().

10. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotating laser beam (22) is moved back and forth within the angle () in alternating directions of rotation (23) about the axis of rotation (21).

11. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotating laser beam (22) is moved in a direction of rotation (23) across 360 about the axis of rotation (21) and the angle of 360 is subdivided into a first and second angle range, wherein the rotating laser beam (22) in the first and second angle range is differentiated by one beam property or multiple beam properties.

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the rotating laser beam (22) is modulated using a modulation signal, wherein in the first angle range, a first modulation signal is used, and in the second angle range, a second modulation signal that is different from the first modulation signal is used,

13. Device (10) having a rotating laser (11), which emits a laser beam (22) rotating about an axis of rotation (21) in a direction of rotation (23), and is arranged on a tripod (14) that is adjustable along an axis (15). and a laser receiver (12), which has an evaluation unit (48) and at least one detection field (25), for executing a method according to one of the claims 1 to 12.

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the laser receiver (12) has an inclination sensor (52), which measures an inclination of the laser receiver (12) relative to the gravitational direction (27).

15. Device according to one of the claims 13 to 14, characterized in that the tripod (14) and the laser receiver (12) can be connected in a communicating manner via a communications link, wherein the communication occurs between the evaluation unit (48) of the laser receiver (12) and a monitoring unit of the tripod (14).

Description

EMBODIMENTS

[0037] Embodiments of the invention are described below using the drawing. It is not necessarily meant to represent the embodiments to scale; instead, the drawing, where useful for explanatory purposes, is drawn in a schematic and/or slightly distorted form. One shall thereby take into account that various modifications and changes pertaining to the form and detail of an embodiment can be made, without departing from the general idea of the invention. The general idea of the invention is not restricted to the exact form or detail of the preferred embodiment shown and described below, or restricted to a subject matter, which would be restricted in comparison to the subject matter claimed in the claims. In regard to the provided measurement ranges, values lying within the mentioned limits are disclosed as limit values and may be arbitrarily used and claimed. For simplicity's sake, the same reference signs are used for identical or similar parts, or parts with identical or similar functions.

[0038] Depicted are:

[0039] FIG. 1 a device having a rotating laser and a laser receiver;

[0040] FIG. 2 the rotating laser and laser receiver of FIG. 1 in a three-dimensional view, wherein the rotating laser is oriented in horizontal position and the laser receiver is oriented in a longitudinal direction;

[0041] FIG. 3 the structure of the laser receiver and the interaction with the rotating laser in the form of a block diagram;

[0042] FIG. 4 the device from FIG. 1 in executing a method according to the invention for comparing a received beam incident on the laser receiver with a rotating laser beam of the rotating laser;

[0043] FIG. 5 a first and second incident position, which the rotating laser beam of the rotating laser produces on a detection field of the laser receiver;

[0044] FIG. 6 a first and second incident position, which the rotating laser beam of the rotating laser produces, after a reflection on a reflecting surface, on the detection field of the laser receiver; and

[0045] FIG. 7 a first and second incident position, which a received beam designed as a non-rotating extraneous beam produces on the detection field of the laser receiver.

[0046] FIG. 1 depicts a device 10 having a rotating laser 11 and a laser receiver 12, which can be connected via a communications link 13. Communications link 13 is designed as a wireless or a wire-based communications link. Rotating laser 11 is arranged in a horizontal position, which is provided for horizontal applications of rotating laser 11, and laser receiver 12 is arranged in a longitudinal arrangement. Device 10 is provided for executing a method according to the invention for comparing a received beam incident on a laser receiver 12 with a rotating laser beam of rotating laser 11.

[0047] Rotating laser 11 is arranged on a motor-driven tripod, which allows for automatic height adjustments of rotating laser 14 along an axis 15 in a height direction 16. In addition, a rotating platform 17 may be provided, which allows an automatic angle adjustment of rotating laser 11 about axis of rotation 18 of rotating platform 17. Rotating platform 17 may be integrated in tripod 14 or rotating laser 11, or be designed as a separate component, which is arranged on tripod 14. Rotating laser 11 is designed as a horizontally or vertically usable rotating laser, which emits a laser beam 22 rotating about an axis of rotation 21 of rotating laser 11. Rotating laser beam 22 rotates in a direction of rotation 23 about axis of rotation 21 and produces a laser plane, which is arranged perpendicular to axis of rotation 21 of rotating laser 11.

[0048] Laser receiver 12 is equipped with a height measurement function, which determines an incident position of a received beam 24 on a detection field 25 of laser receiver 12, and represents the distance of received beam 24 to a zero position 26 of detection field 25 as a height position. The orientation of laser receiver 12 is specified by means of detection field 25 and a gravitational direction 27 of the gravitational field. Detection field 25 of laser receiver 12 has in a longitudinal direction 28 a detection height and in a transverse direction 29 a detection width. Longitudinal direction 28 corresponds to the measurement direction of laser receiver 12 and transverse direction 29 is oriented perpendicular to longitudinal direction 25. The longitudinal arrangement refers to the orientation of laser receiver 12, in which longitudinal direction 28 of detection field 25 is oriented parallel to gravitational direction 27 and transverse diction 29 of detection field 25 is oriented perpendicular to gravitational direction 27, and a transverse configuration refers to the orientation of laser receiver 12, in which longitudinal direction 28 of detection field 25 is oriented perpendicular to gravitational direction 27 and transverse direction 29 of detection field 25 is oriented parallel to gravitational direction 27.

[0049] FIG. 2 depicts rotating laser 11 and laser receiver 12 of FIG. 1 in a three-dimensional view, wherein rotating laser 11 and laser receiver 12 are oriented for executing the method according to the invention in a horizontal position or in a longitudinal arrangement.

[0050] Rotating laser 11 comprises a device housing 31 and a measuring device arranged in device housing 31. Device housing 31 consists of a basic housing 32, a rotating head 33 and multiple handles 34. Rotating laser 11 is operated via an operating device 35, which is integrated in basic housing 32 and is operable from the outside. Besides operating device 35 integrated in basic housing 32, a remote control 36 may be provided, which can be connected to rotating laser 11 via a communications link. Inside basic housing 21, the measuring device of rotating laser 11 generates a laser beam, which strikes a deflection lens 37 rotating about axis of rotation 18. The laser beam is deflected 90 by deflection lens 37 and forms rotating laser beam 22 of rotating laser 11, which subtends a laser plane. In the horizonal position of rotating laser 11, rotating laser beam 22 produces a horizontal laser plane 38.

[0051] Laser receiver 12 comprises a receiver housing 41, an operating device 42, an optical display 43, a loudspeaker 44 and detection field 25. Detection field 25 has in longitudinal direction 28 a detection height H.sub.D and in transverse direction 29 a detection width B.sub.D. Operating device 42, optical display 43, loudspeaker 44 and detection field 24 are integrated in receiver housing 41 of laser receiver 12. The user can read information about laser receiver 12 via optical display 43. The information includes for example a charging state of laser receiver 12, information about communications link 13 to a rotating laser 11, and the adjusted volume of loudspeaker 44. In addition, the distance of received beam 24 to zero position 26 of laser receiver 12 can be visually indicated as a numerical value. Alternatively or additionally to the visual indication on optical display 43, the distance of received beam 24 can be conveyed via loudspeaker 44. Zero position 26 of detection field 25 is indicated on receiver housing 42 by means of marking notches 45.

[0052] FIG. 3 depicts the structure of laser receiver 12 in detail and the interaction of laser receiver 12 with rotating laser 11 in the form of a block diagram. Communication between laser receiver 12 and rotating laser 11 may take place via communications link 13, which connects a first transmit and receive unit 46 in laser receiver 12 to a second transmit and receive unit 47 in rotating laser 11. The first and second transmit and receive units 46, 47 are designed as wireless modules for example and communication between laser receiver 12 and rotating laser 11 occurs via a communications link 13 designed as a wireless connection.

[0053] Detection field 25, optical display 43 and loudspeaker 44 are connected to an evaluation unit 48, which is arranged inside receiver housing 41. Evaluation unit 48 is connected to a control unit 49 for controlling laser receiver 12, wherein evaluation unit 48 and control unit 49 are integrated in a monitoring unit 51 designed as a microcontroller for example. Laser receiver 12 can also comprise an inclination sensor 52, which is arranged inside receiver housing 41 and is connected to monitoring unit 41 [sic]. Using inclination sensor 52, one can measure an inclination of laser receiver 12 relative to gravitational direction 27 of the gravitational field. Inclination sensor 52 may comprise for example a 2-axis acceleration sensor or two 1-axis acceleration sensors.

[0054] FIG. 4 depicts device 10 executing the method according to the invention for comparing received beam 24 with rotating laser beam 22. Rotating laser 11 is arranged in a horizonal position on tripod 14 and laser receiver 12 is oriented in a longitudinal arrangement. For the orientation of components 11, 12, 14 of device 10 in relation to gravitational direction 27, the following applies: axis of rotation 21 of rotating laser 11, height direction 16 of tripod 14 and longitudinal direction 28 of detection field 25 are oriented parallel to the gravitational direction 27, and transverse direction 29 of detection field 25 is oriented perpendicular to gravitational direction 27. Rotating laser beam 22 produces horizontal laser plane 38, which is arranged perpendicular to gravitational direction 27.

[0055] Rotating laser 11 is adjusted by tripod 14 in a known height direction (height direction 16 or opposite to height direction 16) along axis 15 until detection field 25 of laser receiver 12 detects a received beam. The height adjustment of rotating laser 11 is then continued along axis 15. During the height adjustment of rotating laser 11, the incident positions of received beam 24 on detection field 25 are determined by evaluation unit 48 at various points in time.

[0056] At a first point in time t.sub.1, evaluation unit 48 determines the incident position of received beam 24 on detection field 25 as a first incident position 61 and stores the distance of first incident position 61 to zero position 26 of detection field 25 as first height position H.sub.1. At a later point in time t.sub.2, evaluation unit 48 determines the incident position of received beam 24 on detection field 25 as a second incident position 62 and stores the distance of second incident position 62 to zero position 26 of detection field 25 as second height position H.sub.2. Evaluation unit 48 determines from the first and second height positions H.sub.1, H.sub.2 an adjustment direction 63 of received beam 24 relative to laser receiver 12.

[0057] FIG. 5 depicts the first and second incident positions 61, 62, which rotating laser beam 22 of rotating laser 21 produces on detection field 25 of laser receiver 12. Laser receiver 12 is oriented in a longitudinal arrangement and longitudinal direction 28 of detection field 25 runs parallel to gravitational direction 27. First incident position 61 has a first distance H.sub.1 to zero position 26 of detection field 25 and second incident position 62 has a second distance H.sub.2 to zero position 26 of detection field 25. Adjustment direction 63 of received beam 24 runs parallel to longitudinal direction 28 of detection field 25.

[0058] Evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 determines from first and second elevation positions H.sub.1, H.sub.2 adjustment direction 63 of received beam 24 relative to laser receiver 12 and compares adjustment direction 63 of received beam 24 with height direction 16 of tripod 14. Adjustment direction 63 of received beam 24 and height direction 16 of tripod 14 are aligned in the same direction and received beam 24 is categorized by evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 as a rotating laser beam 22.

[0059] FIG. 6 depicts a first and second incident position 71, 72, which rotating laser beam 22 produces, after a simple reflection on a reflecting surface, on detection field 25 of laser receiver 12. First incident position 71 has a first distance to zero position 26 of detection field 25, and second incident position 72 has a second distance to zero position 26 of detection field 25, wherein the first distance is referred to as first height position H.sub.1 and the second distance is referred to as second height position H.sub.2.

[0060] From the first and second height positions H.sub.1, H.sub.2, evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 determines an adjustment direction 73 of received beam 24 relative to laser receiver 12 and compares adjustment direction 73 of received beam 24 with position height direction 16A of tripod 14. Adjustment direction 73 of received beam 24 and positive height direction 16A of tripod 14 are opposite to each other and received beam 24 is categorized by evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 as a reflected laser beam.

[0061] By means of a single reflection of rotating laser beam 22 on a reflecting surface, the adjustment direction of the received beam on detection field 25 is reversed. This reversal of the adjustment direction is used to distinguish between a rotating laser beam, which was reflected on a reflecting surface, from a rotating laser beam.

[0062] FIG. 7 depicts a first and second incident position 81, 82, which produces a received beam 24, designed as a non-rotating extraneous beam, on detection field 25 of laser receiver 12. First incident position 81 has a first distance to zero position 26 of detection field 25, and second incident position 82 has a second distance to zero position 26 of detection field 25, wherein the first distance is referred as first height position H.sub.1 and the second distance is referred to as second height position H.sub.2.

[0063] Evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 determines the difference between the first and second height positions H.sub.1, H.sub.2. First incident position 81 essentially matches second incident position 82 and the difference between the first and second height positions H.sub.1, H.sub.2 is zero. When the difference is zero, evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 cannot determine an adjustment direction of received beam 24 relative to laser receiver 12. Since received beam 24 is designed as a non-rotating extraneous beam, the adjustment of rotating laser 11 along axis 15 has no influence on the incident position of received beam 24 on detection field 25.

[0064] When executing the method according to the invention, rotational laser 11 is oriented in a horizontal position and laser receiver 12 is oriented in a longitudinal arrangement. Horizontal laser plane 38, which is produced by rotating laser beam 22, is adjusted along axis 15 by means of tripod 14. Evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 produces an adjustment direction and compares the adjustment direction with height direction 16 of tripod 14. One shall thereby note that the adjustment direction depends on the position of laser receiver 12 and the adjustment directions in opposite positions of laser receiver 12 are opposite to each other. The position of laser receiver 12 to rotating laser 11 can be determined by means of rotating laser beam 22.

[0065] The rotating laser beam produces a vertical laser plane limited to an angle less than 360; angles less than 180 are particularly suited as angle . Rotating laser 11 begins its rotation about axis of rotation 21 in an angle of rotation, which is referred to as a zero-angle. Based on the zero-angle, a positive angle range between 0 and +180 and a negative angle range between 0 and 180 can be specified.

[0066] Alternatively, the rotating laser beam is moved in a direction of rotation across 360 about axis of rotation 21 and the angle of 360 is subdivided into a first and second angle range; for example, the positive angle range between 0 and 180 can he specified as a first angle range and the negative angle range between 0 and 180 can be specified as the second angle range. To differentiate between the first and second angle ranges, the rotating laser beam has in the first and second angle ranges at least one different beam property. Based on the beam property by which rotating laser beam 22 differentiates itself in the first and second angle ranges, evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 can determine the angle range in which detection field 25 of laser receiver 12 was struck by received beam 24.

[0067] A modulation signal for example is suited to be a beam property, which can be used to differentiate between the first and second angle ranges. A first modulation signal is used in the first angle range, and a second modulation signal, which differs from the first modulation signal, is used in the second angle range. The first and second modulation signals can differ from each other in amplitude, shape and/or modulation frequency. Within the scope of the method according to the invention, evaluation unit 48 of laser receiver 12 analyzes incident received beam 24 and can determine the modulation signal with which received beam 24 was modulated. Based on the modulation signal, evaluation unit 48 can determine the angle range in which detection field 25 of laser receiver 12 was struck by received beam 24.