DE102020000977A1 - Surveying arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

A smartphone arrangement is described with a laser transmitter / receiver combination, the transmitter of which emits a laser beam to a point of impact and the receiver of which generates light detection signals in response to the reception of light from the point of impact, and with a signal processing stage for the processing of the light detection signals to determine the point of impact, characterized in that the smartphone arrangement has an inclination sensor which is designed to determine a beam emission direction and generates inclination-indicative signals, and the signal processing stage for processing the light detection signals in response the inclination-indicative signals are designed to determine the point of impact.

Description

The present invention relates to what is claimed in the preamble and thus relates to measurements.

Measurement methods are known. They are used to determine spatial dimensions, for example dimensions of completed or under construction structures or the areas required for their construction such as excavations and so on. It can also be useful to carry out measurements outside of a construction project, for example if the recording of certain conditions of a site or building is desired regardless of the imminent implementation of construction measures. The measurement can on the one hand be a measurement, i. H. a determination of attained dimensions; on the other hand it can also be measured, for example it can be determined on which and in which orientation a building has to be erected.

In principle, a measurement should be as precise as possible, but it should also be able to take place quickly and at low cost. Various proposals have been made to this end. It is known to use laser beams for distance measurements; a simple device can serve as transmitter and receiver at the same time and for this purpose emit a laser beam onto an opposite wall, receive the backscattered laser light and determine a distance from a suitable reception signature. This type of device can be used in a similar way to an electronic folding rule, which may be sufficient for point measurements, but is hardly suitable for the rapid detection of complex or large-area structures.

For example, it is also common to set up a central station that emits a laser beam rotating around the station, and to capture this laser beam with a separate suitable receiver, from whose received signals the distance and spatial location of the receiver position relative to the central station can be inferred . Depending on the effort involved in the construction of the central station and in the construction of the receiver, very high ranges can be achieved with good accuracy. A problem arises, however, when there is no line of sight to the base station or - for example, for measurements that are short per se in small projects - the effort to set up a central station at all is assessed as too high.

This is often the case with excavations, canals, trenches and so on, especially if they are deep. The measurement of a depth is accordingly often difficult. In principle, this can be done by "plumbing" near the edge; For known measurements, the aforementioned distance measuring devices, which simultaneously serve as transmitters and receivers, would be suitable per se. In the case of more extensive structures that are further away from an edge, however, measurements are difficult even with this.

It is therefore desirable to provide an improved survey plumb bob; It should be mentioned in this regard that echo sounders are known from nautical science that are also able to record extensive structures of a sea or water bed, but that such devices are usually too complex, heavy and expensive to be repeated in particular e.g. to record construction progress.

It has also been proposed to carry out measurements photogrammetrically. An area to be measured is initially recorded photographically from a large number of different but known directions, which subsequently allows the dimensions of the structures recorded with the recordings to be determined by triangulation. In this context, it has been proposed in particular to record the areas to be measured with the camera of a smartphone and to determine the different recording positions by means of the movement sensors typically built into smartphones, such as triaxial accelerometers.

Reference is made in particular to the article “Structure from Motion (SfM) Photogrammetry” by Natan Micheletti, Jim H Chandler and Stuart N Lane, ISSN 2047-0371. There it is mentioned that smartphones that are widely available can record valuable geomorphic data, it is mentioned that a large overlap is desirable when taking pictures and should be taken from different positions and directions. It is stated that a measurement method and a registration and / or scaling are advantageously specified in advance, that an entire object is first recorded before the details are recorded, with every point as possible on at least three recorded images appearing from different directions, and that the The scene should be static, that consistent lighting is desired and that overexposed images, underexposed images and blurred images should be avoided. Problems of scaling are pointed out, which could be avoided by known targets, and it is also mentioned that high-resolution cameras will offer advantages.

From the publication "Inertial-Based Scale Estimation for Structure from Motion on Mobile Devices" by Janne Mustaniemi, Juho Kannala, Simo Särkkä, Jiri Matas and Janne Heikkilä, in arXiv: 1611.09498v2 [cs.CV] 11. Aug. 2017 the temporal alignment of inertial sensor data and image data is known. There, too, emphasis is placed on scaling problems and a method for obtaining a structure from movement is mentioned.

Reference is also made to the DE 10 2018 213 209.7 . This describes a measurement method in which image data is recorded from different positions with a moving camera for an area to be measured and three-dimensional data of the area are determined from the image data recorded, an image data stream being generated and at least one translation component of the camera movement in the generation of the image data stream is determined and in response to this, a camera motion-controlling signal is generated. The disclosure of this publication is incorporated in its entirety by reference.

The use of a smartphone is advantageous in that it is readily available and can therefore be used immediately, which in particular facilitates the repeated recording of construction progress.

Nevertheless, using a smartphone is not entirely unproblematic. If the dimensions of structures captured in photo or video recordings are determined by triangulation with smartphones, the measurement precision for distances, areas and volumes initially depends on the quality of the recordings, which in terms of the individual images provides good and sufficient illumination of all relevant image areas requires high resolution of the relevant structures; With regard to the image series evaluated for the triangulation, care must also be taken that the images belonging to the evaluated image series are recorded from suitable positions and that these positions are known with sufficient accuracy. The progressive change in the recording positions within the image series can usually be determined quite precisely with the triaxial accelerometers built into smartphones; the accuracies that can be achieved are sufficient for many purposes. Even if distances, areas and volumes can be determined with sufficient relative accuracy, the absolute position of a structure detected by the measurement is not fixed. Conventional smartphones have GPS sensors; however, the corresponding signals are too imprecise for many purposes even if the measurements recorded over a longer period of time, for example the duration of an image sequence, are offset against one another.

Therefore, shortly before the priority date of the present application, the applicant or his legal predecessor proposed a smartphone that is used for measurement purposes, in particular for measurement by means of triangulation in image sequences, with so-called real-time kinematics - (RTK) - To couple the receiver module of a global navigation satellite system, i.e. a GNSS-RTK module. It should be noted that the applicant reserves the right to claim protection for such an arrangement as well, provided that relevant grace periods exist.

In the case of the previously known smartphone arrangement, even if it is provided with an RTK-GNSS module, it is difficult, however, to record extensive, deeply deep structures quickly with sufficiently high precision. One of the reasons for this is that triangulation has to capture a structure from sufficiently different directions, which is only possible to a limited extent for reasons of perspective in the case of narrow, deep structures that are to be measured from above. This makes it more difficult to record structures that have already been built and deepened, i.e. if a check is to be carried out, for example, on whether a dug pit or a dug trench is already sufficiently deep and in the correct place, and often the exact definition of deeper areas where a structure, such as a bridge pier, is to be erected.

It would be desirable to be able to carry out at least one of measurements and measurements so precisely, quickly and inexpensively that use, in particular commercial use, can be considered. In particular, it would be desirable to be able to grasp structures that are deeper.

In view of the fact that more and more precise documentation of performed work is required, it would also be desirable to be able to carry out measurements in such a way that the measurement results meet documentation requirements, in particular legal or contractually binding documentation requirements, if these exist.

It would be desirable to be able to at least partially meet at least some of these wishes.

The object of the present invention is to provide something new for industrial use.

The solution to this problem is claimed in an independent form. Preferred embodiments can be found in the subclaims.

According to a first basic idea of the invention, a smartphone arrangement is thus provided with a laser transmitter / receiver combination, the transmitter of which emits a laser beam to an impact point and the receiver of which generates light detection signals in response to the reception of light from the point of impact , and with a signal processing stage for processing the light detection signals to determine the point of impact, it is further provided that the smartphone arrangement has an inclination sensor which is designed to determine a beam emission direction and generates inclination-indicative signals, and wherein the Signal processing stage is designed for processing the light detection signals in response to the inclination-indicative signals for determining the point of impact.

The invention has thus recognized that the usability - even for a number of photogrammetric measurements that can be used for smartphones - can be significantly increased by using a laser transmitter / receiver combination if it is constructed quite simply, i.e. does not have particularly high levels of accuracy. This is especially true if quick freehand measurements are to be carried out. This makes use of the fact that when not only the distance is measured, but also an inclination is determined, systematic measurement errors can be reduced particularly easily; this also applies where no photogrammetric measurements are to be carried out. By measuring light detection signals on the one hand, which are indicative of the distance between the laser transmitter / receiver combination and the point of impact, and on the other hand, inclination signals, the error otherwise to be expected due to inclined irradiation can be corrected without further ado. Obviously, this applies where the laser transmitter / receiver combination emits the laser beam directly and vertically. Here it would be possible to only record measured values with the laser transmitter / receiver combination if a downwardly emitted laser beam is currently being emitted vertically downward, as evidenced by the inclination-indicative signal. This can be achieved either by recording a sequence (closely related in time) light detection signals regardless of the current inclination and only taking into account those parts of the sequence during which the inclination of the smartphone is not greater than a certain threshold value. The threshold value can be set absolutely, for example 0.5 degrees (in the present case always, unless otherwise stated: a 360 degree full circle); 1.0 degree; 2.0 degrees; 5 degrees. Alternatively and / or in addition, the threshold value can be varied if, for example, it is determined that the smartphone is being kept particularly restless. The fact that a deviation from a vertical alignment can possibly be displayed on a smartphone display should be mentioned as a preferred variant.

It should be mentioned that it is also possible to determine the distance from points that are neither perpendicular nor almost perpendicular relative to the location. With the arrangement according to the invention, a highly precise measurement is also possible at distant locations; H. in places where the user is not currently, and without devices having to be set up beforehand. This is not only advantageous when measuring hard-to-reach places such as trenches and pits, but also where measurements are required quickly with little effort, in particular because it is not necessary to necessarily move to the place to be measured.

It should also be mentioned that it is possible and preferred to prevent radiation from being emitted if the inclination of the smartphone detected with the inclinometer is not within a certain setpoint. In this way, sudden movements of the smartphone, for example because the user answers a call or moves violently, can prevent laser light from being emitted in undesired directions, for example towards people. In such a case, the inclination sensor would not only be designed to detect a (current) beam emission direction, but would also be designed to allow beam emission only within certain directional limits. In the present case, the determination of a beam emission direction is assumed if at least either an actual inclination is detected or the emission is prevented in undesired directions as a function of the inclination. In this regard, it should be pointed out that the laser used should desirably have a particularly harmless laser protection class, that is to say that even if the beam were to hit people, no damage caused by it would be caused to them. However, this requirement reaches its limits where measurements are to be carried out in possibly very bright surroundings, for example on construction sites outdoors, in particular from distances over possibly large distances (which obviously requires higher laser power) and / or where the irradiated point is optical is to be recognized, in particular with the naked eye or in a camera image as a brightly radiating point. In such cases it may be necessary to use a laser of a higher protection class so that the interruption of the beam at an incline that is considered to be critical or after a particularly rapid and thus possibly not consciously performed panning can take place.

Incidentally, the measurement accuracy can also be increased because the smartphone can easily be used to average over a large number of measurements. It is understandable that averaging can reduce the noise in measurements. However, this only applies if comparable measurements are offset against one another during the averaging, i.e. the same point is illuminated, for example. By also taking the inclination into account, it can be ensured that measurements with a smartphone held in one place but fluctuating there do not lead to an excessive spread of the individual measured values and thus to a high degree of variance, but only the individual measurements that systematically correspond to one another due to comparable inclinations will be charged. It should also be mentioned that where the smartphone is not held in one place, but also varies, for example because the user holds the smartphone unfavorably on the outstretched arm, which is difficult to stabilize, compensation is usually also possible; The accelerometers built into smartphones, which, in addition to gyro circles, can also be used to determine the inclination, allow the trajectory along which the smartphone is moving to be determined with a suitable integration of the accelerations. This, in combination with the inclination, can also be used to better determine a distance. However, it should be mentioned that it may be helpful to attach the smartphone to a monopod that is still easy to move.

It should also be mentioned that if the smartphone is held vertically, the laser beam does not necessarily have to be emitted exactly vertically downwards. Rather, it can be advantageous if the laser beam is radiated downwards at a slight angle. This is advantageous where particularly deep structures are to be measured, for example extensive construction pits, the edge of which should not be approached too close for safety reasons, not even during measurements. In a preferred variant, in which the smartphone also has a camera, the laser beam is preferably emitted so far forward that the point of impact of the laser is in any case at sufficiently large distances of, for example, about Im; 1 ,5 m; 2m or 5m in the image area captured by the camera. On the one hand, this makes it possible to determine the distance to a point irradiated with the laser in individual images and / or to mark the irradiated point in the image. The former is particularly advantageous during the execution and control of ongoing work, the latter is helpful both for the documentation of the work that has been carried out and where markings may have to be made in a (lower) area. The corresponding places can then be marked in a photograph and visited on the basis of the marking in the area in order to carry out work there.

Another preferred variant consists in smartphone arrangements in which the laser transmitter / receiver combination is provided externally to the housing of the actual smartphone, for example installed in a holder in which the smartphone is fixed, for example through the flexibility of a Bracket spanning the smartphone edge, an additional camera can be installed in the bracket. In such a case, the optical axis of the additional camera built into the holder will run in the direction generally parallel to the emission direction of the laser and the camera will have a sufficiently wide field of view to optically capture the irradiated point and its surroundings. With such an additional camera, the emission direction can be selected independently of the camera axis of the smartphone inserted in the holder. The additional camera to be built into the bracket can initially be used to document the illuminated areas and their surroundings. Accordingly, in a preferred variant, the images captured with the camera are transmitted to the smartphone as individual images or as a video stream, specifically in such a way that the images captured with the additional camera and the respective measured distances can be assigned to one another. This is possible, for example, by means of suitable time stamps in the video streams or for photographic recordings. Where the geometry of the built-in additional camera optics is known with sufficient accuracy and the resolution is sufficient, photogrammetric measurements can also be carried out. There is also the possibility, at least with sufficient bandwidth of the interface between the holder and the smartphone, to display the currently recorded images on the display of the smartphone, which can be helpful to support correct aiming if the point of impact is difficult to recognize.

It should also be mentioned that - regardless of the use of an additional camera in the holder - with recourse to an inclination determination there is also the possibility not only to carry out point measurements, but also to measure extensive areas; If the smartphone is inclined willfully or involuntarily during a measurement period, a mean value can be formed for groups with regard to the inclination of closely spaced measured values, and an area can thus be scanned, as it were.

The laser transmitter / receiver combination will be designed in such a way that it can be used to measure distances of the order of magnitude that is to be measured. Corresponding techniques are known and do not need to be explained in more detail here; It should only be mentioned by way of example that distance measurements can, for example, be time-based or distances can be measured on the basis of beat phases between a modulated laser beam and the light received from the point of impact, which is also shaped by the laser modulation.

It is also understood that the determined size of the point of impact depends on the one hand on the expansion of the laser beam and on the other hand on the fluctuation range of the inclination values that are still taken into account for a measurement. Wherever markings are made in images, a corresponding two-dimensional marking can optionally be carried out.

In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the signal processing stage is designed to determine the position of impact points in response to the inclination-indicative signals and a distance of the smartphone arrangement from the point of impact, preferably by calculating trigonometric functions. If necessary, it can even be taken into account that the transmitter and receiver are slightly separated in space. In so far as the direction in which the laser beam is emitted is mentioned in the present case, the direction from which the backscattered laser light is received is also always fixed.

In this regard, it should also be pointed out that the signal processing stage does not necessarily have to process the detection signals itself in response to the inclination-indicative signals; rather, it would be sufficient for the signal processing stage to process the signals in such a way that they allow (immediate) processing of the light detection signals in response to the inclination-indicative signals for determining the point of impact; this can be done, for example, by suitable conditioning, normalization and synchronization. In such a case, the correspondingly processed signals could be fed, for example, to a central computer, which is particularly important where additional images are to be evaluated photogrammetrically and the local, i. H. The computing power available in the smartphone is not sufficient to carry out these determinations. Nevertheless, it is usually desirable and possible without great effort to determine the positions of the points of impact in the smartphone itself. Since essentially only the distance determined with the laser transmitter / receiver combination has to be corrected according to simple trigonometric formulas, this can be done in real time without the calculations in particular requiring an excessive amount of energy.

It can be provided in a preferred embodiment that the laser transmitter / receiver combination outputs a sequence of discrete detection signals or related values, the inclination sensor outputs a sequence of inclination-indicative signals or related values and the signal processing stage for processing the respective signals or . related values is formed in a synchronized manner. In principle, it is therefore not necessary for the laser transmitter / receiver combination to output its data synchronously with the data from the inclination sensor or even to only acquire the values with the same sampling rate as the inclinometer.

Where a laser transmitter / receiver combination is used that is separate from the smartphone per se, it is initially desirable to compensate for the latency introduced by the transmission from the per se separate combination to the smartphone; this can be done, for example, by determining such a latency once, for example on the manufacturer's side, and storing it. In particular, where the transmission takes place with a latency that may fluctuate over time, for example because a wireless interface such as Bluetooth is used for transmission and the latency that can be achieved also depends on whether the interface is currently still from other devices, such as a smartphone headset User is required, however, it is also possible to regularly determine a latency in other ways, for example by correlating the time course of the distances with the time course of the inclinations if the smartphone is swiveled slightly at the same time. If, for example, it is assumed that the laser beam is also emitted exactly vertically downwards from a smartphone that is held exactly perpendicular, the detected distance will always assume its minimum over a level ground if the smartphone is aligned exactly perpendicular; this shows that a latency determination per se is possible purely by looking at the course of the curve over level ground. It will be clear that corresponding determinations are also possible in the case of a laser beam emitted at an angle from the smartphone arrangement, provided that the radiation angle relative to the smartphone is constant and known. It should also be mentioned that the corresponding calculations can optionally be carried out iteratively in order to take into account the different trick-only metric ratios associated with different inclinations. It should also be mentioned that it may not be necessary to determine a complete correlation of the two time course curves in order to determine the latency, but rather the search for minima, as described, may be sufficient. It should also be mentioned that, if necessary, changes in the latency of a Bluetooth interface, for example, can also be determined by taking into account the current load on the interface, etc., that other than the Bluetooth interface referred to here only as an example as a wireless interface comes into consideration, such as Zigbee, Bluetooth Le, WLAN, etc., and that a latency can also be taken into account where the signal transmission is wired, for example via a conventional interface according to one of the USB standards.

A synchronization can also include providing the individual data of a sequence to be evaluated with suitable time marks, which can be done by at least one of the laser transmitter / receiver combination and smartphone. It should be mentioned that where the data transmitted from the laser-transmitter-crossbar receiver combination is initially provided with suitable time stamps and then the corresponding sequence is additionally provided with time stamps in the smartphone, changes in latency or fluctuations in the sampling rate are particularly quickly noticeable or can be evaluated particularly well.

It should be noted that where, for example, the laser transmitter / receiver combination determines measured values with a higher sampling rate than can be sensibly transmitted via the interface used in each case and / or sensibly evaluated in the smartphone, averaging may already be carried out in the laser Transmitter / receiver combination could take place, but it is regularly preferred not to average individual distance measurements regardless of the current inclination, but rather to carry out an averaging in such a way that values recorded only for certain inclinations are averaged.

In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the distance values of the discrete detection signals of a sequence to be evaluated are determined at least partially at times other than the inclination indicative signals and the signal processing stage is designed to temporally interpolate the values of at least one of the two sequences. This allows the (latency-corrected and possibly provided with time stamps) measured values to be processed jointly in a particularly simple manner. It should be pointed out that methods for interpolation are known per se and can be used. A spline interpolation, a cubic interpolation, a linear interpolation and so on should be mentioned only by way of example.

In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the signal processing stage is designed to determine a central point of impact and / or the location of an extended point of impact from light detection signals detected at a plurality of successively illuminated points of impact. It should be emphasized that averaging would not be necessary in principle, but that it makes sense because it can be implemented particularly easily without additional structural effort and it also contributes to a significant improvement in the measurement results. The fact that a spatial averaging can be carried out over extensive areas of impact, for example in order to determine the volumes excavated from a pit, should also be mentioned as advantageous in this context.

In a preferred embodiment, it can also be provided that the smartphone arrangement is provided with a real-time kinematics GNSS module that emits a sequence of discrete, position-indicating signals, the position of the laser transmitter / receiver combination relative to its antenna ( n) - or, equivalent, another reference point of the real-time kinematics GNSS module is known and the signal processing stage is designed to determine the position of impact points also in response to the position-indicative signals of the real-time kinematics GNSS module.

Such a real-time kinematics GNSS module has clear advantages precisely where it is not just a point to determine a depth, but rather where data is to be determined with a survey on a larger scale.

Structurally, the real-time kinematics GNSS module, like the laser module, can be designed as an external module to be connected to the smartphone; As described above, it is possible to synchronize the data of the real-time kinematics GNSS module with the data measured internally in the smartphone, such as the inclination data, to transfer time stamps, to carry out an interpolation and so on. However, since the changes in inclinations can usually take place much faster than a translative shift in the center of gravity, it may be sufficient to use the real-time kinematics GNSS data with a lower temporal resolution than the distances recorded with the laser transmitter / receiver combination to be determined if desired.

The availability of real-time kinematics GNSS data is particularly advantageous where the smartphone is used to record image sequences from which dimensions are to be determined photogrammetrically. Where this is the case, the rate of the real-time kinematics GNSS data should be compared with the frame rate of the Image sequences are determined. Where no exact synchronization between image acquisition and real-time kinematics GNSS data can be achieved, it may be preferable to select the sampling rate of the real-time kinematics GNSS data to be higher than the frame rate, in particular at least twice as high. If necessary, where the real-time kinematics GNSS data is only able to deliver data at a low sampling rate, it is possible to use values that were recorded, for example, with the accelerometer built into the smartphone.

It should be mentioned that evidently the previously referred to DE 10 2018 213 209 the recording of location-indicative data or speed-indicative or acceleration-indicative data can take place more frequently than the recording of a new image. It was pointed out that frame rates of, for example, 10 frames / second (compared to the 24 frames required to achieve a video stream that is perceived as jerk-free) per second have proven to be sufficient to achieve sufficient overlap for photogrammetric purposes on the one hand guarantee and still keep the data volume to be processed manageable, but that the recording of location-indicative data or speed-indicative or acceleration-indicative data can take place more frequently than the recording of a new image. It can therefore be provided in a preferred embodiment that the smartphone is designed to record image sequences for the photogrammetric measurement of structures recognizable in the images, and the time sequence of images to be taken into account is less than that taking into account the sequences of discrete detection signals, more discrete inclination-indicative signals and / or possibly discrete position-indicative signals determinable sequence of impact points.

It has also already been stated in the cited prior art that the recording of more data per frame and also the recording of intermediate frame data allow an increase in precision, in particular in the case of integration and / or interpolation. The use of sensors for GPS, GLONASS, Galilei and the QZSS I acceleration sensor was also explicitly pointed out 1 , as well as on OOPS I, on the usability of a digital compass, an acceleration sensor, a 3-axis gyrometer, a barometrically determined altitude, an acceleration sensor, angle of inclination and various sensors for camera setting. That such sensors can also be used in the present case, in particular the sensors suitable as real-time kinematics GNSS module, is hereby explicitly disclosed.

It can be provided in a preferred embodiment that the laser transmitter / receiver combination and / or, if available, the real-time kinematics GNSS module is provided externally to a smartphone housing and can be connected to it, in particular in a fixed manner spatial relationship, and the laser transmitter / receiver combination and / or the real-time kinematics GNSS module can be controlled by the smartphone.

As far as the control is concerned, it has already been pointed out that the laser can be activated or deactivated (or the beam can be interrupted in some other way) and it should be noted that where latencies can be well determined, and in particular are stable over time, if necessary the data acquisition can also be triggered by another unit or one of several other units.

It should also be mentioned that, if necessary, the real-time kinematics GNSS module and the laser transmitter / receiver combination can be arranged together in an external device to be connected to the smartphone. This facilitates the synchronization of at least the real-time kinematic GNSS module and the laser transmitter / receiver combination with one another and also reduces the communication effort with the smartphone.

According to the above, it is now also evident that the smartphone can have a camera in a preferred variant that is designed to record image sequences, and that the smartphone arrangement has an image processing stage that is designed to include impingement in images of the sequence. To mark point (s) and / or to mark target points of impact in images, in particular in live images, and / or which is designed to support structures captured by the camera, taking into account the points of impact determined in response to light detection signals and signals indicative of inclination. Positions to be measured. It should be mentioned that an image evaluation, in particular a photogrammetric evaluation of image sequences, does not have to take place locally within the smartphone, but rather processing in a central computer to which the relevant data is transmitted, in particular wirelessly and virtually in real time. The current and future transmission protocols, for example UMTS, GSM, G3, G4, G5 WLAN, etc., can be used for this without further ado.

It should be mentioned that the camera for photogrammetric recordings can not only be swiveled and moved translationally, but can also be tilted differently and that in such a situation it is advantageous if the laser is only excited as long as the beam is relatively steep downwards is inclined; this helps to avoid endangering bystanders. It is hereby disclosed that this requires a control of the laser by the smartphone and that this is already advantageous in this respect. It should also be pointed out that image recognition may be possible to determine whether people and / or faces and / or eyes are recognizable in the image and emission of the laser is prevented if the image recognition recognizes the risk that people are in the eyes critically illuminated directly. That, if it were desired, such an image recognition and laser beam control would also be possible with regard to other sufficiently large living beings such as dogs, cats or cattle, is disclosed for the sake of completeness).

It should also be mentioned that if the laser transmitter / receiver combination and the camera are used simultaneously for measurement purposes, the photogrammetric distances and sizes of structures and the positions and structures resulting from the position of the impact points can be linked to one another in order to achieve accuracy raise.

Protection is also claimed for a measurement method, in particular a depth measurement method, in which a smartphone arrangement with a laser transmitter / receiver combination is provided and a laser beam is radiated onto a point of impact with the transmitter, with the receiver receiving light detection signals In response to receiving light from the point of incidence, inclination-indicative signals are generated with a tilt sensor, and the light detection signals are processed in response to the inclination-indicative signals to determine the incidence.

• 1 eine Smartphone Anordnung der vorliegenden Erfindung mit einer Laser-Sender/Empfänger-Kombination;
• 2 die Verwendung einer erfindungsgemäßen Smartphone-Anordnung zur Ausmessung;
• 3a,b ein praktisches Ausführungsbeispiel einer Halterungsgehäuse-Außenschale für eine Smartphone-Anordnung der vorliegenden Erfindung in unterschiedlichen Ansichten.

The invention is described in the following only by way of example with reference to the drawing. This is represented by:

• 1 a smartphone arrangement of the present invention with a laser transmitter / receiver combination;
• 2 the use of a smartphone arrangement according to the invention for measurement;
• 3a, b a practical embodiment of a holder housing outer shell for a smartphone arrangement of the present invention in different views.

To 1 includes a general with 1 designated smartphone arrangement 1 a laser transmitter (2a) / receiver (2b) combination 2, the transmitter 2a of which sends a laser beam 3 to an impact point (see reference number 4, 3 ) emits and its receiver 2b emits light-detection signals in response to the reception of light 5 generated from the point of impact, and is provided with a signal processing stage 6 for processing the light detection signals to determine the point of impact, the smartphone arrangement 1 a tilt sensor 7th which is designed to determine a beam emission direction and generates inclination-indicative signals, and the signal processing stage 6 for processing the light detection signals 5 is designed in response to the inclination-indicative signals for determining the point of impact 4.

For use in the smartphone arrangement 1 Any modern smartphone is suitable per se, which has a display, an interface such as a USB connection for data transmission or a Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE interface and also, for the implementation of preferred embodiments of the invention for reasons that will become apparent owns a camera. As will become clear, it is advantageous if the camera characteristics are very well known and if a camera is available whose image capture angle is sufficiently large, ie a wide-angle camera is available. It should be mentioned that it may be possible to calibrate the camera if the characteristics are not known, but this is usually not necessary in the case of sufficiently high-quality smartphones with a correspondingly low series spread.

The display of the smartphone arrangement 1 is sufficiently bright to display information in the open air even in normal sunlight. A display control can show relevant information on the display for the measurement by means of the smartphone arrangement according to the invention, in particular a distance currently determined with the laser transmitter / receiver combination and / or relative or absolute coordinates of a distance determined with the laser transmitter / receiver Combination of illuminated laser beam impact point. At the same time, in the preferred variant shown, it can also be displayed how great the fluctuations of the respective displayed variable are. The display is also able to mark the position of a point of impact of the laser beam in an image recorded with the camera of the smartphone. For this purpose, a marking can be calculated into the image - it is therefore a marking by so-called "enhanced reality", which makes it possible to display the point of impact even if it is difficult to see in the recorded image itself, for example because the The wavelength of the laser beam is outside the sensitivity of the photosensor built into the camera and / or the laser beam is already quite weak at the point of impact and therefore cannot be detected with high contrast. In this regard, it should be mentioned that the marking is also understandable for Zooming in on the area around the point of impact can be displayed.

As for the training of the smartphone arrangement 1 with a tilt sensor 7th is concerned, it should be noted that conventional smartphones typically have a triaxial accelerometer that is built into the smartphone in a sufficiently well known orientation. The force of gravity means that when the smartphone is at rest, a large acceleration component is always recorded in the direction of the force of gravity. From this, the inclination of the smartphone can easily be determined. It should be mentioned that the inclination can be measured with a high temporal resolution. The smartphone is designed to record sequences of inclination angle values together with the times at which the inclination angles were recorded when a measurement is to be carried out with the smartphone arrangement. (For the sake of completeness, however, it should be mentioned that where the times can be determined in a different way, for example because angles of inclination are recorded with a known time interval, the storage of the corresponding times is obviously not necessary.)

The smartphone arrangement 1 will furthermore have a conventional processor, for example a multi-core processor, which is able to execute data processing programs; It is evident that the signal processing stage in particular can be implemented in such a way that corresponding data processing programs are provided for processing. It should be pointed out that the determination of an exact point of impact, taking into account the inclination, will in particular require the calculation of trigonometric functions and that conventional multi-core processors of smartphones have arithmetic-logic units (ALUs) with which such trigonometric functions can be calculated without further ado, but the smartphone arrangement and in particular the signal processing stage is only designed to process light detection signals in response to the inclination-indicative signals when a suitable data processing program is available at the same time. The same applies, in an understandable way, to the (co-) processing of position-indicative signals of a real-time kinematics GNSS module.

The smartphone arrangement is therefore further 1 provided with a real-time kinematics GNSS module, which receives signals from a large number of satellites, from which a current position on the earth's surface can be determined. It should be noted that current conventional smartphones can already have a GPS sensor, but the standard built-in GPS sensors are inadequate where great accuracy is important. This is not only due to the poor reception of conventionally built-in GPS sensors, which can only receive signals from a few satellites outdoors, but also because, even with good reception, considerable corrections are necessary in order to be able to determine precise positions from the received signals. The necessary corrections are, however, in turn dependent, among other things, on the conditions during the transmission of the satellite signals; especially from the refraction in the ionosphere, it is also necessary to receive information about the necessary corrections; Such information reception is not guaranteed with conventional GPS sensors. For this reason, the real-time kinematics GNSS module is designed as a supplement external to the actual smartphone, namely on a bracket. The holder is designed in such a way that the smartphone can be fixed immovably in it, so that the position of the smartphone camera in particular relative to the location of the satellite antennas and thus the reference point for the real-time kinematics GNSS module is exactly fixed as soon as the smartphone is in the holder is fixed. The real-time kinematics GNSS module of the present invention will, according to the above, be a real-time kinematics GNSS module which allows corrections of the received satellite data to increase precision.

For the purposes of the present description, it is also assumed that the correction will take place within the real-time kinematics GNSS module with data that can be received by the latter itself. Obviously, correction data could also be received via the smartphone. That in such a case the actual position can either be calculated within the smartphone after the uncorrected data has been transferred from the real-time kinematics GNSS module or, alternatively, the correction data has been transferred to the real-time kinematics GNSS module in order to To determine the corrected position there and then to feed the correct position data into the smartphone, should be mentioned.

The position is measured repeatedly with the real-time kinematics GNSS module to determine a sequence of measured positions. Together with the individual data values of the sequence of measured positions, the time at which the individual data values were recorded is recorded. It should be noted that common real-time kinematics GNSS modules require repeated measurements if the best possible spatial resolution is to be achieved; Such repetitions obviously reduce the temporal resolution of the Data values. In addition, an average value obtained by averaging the prescribed number of individual measurements is only meaningful if the smartphone has not been moved in the meantime (or has been moved in a known manner and can still be corrected; that a movement of the smartphone, for example with reference to the triaxial accelerometer of the smartphone can be recorded, should be mentioned in this regard). In particular, it is thus possible to first determine the absolute position of the entire smartphone arrangement with the real-time kinematics GNSS module and then to determine a current position based on the known position by integrating the accelerations recorded in the meantime. This is easily possible with a comparatively higher sampling rate. By means of suitable measures, the sampling rate at which measurements can be carried out using the smartphone arrangement according to the invention remains without any practical limitation.

Otherwise, however, it is pointed out that where only a slow, in particular regularly pausing movement of the smartphone arrangement is required, there is the possibility of generating a corresponding message on the display as long as the smartphone arrangement is not to be moved and / or as soon as it can be moved again. If necessary, it is understandably also possible to discard values altogether if the smartphone arrangement was moved too quickly in a critical manner during a measurement.

It will be clear that the holder for the smartphone has a front opening that is at least large enough for the smartphone camera to capture images without vignetting. In the case of smartphones that have several cameras, this applies at least to a high-resolution camera that takes pictures at a sufficiently wide angle, i.e. typical for the main camera of the smartphone. Furthermore, the holder will have a rear opening that is large enough to be able to use the smartphone display. In this regard, it should be pointed out that common smartphone displays are touch-sensitive and that their use should not only include observation unimpaired by obscurations, but also touching the smartphone display using the device, even if there are obvious possibilities to only use a touch display to be provided in a central area or to achieve the smartphone actuations required for the execution of the method according to the invention with the arrangement according to the invention in a completely contact-free manner. This is the case in the illustrated embodiment.

The holder for the smartphone thus also represents a housing for the real-time kinematics GNSS module; the laser transmitter / receiver combination can be arranged in the holder in the same way.

In the illustrated embodiment, the laser of the laser transmitter / receiver combination will emit modulated light in a direction in which the (main) camera of the smartphone inserted in the holder is looking. Where the smartphone arrangement 1 is to be used as a laser plummet, typically no point in the center of the camera's field of view is illuminated, but rather a point in the lower image area, for example within an edge area encompassing 5%, 10% or 15% of the image.

The laser light is modulated in order to be able to determine the transit time and thus the distance to the point of impact on the basis of the phase shift between the laser light received back from the point of impact and a reference oscillator that is operated with the modulation frequency. Such arrangements are known per se in the art and need not be explained in more detail here. It should be pointed out, however, that distances can be determined unambiguously by suitable techniques regardless of the cyclically repeating phase shift with increasing distance.

The distance is measured repeatedly to determine a sequence of measured distances. The laser transmitter / receiver combination will output this sequence as digital data. Together with the individual data values of this sequence, the time at which the individual data values were recorded is recorded. It should be mentioned that digitization is either possible in that the laser transmitter / receiver combination first determines the phase of the received modulated light on analog signals and then a signal related to the phase position relative to the phase of the reference oscillator is digitized or that alternatively the received signal received at the receiver, which is also modulated according to the light modulation, if necessary after conditioning such as impedance conversion, amplification and bandwidth filtering, is digitized immediately and the distance is then calculated using the digital signals. Both methods are known in this respect and it should also be noted that transmitter / receiver combinations known per se can be used in the smartphone arrangement.

The direction of emission of the laser is fixed in the illustrated embodiment. However, it is not essential that only one laser beam is generated, which always emits in the same direction. Rather, there can be situations in which laser light either should be directed largely downwards, for example because the depth already reached of an already partially excavated shaft is to be measured, or largely forwards in order to be able to more precisely determine the absolute positions of the structures and objects captured during image sequence recordings with the camera using laser-based measurements. Where this is the case and provision should be made for such different situations, several laser / receiver combinations can be provided which each emit in different directions and are used alternatively or simultaneously; it could also be sufficient to provide a single receiver, but several lasers that emit in different directions. The use of a single receiver is possible to the extent that, as will be understood by the person skilled in the art from the following explanations, the receiver does not necessarily have to receive directional light, but can optionally receive light from a large number of directions. Another possibility consists in attaching the laser to the holder in a pivotable manner - possibly together with the receiver - whereby a defined orientation is guaranteed by several pivoting latching positions. A further, particularly advantageous variant consists in splitting a single emitted laser beam - for example by means of a partially transparent beam splitter - and radiating it out of the holder in different directions. This variant is particularly preferred insofar as a user can determine a current beam direction by simply covering one of the outlet openings. Even if the laser beam can optionally be emitted in one of several directions, the respective direction in which it is emitted relative to the smartphone and thus also relative to the optical axis of the smartphone camera will be exactly fixed. In addition, the point at which the receiver is arranged will also be precisely determined. This allows a point of impact to be determined if the inclination of the smartphone is known; that the term “inclination” is used here in the sense of an alignment as a whole should be mentioned.

The laser wavelength and the laser output power are selected so that the overall arrangement is eye-safe. It will be clear that the maximum available laser output power determines how large the maximum dimensions that can still be measured are. Even with a laser that can be used without safety goggles and the like, distances of over 20 meters can be measured in the open air, also and precisely because it is not absolutely necessary for the laser to be visible to the naked eye. Rather, it is possible to capture the approximate point of impact with the smartphone camera and to mark the exact point of impact in the recorded camera image. In particular where markings are set up in the terrain near the exact point of impact, either one of the markings can then be shifted until it is exactly at the point of the marking in the image and / or there are several auxiliary markings close to the point of impact in the terrain set up to facilitate the exact placement of a marker at the desired point of impact.

It should be mentioned that it is preferred if the receiver is primarily sensitive to the wavelength at which the laser emits. This can be achieved by selecting a suitable receiver component, such as a suitable photodiode, and / or by arranging an optical filter in front of the light-sensitive surface of the receiver component which essentially only allows light of the laser wavelength to pass through. This contributes to the improvement of a signal-to-noise ratio while the laser output powers are still low.

Moreover, insofar as an emission optionally takes place in one of several different directions, it is not necessary to let the beam rotate repeatedly over a structure, as is usual with central stations. Rather, it is sufficient to illuminate a desired point. It should be mentioned that the point of impact may be changed by movements of a hand-held smartphone arrangement and / or that the beam must be moved transparently until a desired point of impact has been successfully targeted; the movements that occur can be taken into account, for example by detecting a tremor of the hand holding the smartphone arrangement and taking it into account for estimating the accuracy of measurements or by averaging over points along a trajectory resulting when aiming for an orientation to determine the impact area. Nevertheless, this is also not viewed as a (systematic) jet movement, precisely because no systematic movements are required here, at least not in the sense of sweeping over by rotating.

The holder is designed to transmit the sequence of distance measurements together with the exact times at which the individual values were recorded and the sequence of position data together with the corresponding times to the smartphone via the interface. It should be emphasized that there is a clock in the holder for this purpose, which allows a sufficiently precise definition of the corresponding times and runs sufficiently synchronously with a corresponding clock in the smartphone; the corresponding clock in the smartphone is used in particular for Determination of the times is required at which values of an inclination angle sequence are recorded and recorded with the inclination sensor.

The holder is also designed to receive control signals from the smartphone with which the laser transmitter / receiver combination and the real-time kinematics GNSS module can be put into operation or switched off. In particular, it is possible where the laser transmitter / receiver combination is to be used as a plumb bob, i.e. H. radiated downwards to stop a laser emission immediately if the holder is aligned in such a way that the beam is no longer directed towards the ground. The safety, in particular the eye safety, of the arrangement can thus be significantly increased. Controlling the assemblies provided in the holder from the smartphone is also advantageous because it may only be switched on as long as a corresponding application is running on the smartphone. This obviously helps to increase battery life.

The holder will usually include a holder housing in which various elements are installed and on which the smartphone can be held. A corresponding formation of a holder housing outer shell in the 3a , 3b shown. The holder will usually include a holder housing in which various elements are installed and on which the smartphone can be held.

A corresponding formation of a holder housing outer shell in the 3a , 3b shown. As can be seen from the figures, the holder housing outer shell has several inner ribs which fix the various modules to be installed in the outer shell. In 4A are the separated areas as "GNSS" for the real-time kinematics module, as "I / O + µC + battery" for the central control module with interface to the smartphone and battery storage and as "laser transmitter / receiver" for the corresponding laser - Transmitter / Receiver Module. Breakthroughs are provided through the outer shell of the housing, namely an opening on the side that is typically at the bottom in use 13th for the emitted laser beam, a breakthrough 14th for laser light received back, a breakthrough 12th for a USB socket, via which the battery can be charged and, if necessary, software and company product updates can be uploaded to the central control module, as well as a breakthrough 11 for an additional jack plug that can be used to output acoustic signals from the central control unit. A passage for an antenna of the real-time kinematics module is provided on the side that is typically at the top in use. The outer shell is made of an elastic plastic material and the upper edge of the outer shell is designed to encompass a specific smartphone and to fix it relative to the outer shell holder housing. It goes without saying that different holder housings can optionally be constructed for different smartphones.
Incidentally, it is understandable that the actual point of impact will always move slightly, especially in the case of distant points of impact and the smartphone arrangement held in the hand without support, corresponding to an inevitable slight trembling movement when holding the smartphone arrangement. In order to be able to carry out precise measurements where this is particularly annoying, for example because points of impact at particularly great distances are to be determined particularly precisely, the smartphone arrangement is provided with a tripod connection, which connects to a conventional tripod. or monopod allowed. This tripod connector is in 1 not shown. It should be mentioned, however, that the use of a conventional tripod will often not be necessary, but that using the smartphone arrangement according to the invention by hand will be sufficient for many purposes.

The holder also has an interface via which data can be transmitted to the smartphone with low latency. In the illustrated embodiment, a wired USB connection is selected, which allows the holder to be used as an additional power supply for the smartphone, which is particularly advantageous where measurements are to be carried out at very low outside temperatures and batteries that run out quickly. However, it should be emphasized that other interfaces per se, in particular wireless interfaces, can also be used.

The evaluation level in the smartphone arrangement 1 will be designed to offset the sequences of the values recorded with the laser transmitter / receiver combination, with the inclination sensor and with the real-time kinematics GNSS module in order to determine the points of impact and, depending on the application to generate a suitable output signal.

As shown above, it is possible that the respective values are recorded at different times, on the one hand because there may be a time offset even with almost the same sampling rate, and on the other hand because the sampling rates of the various modules and sensors may be different. It should be noted that the inclination-indicative values from the inclination sensor and those for the distance from the Impact point indicative values, which are determined with the laser transmitter / receiver combination, can be detected at a high sampling rate, but even a small temporal offset can have massive effects, in particular because the beam over uneven, protrusions and the like Surfaces could be guided, so that massive changes in the recorded distances can result very quickly. For this reason, a synchronization stage is first run through in which synchronous values are determined from the possibly asynchronously recorded values. For this purpose, techniques known as resampling can be used, for example, in which the individual time courses are interpolated and then the values resulting from the interpolated time courses at specific times are used further. The position of the point of impact relative to the smartphone arrangement is then determined in the evaluation stage. The person skilled in the art will understand how he can determine the point of impact relative to the smartphone arrangement using simple trigonometry from the exit angle of the laser from the smartphone arrangement and the inclination of the smartphone determined with the inclination sensor, so that this does not have to be shown here. After the relative distance of the point of impact has been determined, an absolute position of the point of impact can then be calculated by referring to the absolute values of the smartphone position determined with the real-time kinematics GNSS module.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the determined relative or absolute positions can then be output in different ways. For applications in which positions have to be measured, for example marks such as pegs, boundary stones and the like are to be arranged in a clearly defined position, these positions can be stored in advance on the smartphone, for example by transferring a suitable file; A signal can then be generated on the smartphone as soon as the laser beam hits a desired target position.

In the exemplary embodiment, the signal can optionally be an audible signal, i. E. H. a signal tone emitted via the loudspeaker of the smartphone or headphones connected to it. Alternatively and or additionally, it can be a visual signal; In the illustrated embodiment, the correct aiming of a target point can be indicated by fading in a green field on the display; if the point of impact is sufficiently illuminated and a person is there to apply the mark, the user can call the smartphone to ask him to apply the mark as soon as the signal sounds or the green field is visible. Alternatively and / or additionally, it is possible in the illustrated embodiment to show the position in a photograph or a video sequence in which the point of impact is shown, for example by fading in optical marks, superimposing an actual crosshair with a target crosshair, etc. It will be evident that, where this is desired, account is taken of the fact that a time offset can be given at the time of a respective recording of an image or frame and is to be corrected accordingly. The correspondingly modified images or video sequences can be displayed, but can also be saved additionally and / or alternatively for later use, which is particularly helpful where a single person makes a relative measurement from a first point and then later would like to mark the targeted target position himself.

It should be pointed out, however, that signals other than those provided in the exemplary embodiment shown can be used; in this way it would be possible to continuously show the relative and / or absolute coordinates of a currently illuminated point of impact on the display. It is possible to display only some of the coordinates; for example, the display of a relative height is sufficient where only the depth of a shaft has to be determined.

Obviously, signals could also be transmitted to another user or to a device near the point of impact; this can optionally be done wirelessly with low latency, either via direct communication between the smartphone arrangement according to the invention and a mobile device such as another smartphone belonging to the person concerned with the marking, or via communication with the interposition of base stations and the like, for example via telephone transmission of signal tones, with which the illumination of the correct point of impact is indicated.

It will be appreciated that the relative and absolute positions thus calculated, like any physical measurement, will be subject to error; Contributing to this error are, for example, inaccuracies in the correction of the values recorded with the real-time kinematics GNSS module, digitization and rounding errors and measurement inaccuracies in the raw values recorded with the inclination sensor and the laser transmitter / receiver combination. Where this is desired, the accuracy or error limits of the finally determined point of impact position can be calculated from this by means of the usual error propagation. This is particularly helpful because, on the one hand, when measuring, it prevents a The point of impact should be illuminated particularly precisely, although the relative or absolute point of impact is not even determined with the supposed accuracy. An indication of error limits is also helpful where work performed is measured and payments are to be made based on it. Here, the specification of the error limits usually helps to increase confidence in the calculated amounts, because in view of the high accuracy that can typically be achieved with the invention, it can be easily recognized that measurement inaccuracies, for example of an excavated volume of earth, will only have a marginal effect on different landfill costs.

As can be seen from the above, the smartphone arrangement 1 of the present invention can be used in various ways, such as by way of example only, without limitation on the basis of FIG 2 and 3 be explained.

2 shows how the smartphone arrangement according to the invention is used for the measurement and documentation of structures produced, specifically here using the example of the measurement of a deepening in the ground as required as a shaft or for trenches. For measurement and documentation, a user will start an application on the smartphone that activates the laser transmitter / receiver combination, the inclination sensor and the real-time kinematics GNSS module so that distances, inclinations and absolute positions are measured. At the same time, the recording of images is started. The user will then move the smartphone in a controlled manner in such a way that all relevant structures in the image recordings can be captured and measured photogrammetrically; in this regard, in particular, the DE 10 2018 213 209.7 . indicated, which indicates how a camera movement that is particularly favorable to the photogrammetric evaluation can be achieved.

At the same time, the values determined with reference to the laser transmitter / receiver combination, the inclination sensor and the real-time kinematics GNSS module, determined by the points of impact irradiated during the recording of the video sequence to be evaluated photogrammetrically, are determined and the corresponding values are determined in the video stream assigned structures. It should be pointed out that it is not absolutely necessary to determine that the network of points of impact closely covers all structures in order to be able to specify a clear absolute position of the detected structure. Such a network is also not necessary in order to carry out mass determinations, for example with regard to excavated volumes.

3 shows how the smartphone arrangement according to the invention is used for calibration, specifically using the example of the marking of a lower-lying point at which a support column is to be erected in the present case. So that the support column can be erected in a position that is exactly fixed relative to a higher marker, the procedure is as follows: In the application shown, a first person is at a higher location who is using the smartphone arrangement according to the invention 1 initially used to record the higher-lying mark in the immediate vicinity. After this is done, the smartphone arrangement becomes 1 Put into a mode in which the position of a current actual point of impact is visually displayed on the display from a specified target point of impact by superimposing actual and target crosshairs displayed in a live image of the target environment, and when a specific point of impact is illuminated acoustic signal is generated. The target point of impact is determined in a more transparent manner relative to the previously determined, higher-lying marking.

Another person then moves close to the target position to be marked. As soon as the first person at the higher location has brought the actual and target crosshairs in line with one another and at the same time has also heard an acoustic signal confirming this, corresponding information is also given to the second person. It should be emphasized that this can be done either by shouting from the first person or by simultaneous transmission of corresponding information on a mobile device of the second person. The second person will then place a mark on the spot that is being illuminated. If it is not possible for the second person to recognize the spot irradiated, information can be provided to him using the live images about how far a marker to be set such as a stake is still from the target spot, which is an iterative movement to marking point allowed. After the marking has been set, its position can then be verified again by the first person.

As can be seen from the above, a particular advantage of the invention is that measurements can be carried out from remote locations without the surveyor having to move to each location to be measured. Where a real-time kinematics GNSS module is not used, highly accurate relative measurements are possible, i.e. distance measurements of the points to be measured relative to a current location. Where a real-time kinematics GNSS module is available, measurements are absolutely possible even from places where the surveyor is not currently located.

Overall, the invention thus allows in particular a quick and accurate setting of markings, even in extremely uneven terrain, as well as quick and precise measurements, the documentation of work carried out, etc. The equipment required to obtain a smartphone arrangement according to the invention is at the same time extremely low. Since the holder with the additional instruments only requires a minimum of weight and space, and, moreover, the typically sensitive smartphones are particularly protected in the holder, it is easily possible to use the inexpensive arrangement, which enables quick and precise measurement in a variety of applications in a manner that satisfies the documentation requirements, enables it to be carried at any time and, if necessary, to be held by several people such as architects, site managers and foremen.

• A. Smartphone-Anordnung mit einer Kamera zur Aufnahme fotogrammmetrisch auswertbarer Sequenzen von unterschiedlichen Stellen aus aufgenommener Bilder und einer Anordnung zur Ermittlung von Smartphone-Positionen bei der Aufnahme der Sequenzen, wobei die Smartphone-Anordnung das Smartphone und, daran anzukoppeln, ein eine Sequenz diskreter, positionsindikativer Signale ausgebendes Echtzeit-Kinematik-GNSS-Modul umfasst, welches derart an das Smartphone angekoppelt ist, dass die relative Lage des GNSS-Moduls zum Smartphone bekannt ist.
• B. Smartphone-Anordnung wie zuvor angegeben, wobei eine Signalverarbeitungsstufe vorgesehen ist, die für die Verarbeitung der Kamerabilder im Ansprechen auf GNSS-Signale ausgebildet ist.
• C Smartphone-Anordnung wie zuvor angegeben, wobei die Smartphone-Anordnung einen Neigungssensor aufweist, der neigungsindikative Signale erzeugt, und wobei die Signalverarbeitungsstufe für die Verarbeitung der Kamerabilder im Ansprechen auf die neigungsindikativen Signale ausgebildet ist.
• D. Smartphone-Anordnung wie in einer der Varianten A bis D beschrieben, wobei das Echtzeit-Kinematik-GNSS-Modul eine Sequenz diskreter positionsindikativer Signale ausgibt, gegebenenfalls der Neigungssensor eine Sequenz neigungsindikativer Signale ausgibt und die Signalverarbeitungsstufe für die Verarbeitung der verschiedenen diskreten Signale in synchronisierter Weise ausgebildet ist.
• E Smartphone-Anordnung wie in der vorhergehenden Variante, wobei die jeweiligen diskreten Signale einer auszuwertenden Sequenz zumindest teilweise an anderen Zeiten als die neigungsindikativen Signale erfasst werden und die Signalverarbeitungsstufe dazu ausgebildet ist, die Werte zumindest einer der beiden Sequenzen zeitlich zu interpolieren.
• F. Smartphone-Anordnung wie in der vorhergehenden Variante, wobei die Signalverarbeitungsstufe dazu ausgebildet ist, aus bei einer Vielzahl nacheinander angestrahlter Auftreff-Stellen erfassten Licht-Detektionssignalen eine mittlere Auftreff-Stelle und/oder die Lage eines ausgedehnten Auftreffstellenbereiches zu bestimmen.
• G. Smartphone-Anordnung wie in der vorhergehenden Variante wobei das Smartphone zur Aufnahme von Bildfolgen für die fotogrammmetrische Vermessung von in den Bildern erkennbaren Strukturen ausgebildet ist, und die zeitliche Abfolge dafür zu berücksichtigender Bilder geringer ist als die unter Berücksichtigung der Sequenzen diskreter Detektionssignale, diskreter neigungsindikativer Signale und gegebenenfalls diskreter positionsindikativer Signale bestimmbare Abfolge von Auftreffstellen.
• H. Smartphone-Anordnung wie in einer der vorhergehenden Varianten beschrieben, wobei das Echtzeit-Kinematik-GNSS-Modul extern zu einem Smartphone-Gehäuse vorgesehen und mit diesem verbindbar ist, insbesondere in fester räumlicher Beziehung.

It should be emphasized that not only was an improved measurement slot using a laser described above, but it was also disclosed to the person skilled in the art how a smartphone adapted to triangulation measurements can be improved. As can be seen from the above, the following was described and, insofar as grace periods permit this, also disclosed as eligible for protection:

• A. Smartphone arrangement with a camera for recording photogrammetrically evaluable sequences recorded from different locations and an arrangement for determining smartphone positions when recording the sequences, the smartphone arrangement being the smartphone and, to be coupled to it, a sequence of discrete Real-time kinematics GNSS module which outputs position-indicative signals and which is coupled to the smartphone in such a way that the relative position of the GNSS module to the smartphone is known.
• B. smartphone arrangement as specified above, wherein a signal processing stage is provided which is designed for processing the camera images in response to GNSS signals.
• C smartphone arrangement as stated above, wherein the smartphone arrangement has a tilt sensor which generates tilt-indicative signals, and wherein the signal processing stage is designed to process the camera images in response to the tilt-indicative signals.
• D. Smartphone arrangement as described in one of the variants A to D, the real-time kinematics GNSS module outputting a sequence of discrete position-indicative signals, if necessary the inclination sensor outputs a sequence of inclination-indicative signals and the signal processing stage for processing the various discrete signals in is formed in a synchronized manner.
• E smartphone arrangement as in the previous variant, the respective discrete signals of a sequence to be evaluated being at least partially recorded at times other than the inclination-indicative signals and the signal processing stage being designed to temporally interpolate the values of at least one of the two sequences.
• F. Smartphone arrangement as in the previous variant, wherein the signal processing stage is designed to determine a central point of impact and / or the location of an extensive point of impact area from light detection signals detected in a plurality of successively illuminated points of impact.
• G. Smartphone arrangement as in the previous variant, wherein the smartphone is designed to record image sequences for the photogrammetric measurement of structures recognizable in the images, and the time sequence of images to be taken into account is less than that taking into account the sequences of discrete detection signals, more discrete inclination-indicative signals and possibly discrete position-indicative signals determinable sequence of impact points.
• H. Smartphone arrangement as described in one of the preceding variants, wherein the real-time kinematics GNSS module is provided externally to a smartphone housing and can be connected to it, in particular in a fixed spatial relationship.

If there is a relevant grace period, these variants are regarded as eligible for protection.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102018213209 [0010, 0042, 0083]

Claims (10)

Smartphone arrangement with a laser transmitter / receiver combination, the transmitter of which emits a laser beam to a point of impact and the receiver of which generates light detection signals in response to the reception of light from the point of impact, and with a signal processing stage for processing the Light detection signals for determining the point of impact, characterized in that the smartphone arrangement has an inclination sensor which is designed to determine a beam emission direction and generates inclination-indicative signals, and the signal processing stage for processing the light detection signals in response to the inclination-indicative signals is designed to determine the point of impact. Smartphone arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the signal processing stage is designed to determine the position of points of impact in response to the inclination-indicative signals and to a distance of the smartphone arrangement from the point of impact, preferably by calculating trigonometric functions. Smartphone arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the receiver outputs a sequence of discrete distance values related to the detection signals, the inclination sensor outputs a sequence of discrete inclination values related to the inclination-indicative signals and that the signal processing stage for processing the distance values is formed in a manner synchronized with the discrete slope values. Smartphone arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the discrete detection signals are at least partially recorded at times other than the inclination-indicative signals and the signal processing stage is designed to temporally interpolate the values of at least one of the two sequences. Smartphone arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the signal processing stage is designed to determine a mean point of impact and / or the location of an extended point of impact from light detection signals detected at a plurality of successively illuminated points of impact. Smartphone arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smartphone arrangement is provided with a sequence of discrete, position-indicating signals emitting real-time kinematics GNSS module, the position of the laser transmitter / receiver combination relative to its antenna (s) being known and wherein the signal processing stage is designed to process the light detection signals in response to the inclination-indicative signals and to the position-indicative signals of the real-time kinematics GNSS module for determining the point of impact. Smartphone arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smartphone has a camera which is designed to record image sequences, and that the smartphone arrangement has an image processing stage which is designed to show the point of impact in images of the sequence (n) to mark and / or to mark target points of impact in images, in particular in live images, and / or to measure structures captured with the camera taking into account the points of impact determined in response to light detection signals and signals indicative of inclination. Smartphone arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the smartphone is designed to record image sequences for the photogrammetric measurement of structures recognizable in the images, and the number of images to be taken into account per time unit is less than the number of taking into account the Sequences of discrete detection signals, discrete inclination-indicative signals and / or possibly discrete position-indicative signals, determinable points of impact. Smartphone arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the laser transmitter / receiver combination and / or, if available, real-time kinematics GNSS module is provided externally to a smartphone housing and can be connected to it, in particular in a fixed spatial relationship, and the laser transmitter / receiver combination and / or, if available, the real-time kinematics GNSS can be controlled by the smartphone. Measurement method, in particular depth measurement method, in which a smartphone arrangement with a laser transmitter / receiver combination is provided and a laser beam is radiated onto a point of impact with the transmitter, with the receiver using light detection signals in response to the reception of light from the Impact point are generated, inclination-indicative signals are generated with an inclination sensor and impact points are determined in response to the inclination-indicative signals and the light detection signals.

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