JP2024050381A - Surveying instruments and systems - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a surveying instrument with a tracking function and sun protection. [Solution] The surveying instrument includes a lens barrel section that houses the optical systems of the tracking section and distance measuring section, a drive section that rotates and drives the lens barrel section, an imaging device that images the area in front of the lens barrel section, a filter switching device that switches so that one of two filters is selectively positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device, and a control section that, when the imaging device acquires an image including the tracking guide light emitted from the light transmitter, analyzes the image, calculates the arrival direction of the tracking guide light, and controls the drive section so that the collimation axis of the lens barrel section is directed to the arrival direction of the tracking guide light, one of the two filters is a filter for the tracking guide light that transmits only wavelengths in a predetermined range centered on the wavelength of the tracking guide light, and the filter switching device provides a surveying instrument that positions the filter for the tracking guide light on the optical axis of the imaging device when the imaging device acquires an image. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

This invention relates to a surveying instrument with a tracking function and sun protection.

In surveying instruments with a tracking function, the sun may enter the sighting field of view during tracking. If the sun enters the sighting field of view, an excessive current flows through the light receiving element circuit of the tracking unit, making tracking impossible. To avoid this, in Patent Document 1, prohibited areas are set at the azimuth and altitude angles where the sun falls, blocking out sunlight.

JP 2009-250836 A

However, with the above method, while it is possible to avoid the sun, there is a problem in that if the target enters a prohibited area, it cannot be tracked.

This invention was made in consideration of such problems, and provides a surveying instrument and a surveying system with a tracking function and sun protection.

In order to solve the above problem, the surveying instrument of the first aspect of the present invention includes a lens barrel section that stores the optical system of the tracking section and the distance measuring section, a drive section that rotates and drives the lens barrel section, an imaging device that images the area in front of the lens barrel section, a filter switching device that switches so that one of two filters is selectively positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device, and a control section that, when the imaging device acquires an image including the tracking guide light emitted from a light transmitter, analyzes the image, calculates the direction of arrival of the tracking guide light, and controls the drive section so that the collimation axis of the lens barrel section is directed to the direction of arrival of the tracking guide light, and one of the two filters is a tracking guide light filter that transmits only wavelengths in a predetermined range centered on the wavelength of the tracking guide light, and the filter switching device is configured to position the tracking guide light filter on the optical axis of the imaging device when the imaging device acquires the image.

The second aspect of the surveying instrument is the first aspect, but is configured such that the tracking guide light is invisible light, and one of the two filters transmits only invisible light, and the other filter transmits only visible light.

In addition, in the surveying instrument of the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, if the target is lost while being tracked by the tracking unit, the filter switching device is configured to automatically position the tracking guide light filter on the optical axis of the imaging device.

In one aspect, when the number of saturated pixels contained in an image captured by the imaging device exceeds a predetermined number, the filter switching device positions the tracking guide light filter on the optical axis of the imaging device.

In addition, in the surveying instrument of the fourth aspect, in the first to third aspects, when the number of saturated pixels contained in the acquired image exceeds a predetermined number while the imaging device is capturing an image, the filter switching device positions the tracking guide light filter on the optical axis of the imaging device.

The fifth aspect of the surveying instrument is the first to fourth aspects, in which the two filters are mounted on the same substrate.

In addition, the surveying system of the first aspect of the present invention includes a surveying instrument having a light transmitter that transmits tracking guide light, a target unit having a prism, and a lens barrel that stores the optical system of the tracking unit and the distance measuring unit, a drive unit that rotates and drives the lens barrel, an imaging device that captures an image of the scenery in front of the lens barrel, a filter switching device that switches so that one of two filters is selectively positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device, and a control unit that analyzes an image captured by the imaging device that includes the tracking guide light transmitted from the light transmitter, calculates the arrival direction of the tracking guide light, and controls the drive unit so that the collimation axis of the lens barrel is directed to the arrival direction of the tracking guide light, and one of the two filters is a tracking guide light filter that transmits only wavelengths in a predetermined range centered on the wavelength of the tracking guide light, and the filter switching device configures the surveying system so that the tracking guide light filter is positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device when the imaging device captures an image.

As is clear from the above explanation, it is possible to provide a surveying instrument and a surveying system that have a tracking function and sun protection.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a surveying system including a surveying instrument according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure of the surveying instrument. FIG. FIG. 6A and 6B are front views of the filter switching device, in which Fig. 6A shows a state before filter switching and Fig. 6B shows a state after filter switching. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating wavelength ranges transmitted by filters, in which Fig. 7A shows the transmission range of a first filter, and Fig. 7B shows the transmission range of a second filter. 8A and 8B are images showing the effect of the filter switching device, in which FIG. 8A is an image captured without a filter, and FIG. 8B is an image captured through a second filter. Both images are taken in the direction of the sun. 9A and 9B show a side view and a plan view of the target unit, respectively. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a controller. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of surveying work and a display screen. This is the Prism Rock flow. This is an image of the pre-processing of Prism Lock. This is an image of the main process of Prism Lock. This is the flow of surveying work. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a modified surveying instrument. FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a modified example of a surveying instrument. 15 is a conceptual diagram of a main process of the prism lock using a surveying instrument according to a modified example, which corresponds to FIG. 14 . 19A and 19B are front views of a filter switching device according to a modified example, in which Fig. 19A shows a state before filter switching and Fig. 19B shows a state after filter switching, corresponding to Fig. 6 . 20A shows the optical path of incident light in a filter switching device of a modified example, in which a first filter is disposed on the optical axis of an imaging device, and FIG. 20B shows the state in which a second filter is disposed on the optical axis of an imaging device.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. In addition, in the following description of the embodiments and variations, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

(Surveying system)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a surveying system 1 including a surveying instrument 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The surveying system 1 includes a surveying instrument 10, a target unit 70, and a controller 80.

The surveying instrument 10 is a total station equipped with distance and angle measurement functions and a tracking function. In addition, the surveying instrument 10 also includes an imaging unit 40 that captures images in front of the surveying instrument 10.

The target unit 70 has a total reflection prism 72, which is the target of the surveying instrument 10, at the upper end of the pole 71, and is used by placing the lower end of the pole 71 approximately vertically to the measurement point.

The target unit 70 has a light transmitter 73. When the surveying instrument 10 loses the lock (tracking) of the prism 72, the light transmitter 73 transmits infrared tracking guide light Lc in the entire horizontal direction. The imaging unit 40 of the surveying instrument 10 can capture the tracking guide light Lc and analyze the direction of arrival, and then the prism 72 can be locked (collimated) again to quickly resume tracking.

When searching with the prism 72, a filter that mainly transmits only the tracking guide light Lc is placed on the optical axis of the imaging unit 40, so that saturation due to sunlight can be avoided.

The controller 80 is a controller that remotely controls the surveying instrument 10. In this embodiment, the light transmitter 73 of the target unit 70 is also controlled by the controller 80. The operator wears the controller 80 on his/her arm or attaches it to the target unit 70, and carries it with him/her during surveying work, together with the target unit 70.

The controller 80 is provided with a touch panel display unit 82, which displays the operator's own position information, measurement points, and the like in real time. The operator can operate the surveying instrument 10 by inputting appropriate commands while checking the information on the display unit 82. Images captured by the surveying instrument 10 can also be displayed on the display unit 82.

The controller 80 is equipped with a GPS device 85, which allows the GPS device 85 to roughly grasp the positional relationship between the controller 80 and the operator holding the prism 72, and the surveying instrument 10. In addition, even if the GPS device 85 causes the surveying instrument 10 to lose tracking, the surveying instrument 10 knows the general direction of the prism 72, and can quickly resume tracking.

(Surveying equipment)
The surveying instrument 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is a front view of the surveying instrument 10. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the surveying instrument 10.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the surveying instrument 10 is composed of a base portion 13, a surveying instrument body 15 consisting of a rotating base 14 that rotates horizontally relative to the base portion 13, and a cover member 16.

The base unit 13 is roughly composed of a fixed base 13a that is fixed to the tripod base 2, a leveling base 13b that has a leveling screw (not shown), and a case 13c that houses a drive mechanism such as a horizontal rotation drive unit M1 that drives the rotating base 14 to rotate in the horizontal direction around a vertical axis V.

A support section 17 consisting of a pair of support members 17a is erected on the rotating base 14. A lens barrel section 18 of the distance measuring optical system and the tracking optical system is disposed between the pair of support members. The lens barrel section 18 is supported so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction by a horizontal axis H provided on the support section 17.

A vertical rotation drive unit M2 that drives and rotates the lens barrel 18 in the vertical direction is fixed to one end of the horizontal axis H, and a vertical angle detector 22 for detecting the rotation angle of the lens barrel 18 is provided at the other end.

A thin horizontal plate 19 is fixed to the upper end of the support section 17 and is positioned horizontally across a pair of support members. The survey instrument control section 29 and the imaging section 40 are attached to the upper surface of the horizontal plate 19.

The survey instrument control unit 29 is located on top of the right-hand support unit 17, with the control circuit board as the base.

The cover member 16 has a protruding portion 16a that protrudes from the upper surface, and the front surface of the protruding portion is flush with the front surface of the cover portion. The imaging unit 40 is positioned in the center of the horizontal plate 19, inside the protruding portion 16a.

The front surface of the cover member 16 is provided with two windows: an imaging window 16d located on the front surface of the protrusion 16a, and a telescope window 16b extending vertically in the center of the front surface.

The lens barrel window 16b is formed on the optical axis of the lens barrel section 18, and transmits infrared laser light from the optical system of the distance measuring section 23 and the tracking section 24 housed in the lens barrel section 18. The imaging window 16d is formed in front of the imaging section 40, and the imaging section 40 captures an image of the area in front of the surveying instrument 10 through the imaging window 16d.

If the lens barrel window 16b were perpendicular to the optical axis of the infrared laser light, the infrared laser light reflected by the lens barrel window 16b would return as is, adversely affecting distance and angle measurement. To avoid this, the lens barrel window 16b is not perpendicular to the optical axis of the infrared laser light, but is tilted slightly horizontally, so that there is no error due to reflection.

A seal member (not shown) is provided at the contact point between the rotating base 14 and the cover member 16 to prevent rainwater and other water from entering.

Gaps are provided between the cover member 16 and the imaging unit 40 and the lens barrel unit 18. This prevents the cover member 16 from coming into contact with the imaging unit 40 and lens barrel unit 18 when attaching or removing the cover member 16. The cover member 16 is spaced apart from and covers the imaging unit 40 and lens barrel unit 18, so there is no need to adjust the optical axis of each even when the cover member 16 is removed.

(Block Diagram)
4 is a control block diagram of the surveying instrument 10. The surveying instrument 10 has a horizontal angle detector 21, a vertical angle detector 22, a horizontal rotation drive unit M1, a vertical rotation drive unit M2, a distance measurement unit 23, a tracking unit 24, a surveying instrument communication unit 25, a storage unit 26, an imaging unit 40, and a surveying instrument control unit 29 to which all of these are connected.

The horizontal angle detector 21 and the vertical angle detector 22 are absolute or incremental encoders having a rotating disk, slits, light-emitting diodes, and an image sensor. The horizontal angle detector 21 is provided on the rotation axis of the rotating base 14 and detects the horizontal angle of the rotating base 14. The vertical angle detector 22 is provided on the horizontal axis H of the telescope tube portion 18 and detects the vertical angle of the telescope tube portion 18.

The horizontal rotation drive unit M1 and the vertical rotation drive unit M2 are motors. Controlled by the survey instrument control unit 29, the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 moves the rotation axis of the rotating base 14, and the vertical rotation drive unit M2 moves the horizontal axis H of the telescope tube unit 18. The orientation of the telescope tube unit 18 is changed by the cooperation of both drive units. The horizontal angle detector 21 and the vertical angle detector 22 make up the angle measurement unit. The horizontal rotation drive unit M1 and the vertical rotation drive unit M2 make up the drive unit.

The distance measurement unit 23 is equipped with a light-transmitting unit having a light source that emits distance measurement light, and a light-receiving unit. It collimates the target, a total reflection prism 72, and emits distance measurement light such as infrared laser light to the prism 72, receives the reflected light at the light-receiving unit, and measures the distance from the phase of the distance measurement light and the internal reference light.

The tracking unit 24 has a tracking light transmitting system having a light source that emits tracking light such as infrared laser light of a wavelength different from the distance measuring light, and a tracking light receiving system having an image sensor such as a CCD sensor or CMOS sensor. The tracking unit 24 acquires a landscape image including the tracking light and a landscape image excluding the tracking light, and sends both images to the survey instrument control unit 29. The survey instrument control unit 29 finds the center of the target image from the difference between the two images, detects it as the target position, and automatically tracks the target so that the distance between the center of the target image and the center of the visual axis of the telescope tube unit 18 is within a certain value and the telescope tube unit 18 is always facing the direction of the target.

The survey instrument communication unit 25 enables communication with an external network, for example, it connects to the Internet using the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and transmits and receives information to and from the target unit 70 and the controller 80. Wireless communication is not limited to this, and any known wireless communication can be used. The measurement results (distance and angle measurement) performed by the survey instrument 10 are sent to the controller 80 via the survey instrument communication unit 25. Since the input unit of the survey instrument 10 is the input unit of the controller 80, commands input from the controller 80 are also input to the survey instrument control unit 29 via the survey instrument communication unit 25. Images acquired by the imaging unit 40 are also sent to the controller 80 via the survey instrument communication unit 25.

The survey instrument control unit 29 is, for example, a microcontroller with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. implemented in an integrated circuit, and is connected to and controls all of the equipment of the survey instrument 10. For example, it controls the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 and the vertical rotation drive unit M2, controls the light emission of the distance measurement unit 23 and the tracking unit 24, automatically tracks the prism 72, automatically aims, measures distance and angle, turns the imaging unit 40 on and off and switches filters, and transmits and receives measurement data and commands via the survey instrument communication unit 25. In addition, when tracking is lost, the survey instrument control unit 29 transmits a message to that effect to the controller 80 and the target unit.

The memory unit 26 is a storage medium such as a hard disk drive, and stores the program for the above-mentioned calculation control. It also stores the acquired measurement data.

(Imaging unit)
Next, the imaging unit 40 will be described with reference to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the imaging unit 40.

The imaging unit 40 has an imaging device 41 and a filter switching device 42. The imaging device 41 has an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS, and can capture moving images in real time. The imaging device 41 in this embodiment is a so-called wide camera with a wide angle of view. The imaging device 41 is arranged above the telescope tube 18 so that the optical axes of the imaging devices 41 are aligned horizontally, and capture the scenery in front of the telescope tube 18. The scenery captured by the imaging device 41 is sent to the controller 80 via the survey instrument communication unit 25 and displayed on the display unit 82. The surveying system 1 is designed to perform surveying work by a single operator, and an operator at a location away from the survey instrument 10 can check the situation in front of the survey instrument 10 in real time using images captured by the imaging device 41.

Figure 6 is a front view of the filter switching device 42. Figure 6 (A) shows the state before filter switching. Figure 6 (B) shows the state after filter switching. Note that in Figure 6, the two filters are colored differently for the purpose of explanation. Figure 6 is a view from the optical axis direction of the imaging device 41, and also shows the imaging device 41 and the light receiving element AR (imaging element area) of the imaging device 41.

The filter switching device 42 has a first filter 43a and a second filter 43b that are selectively arranged on the optical axis of the imaging (light reception) of the imaging device 41. The first filter 43a and the second filter 43b are optical elements that transmit only light in a specific wavelength range of the incident light and do not transmit other light.

A first filter 43a and a second filter 43b are attached to two openings provided in a base body 45, which is a thin plate. The base body 45 is connected to a solenoid 44 and supported so as to be rotatable, and is positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41, in front of the light receiving element AR, so as to cover the light receiving element AR. Light incident on the imaging device 41 passes through either the first filter 43a or the second filter 43b and is received by the light receiving element AR.

As shown in FIG. 6(A), when the solenoid 44 is not energized, the first filter 43a is positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41, in front of the light receiving element AR, and covering the light receiving element AR.

When electricity is applied to the solenoid 44, the base body 45 connected to the solenoid 44 is driven and rotates a predetermined angle around the central axis 44A, switching the filter arranged on the optical axis of the imaging device 41 to the second filter 43b.

Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of the wavelength ranges transmitted by the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b. Figure 7 (A) shows the transmission range of the first filter 43a. Figure 7 (B) shows the transmission range of the second filter 43b.

The first filter 43a is a normal filter that is mainly used when capturing images of the scenery in front of the surveying instrument 10. The first filter 43a transmits light in the visible light range and blocks other light.

The second filter 43b is a tracking guide light filter for receiving the tracking guide light Lc emitted by the light transmitter 73. Therefore, the second filter 43b transmits only light with wavelengths in a range around the wavelength fLc of the tracking guide light Lc, which is infrared light, and blocks light with other wavelengths.

Normally, when capturing an image in front of the surveying instrument 10, the first filter 43a is positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41. When tracking by the tracking unit 24 of the surveying instrument 10 is lost, power is supplied to the solenoid 44, the base body 45 is rotated, the filter is switched, and the second filter 43b is positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41.

The imaging device 41 captures an image including the tracking guide light Lc emitted by the light transmitter 73, and the position of the tracking guide light Lc in the image is analyzed by the surveying instrument control unit 29. The surveying instrument control unit 29 then drives the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 so that the tracking guide light Lc is centered in the horizontal direction of the image, that is, so that the optical axis of the lens barrel unit 18 is aligned horizontally with the direction of arrival of the tracking guide light. The second filter 43b blocks light of wavelengths other than the tracking guide light Lc, and the imaging device 41 has a wide angle of view and a wide imaging range, so that it is easy to obtain an image including the tracking guide light Lc and detect the tracking guide light Lc. In addition, even in normal conditions, the first filter 43a blocks light other than visible light, so saturation due to sunlight can be suppressed.

When tracking is lost, the filter switching device 42 is configured to automatically position the second filter 43b on the optical axis of the imaging device 41. Also, when the imaging device 41 is capturing an image using the first filter 43a, if the number of saturated pixels contained in the captured image exceeds a predetermined number, the filter switching device 42 positions the second filter 43b on the optical axis of the imaging device 41. This makes it possible to prevent the captured image from becoming saturated and pure white, making it impossible to distinguish.

Figure 8 is a comparison diagram explaining the effect of the filters. Figure 8 (A) is an image captured without a filter. Figure 8 (B) is an image captured through the second filter 43b. Both images were captured in the direction of the sun.

As shown in Figure 8 (A), when an image is captured in the direction of the sun without a filter, sunlight enters the image, making the entire image white. The imaging unit 40 automatically performs exposure correction and sensitivity correction by setting the aperture value and shutter speed to appropriate values. However, because the sunlight is too strong, it is not possible to capture an image properly, and it is not possible to identify the subject, let alone the tracking guide light Lc.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the second filter 43b transmits only a predetermined range of wavelengths centered on the wavelength of the tracking guide light Lc, resulting in an image in which the tracking guide light Lc can be identified. In this way, when searching to start or resume tracking, the effect of sunlight entering the field of view can be suppressed by switching to the second filter 43b.

When the surveying instrument 10 starts or resumes tracking with the first filter 43a still attached, if sunlight is present within the imaging range of the imaging device 41, the sunlight will enter the captured image, and the amount of light received by the light receiving element AR of the imaging device 41 will reach a limit value, resulting in a saturation state. When saturated, the tracking guide light Lc emitted by the light transmitter 73 cannot be identified, and a search for tracking cannot be performed. If tracking is lost, the filter switching device 42 places the second filter 43b on the optical axis of the imaging device 41, transmitting only light within the wavelength range of the tracking guide light Lc of the light transmitter 73 and blocking light of other wavelengths, making it possible to detect the tracking guide light Lc even if sunlight enters the field of view. This suppresses the effects of sunlight reflection, making it possible to detect the direction of the tracking guide light Lc, and to continue the prism search.

The tracking guide light Lc may be invisible light, the second filter 43b may transmit only visible light, and the first filter 43a may transmit only invisible light.

The mechanism for switching between the two filters is not limited to the above, and the drive mechanism is not limited to a solenoid. It is also acceptable to use a conventionally known configuration such as a motor, air cylinder, or pinion.

(Target unit)
Next, the target unit 70 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 shows the target unit 70. Fig. 9(A) is a side view of the target unit 70. Fig. 9(B) is a plan view of the target unit 70. See also the perspective view of the target unit 70 in Fig. 1.

As shown in FIG. 9, the target unit 70 has a prism 72 attached to the upper end of a pole 71. The optical center of the prism 72 passes through the central axis of the pole 71, and the distance (mounting height) between the optical center of the prism 72 and the lower end of the pole 71 is known.

Furthermore, a light transmitter 73 having a cylindrical housing 76 is attached to the top of the prism 72 with the central axis of the housing 76 aligned with the central axis of the pole 71.

The light transmitter 73 transmits the tracking guide light Lc. The light transmitted from the light transmitter 73 is the tracking guide light Lc, and is infrared light with a different wavelength from the distance measurement light and the tracking light. The imaging unit 40 captures an image including the transmitted tracking guide light Lc, and the survey instrument control unit 29 analyzes the image to analyze the position of the tracking guide light Lc, and the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 and the vertical rotation drive unit M2 are driven to change the orientation of the telescope tube unit 18 so that the collimation direction faces the direction from which the tracking guide light Lc is coming. Any known method may be used for the image analysis method, and a description thereof will be omitted.

On the outer peripheral side of the housing 76, multiple (six in this embodiment) light outlets 75 for the tracking guide light Lc are provided on the same horizontal plane at equal angles centered on the central axis of the pole 71. From the multiple light outlets 75, infrared light of the same wavelength is all emitted to the outside as the tracking guide light Lc.

When the light transmitter 73 receives a command from the controller 80, it emits the tracking guide light Lc from all of the light emission ports 75. This causes the tracking guide light Lc to be emitted outward from the housing 76 over the entire horizontal circumference. Because the tracking guide light Lc is infrared light, the worker cannot see the light.

Conventionally, when tracking is lost, the worker needs to point the light transmitter at the surveying instrument and press a switch to transmit the tracking guide light to the surveying instrument, and the worker has to stop working to transmit the light. In contrast, the light transmitter 73 transmits the tracking guide light Lc in the all-around direction from multiple light transmission ports 75, and the surveying instrument 10 receives the tracking guide light Lc with a wide-angle camera with a wide angle of view, so there is no need for the worker to point the light transmitter at the surveying instrument. If tracking by the surveying instrument 10 is lost, the controller 80 is configured to automatically command the light transmitter 73 to transmit the tracking guide light Lc, so there is no need for the worker to take any action to transmit the tracking guide light Lc.

(Controller 80)
10 is a block diagram of the controller 80. The controller 80 is an operation terminal that remotely operates the surveying instrument 10. Furthermore, the controller 80 is configured to be capable of issuing an instruction to the light transmitter 73 to transmit the tracking guide light Lc.
As shown in FIG. 10, the controller 80 includes an input unit 81 , a display unit 82 , a memory unit 83 , a controller communication unit 84 , a GPS device 85 , a direction sensor 86 , and a controller control unit 89 .

The input unit 81 and the display unit 82 are interfaces for the controller 80. The operator can operate the surveying instrument 10 and input information from the input unit 81. In this embodiment, the display unit 82 is a touch panel type liquid crystal screen, and is integrated with the input unit 81.

The controller communication unit 84 has a configuration equivalent to that of the survey instrument communication unit 25, and is capable of sending and receiving information with the survey instrument 10. Commands are also sent from the controller communication unit 84 to the light transmitter 73.

The GPS device 85 is a device that receives GPS signals transmitted from GPS satellites, and the current position is determined from the received GPS signals. In this embodiment, the GPS device 85 may be a device that is only capable of independent positioning.

The orientation sensor 86 is an electronic compass that uses semiconductors. It detects the north-south geomagnetism to calculate the direction. Any known type can be used, such as those that use MR elements or GMR elements.

In this embodiment, the controller 80 is assumed to be a smartphone, tablet, or the like, and may use a GPS device, electronic compass, or three-axis gyro that is originally installed on such a device.

The GPS device 85 mounted on the controller 80 roughly grasps the positional relationship between the controller 80 and the surveying instrument 10 (described later). As the operator moves while holding the controller 80 and the target unit 70, the positional relationship between the surveying instrument 10 and the prism 72 is also roughly grasped. Even when the GPS device 85 loses tracking of the surveying instrument 10, the GPS device 85 allows the surveying instrument 10 to grasp the general direction of the prism 72, and the telescope tube 18 can be pointed horizontally toward the GPS device 85 and then scanned vertically to quickly lock the prism 72 again.

Figure 11 shows an explanatory diagram of the surveying work and the display screen of the controller 80. The memory unit 83 stores, for example, input surveying data (design data). The display unit 82 has a function of displaying a surveying map corresponding to the measurement data. The controller control unit 89 has a function of constructing a map to be displayed on the screen of the display unit 82 based on the position information of the GPS device 85, the orientation signal of the orientation sensor 86, and the design data.

The controller control unit 89 has the current position of the surveying instrument 10 and the design data for measurement points P1, P2, P3, ... Pn, so it can calculate the horizontal rotation angle for each measurement point. The controller control unit 89 has the function of sending a command to the surveying instrument 10 via the controller communication unit 84 and driving the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 to rotate the telescope tube unit 18 in the horizontal direction of the measurement point Pn.

The image captured by the imaging unit 40 is also displayed on the display unit 82. The image captured by the imaging unit 40 and the surveying map displayed on the display unit 82 can be switched automatically or manually. For example, when the distance between the worker's current position and the measurement point Pn becomes a certain distance, for example 5 m or less, the displayed image is automatically switched from the surveying map to the image captured by the imaging unit 40.

The input unit 81 can also be used to issue a command to move the viewpoint of the image captured by the imaging unit 40 in either the left or right direction from the current viewpoint. For example, if the operator wishes to shift the viewpoint to the right of the current image, the operator can flick the display unit 82 to the right, thereby rotating the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 of the surveying instrument 10 to the right and pointing the rotating base 14 to the right, causing the imaging unit 40 to face in a direction to the right of the current position, and the imaging unit 40 to capture an image to the right of the current position.

The controller control unit 89 displays the direction as a compass on the display unit 82 based on the direction data acquired by the direction sensor 86. Furthermore, the controller control unit 89 has a function to display the distance and direction from the worker's current position to the next measurement point Pn+1 by calculating the distance and angle from the worker's current position (measurement point Pn) obtained by the distance and angle measurement of the surveying instrument 10, and a function to display the direction of travel on the display unit 82.

Based on the survey data, the worker follows the display and measures points P1, P2, P3, etc. in order.

(Prism lock function)
The surveying instrument 10 has a function (prism lock function) of automatically finding, locking, and tracking a prism when the tracking unit 24 starts tracking the prism 72 or when tracking is lost. In the conventional prism lock function, a collimation light is emitted from the telescope, and the telescope rotates horizontally while repeatedly rotating up and down, scanning all directions with the collimation light, and the prism is found and collimated by receiving the reflected light. However, since scanning is performed without knowing the location of the prism at all, it may be necessary to scan all directions, which takes time to find the prism. In this embodiment, the surveying instrument 10 is first pointed in a rough direction and then scanned in a fine direction, so that the prism 72 can be locked quickly.

The flow of prism lock in surveying system 1 will be explained using Figs. 12 to 14. Fig. 12 is a flowchart of prism lock. Fig. 13 is an image diagram of steps S101 to S102. Fig. 14 is an image diagram of steps S103 to S107.

First, in step S101, as a pre-process, the surveying instrument 10 is installed at an arbitrary point P0 (preferably a known point), and then the controller 80 and the surveying instrument 10 are aligned. The surveying instrument 10 may be provided with an installation position for the controller 80 for alignment purposes. The GPS device 85 acquires the latitude and longitude of the controller 80, and also acquires the latitude and longitude of the installation position of the surveying instrument 10.

Next, proceed to step S102 to obtain the relative direction between the surveying instrument 10 and the controller 80. The operator holds the controller 80 and the target unit 70, moves to an arbitrary location NP1 at a certain distance, acquires latitude and longitude on the spot using the GPS device 85, and has the surveying instrument 10 measure the distance and angle of the prism 72. The operator then moves to a different arbitrary location NP2, acquires latitude and longitude again using the GPS device 85, and has the surveying instrument 10 measure the distance and angle of the prism 72. At this time, the controller 80 may be attached to the top surface of the target unit 70 to perform distance and angle measurements. The direction (relative direction) of the controller 80 as seen from the surveying instrument 10 is grasped from the azimuth angles of the two locations NP1 and NP2. This method is not limited to this method, and the surveying instrument 10 may be configured to perform calibration so that it can detect the relative direction of the controller 80 by tracking the prism 72 of the target unit 70 held by the operator and performing distance and distance measurements as needed while the operator moves. Additionally, absolute three-dimensional coordinates can be obtained by installing the surveying instrument 10 at a known point and using the intersection method to set a reference point and reference direction.

The purpose of steps S101 to S102 in the previous process is to allow the surveying instrument 10 to determine the direction with the rough accuracy of the operator holding the prism 72 and controller 80. For this reason, the acquisition of position information by the GPS device 85 can be performed by standalone positioning, and it is not necessary to detect the relative direction precisely by acquiring highly accurate three-dimensional information.

The worker moves around while working, carrying the target unit 70 and the controller 80. The GPS device 85 continues to acquire GPS signals even while moving, so even if the worker is moving or is on the move, the azimuth angle of the controller 80 relative to the surveying instrument 10 can be roughly determined as long as the GPS signal can be acquired.

Next, as part of this process, steps S103 to S108 will explain prism locking for starting tracking by the tracking unit 24 or resuming tracking if tracking is lost.

In step S103, first, based on the position information of the GPS device 85, the telescope tube 18 of the surveying instrument 10 is directed toward the GPS device 85, i.e., toward the operator holding the target unit 70 and controller 80. The difference between the current horizontal angle and the calculated azimuth angle of the GPS device 85 is calculated as an angle, and the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 is driven to rotate the rotating base 14 horizontally.

Next, the process proceeds to step S104, where the light transmitter 73 is caused to transmit the tracking guide light Lc. The filter switching device 42 switches the filter so that the second filter 43b, which is a filter for the tracking guide light, is positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41.

Next, the process proceeds to step S105, where an image of the area in front of the surveying instrument 10 is acquired by the imaging device 41 via the second filter 43b. The surveying instrument control unit 29 analyzes the acquired image and detects the tracking guide light Lc.

Next, the process proceeds to step S106, where the surveying instrument control unit 29 calculates the direction of arrival of the tracking guide light Lc by image analysis, and drives the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 to horizontally align the center of the captured image with the direction of arrival of the tracking guide light Lc.

Next, the process proceeds to step S107, where the vertical rotation drive unit M2 drives the lens barrel unit 18 in the vertical direction, scanning the tracking light of the tracking unit 24 vertically to find the prism 72. At this time, the direction of arrival of the tracking guide light Lc is also determined vertically by the image analysis described above, and the range in the vertical direction is narrowed, making it easier to find.

Then, the process proceeds to step S108, where the prism 72 is locked, the light transmitter 73 stops transmitting light, the filter switching device 42 returns the filter to be placed to the first filter 43a, and the flow ends.

When tracking is lost, a message to that effect is sent from the surveying instrument 10 to the light transmitter 73, which immediately performs the main prism lock process.

In step S103, the surveying instrument 10 is roughly oriented horizontally, and then in step S104, the wide-angle imaging unit 40 detects the tracking guide light Lc and finely oriented horizontally. The tracking light of the tracking unit 24 is then scanned vertically to locate and lock onto the prism 72.

Conventionally, even when there are no clues at all, it is possible to lock the prism by scanning in all directions with a tracking light, but this has the problem of taking time. With the above method, the lens barrel section 18 can be directed toward the prism 72 in the coarse direction and then the fine direction, shortening the time it takes to lock the prism 72.

In addition, by using the filter switching device 42 of the imaging unit 40 to transmit only the tracking guide light Lc when capturing an image, the influence of sunlight can be suppressed and the tracking guide light Lc can be detected even if the sun enters the field of view of the imaging device 41. This is also true when tracking is being performed, and if sunlight enters during tracking, the filter of the imaging unit 40 can be changed to the second filter 43b to prevent the prism 72 from being lost due to the sunlight entering. Since the operator uses the imaging unit 40 to check the scenery in front of the surveying instrument 10, the filter may be automatically switched to the second filter 43b when light exceeding the allowable amount enters the imaging device 41, even when tracking is not being performed.

When tracking is lost, a message to that effect is displayed on the display unit 82, and steps S103 to S108 above are automatically performed.

In conventional surveying instruments, the light-transmitting section of the tracking unit emits tracking light, and the light-receiving section receives the reflected light to perform scanning. In this case, the light-receiving section receives reflected light, so the amount of light received is small. The surveying instrument 10 receives the tracking guide light Lc transmitted from the target side with the imaging section 40, which is a wide camera, so the amount of light received is large and detection is easy. This allows the prism 72 to be locked more quickly.

(Work flow)
An example of a work process flow of the surveying system 1 will be described below. Fig. 15 shows a process flow of a surveying work using the surveying system 1. See also Fig. 11.

First, in step S201, as preprocessing, information about the survey site, including CAD data and measurement point data, is input to the controller 80. The input information is stored in the memory unit 83 of the controller 80.

Next, proceed to step S202, where the surveying instrument 10 is placed at a known point and three-dimensional coordinates are obtained using a method such as resection.

Next, in step S203, the controller 80 and the surveying instrument 10 are aligned. Step S203 corresponds to step S101 described above.

Next, the process proceeds to step S204, where the survey instrument 10 is enabled to acquire the relative orientation of the controller 80 with respect to the controller 80. Step S203 corresponds to step S102 described above.

Next, the process proceeds to step S205, where the position information of the measurement points P1, P2, P3, ... Pn is calculated, and the display unit 82 displays a survey map corresponding to the input data, and also displays the position information of the measurement point Pn to be measured.

Next, the process moves to step S206, where the surveying instrument 10 drives the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 to point the telescope unit 18 toward the measurement point Pn. The operator moves toward the measurement point Pn while checking the survey map on the display unit 82. During this time, the surveying instrument 10 drives the telescope unit 18 in the vertical direction to scan the tracking light.

Next, the process proceeds to step S207, and when the operator reaches the straight line connecting the measurement point Pn and the surveying instrument 10, the tracking unit 24 locks the prism 72 and starts tracking.

Next, the process proceeds to step S208, where the worker moves to the measurement point Pn while checking the specific distance to the measurement point Pn determined by tracking on the display unit 82.

Next, the process moves to step S209. If tracking is lost during the movement in step S107, the process moves to the tracking resumption flow in step 210. Specifically, steps S103 to S108, which are the main prism locking process, are carried out to lock the prism 72 and resume tracking. Once tracking is resumed, the process returns to step S208. If the worker reaches measurement point Pn while still being tracked, the process moves to step S210.

Next, the process moves to step S211. When the operator reaches the measurement point Pn, the target unit 70 is set up approximately vertically at the measurement point Pn, and the surveying instrument 10 measures the distance and angle of the prism 72 set up at the measurement point Pn.

Next, proceed to step S212. If there is a next measurement point Pn+1, proceed to step S205 and repeat steps S205 to S211 for the next measurement point Pn+1. When there is no next measurement point, the survey ends.

(Modification)
Fig. 16 is a schematic perspective view of the exterior of a surveying instrument 10A constituting a surveying system 1A according to a modified example. Fig. 17 is a block diagram of the surveying instrument 10A. The surveying system 1A has the same configuration except that it has the surveying instrument 10A instead of the surveying instrument 10, so a detailed description of the entire system will be omitted. The surveying instrument 10A has the same configuration as the surveying instrument 10 in terms of function, but differs in appearance in the following respects. The surveying instrument 10A does not have a cover member 16. In addition, a support unit 17A, which is fixed on a rotating base 14 provided on a base unit 13 and can rotate horizontally, is configured to have an independent casing having a U-shape that opens upward.

The lower part 17Ab of the base part 17A has a horizontally long rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is provided on the front with an input part 27 and a display part 28 for directly operating the surveying instrument 10A. The upper part 17Ac of the base part 17A extends upward as a pair of left and right pillars, between which the telescope 18A is supported so that it can rotate vertically around a horizontal axis H. In addition, an imaging part 40A having a configuration equivalent to that of the imaging part 40 is provided on the upper part of the telescope 18A.

That is, the main difference between surveying instrument 10 and surveying instrument 10A is that in surveying instrument 10, imaging unit 40 is provided at the top end of support unit 17 and rotates only horizontally, whereas in surveying instrument 10A, imaging unit 40A is provided at the top of telescope 18A and can rotate horizontally and vertically together with telescope 18A.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 17, functionally, the surveying instrument 10 and the surveying instrument 10A have the same configuration, except that the surveying instrument 10A has an input unit 27 and a display unit 28.

The flow of prism lock using the surveying system 1A is generally the same as the flow shown in FIG. 12. Based on the above differences in configuration, the operations in steps S106 and S107 of this process differ as shown in FIG. 18. That is, in step S106, the surveying instrument control unit 29 calculates the arrival direction of the tracking guide light Lc based on the results of the image analysis, drives the horizontal rotation drive unit M1 and the vertical rotation drive unit M12 to rotate the telescope 18A, and points the collimation axis of the telescope 18A in the arrival direction of the tracking guide light Lc (the precise direction of the prism 72). This is because the calculation of the arrival direction of the tracking guide light Lc makes it possible to grasp not only the horizontal angle but also the vertical angle to be rotated.

Therefore, in step S107, when the tracking light of the tracking unit 24 is scanned to capture the prism 72, the prism 72 can be captured by only slightly scanning the area around the current aiming direction in the vertical and horizontal directions.

In this way, in the surveying instrument 10A having an imaging unit 40 that can rotate together with the telescope 18A, the telescope 18A can be rotated simultaneously in the horizontal and vertical directions to be precisely oriented in the direction of the prism 72, making it possible to capture the prism even more quickly.

(Variation 2)
FIG. 19 shows a filter switching device 142 which is a modified example of the filter switching device 42 .

In the filter switching device 42, the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b are attached to two openings formed in the base body 45. In contrast, in the filter switching device 142, a common substrate 146 on which both the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b are provided is attached to the opening formed. The filter switching device 142 has the same configuration as the filter switching device 42, except that the base body 145 is used instead of the base body 45.

The common substrate 146 is a flat plate of uniform thickness made of a material that transmits light, such as a translucent resin material or glass material, and has a first filter 43a and a second filter 43b in the form of a film provided on its surface.

Like the base body 45, the base body 145 is connected to the solenoid 44 and rotatably supported, and the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b are selectively positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41 by the rotation of the base body 145. When the solenoid 44 is not energized, the first filter 43a is positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41 in front of the light receiving element AR so as to cover the light receiving element AR (see FIG. 19(A)). When the solenoid 44 is energized, the base body 145 connected to the solenoid 44 is driven and rotates a predetermined angle around the central axis 44A, switching the filter positioned on the optical axis of the imaging device 41 to the second filter 43b (see FIG. 19(B)).

Figure 20 is an optical diagram showing the optical path of the incident light of the filter switching device 142. Figure 20 (A) shows a state in which the first filter 43a is arranged on the optical axis of the imaging device 41, and Figure 20 (B) shows a state in which the second filter 43b is arranged on the optical axis of the imaging device 41.

The imaging device 41 has a photographing lens 47 and an image sensor 48 including a light receiving element AR. The base body 145 is rotatably (movably) arranged on the optical axis of the photographing lens 47 between the photographing lens 47 and the image sensor 48. By rotating the base body 145, the common substrate 46 moves in the vertical direction, and the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b provided on the common substrate 46 are selectively arranged on the optical axis of the photographing lens 47. Light incident on the imaging device 41 passes through the photographing lens 47, and then through the first filter 43a or the second filter 43b, and is collected on the image sensor 48.

The first filter 43a and the second filter 43b are configured as very thin films with respect to the common substrate 46 having a thickness T, and the thickness is negligible. As shown in FIG. 20A, when the first filter 43a is placed on the optical axis of the photographing lens 47, the light incident on the imaging device 41 passes through the common substrate 46 having a thickness T and is focused on the image sensor 48. As shown in FIG. 20B, when the base body 145 is rotated by the solenoid 44, the common substrate 46 is moved, and the second filter 43b is placed on the optical axis of the photographing lens 47, the light incident on the imaging device 41 passes through the common substrate 46 having a thickness T and is focused on the image sensor 48. Regardless of which filter is placed on the optical axis of the photographing lens 47, the light incident on the imaging device 41 passes through the common substrate 46 having a thickness T, so that even if the filter is switched, the image sensor 48 can capture an image in the same focused state, i.e., in the same focused state.

When the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b are provided on separate substrates, focus adjustment is performed if a difference in the optical path length from the photographing lens 47 to the image sensor 48 occurs due to differences in the thickness or arrangement of the substrates themselves when switching between filters. In contrast, by providing the first filter 43a and the second filter 43b on the same substrate (common substrate 146), the optical path length of the incident light can be made the same, eliminating the need for focus adjustment by switching filters.

The above describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the above embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and these can be combined based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, and such combinations are also included in the scope of the present invention.

1: Surveying system 10: Surveying instrument 17: Base unit 18: Telescope tube unit 24: Tracking unit 40: Imaging unit 41: Imaging device 42: Filter switching device 43a: First filter 43b: Second filter 70: Target unit 72: Prism 73: Light transmitter 146: Common substrate L2: Optical axis M1: Horizontal rotation drive unit M2: Vertical rotation drive unit H: Horizontal axis V: Vertical axis

Claims (6)

a lens barrel section housing an optical system for a tracking section and a ranging section;
A drive unit that rotates the lens barrel unit;
an imaging device that images an image in front of the lens barrel;
a filter switching device that selectively switches between two filters so that one of the filters is located on an optical axis of the imaging device;
a control unit that, when the imaging device acquires an image including the tracking guide light transmitted from a light transmitter, analyzes the image, calculates an arrival direction of the tracking guide light, and controls the drive unit so that the collimation axis of the lens barrel is directed to the arrival direction of the tracking guide light;
Equipped with
one of the two filters is a filter for a tracking guide light that transmits only wavelengths in a predetermined range centered on a wavelength of the tracking guide light, and the filter switching device disposes the filter for the tracking guide light on an optical axis of the imaging device when the imaging device captures the image.
A surveying instrument characterized by the above. the tracking guide light is invisible light,
Of the two filters, one filter transmits only invisible light, and the other filter transmits only visible light.
2. The surveying instrument according to claim 1 . When the target is lost while the tracking unit is tracking the target, the filter switching device automatically places the tracking guide light filter on the optical axis of the imaging device.
3. The surveying instrument according to claim 1 or 2. when a number of saturated pixels included in an acquired image exceeds a predetermined number while the imaging device is imaging, the filter switching device disposes the tracking guide light filter on an optical axis of the imaging device.
3. The surveying instrument according to claim 1 or 2. The two filters are provided on the same substrate.
3. The surveying instrument according to claim 1 or 2. a light transmitter for transmitting a tracking guide light and a target unit having a prism;
and,
a lens barrel section housing an optical system for a tracking section and a ranging section;
A drive unit that rotates the lens barrel unit;
an imaging device for capturing an image of a scene in front of the lens barrel;
a filter switching device that selectively switches between two filters so that one of the filters is located on the optical axis of the imaging device;
a control unit that analyzes an image captured by the imaging device, the image including the tracking guide light transmitted from the light transmitter, calculates an arrival direction of the tracking guide light, and controls the drive unit so that a collimation axis of the lens barrel unit is directed to the arrival direction of the tracking guide light,
one of the two filters is a filter for a tracking guide light that transmits only light having a wavelength in a predetermined range centered on a wavelength of the tracking guide light, and the filter switching device disposes the filter for a tracking guide light on an optical axis of the imaging device when the imaging device captures an image.
A surveying system comprising: