Automatic tracking type measuring apparatus

Details Automatic tracking type measuring apparatus Automatic tracking type measuring apparatus

1990-02-13

1992-03-24

Buczinski, Stephen C.

Optics: measuring and testing

Range or remote distance finding

With photodetection

356 1, 356141, 356152, G01C 300, G01C 308, G01C 500, G01B 1126

Patent

active

050981854

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an automatic tracking type measuring apparatus for use in measuring the position of a working platform on a sea, for example.


BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, in determining the position of a working platform on a sea, two light wave distance measuring instruments set apart on the working platform receive light coming from a fixed light generator located on a land. As the distance between the two distance measuring instruments is known, three sides of a triangle connecting the three points, the fixed light generator and two distance measuring instruments can be known, and this triangle can be specified. Therefore, the position of the working platform can be specified with the fixed light generator as a reference.
A working platform on a sea usually moves and floats vertically as well as horizontally during work due to waves, current, winds, etc. It is very difficult under such conditions to measure the position of the working platform at a hiqh accuracy efficiently in a short period of time. Particularly, it is significantly difficult to always keep the light generator on a land within the field of view of the distance measuring instruments due to rocking of the working platform caused by waves. As such a measuring apparatus, there is proposed a light wave distance measuring apparatus of an automatic tracking type.
As such an automatic tracking type light wave measuring apparatus, as disclosed in, for example, Published Examined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 59-8221, there is known an apparatus constituted as a combination of a collimating light wave distance measuring instrument, which is placed on a movable body such as a platform and has a collimating telescope, mounted at the top or bottom center of a light wave distance measuring instrument body supported rotatable horizontally and rockable vertically in such a way that its optical axis is in parallel to the optical axis of the distance measuring instrument, and has quartersplitted light receiving elements secured at the proximity of the focus of an objective lens of the telescope in such a way that light from a light generator located on a land enters the center of the quarter-splitted light receiving elements, and a received light image originating from collimation deviation intersect perpendicularly in the horizontal and vertical direction of the quarter-splitted light receiving elements to amplify and supply the differential outputs of two pairs of light receiving elements horizontally and vertically facing each other to horizontal and vertical driving motors of a support mechanism of the distance measuring instrument, thus ensuring automatic tracking in the direction of a receiving light source, and a reference light source device, which is fixed, in accordance with the distance between the light wave distance measuring instrument body and the collimating telescope, at an upper portion or lower portion of, and in parallel to the optical axis of, a corner prism provided as a light generator on a land, which prism has a single or composite objective lens or cylindrical lens attached to the front face of a light generator for increasing efficient use of a flux of light and irradiating light in a wide horizontal range and has a flux of signal light from the light generator changed as flicker light by a chopper provided at the front thereof to be distinguished from natural light.
Since the above conventional automatic tracking type light wave measuring apparatus has a collimating light wave distance measuring instrument placed on a platform and a reference light generator on a land which is provided with a chopper for ensuring discrimination between a flux of signal light from a light generator and natural light, it is necessary to provide a battery as a power source for the reference light generator, thus requiring periodic maintenance of the battery, light generator and chopper. Further, since a single or composite objective lens or cylindrical lens is attached to the front face of the ligh

REFERENCES:
patent: 3664748 (1972-05-01), Bezu
patent: 3690767 (1972-09-01), Missio et al.
patent: 3846026 (1974-11-01), Waters
patent: 4025193 (1977-05-01), Pond et al.
patent: 4721385 (1988-01-01), Jelalian et al.
patent: 4847511 (1989-07-01), Takada et al.

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