Patent ID: 7319511
Filing Date: 2008-01-15
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. A surveying instrument for measuring distance, horizontal angle, and vertical angle by use of reflected light, comprising: an imager for obtaining a digital image which is associated with a plane part; and an arithmetic processing means for calculating a three-dimensional position of said plane part by determining an equation that includes said plane part by measuring distance, horizontal angle, and vertical angle to each of at least three points substantially forming a triangle on said plane part; associating digital image data to which said plane part belongs with said equation so that said plane part can be identified; extracting edges of at least two intersecting straight lines forming said plane part; determining said straight lines based on image data related to said edges by the least-squares method or the conditional least-squares method; and calculating an intersection point of said straight lines to determine said three-dimensional position of said plane part.