Patent ID: 7609387

Claim:
A method for measuring an absolute distance corresponding with a range ( 9 ) between a measuring device ( 10 ) and a target ( 8 ), comprising: executing several individual measuring steps by means of an absolute distance meter ( 1 ) for measuring the absolute distance, wherein at least approximately simultaneously with said individual measuring steps the method executes the following steps: a relative distance meter ( 2 ) measuring a distance variation between the measuring device ( 10 ) and the target ( 8 ) as a transient value of a target displacement the absolute distance meter ( 1 ) taking said distance variation into account when determining the absolute distance; the absolute distance meter ( 1 ) computing at the absolute distance value iteratively through several sampling steps, the relative distance meter ( 2 ) detecting distance variations between the measuring device ( 10 ) and the target ( 8 ) arising between two sampling steps; and incorporating said distance variations in the control of the absolute distance meter ( 1 ) in the later of the two sampling steps.