Surveying Instrument Automatic Sun Sighting Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surveying methods that rely on sighting the sun for determining true north are hazardous for operators and require careful direct alignment, posing risks of eye damage and operational complexity.
Innovation Solution
A surveying instrument with a rotatable frame and telescope unit, equipped with a control device that calculates solar altitude based on coordinates and time, uses image pickup units and a wide-angle camera to automatically search and capture the sun, allowing for true north determination without direct telescope alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the operator directly performs sighting by telescope toward the sun, then the true north can be surveyed, but the operator faces direct sun exposure which is dangerous and may cause eye damage
Solution Approach 1:
A filter is introduced as an intermediary element between the telescope and the sun. The filter attenuates the sunlight intensity to a safe level while allowing the operator to perform accurate sighting operations. This resolves the contradiction by enabling precise measurement without direct exposure to harmful solar radiation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of directly sighting the sun through the telescope, the system captures an image of the sun and processes it to determine the solar position. This indirect copying method allows the true north to be surveyed without the operator facing the sun directly, eliminating eye damage risk while maintaining measurement accuracy.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a filter is mounted on the telescope to attenuate light, then safe sun sighting is enabled, but an additional operation of mounting the filter is always involved
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs the function of light attenuation through image processing algorithms that analyze the captured solar image and determine the sun's position without requiring manual filter mounting. The control unit processes the image data to calculate the solar azimuth and altitude, eliminating the need for operator intervention in filter management while maintaining safety.
3Measurement precision
If the operator directs the telescope toward the sun, then true north surveying is performed, but the operator must face directly toward the sun which is undesirable
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures an image of the sun using the telescope or a separate imaging device, then processes this image copy to determine the sun's position and calculate the true north direction. This allows the measurement to be performed accurately without the operator needing to physically orient themselves toward the sun, improving both safety and operational comfort.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If automatic sun tracking is implemented, then safe true north surveying is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it processes images from the imaging device, calculates the sun's position, determines the true north direction, and controls the telescope positioning. By making the control unit multi-functional, the system achieves automatic sun tracking and safety features without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a surveying instrument, comprising a frame unit rotatable in a horizontal direction, a telescope unit as mounted rotatably in a vertical direction on the frame unit and further for sighting an object to be measured, a horizontal driving unit for rotating and driving the frame unit in a horizontal direction, a vertical driving unit for rotating the telescope unit in a vertical direction, a horizontal angle measuring unit for detecting a horizontal angle of the frame unit, a vertical angle measuring unit for detecting a vertical angle of the telescope unit and a control device, wherein the control device is adapted to calculate a solar altitude at a time moment by setting up coordinates of where the surveying instrument is installed and the time moment, and to make the telescope unit to set to the solar altitude as calculated by controlling the vertical driving unit, to control the horizontal driving unit, to execute searching of the sun by horizontally rotating the frame unit at the solar altitude as set up, to capture the sun, to sight the sun, to detect a horizontal angle under the sighted condition based on the horizontal angle measuring unit, and to survey a true north based on the horizontal angle as detected.