METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING ANGULAR MEASUREMENTS
Granted: July 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100172546
A method of determining an azimuth and elevation of a point in an image is provided. The method comprises positioning an imaging device at a first position and acquiring a first image. The method also comprises rotating the imaging device and acquiring a second image at the first position. The first image includes the point, and a portion of the first image overlaps a portion of the second image. The method also includes determining correspondences between features in overlapping…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING ANGLES BASED ON 360 DEGREE IMAGES
Granted: July 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100174507
A system for measuring angles includes a housing and an imaging device disposed in the housing. The system also includes a first optical element disposed in the housing and configured to receive light propagating from a first target along a first optical path and direct the light toward the imaging device and receive light propagating from a second target along a second optical path and direct the light toward the imaging device. The system further includes a processor in electrical…
LASER SLOPE ADJUSTMENT
Granted: June 24, 2010
Application Number:
20100157283
Tools and techniques for estimating elevations, including without limitation tools and techniques that employ mobile stations with laser detectors for receiving a beam emitted from a laser source and estimating an elevation of the mobile station based on the received beam. In some instances, a mobile station may be configured to identify, based on some or all of a variety of factors, a situation in which the elevation of the detector is likely to change to the extent that the slope of…
System and Method for Providing Position Correction Data
Granted: June 24, 2010
Application Number:
20100159952
System and method for providing position correction data over a data communications network. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for a mobile device over a data communications network, wherein the request includes a user identification. The method may further include receiving geographic position of the mobile device, selecting a mountpoint based, at least in part, on one or more of the user identification and the geographic location of the mobile device, and…
METHOD OF COVERING AN AREA WITH A LAYER OF COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL
Granted: May 27, 2010
Application Number:
20100129152
A method of covering an area with a compressible material, such as asphalt, to a desired elevation using a machine that deposits a layer of the compressible material of controlled thickness on a foundation surface, and then using a compacting machine to compact the compressible material to the desired elevation, includes the steps of determining the elevation of the foundation surface over the area, and determining the difference between the elevation of the foundation surface and the…
VEHICLE AND VEHICLE ATTACHMENT
Granted: May 27, 2010
Application Number:
20100131157
A vehicle and work attachment for the vehicle are disclosed in which the vehicle is of the type having a vehicle body, forward extending support arms, a motor-driven hydraulic fluid pump, hydraulic lines for carrying hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid reservoir, and hydraulic cylinders for moving the arms with respect to the body. Controls may be provided for controlling the valves that control supply of hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders. These hydraulic valves may be mounted on…
LAYOUT METHOD
Granted: May 20, 2010
Application Number:
20100123892
The location of one of a series of construction points at an indoor construction site is established using a robotic total station and a handheld device. Construction data is inputted into the handheld device with the construction data defining a plurality of construction points at the construction site. One of the plurality of construction points is selected with the handheld device. Data regarding the selected construction point is then transmitted wirelessly from the handheld device…
LASER TRANSMITTER, LASER RECEIVER AND METHOD
Granted: May 6, 2010
Application Number:
20100108858
A combination of a laser transmitter and a laser receiver and a method determine the elevation of the receiver with respect to the transmitter. The laser transmitter includes a a laser light source for providing a beam of laser light and an element for directing the beam. The beam diverges vertically and varies in intensity vertically. A laser receiver includes an array of laser beam detectors for detecting the beam and the variations in the beam intensity in a vertical direction. The…
Method of Compactly Communicating Ionospheric and Tropospheric Corrections in a Network of Global Navigation System Satellite Receivers
Granted: April 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100085248
A method of communicating corrections for information related to satellite signals among global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers is described. An ionosphere correction for ionosphere signal path delay is determined for a first satellite. This ionosphere correction is then compared to an ionosphere correction for ionosphere signal path delay for a satellite assumed to be directly over the receiver. The receiver then sends a message which includes only the difference between…
DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR MONITORING DRIVER AND VEHICLE BEHAVIOR
Granted: April 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100087984
Systems, devices, and techniques for remotely tracking vehicle and driver behavior. Embodiments may include an on-board vehicle monitoring device, comprising an interface device and a gateway device. The interface device may include receiving information from a diagnostic system of a vehicle. The gateway device may collect a set of vehicle operating data corresponding to a driver or vehicle behavior. The set of vehicle operating data may comprise at least some of the information from the…
Continuous Tracking Counter for Enabling Cycle-slip Free Messages in a Network of Global Navigation System Satellite Receivers
Granted: April 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100085253
A method of communicating satellite tracking information among a network of global navigation satellite system receivers is described. The method includes determining at a first GNSS receiver which satellites in a constellation of satellites have been continuously tracked over a preceding selected time period, and for each such satellite determining its elevation with respect to the zenith. Only the elevation value for the lowest satellite in the set of satellites for which all…
Compact Transmission of GPS Information Using Compressed Measurement Record Format
Granted: April 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100085249
A format for providing messages among GNSS apparatus includes providing a message identification block and a message body. The message identification block includes information specifying a message length and a message type block specifying a message type. Rather than sending all data from one apparatus to another, ambiguous observation data is sent to conserve bandwidth. At the sender a deconstruction of GNSS code and carrier observations using knowledge of the signal structure and…
Automatic Control of Passive, Towed Implements
Granted: April 8, 2010
Application Number:
20100084147
An automatic control system for passive, towed implements is described. The system provides a strategy for optimal control of a towed implement using a nudge input to an autopilot-controlled tractor. Implement path-tracking error, as measured by a GNSS receiver, is consistently corrected to zero.
Method and Apparatus for Configuring a Survey Controller
Granted: March 11, 2010
Application Number:
20100059584
Method and apparatus for configuring a controller for surveying equipment. In one embodiment, an identification tag associated with a surveying tool may be detected by a controller. An indicator related to the identification tag may be presented to a user of the controller. According to another embodiment, operation of the controller may be configured based, at least in part, on the identification tag.
REFERENCE BEAM GENERATOR AND METHOD
Granted: February 18, 2010
Application Number:
20100039712
A reference beam generator has first, second, and third projection turrets for projecting first, second, and third fan beams of laser light, respectively. The first, second, and third fan beams of laser light are oriented normal to each other. The turrets may be rotated such that each of said fan beams can each be rotated about an axis that is normal to the plane in which the fan beam is projected. The generator may be used to project a number of reference points and lines on multiple…
Real-time transmission of survey data
Granted: February 11, 2010
Application Number:
20100036642
In a survey operation, survey measurement data obtained at each location is transmitted in real time as the measurement is made to avoid the limitations of the disk or other storage medium used in saving the data, to avoid loss or corruption of the data prior to the disk being delivered to its final destination, and to allow users to immediately view the results of the measurements while the rovers are still out in the field and readily capable of redoing measurements or supplementing…
System and Method for Machine Guidance Control
Granted: January 28, 2010
Application Number:
20100018726
System and method for providing guidance control for machines. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an implement, by a guidance controller, coupled to a machine. The method may further include determining a characteristic of the implement which affects a control setting of the machine, configuring the control setting of the machine by the guidance controller based, at least in part, on the characteristic of the implement and controlling operation of the machine based on the…
System and Method for Location Based Guidance Controller Configuration
Granted: January 28, 2010
Application Number:
20100023222
System and method for location based configuration of guidance controllers for machines. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an implement, by a guidance controller, coupled to a machine. The method may further include detecting location data for the machine by the guidance controller, determining a characteristic of the location which affects a calibration parameter of the guidance controller, configuring the calibration parameter of the guidance controller based, at least in…
System and Method for Configuring a Guidance Controller
Granted: January 28, 2010
Application Number:
20100023229
System and method for configuring guidance controllers. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an implement, by a guidance controller, coupled to a machine. The method may further include determining a characteristic of the implement which affects a calibration parameter of the guidance controller and configuring the calibration parameter of the guidance controller based, at least in part, on the characteristic of the implement. An operational path of the machine may be…
LASER TRANSMITTER AND METHOD
Granted: December 10, 2009
Application Number:
20090304035
A laser transmitter projects a beam of laser light outward while raising and lowering the beam. The beam may define a conical surface of varying inclination. The transmitter includes a laser source that directs a beam generally vertically, and a beam diverting element. The beam diverting element is positioned in the path of the beam, intercepting the beam and redirecting it. The beam emerges from the transmitter as a non-vertical beam that is raised and lowered. The diverting element may…
