Visual organization of information via associated geospatial data
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8788496
In a method of organizing information, a plurality of diverse data items is accessed. The diverse data items are related to a physical location. The diverse data items that are accessed comprise at least a non-visual data item and a visual imagery data item, and include geospatial data associated with the individual accessed data items. The diverse data items are parsed by data type and stored in a data store such that the diverse data items are accessible by one or more of the…
Method for collaborative display of geographic data
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8782564
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method for collaborative display of geographic data. In one embodiment, a configuration file is created which defines how geographic data collected by a geographic data collection device is to be displayed by an office application. The configuration file is used to create a geographic data file in which collected geographic data is formatted to visually convey information about a geographic feature. The office application then accesses the…
Methods and apparatus for providing navigational information associated with locations of objects
Granted: July 8, 2014
Patent Number:
8773465
An apparatus for providing navigational information associated with locations of objects includes an imaging device configured to acquire image data, a visual display coupled to the imaging device and configured to display the image data, a position measuring device configured to determine position information associated with the imaging device, and an orientation device configured to determine orientation information associated with the imaging device. The apparatus may also include a…
Position tracking device and method
Granted: July 8, 2014
Patent Number:
8773303
The present application relates to tracking a position of a device, e.g. for detecting slow and rapid earth deformation, by making use of a recursive filter having the filter characteristic adapted to a detected type of motion. If the motion of the position tracking device is rapid, the filter characteristic is set such that the rapid motion can be tracked with the necessary speed. On the other hand, if the motion is slow, e.g. during times of a normal tectonic drift, the filter…
Water erosion management incorporating topography, soil type, and weather statistics
Granted: July 1, 2014
Patent Number:
8768667
A method of water erosion management comprises receiving a topographic datum indicating the topography of a defined area. Data is received indicating a soil composition found at the defined area. A model is created predicting a water runoff pattern for said defined area based upon the topography of the defined area and the soil composition of the defined area.
Sensor unit system
Granted: July 1, 2014
Patent Number:
8768609
A sensor unit system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the sensor unit comprises a sensor unit comprising a first global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver which is configured for determining a position of the sensor unit in three dimensions. The sensor unit system further comprises a display unit comprising a second GNSS receiver. The display unit is communicatively coupled with the sensor unit via a wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) connection. The display unit and the…
Overvoltage protection circuit with self biased latch
Granted: June 17, 2014
Patent Number:
8755161
An overvoltage protection circuit is based on replacing the bias resistor in a conventional overvoltage protection circuit with a self-biased latch. The new circuit automatically survives both overvoltage and overcurrent events.
Method and apparatus for image-based positioning
Granted: June 17, 2014
Patent Number:
8754805
Method and apparatus are provided for image based positioning comprising capturing a first image with an image capturing device. Wherein said first image includes at least one object. Moving the platform and capturing a second image with the image capturing device. The second image including the at least one object. Capturing in the first image an image of a surface; capturing in the second image a second image of the surface. Processing the plurality of images of the object and the…
High efficiency backup-power circuits for switch-mode power supplies
Granted: June 17, 2014
Patent Number:
8754545
Disclosed are novel interconnections of a coupling circuit and an energy storage device which enables the storage device to provide back-up power for a switching power supply without requiring the device to store or output high voltage, and which enables full utilization of the energy stored in the device. In exemplary embodiments, the combination of the coupling circuit and the energy storage device may be coupled between the input and output of the switching power supply (e.g., between…
Three dimensional layout and point transfer system
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8745884
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with three-dimensional laser position systems are described. In one embodiment, a system includes first and second vertical laser plane transmitters and a horizontal laser plane transmitter. The first and second vertical laser plane transmitters are configured to emit first and second vertical laser planes, respectively, that are each rotatable about rotational axes. The horizontal laser plane transmitter has a fixed position relative to…
Dry agricultural materials management
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8749628
Systems and methods that improve farmers' ability to measure quantities of dry agricultural materials and rates of change of those quantities are disclosed. Also disclosed are systems and methods to rapidly and effectively communicate materials quantities and rates between farm equipment operators.
Fleet management system and method employing mobile device monitoring and research
Granted: June 10, 2014
Patent Number:
8750899
Systems, apparatuses and methods for monitoring wireless communication performance. A fleet of moving vehicles equipped with communication devices communicate data call records, including a geographic location of the vehicle when the communication was attempted, to a central office. Indications of successful and unsuccessful call record communications attempts are aggregated by geographic area using the geographic location data from the vehicles. Call success rate levels for the…
Surveying instrument and method for detecting a laser beam
Granted: June 3, 2014
Patent Number:
8743376
The present disclosure relates to a surveying system including a surveying instrument and method for detecting light of fan shaped laser beam. The surveying instrument includes a detector for detecting light of the fan shaped laser beam rotating around a propagation axis with a direction of rotation and having two detector elements arranged in a known spatial relation for outputting a detection signal when irradiated. A position determining unit is used to obtain a first set of detection…
RFID for location of the load on a tower crane
Granted: May 27, 2014
Patent Number:
8738175
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tower crane load locator is disclosed. One example includes at least four RFID components to provide RFID range measurements between the at least four RFID components. In addition, a load position determiner utilizes the RFID range measurements to determine a location of the load. A load information generator provides the location of the load information suitable for subsequent access by a user.
Wide-area agricultural monitoring and prediction
Granted: May 20, 2014
Patent Number:
8731836
Ground-based measurements of agricultural metrics such as NDVI are used to calibrate wide-area aerial measurements of the same metrics. Calibrated wide-area data may then be used as an input to a field prescription processor.
Method and system for generating targeted content
Granted: May 20, 2014
Patent Number:
8731582
In one embodiment of a method for generating targeted content, an indication of a geographic position is received from a mobile electronic device. An instance of targeted content is generated based upon the geographic position of the mobile electronic device.
Object recognition and localization service using RFID
Granted: May 13, 2014
Patent Number:
8725777
A method of creating and managing a database of meta_data sets for a plurality of objects is provided. The meta-data set is configured to characterize an object. The meta_data set for a “j”-object is selected from the group consisting of: a first item; a second item; an “i”-th item; and ID-j tag; wherein “i” and “j” being integers. The method comprises: (A) identifying a meta_data set for at least one object; (B) collecting a meta_data set for at least one object; (C)…
Robotic leveling
Granted: May 13, 2014
Patent Number:
8720074
A method of determining an elevation of a point relative to a leveling instrument includes sending a first signal from a controller to the leveling instrument using a wireless link. The first signal indicates to the leveling instrument to automatically align an alignment unit of the leveling instrument with a reference target of a leveling staff. The method also includes receiving a second signal at the controller using the wireless link. The second signal is sent from the leveling…
GNSS signal processing methods and apparatus
Granted: May 6, 2014
Patent Number:
8717237
Methods and apparatus are provided for processing a set of GNSS signal data derived from observations of GNSS signals of multiple transmitters over multiple epochs, the GNSS signals having a first signal and a second signal in a first band which can be tracked as a single wide-band signal and each of which can be tracked separately, comprising: obtaining carrier-phase observations of the first signal, obtaining carrier-phase observations of the second signal, obtaining code observations…
Method for improving the performance of browser-based, formula-driven parametric objects
Granted: April 29, 2014
Patent Number:
8713519
A computer-aided, design system and method generates procedural code from a plurality of spreadsheet formulas which define the behavior of a parametric object. These spreadsheet formulas drive function calls to an API of the design system when initially drawing the parametric object within a user interface, and these function calls may be cached as procedural code. In subsequent re-drawings of same object, the procedural code may be executed with updated or changed attributes received…
