System having Doppler-based control of a mobile device
Granted: October 1, 2013
Patent Number:
8548501
Embodiments of the present invention recite a system having Doppler-based control of a mobile device. In one embodiment, at least one measured Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Doppler frequency shift measurement corresponding to a GNSS signal measured at a mobile electronic device is received. The speed of the remote device is then determined based at least in part upon the GNSS Doppler frequency shift measurement. An operation of the remote device is then controlled from the…
Generalized partial fixing
Granted: September 24, 2013
Patent Number:
8542146
Described is a generalized approach for integer parameter estimation, especially in the context of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The problem solved is the case where a definitively correct integer solution cannot be identified for all ambiguity parameters in a reliable way. The proposed solution is to apply a linear transformation to the ambiguities (multiply with a matrix) such that the images of the first and the second candidate (or more) are identical. That way, from…
Integrated surveying and leveling
Granted: September 24, 2013
Patent Number:
8539685
A method of determining a position of a point in a local coordinate system using a survey instrument comprising an integrated optical total station and digital level includes measuring an angle associated with the point. The angle may be measured about a vertical axis of the survey instrument, and the vertical axis may be substantially aligned with a local gravity vector. The method also includes determining a distance between the survey instrument and the point using an electronic…
Inclinometer Using Acceleration
Granted: September 10, 2013
Patent Number:
8532899
An inclinometer using speed, acceleration and yaw angle rate to measure inclination angle. The accuracy of the inclination angle measurement may be improved by compensating for a position offset of an accelerometer; Kalman filtering with an external altitude measurement; and/or compensating for an accelerometer bias. The accelerometer bias may be calculated based on a last incline angle before a dormant time period and/or by Kalman filtering.
Positioning device and method for detecting a laser beam
Granted: September 3, 2013
Patent Number:
8526014
The present disclosure relates to a positioning system including a positioning device and method for detecting light of fan shaped laser beam. The positioning device 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…
System and method for refining a position estimate of a low earth orbiting satellite
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8515670
In a method for refining a position estimate of a low earth orbiting (LEO) satellite a first position estimate of a LEO satellite is obtained with a GNSS receiver on-board the LEO satellite. The first position estimate is communicated to a Virtual Reference Station (VRS) processor. VRS corrections are received at the LEO satellite, the VRS corrections having been calculated for the first position estimate by the VRS processor. The VRS corrections are processed on-board the LEO satellite…
System and method for machine guidance control
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8515626
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…
Accelerometer based extended display
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8514066
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for displaying data on a portable electronic device. In one embodiment, a first portion of accessed data is displayed on a portable electronic device. A motion detector responsive to motion in at least a single direction then detects a movement of the portable electronic device from a first position to a second position. In response to the motion detector detecting the movement, a second portion of the accessed data is…
Construction equipment component location tracking
Granted: August 20, 2013
Patent Number:
8514058
In a method for construction equipment component location tracking, a wireless mesh network communication is initiated between a component monitor and a component information unit which is mechanically coupled with the component. A location of the component is accessed in response to a movement of the component. The location of the component is stored within the component information unit to facilitate location tracking of the component.
Laser transmitter and method
Granted: August 13, 2013
Patent Number:
8508825
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…
Tracking carbon output in agricultural applications
Granted: August 6, 2013
Patent Number:
8504252
Novel tools and techniques to enhance and/or facilitate the collection, tracking, and/or verification of greenhouse gas emissions and/or savings, particularly (but not exclusively) in agricultural applications. Some tools, for example, can assist in the verification of carbon credits that may result from conservation tilling activities. Other embodiments can track greenhouse gas emissions that result from agricultural activities, including without limitation the application of…
Method and system for surveying using RFID devices
Granted: August 6, 2013
Patent Number:
8500005
A method of surveying includes detecting an RFID tag associated with a position of interest and decoding information stored in the RFID tag to extract data associated with the position of interest. The method also includes presenting the data associated with the position of interest to an operator of a surveying tool.
Accelerometer using acceleration
Granted: July 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8498793
An altimeter using speed, forward acceleration and yaw angle rate to measure altitude. The accuracy of the measurement may be improved by compensating for a position offset of an accelerometer; Kalman filtering with an external altitude measurement; and/or compensating for an accelerometer bias. The accelerometer bias may be calculated based on a last incline angle before a dormant time period and/or by Kalman filtering.
Method and a system for communicating information to a land surveying rover located in an area without cellular coverage
Granted: July 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8497800
Embodiments of the present invention pertain to methods and systems for communicating information to a roving positioning device. In one embodiment, a wireless communication device, a non-cellular wireless communication device, and a computer networking device for forwarding data packets are coupled with a bus. A request originating from a roving positioning device for a location-specific position data is received via the non-cellular wireless communication device. A controller coupled…
Agricultural autopilot path adjustment
Granted: July 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8494726
Predictive tractor path adjustments improve implement tracking performance by enabling agricultural autopilots to anticipate the effect of curves, slopes, changing soil conditions and other influences.
System and method for identifying a spatial relationship for use in calibrating accelerometer data
Granted: July 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8494710
Methods and systems for identifying a spatial relationship between a frame of reference associated with an accelerometer mounted in a vehicle and a frame of reference associated with the vehicle Accelerometer data is received from an accelerometer and vehicle data is received from a vehicle network of the vehicle, a long term average of the accelerometer data is used to determine the direction of gravity in the frame of reference of the vehicle. In addition the vehicle date is used to…
Farm sidehill compensation
Granted: July 16, 2013
Patent Number:
8489290
An apparatus and method using GNSS for dynamically adjusting side-to-side positioning of a farm implement along a geographical path.
Method and system for efficient extended data communications using GPRS
Granted: July 9, 2013
Patent Number:
8484370
A method and system for efficient extended data communications using a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) carrier network. In a communications system having a server and client device coupled by a GPRS network, a communication session is initiated by the client. A combination of data packet transmission frequency adjustment and the transmission of “keep alive” packets are used to prevent carrier network time-out of the communication session. In multiple server environments such as…
Fan beam resection using direct linear transform and singular value decomposition
Granted: June 25, 2013
Patent Number:
8472015
A method of resection-based positioning of a rotating fan beam transmitter is provided. The fan beam is rotating about a single axis of rotation. The rotating fan beam is being detected in a detector space including a detector cluster further including a plurality of detectors. The single axis of rotation intersects a reference plane in the detector space at an arbitrary angle. The method comprises: (A) detecting the rotating fan beam by using a plurality of detectors; (B) processing a…
Smart-phone bracket for car and truck navigation
Granted: June 18, 2013
Patent Number:
8467967
Inertial navigation systems for wheeled vehicles with constrained motion degrees of freedom are described. Various parts of the navigation systems may be implemented in a smart-phone.
