Continuous tracking counter for enabling cycle-slip free messages in a network of global navigation system satellite receivers
Granted: June 4, 2013
Patent Number:
8456359
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…
Sugar cane harvester automatic cutter height control
Granted: May 28, 2013
Patent Number:
8452501
Sugar cane harvester automatic cutter height control systems maintain consistent cutter heights even as a harvesting machine traverses changing field conditions. After an operator chooses an initial cutting height the automatic systems maintain that height even as ground conditions change.
Fleet management system and method employing mobile device monitoring and research
Granted: May 14, 2013
Patent Number:
8442555
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…
Navigation sensor mounting-angle calibration
Granted: April 30, 2013
Patent Number:
8433514
Dead reckoning navigation sensors based on 3-axis gyroscopes and methods for calibrating sensor module orientation are described for three scenarios: (1) known mounting angles, (2) unknown, arbitrary mounting angles, and (3) unknown, but restricted mounting angles.
Code detection by using genetic algorithms
Granted: April 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8428107
A method for estimating an unknown spreading code in a received signal by using a set of genetic algorithms. The method comprises: selecting at least one seed of the unknown spreading code for initialization purposes, wherein the unknown spreading code comprises a plurality of chips, and performing a breeding process of the unknown spreading code by executing a breeding algorithm.
Image sensor with laser for range measurements
Granted: April 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8427632
A method of image-based positioning is provided. The method comprises: (A) providing an image-capturing device integrated with a focused-radiation source and a processor; the image-capturing device further comprises an image sensor; (B) capturing an image of an object located in a field of view (FOV) of the image-capturing device by using the image sensor; (C) directing a focused ray of radiation generated by the focused-radiation source to the object located in the (FOV) of the…
Selecting raw measurements for use in position computation
Granted: April 23, 2013
Patent Number:
8427367
Raw measurements for a plurality of GNSS satellites are pruned based on signal to noise ratio (SNR) and elevation; with remaining unpruned raw measurements sorted by SNR into a sorted list of raw measurements. A first dilution of precision (DOP) based selecting process is performed to select an initial candidate list of raw measurements. The first DOP selecting process begins by using at least those of said pruned list of raw measurements which exceed an SNR quality threshold. The…
Motion triggered magnetic reading and compass heading calculations to reduce power consumption
Granted: April 9, 2013
Patent Number:
8417975
A method for reducing power consumption of an electronic device is disclosed. In one embodiment, an indication that an electronic device is oriented in a first orientation is received. An indication of rotation of the electronic device around an axis is received. A command is then generated to cause an electronic compass module disposed within the electronic device to transition from an idle operating state to an active operating state and to generate a compass heading.
Land survey system
Granted: April 9, 2013
Patent Number:
8416130
A method and system obtains precise survey-grade position data of target points in zones where precise GPS data cannot be obtained, due to natural or man-made objects such as foliage and buildings. The system comprises position measurement components such as a GPS receiver, together with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and an electronic distance meter (EDM) or an image capture device all mounted on a survey pole. The system and method obtains GPS data when outside the zone and uses…
Stationing an unleveled optical total station
Granted: April 2, 2013
Patent Number:
8411285
A method of stationing an unleveled optical total station includes placing the unleveled optical total station at a first station. At the first station, positions of at least three non-collinear measurement points in an instrument coordinate system are determined using the unleveled optical total station. The method also includes obtaining positions of the at least three non-collinear measurement points in a local coordinate system. A transformation is computed between the instrument…
Cordless inertial vehicle navigation
Granted: March 26, 2013
Patent Number:
8406996
Inertial navigation systems for wheeled vehicles with constrained motion degrees of freedom are described.
Excavator control using ranging radios
Granted: March 19, 2013
Patent Number:
8401746
A system for use with an excavator of the type having a chassis, bucket support elements including a boom extending from the chassis and a dipper stick pivotally mounted on the end of the boom, and an excavator bucket pivotally mounted on the end of the dipper stick, determines the position of the excavator bucket during operation of the excavator at a worksite. The system includes a plurality of fixed ranging radios that are positioned at known locations at the worksite. A pair of…
System and method for configuring a guidance controller
Granted: March 19, 2013
Patent Number:
8401744
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…
GNSS moving base positioning
Granted: March 19, 2013
Patent Number:
8400351
Methods and apparatus are presented for determining a position of an antenna of a GNSS rover from observations of GNSS signals collected at the antenna over multiple epochs and from correction data for at least one of the epochs. A first-epoch rover position relative to a moving base location is determined, a second-epoch update of the first-epoch rover position relative to the moving base location for a second epoch is determined using a single-differenced delta phase process, and the…
Systems and methods for computing vertical position
Granted: March 12, 2013
Patent Number:
8395542
Control systems and methods that provide a high degree of vertical measurement accuracy for a body in motion are disclosed. The systems employ an inertial sensor system for vertical measurement and a Global Navigation Satellite System that includes multipath reduction or attenuation to provide corrected vertical information for a moving body to the inertial sensor system. The combination of these systems enables the maintenance of an accurate vertical position for said body.
Integration of real-time field data in chemical delivery vehicle operations
Granted: February 26, 2013
Patent Number:
8386283
A method and system for integration of real-time field data in chemical delivery vehicle operations is disclosed. Initially, information for a plurality of regions designated for chemical delivery is received at a command center, each of the plurality of regions having a defined boundary. Real-time and forecast environmental conditions are utilized in conjunction with prior and real-time field data to rank each of the plurality of regions. One or more chemical delivery vehicles are…
Lightweight three-dimensional display
Granted: February 26, 2013
Patent Number:
8384713
A computer-implemented imaging process method includes generating a progression of images of a three-dimensional model and saving the images at a determined location, generating mark-up code for displaying image manipulation controls and for permitting display of the progression of images in response to user interaction with the image manipulation controls, and providing the images and mark-up code for use by a third-party application.
Methods and apparatus for performing angular measurements
Granted: February 19, 2013
Patent Number:
8379929
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…
GNSS signal processing methods and apparatus with ambiguity convergence indication
Granted: February 5, 2013
Patent Number:
8368591
Methods and apparatus are provided for estimating parameters, i.e. ambiguities, derived from GNSS signals. Observations of a GNSS signal from each of a plurality of GNSS satellites are obtained (2120). The observations are fed to a filter having a state vector comprising a float ambiguity for each received frequency of the GNSS signals (2140). The filter estimates a float value for each float ambiguity of the state vector and co-variance values associated with the state vector. Integer…
GNSS signal processing methods and apparatus with candidate set selection
Granted: February 5, 2013
Patent Number:
8368590
Methods and apparatus are provided for estimating parameters, i.e. ambiguities, derived from GNSS signals. Observations of GNSS signals are obtained from each of a plurality of GNSS satellites (120). The observations are fed to a filter having a state vector at least comprising a float ambiguity for each received frequency of the GNSS signals (140). The filter estimates float value for each float ambiguity of the state vector. Integer values are assigned to at least a subgroup of the…
