System and method for site calibration of a surveying device
Granted: October 11, 2011
Patent Number:
8035553
A system and method for site calibration of a controller is provided. In one embodiment, a method may include determining coordinates of a point in a first coordinate system based on at least one measurement by a surveying device, determining coordinates of the point in a second coordinate system based on data provided by a global positioning device, and calculating a transformation of the first coordinate system relative to the second coordinate system based on the coordinates…
Position bias amelioration method and apparatus in GNSS receiver
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8031110
A method of eliminating user position biases caused by satellite constellation changes or differential signal gain/loss is provided. The method comprises: (A) substantially continuously determining an unbiased user's position by using a radio receiver”; (B) detecting a “detectable event” by using the radio receiver; (C) measuring a bias caused by the detectable event; (D) performing an update process by accumulating each bias caused by at least one detectable event to generate an…
Compact transmission of GPS information using compressed measurement record format
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8031111
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…
Layout method
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8031332
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…
Method and system for creating a flexible GIS data collection network
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8032152
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for creating a flexible Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network. In one embodiment, a data dictionary is assigned to a mobile electronic device. In one embodiment, the data dictionary comprises a definition of at least one desired GIS feature type which was not originally intended to be recordable by the mobile electronic device. The method further comprises uploading the data dictionary onto the mobile electronic…
Method and system for restricting the use of position determining devices to defined regions
Granted: October 4, 2011
Patent Number:
8032300
In a position determining system that includes a position determining component such as a GPS receiver, and a controller, the system is made geographically dependent by providing a memory with geographic information to which position information from the position determining component is compared to determine whether the system is being used outside the permissible geographic region.
Systems and methods for slot classification
Granted: September 20, 2011
Patent Number:
8022814
Systems and methods for inventory round slot classification are described. The method includes transmitting, to zero or more RFID tags, a message during a slot of an inventory round and receiving a response from at least some of the zero or more RFID tags. The method also includes analyzing a received response for the presence of the pilot tone and classifying a respective slot in response to the analysis.
Method and communication system for limiting the functionality of an electronic device
Granted: September 6, 2011
Patent Number:
8013786
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for limiting the functionality of a mobile electronic device. In one embodiment, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver configured to determine a GNSS Doppler frequency shift measurement corresponding to a GNSS signal. A control component is configured to control an operation of the mobile electronic device in response to a control signal which is generated when the GNSS Doppler frequency shift measurement is…
Receiving information pertaining to a construction project
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8004397
A mountable reporting source comprising a controller coupled with an interrogating component configured for automatically receiving an identifier which is unique to an asset. A position determining component coupled with the controller is configured for determining a geographic location of the mountable reporting source. A merge asset information enabling communications component is coupled with the controller and is configured for transmitting a message conveying the identifier, the…
Methods and apparatus for operating a radio device
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
7999658
A radio device such as a wireless tag reader communicates with multiple types of wireless identification tags in a monitored region. The radio device includes a network interface to receive messages transmitted over a network. In response to receiving a message indicating to reconfigure the radio device to support an additional wireless tag protocol, the radio is reconfigured to support communications with a corresponding new type of wireless identification tag in a monitored region.…
Reference beam generator and method
Granted: August 9, 2011
Patent Number:
7992310
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…
Location specific in-vehicle frequency tuning data
Granted: August 9, 2011
Patent Number:
7996018
An in-vehicle system comprises a location unit, a frequency selection unit, and a receiving unit. Frequency tuning data is loaded into the selection unit. The frequency tuning data includes a radio signal reception area for each unique frequency in the tuning data. The location unit determines the system location and passes the location information to the frequency selection unit. The selection unit selects tuning data for a particular frequency having a signal reception area that…
Method and system for measuring angles based on 360 degree images
Granted: August 2, 2011
Patent Number:
7991575
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…
Global navigation satellite system apparatus display screen with user interface for a target display
Granted: July 26, 2011
Patent Number:
D642184
Merging data from survey devices
Granted: July 26, 2011
Patent Number:
7987212
Tools for synchronizing survey data between one or more survey devices and a surveying office application. The disclosed tools can help to ensure that each of the devices, and the office application, have consistent data. An exemplary tool might detect a change to data in an office application, identify any affected files on one or more survey devices, and ensure that the affected files are updated with the appropriate information. Conversely, in other aspects, a data inconsistency…
Post-processed accuracy prediction for GNSS positioning
Granted: July 19, 2011
Patent Number:
7982667
Methods and apparatus for processing of data from GNSS receivers are presented. (1) A real-time GNSS rover-engine, a long distance multi baseline averaging (MBA) method, and a stochastic post-processed accuracy predictor are described. (2) The real-time GNSS rover-engine provides high accuracy position determination (decimeter-level) with short occupation time (2 Minutes) for GIS applications. The long distance multi baseline averaging (MBA) method improves differential-correction…
Wireless device to network server encryption
Granted: July 19, 2011
Patent Number:
7983419
A system and method are disclosed for providing encryption of location data transmitted from a wireless device to a wireline network server. In one embodiment, the wireless device encrypts a payload, adds a header to the payload to form a data packet, encrypts the payload and the header of the data packet, and transmits the encrypted data packet.
Heat, water, and shock resistant combination radio modem and amplifier
Granted: July 12, 2011
Patent Number:
D641344
Land survey system
Granted: July 12, 2011
Patent Number:
7978128
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…
Inclination detection methods and apparatus
Granted: July 5, 2011
Patent Number:
7973916
Apparatus and methods for detecting inclination employ a point source of light from which light is emitted through a lens toward a reflective surface of a liquid contained in a vessel. Light reflected from the surface passes through the lens to form a defocused image of the point source on a two-dimensional array of detector elements. Data acquired from the array represents intensity of the light incident on each of the detector elements. A center of gravity representing inclination of…
