Construction machine having location based auto-start
Granted: July 17, 2007
Patent Number:
7245999
A construction machine for automatically receiving selected project data files based on the geographical location and identification of the machine. The machine includes an auto-start transceiver for transmitting the local location and identification of the machine and receiving project data files from a project data distributor that are selected for the local location and identification for operation of the machine.
Level device and method of calibrating a level vial
Granted: July 17, 2007
Patent Number:
7243435
The level device includes a level body having a pair of orthogonal reference surfaces. A vial carrier on the level body holds the level vial such that it can be calibrated with respect to the reference surfaces by rotation about a pair of orthogonal axes, each of the orthogonal axes being perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the level vial. Adhesive fixes the position of the level vial with respect to the vial carrier and fixing the position of the vial carrier with respect to…
Mobile control apparatus
Granted: July 3, 2007
Patent Number:
7239887
Vehicle maintenance-related services are provided from a server over a wide area network, such as the Internet. Under one method, a server that is accessible over the wide area network through a wireless communication link is provided. Then, in a vehicle, an apparatus is provided to collect, over a data bus in the vehicle, data relating to an operation of the vehicle. The data received from the data bus is then communicated to the server over the wireless communication link. Based on the…
GPS receiver having a phase lock loop hold off
Granted: June 12, 2007
Patent Number:
7230568
A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver using phase lock loops for strong GNSS signals and automatic frequency control (AFC) loops for weak GNSS signals on a satellite-by-satellite basis. The phase lock loops or the AFC loops associated with particular GNSS satellites generate frequency feedback adjustments for tracking the carrier frequencies of the incoming GNSS signals in order to determine pseudoranges for calculating a location fix. The transition from an AFC loop to a…
Receiver circuit with “m” sectors each with “n” channels
Granted: June 5, 2007
Patent Number:
7227121
A laser beam receiver with non-interdigitated photosensors arranged in a repeating pattern of “n” channels of photosensors in each of “m” sectors is disclosed. The photocurrent from both the anode and cathode terminals of the photosensor is used to determine laser beam position. The repeating patterns connect one set of “n” channel amplifier channels with the corresponding set of “m” sector amplifier channels. The position of the laser beam is determined by its position…
GPS rover station having position dithering for controlling accuracy of secure positions
Granted: June 5, 2007
Patent Number:
7227496
A positioning system or synthetic phase processor or rover station for providing high integrity positions with graduated accuracies. The positioning system includes one or more real time kinematic (RTK) reference stations for receiving GPS signals at established reference positions and measuring reference phases. The positioning system or the rover station selects a synthetic offset vector and uses the synthetic offset vector for inferring synthetic reference phases to a synthetic…
Dual platform location-relevant service
Granted: June 5, 2007
Patent Number:
7227499
A location-relevant service system provides location-relevant information to, or performs location-relevant service for, a first mobile unit based on the location of a second mobile unit. In one instance, the first mobile unit is fixed on a vehicle, while the second mobile unit can be provided as a cellular phone. In another instance, the first mobile unit is provided with a display panel, so that authentication can be achieved through providing the displayed location information to a…
Strobe light and laser beam detection for laser receiver
Granted: May 29, 2007
Patent Number:
7224473
A laser receiver detects a thin beam of laser light and distinguishes between the beam of laser light and an omni-directional pulse of light from a strobe by the use of an additional photo-detector. The device takes into account the possibility that the additional photo-detector could be illuminated simultaneously with the main photo-detectors at the end of the main photo-detectors closest to the additional photo-detector.
Dual axis single motor platform adjustments system
Granted: May 8, 2007
Patent Number:
7213343
An arrangement for use in a light beam projection device for adjusting an orientation of a projected light beam is disclosed. The arrangement comprises a base frame, a support platform adapted to set the orientation of the projected light beam, and a pivot member pivotally mounting the support platform relative to the base frame. A tilting motor is provided to the base frame and has a pair of output shafts influencing the orientation of the support platform, whereby rotation of the…
GPS reference system providing a synthetic offset vector for dithering a rover station position
Granted: April 10, 2007
Patent Number:
7202813
A positioning system or synthetic phase processor or rover station for providing high integrity positions with graduated accuracies. The positioning system includes one or more real time kinematic (RTK) reference stations for receiving GPS signals at established reference positions and measuring reference phases. The positioning system or the rover station selects a synthetic offset vector and uses the synthetic offset vector for inferring synthetic reference phases to a synthetic…
GPS receiver with autopilot and integrated lightbar display
Granted: April 3, 2007
Patent Number:
7200490
A system for controlling a mobile machine is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises an integrated guidance system coupled with a steering component. The integrated guidance system comprises a position determining system for determining the geographic position of the mobile machine. A guidance system coupled with the position determining system is for determining a deviation of the mobile machine from a desired direction. The integrated guidance system also comprises a display…
Method and apparatus for optical correction of a laser beam
Granted: March 27, 2007
Patent Number:
7196784
A laser beam transmitter and a method of calibrating such a transmitter result in a beam of laser light that is projected in a desired direction with respect to a transmitter body. The transmitter and a beam target are positioned such that a properly calibrated beam will illuminate a desired point on the target, such as for example the target center. The transmitter is activated and the offset of the point illuminated on the target from the target center measured. A plurality of optical…
Signal receiver having signal acquisition at low signal strength using interleaved time segments
Granted: March 27, 2007
Patent Number:
7197064
A GPS receiver and method using alternating “A” and “B” integration time segments. The polarities of certain GPS data bits are known beforehand and their expected reception times are known. The GPS signal in 10 millisecond “A” time segments and “B” time segments is depolarized according to the known polarities. The depolarized GPS signal during an “A” time period made up of all the “A” time segments is integrated for providing an “A” time period magnitude for…
Method and system for controlling a mobile machine
Granted: March 6, 2007
Patent Number:
7188015
Embodiments of the present invention recite system for controlling a mobile machine. In one embodiment the system comprises a position determining component for determining the geographic position of the mobile machine. The system further comprises a steering component for controlling the steering mechanism of the mobile machine in response to a message. The system further comprises a control component coupled with the position determining component and with the steering component. The…
Method for estimating the orientation of a machine
Granted: February 27, 2007
Patent Number:
7184926
A method for estimating the orientation of the machine which provides a motive power unit and a working tool, in which the working tool is pivoted to the motive power unit and carries a 3D sensor and a rotational angle sensor; the method includes collecting a buffer of positional data points from the 3D sensor and fitting these points to a circle; the method also may be used to provide computer control of the machine.
Method and apparatus for machine element control
Granted: January 30, 2007
Patent Number:
7168174
A method of monitoring the location, and the orientation of a machine element, and apparatus for monitoring and controlling the operation of the machine include a robotic total station and a plurality of targets in known positions relative to the machine element. The total station, located at a known location near the machine element, repeatedly, successively determines the location of each target. Acquisition and re-acquisition of the targets is aided by stored data regarding the prior…
Methods and systems for harnessing electrical energy from ambient vibrational motion of a moving vehicle
Granted: January 9, 2007
Patent Number:
7161254
Vibrational motion caused by a moving vehicle is transduced into electrical energy by a vibrational-to-electric energy converter, and stored in an electrical energy storage device such as a rechargeable battery. The electrical energy storage device may then power one or more electronic components located on the moving vehicle. Where a radio transmitter is used, information produced by the electronic components located on the moving vehicle may be transmitted to other locations/devices.
Receiver having a ratio-based signal acquisition method
Granted: January 9, 2007
Patent Number:
7161977
A GPS receiver having a ratio-based signal acquisition method. The GPS receiver has a tentative signal acquisition when a first ratio of the largest GPS signal correlation value to the second largest in a first time period exceeds a selected qualification ratio. The GPS receiver verifies signal acquisition when the average of iteration ratios for largest to second largest correlation values in iteration time periods exceed the qualification ratio.
Self-leveling laser alignment tool and method thereof which compensates for material stiffness of an included pendulum
Granted: January 2, 2007
Patent Number:
7155835
A self-leveling laser alignment tool and method thereof which provides a laser beam in a substantially truly level or plumb orientation are disclosed. Magnetic attraction is used to compensate for leveling errors of an approximately or partially leveled pendulum platform that is suspended from a flexible support member having a predetermined material stiffness. The material stiffness of the suspension member is compensated by using magnets which pulls the pendulum platform into an…
System and method for determining a pivot center and radius based on a least squares approach
Granted: January 2, 2007
Patent Number:
7156328
A system and method for determining the center and radius based on a least squares approach is disclosed. In one embodiment, a farmer drives through a given arc of a circular field in question and periodically takes position measurements. In another embodiment, a Least-Squares Algorithm is used to estimate the best-fitting center and radius given the set of position measurements input by the farmer.
