Light detector for multi-axis position control
Granted: October 22, 2002
Patent Number:
6470251
An apparatus and method for controlling a hydraulically movable tool carried by a machine in order to maintain a selected horizontal orientation and a selected elevation relative to an external light reference. The apparatus is a control device, having a light detector, placed at a known location along a longitudinal axis of the tool and a single-axis gravity-based sensor. The gravity-based sensor is also provided within the housing of the control device to measure the horizontal…
Bracket for coupling a global positioning system related device to a pole
Granted: October 15, 2002
Patent Number:
D464250
Cordless machine operation detector
Granted: October 15, 2002
Patent Number:
6466134
A cordless machine operation detector including a vibration sensor, a location detector, a data logger, and a transceiver. The vibration sensor detects when a machine is operating by sensing the vibrations that are caused by the machine during operation. The location detector provides a geographical location and includes a time clock for providing time. The data logger uses time from the time clock and an operation indication from the vibration sensor for logging the time for operation…
Form line following guidance system
Granted: October 8, 2002
Patent Number:
6463374
A first form line is defined using two or more terrestrial locations. The first form line may be predefined or may be defined by user during a spraying operation. A second form line is then computed using positioning data obtained while following the first form line and a swathing offset corresponding to the width of a spray pattern. The second form line is updated according to one or more deviations from the computed path. The deviations may correspond to operator inputted corrections…
Satellite positioning-based guidance system that utilizes simulated inertial navigation system
Granted: September 24, 2002
Patent Number:
6456906
A satellite positioning-based guidance system and method that utilize a simulated inertial navigation system are disclosed. The trajectory of the body of a non-thrusted flight vehicle is used instead of a conventional inertial navigation system. The attitude of the flight vehicle is determined using a satellite receiver, and the Extended Kalman filter is used to implement the navigation function.
Arrangement for determining the relative angular orientation between a first machine element and a second machine element
Granted: September 10, 2002
Patent Number:
6447240
An arrangement is provided for determining the relative angular orientation between an excavator bucket and the dipper stick of an excavator. The excavator bucket is mounted on a bucket linkage that is pivotally secured to the end of the dipper stick. An hydraulic actuator has an hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to the dipper stick, and a piston rod pivotally connected to the bucket linkage. Extension or contraction of the hydraulic actuator causes the excavator bucket to be…
Method for determining drift with a digital compass
Granted: September 3, 2002
Patent Number:
6446003
An integrated position and direction system and method thereof for determining drift. The integrated position and direction system comprises a satellite positioning system and a digital compass. The satellite positioning system is used for determining position and heading, and the digital compass is used for determining direction. An amount of drift can be determined using the heading and the direction. Knowing the amount of drift, a course compensating for the drift can be determined.…
High precision GPS/RTK and laser machine control
Granted: August 13, 2002
Patent Number:
6433866
The integrated laser and satellite positional system receiver is disclosed. The integrated laser and satellite positioning system receiver can provide a plurality of mobile units with a laser plane data determined with a millimeter relative accuracy. The integrated laser and differential satellite positioning system receiver can also generate and transmit the differential correctional data to a plurality of mobile units. Each mobile unit equipped with a mobile satellite positioning…
User interface for global positioning system receiver
Granted: August 6, 2002
Patent Number:
6430504
A control system for a combined GPS receiver and pseudolite receiver that allows adjustment of a number of data collection (i.e., configuration) parameters for the receiver. Preferably, a single interface allows for setting multiple parameters at the same time. Setting the configuration parameters may be in response to a user input specifying a desired quality of position estimate to be provided by the receiver and may be accomplished using a slide bar control. The slide bar control may…
Automatic charting of obstructions for mission planning
Granted: August 6, 2002
Patent Number:
6430505
A method and system for generating and maintaining a database comprising a location-sensitive timetable. At multiple locations, a device (e.g., an integrated position and direction system) listens for broadcast signals from broadcasting devices (e.g., Global Positioning System satellites). For each location, the device records the time and date and the number of satellites from which a signal is received. The device can also record the identities of satellites that can and cannot be…
Distributed GPS navigation system
Granted: August 6, 2002
Patent Number:
6430503
A system and method which separates time critical interrupt driven processing of Global Positioning System (GPS) signals from non-time critical processing. A measurement platform performs all satellite tracking functions which are driven by interrupts. Intermediate measurements data generated therefrom, for example code phase, carrier phase and Doppler, are communicated to a user platform which computes receiver position and time. As a result, the user platform can easily be configured…
Hybrid radio location system using a combination of satellite pseudoranges and radio pseudoranges
Granted: August 6, 2002
Patent Number:
6430416
A hybrid positioning system for locating an object using a combination of a GPS pseudoranges and local radio pseudoranges. The system includes one or more receptors coupled to a base station, and one or more location markers. The location markers are located with an object whose location is to be determined. Each of the location markers includes a GPS receiver for determining GPS pseudoranges and a radio transmitter for transmitting a radio signal including the GPS pseudoranges and…
GPS weather data recording system for use with the applications of chemicals to agricultural fields
Granted: July 23, 2002
Patent Number:
6424295
A GPS weather data recording system for use with the dispensing of chemicals to agriculture fields. A GPS receiver is used to determine a series of positions of a vehicle and the velocity of the vehicle as the vehicle traverses an agricultural field. The series of positions and velocity trace the vehicle's ground track across the agricultural field. A wind sensor is used to measure wind velocity with respect to the vehicle. A data storage system is used for storing data…
Code multipath estimation for weighted or modified tracking
Granted: July 2, 2002
Patent Number:
6414987
The apparatus and method for estimation and minimization of the residual multipath error signal are disclosed. The reduction of the multipath error signal is achieved by using the weighted or modified tracking. The estimation and minimization of the reduced multipath error signals is achieved by using the generator of additional modified or weighted signals.
Position based personal digital assistant
Granted: June 25, 2002
Patent Number:
6411899
A task description is stored in a database accessible by a mobile computer system. The mobile computer system receives positioning information corresponding to its geographic location and indexes the database based on the positioning information when the information indicates that the mobile computer system is in a geographic location that facilitates completion of a task associated with the task description. The database may be resident in the mobile computer system or accessible in…
Method for satellite tracking and extracting the signal by correlation
Granted: June 11, 2002
Patent Number:
6404801
The apparatus and method of the present invention is designed to receive SATPS satellites encoded information using a high gain antenna and pre-process the encoded information. The apparatus includes a High Gain Antenna (HGA), an extracting receiver, and a transmitter circuit configured to transmit the unknown code modulated on a transmission frequency for further processing in the delayed correlation receiver.
Pre-programmed destinations for in-vehicle navigation
Granted: June 11, 2002
Patent Number:
6405126
A system and method for finding an intended destination using an in-vehicle navigation system. Intended destinations are received and are coupled to an in-vehicle navigation system using various methods. In one embodiment, the intended destinations are stored on a magnetic strip that is disposed on the back of a plastic card. The plastic card is inserted into the in-vehicle navigation system where the data on the magnetic strip is read. Alternatively, a transmitter/receiver system is…
Differentiation of targets in optical station based on the strength of the reflected signal
Granted: June 4, 2002
Patent Number:
6400447
A system and method for selecting at least one target with strong reflectivity from a set of strong and weak reflectors by using an amplitude of a reflected signal to make such a selection. The pre-computed look-up table that relates an amplitude of the reflected signal from a target with a strong reflectivity to the distance at which such target is located is used in a real-time mode to separate weak reflectors from strong reflectors. In the post-processing mode the usage of normalizing…
Three dimensional laser control and tracking system
Granted: June 4, 2002
Patent Number:
6400452
A three dimensional laser tracking and control system is disclosed. The system includes a laser beacon generating a three dimensional rotating and scanning laser beam that covers a three-dimensional area. Each mobile unit has identification number (ID) and is equipped with a intelligent reflector (IR). Each mobile unit uses its intelligent reflector (IR) to communicate to the signal system its ID and the time of illumination by the laser beam. The signal system calculates the three…
Integrated position and direction system for determining position of offset feature
Granted: June 4, 2002
Patent Number:
6401037
An integrated position and direction system is disclosed that includes a digital compass, wherein the digital compass includes at least three sensors, and a satellite positioning system (SATPOS) having a receiver adapted to receive satellite position determining signals. Direction is determined using the digital compass and heading is determined using the SATPOS. At a first location, the integrated position and direction system is oriented to the offset feature and is operated to…
