Dual-purpose GIS data system
Granted: March 15, 2016
Patent Number:
9286322
Embodiments of the present invention recite method for implementing a dual purpose Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network. In one embodiment, a first data stream which is compatible with a dedicated GIS data collection device is generated. The method further comprises generating a second data stream which is compatible with a mobile electronic device configured for collecting GIS data and which was not originally intended for use as a GIS data recording device.
RFID tag distance measurer
Granted: March 15, 2016
Patent Number:
9285470
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag distance measuring system and method is disclosed. One example includes a first replica path that receives a signal that is simultaneously transmitted to an RFID tag. The first replica path includes a plurality of taps at known distances along the first replica path. Each of the plurality of taps has a first tap input coupled with the first replica path. In addition, an RFID signal receiver receives a return signal from the RFID tag and…
System and method for generating coverage reports for software unit tests
Granted: March 8, 2016
Patent Number:
9280442
A unit test coverage report system and method may generate a coverage report to indicate the success or failure of current unit tests and the amount of further testing that is required to fully test an application undergoing development. The system or method may receive a source code file including a plurality of source code units, wherein each source code unit corresponds to one of a plurality of comments sections. The system or method may then parse the plurality of comments sections…
Lifting device efficient load delivery, load monitoring, collision avoidance, and load hazard avoidance
Granted: March 8, 2016
Patent Number:
9278833
A lifting device sensor unit comprising a housing, a load monitor, and a wireless transceiver. The housing is configured to removably couple about a load line of a lifting device. The load monitor is coupled with the housing and configured for monitoring a load coupled with the load line, including monitoring a load position and a load orientation of the load. The wireless is transceiver coupled with the housing and configured for wirelessly providing information including the load…
GNSS signal processing methods and apparatus
Granted: March 1, 2016
Patent Number:
9274230
Methods and apparatus are presented for determining position a GNSS rover antenna from single-frequency observations of GNSS signals collected at the antenna over multiple epochs and from correction data for at least one of the epochs. Coded raw data prepared from the single-frequency observations in a binary format are obtained and decoded to obtain decoded raw data. The decoded raw data are used to construct multiple epochs of measurement data of time, range and phase. Correction data…
Worksite proximity warning
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9269255
Systems and methods for warning of proximity in a worksite are disclosed. A second transceiver is detected at a first transceiver, wherein the first transceiver is a mobile wearable device, and wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are located at a worksite. An ad-hoc network is established, at the first transceiver, between the first transceiver and the second transceiver. A distance is calculated, at the first transceiver, in three dimensions between the first…
Camera on a rover surveying system
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9269143
A surveying system comprising a station and rover is used to make field measurements of a job site. The station at a first location has one or more cameras and one or more targets. The rover has one or more cameras and one or more targets. The rover is moved to a plurality of locations and images are acquired of the one or more targets of the station and/or the rover. The images are used to determine a spatial relationship between the first location and the plurality of locations.
System and method for identifying fault prone computer code files
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9268665
Metrics associated with computer code files within a codebase may be analyzed to identify bug-prone files. Functions of the method or system may determine metrics corresponding to each file of a plurality of codebase files within an application codebase. The functions may also store the metrics corresponding to each codebase file in a record of a database table, rank order the plurality of codebase files according to at least one metric, and flag each codebase file having a ranking over…
Utilizing scripting for provisioning actions
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9268585
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention recite utilizing scripting for provisioning actions. In one embodiment, a removable data storage device is communicatively coupled with a portable electronic device. An executable script file stored by the removable data storage device is utilized to cause the portable electronic device to perform an action.
Extensible web-based 3D modeling
Granted: February 9, 2016
Patent Number:
9256453
A system for extending the functionality of a web-based, three-dimensional modeling in a browser application is stored as instructions on a computer-readable medium. The instructions include an interface module that may receive user commands from the browser application that define a script including functions to modify or create a 3D model. The script instructions may cause a rendering of the 3D model to be displayed in a window controlled by the browser application. A modeling engine…
Method and system for position rail trolley using RFID devices
Granted: February 2, 2016
Patent Number:
9250073
A method of determining a gauge and a tilt of a rail track at a location includes providing a rail trolley including a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, an RFID reader, a gauge sensor, and a tilt sensor and positioning the rail trolley on the rail track at the location. The method also includes interrogating one or more RFID tags positioned along the rail track and determining, using the processor, a fixed location associated with each of the one or more RFID tags. The method…
Lifting device with load hazard avoidance using a sensor coupled with the load line
Granted: February 2, 2016
Patent Number:
9248998
A method of lifting device load hazard avoidance is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises determining a three dimensional position of a load hazard avoidance sensor unit coupled with a load line of a lifting device, the determining performed by a first global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver coupled with a housing of the load hazard avoidance sensor unit, monitoring for a load related hazard in a vicinity of a load coupled with the load line, the monitoring…
Use of overlap areas to optimize bundle adjustment
Granted: January 26, 2016
Patent Number:
9247239
Novel tools and techniques for defining a search range for conjugate points in a set of images. In one technique, an intra-overlap area in two images can be used to define a search range in which a conjugate point can be found; in an aspect, this search range might be expressed as a distance range from a station at which one or both of the two images were captured. That distance range can be used to narrow the search range in an image captured from another station, substantially reducing…
Rudder-assisted steering for self-propelled drainage equipment
Granted: January 26, 2016
Patent Number:
9242669
Novel tools and techniques for performing steering operations for a tracked vehicle with a dragged implement using a control system that uses a combination of differential steering and rudder steering based on one or more operating conditions of the vehicle.
Crane maneuvering assistance
Granted: January 19, 2016
Patent Number:
9238570
A system for tracking movable crane components to assist maneuvering the crane within a jobsite includes a computing device having a processor which calculates a 3D geospatial location and orientation of a 3D coordinate system for an upperworks that has an origin chosen along an axis of rotation between the upperworks and a lowerworks. The processor calculates a 3D position of the origin of the upperworks based on local coordinates and transforms the 3D position of the origin of the…
Integrated aerial photogrammetry surveys
Granted: January 12, 2016
Patent Number:
9235763
Novel tools and techniques for generating survey data about a survey site. Aerial photography of at least part of the survey site can be analyzed using photogrammetric techniques. In some cases, an unmanned aerial system can be used to collect site imagery. The use of a UAS can reduce the fiscal and chronological cost of a survey, compared to the use of other types aerial imagery and/or conventional terrestrial surveying techniques used alone.
Crane operation simulation
Granted: January 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9227821
A method for method for simulating a lift plan including: accessing a set of crane capability parameters for a crane at a worksite; accessing data relating to a set of factors, if any, occurring external to the crane, wherein the set of factors affects an operation of the crane at the worksite; based on the set of crane capability parameters, the data relating to the set of factors, if any, occurring external to the crane and affecting the operation of the crane and a movement plan for…
Sensor unit system
Granted: January 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9227820
A mobile construction device sensor unit comprises a point-to-point radio ranging system and a position determining component. The point-to-point radio ranging system is configured to couple with a mobile construction device. The position determining component is coupled with the point-to-point radio ranging system and is configured for determining a position of the sensor unit in at least two dimensions based on communications between the point-to-point radio ranging system and a…
Efficient distribution of functional extensions to a 3D modeling software
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9223593
Functional extensions are provided for use with a modeling software. The functional extensions provide functionality not otherwise provided by the modeling software. The functional extensions are received from a client device by a server and stored in a database. Thereafter, the server transmits the functional extensions to a second client device, sometimes in response to receiving a request for the functional extension from the second client device. The server may update a user profile…
Image-based surface tracking
Granted: December 29, 2015
Patent Number:
9224208
A method of image-tracking by using an image capturing device (12). The method comprises: performing an image-capture of a scene (54) by using an image capturing device; and tracking movement (62) of the image capturing device (12) by analyzing a set of images by using an image processing algorithm (64).
