Apparatus and method for locating electronic job site plan features at a job site

• US 20060020417A1
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Koch, Roger D., Alig, Jeff S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/150
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 17/28 Electromagnetic compasses with north seeking magnetic elements and having electric pick-offs G01C17/26

Abstract

In order for work, such as excavation, to occur at a job site, a job site plan with various job site features must be accurately translated to ground locations at the job site. The present disclosure locates a job site feature at a job site by storing a job site plan including at least one job site location on a computer readable data storage medium of an apparatus. An apparatus location is determined via at least one location sensor and compared to the at least one job site location. A job site locating algorithm also stored on the computer readable data storage medium is operable to indicate when the at least one job site location and the apparatus location are coincident.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one location sensor being operable to sense an apparatus location and being in electrical communication with a computer processor that is in communication with a computer readable data storage medium;

a predetermined job site plan including at least one job site location and being stored on the computer readable data storage medium; and

a job site locating algorithm being operable to indicate when the apparatus location and the at least one job site location are coincident.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the predetermined job site plan includes an excavation plan.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one of location sensor including at least one of a global positioning system and local positioning system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a job site display being operable to indicate the apparatus location relative to the job site location.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the job site locating algorithm includes an alerting algorithm being operable to indicate when the apparatus location and the job site location are within a predetermined distance from one another.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 including a marking mechanism operable to mark a ground location where the apparatus location and the job site location are coincident.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the marking mechanism being operable to mark a plurality of visually different ground locations;

and

each ground location corresponding to a different job site feature characteristic.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including a job site display being operable to indicate the apparatus location relative to the job site location;

the predetermined job site plan including an excavation plan;

the at least one of location sensor including at least one of a global positioning system and local positioning system; and

the job site locating algorithm including an alerting algorithm being operable to indicate when the apparatus location and the job site location are within a predetermined distance from one another.

9. An article:

a computer readable data storage medium; and

job site locating algorithm being stored on the storage medium and being operable to indicate when a sensed location and a stored job site location within a job site plan are coincident.

10. The article of claim 9 wherein the job site plan includes an excavation plan.

11. The article of claim 9 wherein the job site locating algorithm includes a guiding algorithm being operable to indicate the sensed location relative to the stored job site location.

12. The article of claim 9 wherein the job site locating algorithm includes an alerting algorithm being operable to indicate when the sensed location and the stored job site location are within a predetermined distance from one another.

13. The article of claim 9 wherein the job site locating algorithm includes a job site feature characteristic indicating algorithm being operable to indicate a job site feature characteristic when the sensed apparatus location and the stored job site location are coincident.

14. The article of claim 13 wherein the job site plan includes an excavation plan;

and

the job site locating algorithm includes an alerting algorithm being operable to indicate when the sensed location and the stored job site location are within a predetermined distance from one another, and a guiding algorithm being operable to indicate the sensed location relative to the stored job site location.

15. A method of locating a job site feature at a job site, comprising the steps of:

storing a job site plan including at least one job site location on a computer readable data storage medium of an apparatus;

determining an apparatus location;

comparing the at least one job site location with the apparatus location; and

indicating when the apparatus location and at least one job site location are coincident.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of determining includes a step of sensing the apparatus location via at least one of a global positioning system and a local positioning system.

17. The method of claim 15 including a step of guiding, at least in part, by indicating the apparatus location relative to the job site location.

18. The method of claim 15 including a step of indicating when the apparatus location and the job site location are within a predetermined distance from one another.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of indicating includes a step of marking a ground location where the job site location and the apparatus location are coincident.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of marking includes a step of indicating a job site feature characteristic associated with the ground location.