METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING NAVIGATIONAL INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH LOCATIONS OF OBJECTS

• US 20110066375A1
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: France, Peter, Ralston, Stuart, Sharp, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,773,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for providing navigational information associated with locations of objects includes an imaging device configured to acquire image data, a visual display coupled to the imaging device and configured to display the image data, a position measuring device configured to determine position information associated with the imaging device, and an orientation device configured to determine orientation information associated with the imaging device. The apparatus may also include a rendering system coupled to the visual display, the position measuring device, and the orientation device. The rendering system may be configured to determine image coordinates associated with a location of an object and provide a navigational graphic on the visual display oriented relative to the image coordinates.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing navigational information associated with locations of objects comprising:

an imaging device configured to acquire image data;

a visual display coupled to the imaging device and configured to display the image data;

a position measuring device configured to determine position information associated with the imaging device;

an orientation device configured to determine orientation information associated with the imaging device; and

a rendering system coupled to the visual display, the position measuring device, and the orientation device, the rendering system configured to;

determine image coordinates associated with a location of an object; and

provide a navigational graphic on the visual display oriented relative to the image coordinates.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to obtain the location information associated with the object from a memory.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to obtain the location information associated with the object from a remote database.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the orientation information includes an orientation of the imaging device about a vertical axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the orientation information is determined using the position information provided by the position measuring device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the orientation device is a compass configured to provide an orientation of the imaging device about a vertical axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more tilt sensors configured to measure a pitch and a roll of the imaging device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visual display is wirelessly coupled to the imaging device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the position measuring device comprises a GNSS receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the navigational graphic is in the form of an arrow extending toward the image coordinates associated with the location of the object.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the imaging device, the visual display, the position measuring device, the orientation device, and the rendering system are integrated in a handheld unit.

12. An apparatus for providing navigational information associated with locations of objects comprising:

an imaging device configured to acquire image data;

a visual display coupled to the imaging device and configured to display the image data;

a position measuring device configured to determine a position of the imaging device;

an orientation device configured to determine an orientation of the imaging device about a vertical axis;

a rotation device configured to determine rotation of the imaging device about a horizontal axis; and

one or more processors coupled to the visual display, the position measuring device, the orientation device, and the rotation device, the one or more processor configured to;

obtain location information associated with an object;

determine image coordinates associated with a location of the object; and

provide a navigational graphic on the visual display oriented relative to the image coordinates.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the rotation of the imaging device about the horizontal axis includes pitch and roll.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the imaging device, the visual display, the position measuring device, the orientation device, the rotation device, and the one or more processors are integrated in a handheld unit.

15. A method of providing navigational information associated with a location of at least one object, the method comprising:

acquiring image data using an imaging device;

determining position information associated with a position of the imaging device;

determining orientation information associated with an orientation of the imaging device;

obtaining location information associated with the location of the object;

determining image coordinates associated with a location of the object; and

providing a navigational graphic on a visual display oriented relative to the image coordinates.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising obtaining rotation information associated with a rotation of the imaging device about a horizontal axis.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the orientation of the imaging device is about a vertical axis.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the navigational graphic is superimposed on the image data.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the navigational graphic is in the form of an arrow.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the position information is determined using a GNSS antenna and receiver.

21. A method of providing navigational information associated with a location of an object, the method comprising:

determining position information associated with a position of a device;

determining orientation information associated with an orientation of the device about a vertical axis;

obtaining location information associated with the location of the object; and

providing a navigational graphic on a visual display coupled to the device, an orientation of the navigational graphic based on the position information and the location information.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining rotation information associated with a rotation of the device about a vertical axis.