APPARATUS, METHOD, AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFICATION OF MULTIPLE POINTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AN AREA

• US 20110090051A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Inventors: Barker, David L., McGill, Timothy D., Ware, Lowell J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/8.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatus, methods, and systems for determining point locations with respect to an origin point. Aspects described herein provide for a cost-effective and easy to use way in which a limited number of persons may map out point locations over a relatively large area with a high degree of accuracy.

Claims

1. A method of determining a point location in a relatively large area of interest comprising:

a. determining an actual origin point in the area from a priori knowledge and aligning a locator apparatus positioned at the actual origin point along a reference direction related to the actual origin point from a priori knowledge,

b. orienting at least a portion of the locator apparatus in a desired direction which is of a known relationship to the reference direction by orienting a visible light source in the desired direction and detecting the intersection of at least a part of the visible light source with the point location by viewing the light source, and

c. measuring or estimating a distance from the locator apparatus along the desired direction to the point location.

2. The method of claim 1 whereby the known relationship is derived from indicia which may include any of:

a. a visual representation of the area of interest,

b. a visual representation of the origin point,

c. a visual representation of the known direction,

d. a visual representation of the point location,

e. a scale bar,

f. a compass rose,

g. geographic coordinates, and

h. information identifying the area of interest.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the indicia may be materialized as any of the following:

a. a material including the indicia and an adhesive substance such that said material may be affixed to some portion of the locator apparatus and the indicia displayed,

b. a material upon which the indicia is recorded such that said material may be used with the locator apparatus, or

c. some portion of the locator apparatus upon which the indicia is directly recorded.

4. The method of claim 3 applied to a plurality of point locations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of viewing the visible light source comprises direct viewing of the visible light source.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of viewing the visible light source comprises in direct viewing of the visible light source by reflection.

7. An apparatus for determining a point location in a relatively large area with respect to an actual origin point assigned in the area comprising:

a. a alignment device adapted for use at an actual origin point and to be perceived at a distance at least several feet away from an origin point, the alignment device comprising a light source adapted to project a light beam which comprises visible light,

b. a portable means for supporting said alignment device above an underlying surface, and

c. means for translating said alignment device relative to a reference in any of a plurality of directions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 whereby the alignment device is perceived at the receiving point by any of the following:

a. a user directly viewing the alignment device, or

b. a surface reflecting some portion of the alignment device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the alignment device comprises a collimated light source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the collimated light source is one of (i) a laser or (ii) a range finder.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the collimated light source is affixed to a protractor.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the alignment device comprises a sight tube-type device and means of communicating between the origin point and the receiving point.

13. A method of determining a point location relative to an actual origin point on an area of interest comprising:

a. placing a locator apparatus at the actual origin point and aligning a member of the locator apparatus along a zero line as indicated by indicia provided with, affixed to, or integral to the locator apparatus,

b. pivoting the member about the origin point such that the member is oriented in a direction indicated by the indicia, and

c. measuring or estimating a distance indicated by the indicia from the origin point along the indicated direction to the point location.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the point location indicates the placement of a pole or other elevated structure and the area of interest comprises at least one sports field.

15. A method of translating one or more plan points on a scale-model plan of an area each to a correlated actual geographic location in the area comprising:

a. assigning on the plan;

i. a plan reference point; and

ii. a plan radial reference direction from the plan reference point;

b. locating on the area;

i. an actual reference location correlated to the plan reference point on the plan;

ii. an actual radial reference direction correlated to the plan radial reference direction on the plan;

c. determining an offset of each plan point on the scale-model plan from the plan reference point and plan radial reference direction on the scale-model plan;

d. locating in the area the actual geographic location correlated to each plan point by using the determined offset on the scale-model plan.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the offset comprises for each plan point:

a. angular displacement between the plan radial reference direction and a radial direction from the plan reference point to the plan point on the plan; and

b. a distance indicated on the plan along that radial direction for that plan point.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of locating the actual geographic location for each plan point comprises:

a. following the actual radial reference direction for that plan point outward from the actual reference location;

b. for the distance indicated on the plan from the actual reference location for that plan point.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the scale-model plan comprises a plurality of plan points.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the plurality of plan points correspond to locations for lighting fixtures.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the lighting fixtures are elevated from the plane of the area.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the scale-model plan is pre-designed according to a lighting plan for the area.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein the scale-model plan is placed at the actual reference location of the area and the plan radial reference direction is aligned with the actual radial reference direction.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the actual radial reference direction is correlated to one or more actual landmarks at the area.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of locating in the area each actual geographic location comprises establishing a line correlated to the offset for each plan point.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of establishing a line comprises at least one of:

a. projecting a laser beam from the actual reference location at the offset for the plan point;

or

b. optically sighting from the actual reference location at the offset for the plan point.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of establishing a line utilizes a relatively inexpensive and portable apparatus comprising:

a. a base adapted for placement at the actual reference location at the area and

b. a mount on the base for adjustable mounting of a laser for producing the laser beam or device for optical sighting.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the base comprises a tripod.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the laser includes an optic for diverging its laser beam in a single plane.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the mount includes a surface to mount the scale-model plan.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising a distance measuring device adapted to measure the indicated distance on the plan along each actual reference direction for each plan point.

31. A method of translating one or more plan points on a scale-model plan of an area each to a correlated actual geographic location in the area comprising:

a. physically placing the scale-model plan at an actual reference location at the area;

b. physically aligning a plan reference direction on the scale-model plan with an actual reference related to the area;

c. for any plan point on the scale-model plan locating a corresponding actual location in the area by;

i. determining the angular displacement from the plan reference direction to a plan point direction through the plan point; and

ii. following the plan point direction away from the actual reference location a measured actual distance derived from the scale-model plan for the plan point.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the plan points represent distances of at least several tens of feet from the actual reference location.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the angular displacement and measured actual distance are within an acceptable tolerance relative to the plan.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the acceptable tolerance is location of an actual location in the area within approximately +/−

one foot of the scale-model plan point.

35. An apparatus for translating one or more plan points on a scale-model plan of an area each to a correlated actual geographic location in the area comprising:

a. a portable base comprising;

i. a mounting interface;

ii. one or more ground-contacting feet;

iii. an intermediate section between the mounting interface and the one or more ground-contacting feet;

b. a working head mountable to the mounting interface of the base, the working head being adjustable angularly and rotationally relative the mounting interface;

c. a surface on the working head adapted to display a scale-model plan comprising one or more plan points, a plan reference point, and a plan reference direction extending radially from the plan reference point.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the portable base comprises a camera tripod.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the working head comprises a joint allowing panning and tilting of the working head relative to the mounting interface.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the surface comprises a plate which is rotatable relative the working head.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the plate comprises mounting structure for a laser assembly.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the laser assembly comprises:

a. a hand-held, battery-powered, low-power, laser pointer removably held in a retainer which is mountable to the mounting structure of the plate.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the laser pointer comprises a less than 5 mW laser and a optics to produce a laser beam that is spread diverging in essentially a single plane.

42. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the plan is integrated with the surface.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 wherein the plan is etched, inked, or painted on the surface.

44. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the plan is independent of the surface but mountable to the surface.

45. A kit for locating a plurality of physical locations around a large area correlated to corresponding plan point on a scale-model plan comprising:

a. a scale-model plan comprising;

i. a plan reference point;

ii. a plan radial reference direction from the plan reference point;

iii. a plurality of plan points in pre-determined directions and distances from the plan reference point;

b. a portable base that may be hand-carried to the area and positioned at an actual reference location correlated to the plan reference point of the plan;

c. a laser assembly mountable on the portable base and adjusted to project a laser beam along an actual radial reference direction correlated to the plan radial reference direction of the plan within an acceptable tolerance;

d. a portable distance measuring device that may be hand-carried with the portable base to the area and used to measure distance between the actual reference location and an actual location for a plan point by reference to the plan within an acceptable tolerance.

46. The kit of claim 45 further comprising a head between the laser assembly and the base, the head comprising a plate including a mounting location for the laser assembly.

47. The kit of claim 46 wherein the plate comprises a plate reference point correlated to the plan reference point and a plurality of pre-manufactured mounting locations for the laser assembly correlated to one or more plan points.

48. The kit of claim 47 further comprising a bubble level for the plate.

49. The kit of claim 46 wherein the laser assembly comprises a hand-held, battery-powered laser pointer device having a longitudinal axis and including an optic to spread the laser beam essentially in a single plane, and a mounting sub-assembly allowing rotation of the laser pointer device relative around its longitudinal axis.