METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SURVEYING USING RFID DEVICES

• US 20120229262A1
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Amor, Miguel, Hanson, Nigel Peter, Janky, James M., Holmgren, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,500,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.51
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method of surveying includes detecting an RFID tag associated with a position of interest and decoding information stored in the RFID tag to extract data associated with the position of interest. The method also includes presenting the data associated with the position of interest to an operator of a surveying tool.

Claims

1. A method of surveying, the method comprising:

using a surveying tool to detect a point of interest associated with an object;

surveying detecting an RFID tag on the object associated with the position of interest;

decoding information stored in the RFID tag to extract surveying data associated with the position of interest, wherein the surveying data associated with the position of interest comprises information stored during a previous survey; and

presenting the surveying data associated with the position of interest to an operator of a surveying tool.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data comprises GNSS data.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the GNSS data comprises GPS data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data associated with the position of interest relates to one of an elevation, grade, global position, or surveying measurement in general.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data associated with the position of interest relates to reference information for the position of interest.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the data associated with the position of interest identifies at least one of:

the person who performed the survey, the date on which the survey was performed, the type of object associated with the point of interest, the equipment used for perform the survey, the geoid model, a control point to which the location of the object refers, or the surveying method.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting the data associated with the position of interest includes displaying the data on a surveying tool.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising labeling the position of interest with the RFID tag.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing a surveying measurement for the position of interest.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising evaluating a characteristic of the position of interest based, at least in part, on the data associated with the position of interest and the surveying measurement, wherein evaluating includes comparing a result of the surveying measurement to the data associated with the position of interest.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing updated data in the RFID tag.

12. A surveying tool comprising:

a display;

an RFID tag scanner configured to detect an RFID tag associated with a position of interest; and

a processor coupled to the display and the RFID tag scanner, the processor configured to;

decode information stored in the RFID tag to extract data associated with the position of interest; and

present the data associated with the position of interest;

an RFID tag writer configured to store updated data in the RFID tag.

13. The surveying tool of claim 12 wherein the data associated with the position of interest relates to one of an elevation, grade, or global position.

14. The surveying tool of claim 12 wherein the data associated with the position of interest relates to reference information for the position of interest.

15. The surveying tool of claim 14 wherein the reference information comprises at least one of an offset from the position of interest to a second position of interest or an offset from the position of interest to a target associated with a second position of interest.

16. The surveying tool of claim 12 wherein presenting the data associated with the position of interest includes displaying at least a portion of the data associated with the position of interest on the display.

17. The surveying tool of claim 12 wherein the data associated with the position of interest identifies at least one of:

the person who performed the survey, the date on which the survey was performed, the type of object associated with the point of interest, the equipment used for perform the survey, the geoid model, a control point to which the location of the object refers, or the surveying method.

18. The surveying tool of claim 12 further comprising an angle sensor and a distance sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a surveying measurement for the position of interest based, at least in part, on one or more output signals from at least one of the angle sensor or the distance sensor.

19. The surveying tool of claim 18 wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate a characteristic of the position of interest based, at least in part, on the data associated with the position of interest and the surveying measurement, wherein evaluating a characteristic of the position of interest includes comparing a result of the surveying measurement to the data associated with the position of interest.

20. The surveying tool of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to store updated data in the RFID tag.

21. A method for detecting RFID tag data of at least one item of interest, the method comprising:

detecting an RFID tag associated with an item located at a position of interest;

decoding the RFID tag to extract data associated with the item;

determining position data for the position of interest; and

displaying the data associated with the item and the position data for a user.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the data associated with the item of interest includes at least one of an identification of the item and reference information associated with the item.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the position data relates to at least one of location coordinates, elevation, grade, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) position data, surveying data, or global position data.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein determining position data comprises performing at least one of a surveying measurement, or a global positioning measurement.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein decoding the RFID tag comprises interrogating the RFID tag using an RFID tag scanner included with at least of one of a total station or a handheld geographic information system.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising generating a data record for the item of interest including the data associated with the item and the position data.

27. The method of claim 21 further comprising determining position data for a second position of interest associated with the item and displaying position data for the second position.

28. The method of claim 21 further comprising detecting a second RFID tag associated with a second item and determining position data for the second RFID tag.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising displaying a target window on the display to mark the RFID tag.

30. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving a user selection and decoding the RFID tag based on the user selection.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein detecting an RFID tag relates to detection of the RFID tag located a distance within a range of 1 to 150 feet.

32. The method of claim 21 further comprising transmitting at least one of the data associated with the item located at the position of interest or the position data for the position of interest over a wireless link.

33. The method of claim 21 further comprising monitoring earth movement based on at least one of the data associated with the item located at the position of interest or the position data for the position of interest.

34. A device configured for RFID tag detection comprising:

a display;

a radio frequency receiver configured to detect an RFID tag associated with an item located at a position of interest;

a position detection module configured to determine position data for the position of interest; and

a radio frequency transmitter configured to store data in an RFID tag associated with an item located at a position of interest;

a processor coupled to the display, the imaging device and the position detection module, wherein the processor is configured to;

decode the RFID tag to extract data associated with the item;

output the data associated with the item and the position data to the display; and

store updated data in the RFID tag.

35. The device of claim 34 wherein the data associated with the item of interest includes at least one of an identification of the item and reference information associated with the item.

36. The device of claim 35 wherein the reference information comprises an offset from the position of interest to a second position of interest.

37. The device of claim 35 wherein the reference information comprises an offset from the position of interest to a target associated with a second position of interest.

38. The device of claim 34 wherein the position data relates to at least one of location coordinates, elevation, grade, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) position data, surveying data, or global position data.

39. The device of claim 34 wherein the position detection module performs at least one of a surveying measurement, or a global positioning measurement.

40. The device of claim 34 wherein the processor is further configured to generate a data record for the item of interest including the data associated with the item and the position data.

41. The device of claim 34 wherein the display is configured to display a target window to mark the RFID tag.

42. The device of claim 34 wherein the processor is further configured to receive a user selection and decode the RFID tag based on the user selection.

43. The device of claim 34 wherein the device relates to at least one of a total station or a handheld geographic information system.

44. The device of claim 34 wherein detection of an RFID tag relates to detection of the RFID tag located a distance within a range of 1 to 150 feet.

45. The device of claim 34 wherein the device is further configured to transmit at least one of the data associated with the item located at the position of interest or the position data for the position of interest over a wireless link.

46. The device of claim 34 wherein the device is further configured to monitor earth movement based on at least one of the data associated with the item located at the position of interest or the position data for the position of interest.