REFERENCE BASED POSITIONING OF HANDHELD TOOLS

• US 20130137079A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Kahle, Kent, Cramer, Till, Winter, Andreas, Waibel, Reinhard, Bohle, Pat, Messmer, Markus, Glockner, Oliver, Beckenbauer, Angela
• Granted Patent: US 9,666,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/365
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A method for positioning a handheld tool is disclosed. In one embodiment, information is received at a handheld tool for positioning a working end of the handheld tool at a desired position. Information is also received at the handheld tool for aligning the handheld tools at the desired position.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a handheld tool comprising:

receiving at a handheld tool information for positioning a working end of said handheld tool at a desired position; and

receiving at said handheld tool instructions for aligning said handheld tool at said desired position.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at said handheld tool an operating parameter of said handheld tool to perform a task.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically detecting by said handheld tool an identification of a consumable item coupled with said handheld tool; and

determining an offset of a working end of said consumable item relative to an antenna of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna coupled with said handheld tool.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicatively coupling said handheld tool with a positioning infrastructure;

receiving by said positioning infrastructure a report conveying said desired position;

wirelessly sending said desired position to said handheld tool; and

displaying said desired position using a user interface proximate to said handheld tool.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said positioning infrastructure comprises a separate device from said handheld tool, said method further comprising:

determining the position of said positioning infrastructure;

determining the position of said handheld tool and said desired position relative to said positioning infrastructure; and

generating by said positioning infrastructure the information for positioning said working end of said handheld tool and the instructions for aligning said handheld tool at said desired position.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying an image which conveys said desired position of said working end of said handheld tool.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

projecting said image using a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the location of at least one underlying structure proximate to said desired position.

9. A handheld tool comprising:

a data receiver configured to receive positioning information describing a desired position of a working end of said handheld tool to perform a task, said data receiver further configured to receive a set of alignment data for aligning said handheld tool when said working end is situated at said desired position; and

a tool position detector configured to provide data verifying that said working end of said tool is located at said desired position and that said handheld tool is aligned in accordance with said alignment data.

10. The handheld tool of claim 9 wherein said data receiver is further configured to receive an operating parameter of said handheld tool to perform a task.

11. The handheld tool of claim 9 further comprising:

a tool position detector comprising at least one sensor for automatically detecting an identification of a consumable item coupled with said handheld tool; and

a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position determination device, and wherein said tool position detector is configured to determine an offset of a working end of said consumable item relative to an antenna of said GNSS position determination device.

12. The handheld tool of claim 9 further comprising:

a wireless communication transceiver for communicatively coupling said handheld tool with a positioning infrastructure and wherein said positioning infrastructure wirelessly conveys said desired position to said handheld tool; and

a user interface for displaying said desired position.

13. The handheld tool of claim 12 wherein said positioning infrastructure comprises a separate device from said handheld tool, and wherein said positioning infrastructure is configured to determine its position, determine the position of said handheld tool and said desired position relative to said positioning infrastructure, and to generate the positioning information describing said desired position of a working end of said handheld tool and said set of alignment data for aligning said handheld tool based upon at least one report received by said positioning infrastructure.

14. The handheld tool of claim 9 further comprising:

a user interface comprising a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses upon which an image which conveys said desired position of the working end of said handheld tool.

15. The handheld tool of claim 9 further comprising:

a user interface used to display the location of at least one underlying structure proximate to said desired position.

16. A system for providing positioning information to handheld tools, said system comprising:

an information management system for accessing task data for a site;

a handheld tool comprising;

a user interface; and

a tool position detector configured to determine a position of a working end of said handheld tool and an alignment of said handheld tool; and

a positioning infrastructure wirelessly coupled with said information management system and configured to correlate the task data with said position of said working end of said handheld tool and to generate at least one cue for positioning said working end of said handheld tool at a desired position of said site and to generate at least one cue for aligning said handheld tool at said desired position.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said user interface is configured to display said at least one cue for positioning said working end of said handheld tool at said desired position of said site and said at least one cue for aligning said handheld tool at said desired position.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said user interface comprises a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses upon which an image which conveys said desired position of said working end of said handheld tool.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein said positioning infrastructure comprises a device separate from said handheld tool.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a reporting source comprising a wireless transmitter and configured to report task data generated by said handheld tool to said information management system.