INTEGRATING POSITION INFORMATION INTO A HANDHELD TOOL

• US 20130137468A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Kahle, Kent, Bohle, Pat, Waibel, Reinhard, Messmer, Markus, Glockner, Oliver, Beckenbauer, Angela, Cramer, Till, Winter, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 9,031,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for integrating position information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the position data of an object embedded in a material at a worksite is recorded. The position data is used to update a record showing the position of the object as an embedded object. The position of the embedded object is displayed at a handheld tool.

Claims

1. A method of integrating position information comprising:

recording the position data of an object embedded in a material at a worksite;

using the position data to update a record showing the position of said object as an embedded object; and

displaying the position of said embedded object at a handheld tool.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving real-time data of the progress of a task performed by said handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

generating a warning to said handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

generating a message causing said handheld tool to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object.

5. A method of integrating position information comprising:

recording the position data of an object at a worksite;

updating a record showing the position of the object after said object has been embedded in a material to create an embedded object, wherein said record indicates that said object is an embedded object and wherein the position data of said object comprises the position data of said embedded object; and

conveying the position of said embedded object to a handheld tool proximate to said embedded object.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

conveying to said handheld tool, a distance of said embedded object beneath a surface of said material.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving real-time data of the progress of a task performed by said handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating a warning to said handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating a message causing said handheld tool to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating at least one message which provides a positioning cue for positioning a working end of said handheld tool at a location; and

generating at least one message which provides a cue for orienting said handheld tool around an axis.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying the position of said embedded object upon a display device coupled with said handheld tool.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying the position of said embedded object upon a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses.

13. An embedded object display system comprising:

a database configured to store position data of an object at a worksite prior to said object becoming embedded in a material to create an embedded object;

a report generator configured to generate a report conveying said position data of said embedded object to a handheld tool; and

a display device coupled with said handheld too configured to display said position of said embedded object.

14. The embedded object display system of claim 13 wherein said display device is configured to indicate a distance of said embedded object beneath a surface of said material.

15. The embedded object display system of claim 13 further comprising:

a communication transceiver configured to generate a message conveying real-time data of the progress of a task performed by said handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

16. The embedded object display system of claim 15 wherein said communication transceiver is further configured to receive a warning to said handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

17. The embedded object display system of claim 16 wherein said handheld tool is further configured to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object in response to a received message.

18. The embedded object display system of claim 13 further comprising:

a user interface configured to display a positioning cue for positioning a working end of said handheld tool at a location and to display a cue for orienting said handheld tool around an axis.

19. The embedded object display system of claim 18 wherein said user interface comprises a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses and wherein the position of said embedded object is displayed upon said set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses.