OPTICAL GROUND TRACKING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

• US 20170023677A1
• Filed: 05/09/2016
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Inventors: Olsson, Mark S., Chapman, Eric M., Merewether, Ray, Aldridge, Sequoyah
• Granted Patent: US 9,841,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2003/467 Colour computing
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0202 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/021 using plane or convex mirrors, parallel phase plates, or particular reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0262 Constructional arrangements for removing stray light
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0291 Housings; Spectrometer accessories; Spatial arrangement of elements, e.g. folded path arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/46 Measurement of colour; Colour measuring devices, e.g. colorimeters measuring colour temperature G01J5/60
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/50 using electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/786 the desired condition being maintained automatically
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/10 using induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

Optical ground tracking apparatus for use with buried object locators or other instruments or devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a buried object locator includes a locator module disposed in our coupled to the housing to sense a buried object based on emitted magnetic fields, and a surface tracking module for determining motion information of the buried object locator based on light reflected from a tracking surface.

Claims

1. A buried object locator, comprising:

a housing;

a buried object locator module disposed in our coupled to the housing, the buried object locator module including magnetic field antennas and electronic circuitry to sense a buried object and generate buried object information corresponding with the position and orientation of the buried object based on sensed magnetic fields emitted from the buried object;

a surface tracking module for;

detecting light reflected from a tracking surface;

determining a motion of the buried object locator relative to the tracking surface, based at least in part on analysis of light patterns associated with the surface; and

generating motion information corresponding with the sensed motion; and

an integration module configured to associate the buried object information with corresponding motion information and store the associated information in a non-transitory memory.

2. The buried object locator of claim 1, further including:

an electronic circuit for generating a tracking light pulse or beam; and

optics for sending the tracking light pulse or beam to the tracking surface so as to reflect a portion therefrom for use in the determining a motion of the buried object locator.

3. The buried object locator of claim 2, wherein the optics include a light emitting diode (LED) for sending the tracking light pulse or beam.

4. The buried object locator of claim 1, light reflected from the tracking surface is detected using a color sensor.

5. The buried object locator of claim 1, further comprising a distance measurement module for measuring a distance between a reference position between the buried object locator and the ground and generating distance information;

wherein the motion information is further based on the distance information.

6. A method for tracking the position of a buried object locator, comprising:

determining buried object information by sensing magnetic fields emitted from the buried object and processing the received magnetic fields;

detecting, in a surface tracking module of the buried object locator, light reflected from a tracking surface;

determining a motion of the buried object locator relative to the tracking surface, based at least in part on analyzing light patterns associated with the surface;

generating motion information corresponding with the sensed motion in a processing element of the buried object locator;

associating the buried object information with corresponding motion information; and

storing the associated information in a non-transitory memory of the buried object locator.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating a tracking light pulse or beam; and

sending the generated tracking light pulse or beam to the tracking surface so as to reflect a portion therefrom for use in the determining a motion of the buried object locator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information corresponding to the sensed motion is location or tracking information.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising controlling, from the processing element, the generated output light.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generated output light is generated based at least in part on previously received reflected light.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating a map of the buried object relative to the surface based at least in part on the buried object information and the motion information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a visual display of the buried object information and corresponding motion information on a display of the buried object locator.