Spatial positioning system
First Claim
1. A spatial positioning system for determining the instantaneous x-y-z position of a movable object in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, comprising:
- at least three fixed referent stations, each said station emitting a divergent rotating laser beam and also emitting a communication pulse when its laser beam crosses a predetermined rotation datum;
a sensor mounted on the object, said sensor including;
detector means for detecting said laser beams, said detector means emitting a signal indicating detection of a laser beam;
communication pulse receiving means for receiving said communication pulse, said communication pulse receiving means emitting a signal indicating receipt of a communication pulse; and
a determination means for determining the instantaneous x-y-z position of the object based on the signals emitted from said detector means and the signals emitted from said communication pulse receiving means.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spatial positioning apparatus providing three-dimensional position information and methods to utilize the position information for improved surveying, construction layout, equipment operations, manufacturing control and autonomous vehicle control is disclosed. The spatial positioning apparatus includes at least three, preferably four, fixed referent stations. A minimum of two, preferably three, of the fixed stations sweeps a spread laser beam horizontally across the site of interest. The remaining fixed station sweeps a spread beam vertically across the site of interest. A strobe signal is emitted from each fixed station when the rotation mechanism actuates a rotation datum. The spatial positioning apparatus also includes one or more portable position sensors. The portable position sensor includes a light sensitive detector, a computer, and a display. The x, y, z coordinates of the portable position sensor are obtained through a triangulation technique based on time marks received from each spread laser beam from the fixed stations and the rotation datum received from the strobe of each fixed station. Multiple portable position sensors for use in attitude information for productivity improvement for equipment and for control of autonomous vehicles are disclosed.
258 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A spatial positioning system for determining the instantaneous x-y-z position of a movable object in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, comprising:
-
at least three fixed referent stations, each said station emitting a divergent rotating laser beam and also emitting a communication pulse when its laser beam crosses a predetermined rotation datum; a sensor mounted on the object, said sensor including; detector means for detecting said laser beams, said detector means emitting a signal indicating detection of a laser beam; communication pulse receiving means for receiving said communication pulse, said communication pulse receiving means emitting a signal indicating receipt of a communication pulse; and a determination means for determining the instantaneous x-y-z position of the object based on the signals emitted from said detector means and the signals emitted from said communication pulse receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
-
2. A spatial positioning system for determining the instantaneous x-y-z position of a movable object in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, comprising:
-
at least three fixed referent stations, each said station emitting a rotating laser beam and also emitting a communication pulse when its laser beam crosses a predetermined rotation datum; a sensor mounted on the object, said sensor including; detector means for detecting said laser beams, said detector means emitting a signal indicating detection of a laser beam; communication pulse receiving means for receiving said communication pulse, said communication pulse receiving means emitting a signal indicating receipt of a communication pulse; and a determination means for determining the position of the object based on the signals emitted from said detector means and the signals emitted from said communication pulse receiving means, wherein said at least three fixed referent stations include at least two horizontal fixed referent stations and at least one vertical fixed referent station, each of said horizontal stations emitting a laser beam which is divergent in a vertical plane and is rotated in a horizontal plane, and said at least one vertical station emitting a laser beam which is divergent in a horizontal plane and is rotated in a vertical plane. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 7, 8)
-
-
17. A spatial positioning system for determining the instantaneous x-y-z position of a movable object in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, comprising:
-
at least three fixed referent stations, each said station emitting a rotating laser beam and also emitting a communication pulse when its laser beam crosses a predetermined rotation datum; a sensor mounted on the object, said sensor including; detector means for detecting said laser beams, said detector means emitting a signal indicating detection of a laser beam; communication pulse receiving means for receiving said communication pulse, said communication pulse receiving means emitting a signal indicating receipt of a communication pulse; and a determination means for determining the position of the object based on the signals emitted from said detector means and the signals emitted from said communication pulse receiving means, wherein the object is mounted on an autonomous vehicle, and design information from a graphical database is input into said determination means to provide guidance based on position matching. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification