Telemetric spacial data recorder

• US 5,675,514 A
• Filed: 04/10/1996
• Issued: 10/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Para-Design G.L., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Para-Design G.L., Inc.
• Inventors: Lefebvre, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US08/630,129
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 364/559, 364/560, 364/550, 364/561-562, 364/474.37, 364/565, 364/564, 33/503, 33/700, 33/755, 356/372, 356/375, 356/376, 356/383, 356/385, 356/373
• US Class Current: 702/151
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/04 by measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/004 for measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00

Abstract

A telemetric spacial data recorder for devising a floor plan is disclosed herein. The telemetric spacial data recorder includes a base member and a remote member mounted to the base member through an extendable cable which is rotatably mounted to said base member. The remote member has a probe. The length of the extendable cable and the angle of the extendable cable with respect to a predetermined reference are measured and supplied to a data collector which computes the spacial coordinates of the probe. Optionally, the probe may include a rotatable boom.

Claims

1. A telemetric spacial data recorder for devising a floor plan comprising:

a base member;

a remote member having a probe;

extendable cable means connecting said remote member to said base member, said extendable cable means being mounted to said base member so as to rotate about a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the floor;

said extendable cable having a variable length;

a cable angle measuring assembly mounted to said base member to measure an angular position of said extendable cable means with respect to a predetermined reference point;

a cable length measuring assembly mounted to one of said base member and said remote member for measuring the length of said extendable cable means; and

data acquisition means electrically connected to said cable angle measuring assembly and to said cable length measuring assembly, said data acquisition means collecting cable angular position data from said cable angle measuring assembly and cable length data from said cable length measuring assembly,

whereby, when said probe is brought in contact with a point of a physical object, angle data and length data are respectively supplied to the data acquisition means by said cable angle measuring assembly and by said cable length measuring assembly, said angle data and said length data permitting a determination of relative spacial coordinates of said point of said physical object with respect to said base member.

2. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 1, wherein said data acquisition means include computing means being so configured as to determine relative spacial coordinates of points being contacted by said probe with respect to said base member by using said collected angle data and length data supplied to said data acquisition means by said cable angle measuring assembly and by said cable length measuring assembly, respectively.

3. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 2, wherein said data acquisition means include display means electrically connected to said computing means for displaying said relative spacial coordinates of points being contacted by said probe.

4. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 2, wherein said cable angle measuring assembly includes:

rotative support means mounted to said base member for rotation about said rotation axis,

first cable detection means mounted to said rotative support means and emitting a beam;

said first cable detection means being so mounted as to emit said beam in a direction parallel to said rotation axis;

said first cable detection means emitting a first electric signal when said beam intersects said extendable cable means;

said first electric signal being supplied to said computing means to thereby allow the computing means to determine an angular position of said cable means in a plane perpendicular to said rotation axis, with respect to said predetermined reference point.

5. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 4, wherein said cable angle measuring assembly includes a second cable detection means mounted to said rotative support means and emitting a beam;

said second cable detection means being so mounted as to emit said beam at an angle with respect to said rotation axis;

said second cable detection means emitting a second electric signal when said beam intersects said extendable cable means;

said second electric signal being supplied to said computing means to thereby allow the computing means to determine an angular position of said cable means in a plane defined by said rotation axis and said extendable cable means.

6. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 5, wherein said cable angle measuring assembly includes rotative support position determination means for determining the angular position of the rotative support means.

7. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 6, wherein said rotative support position determination means includes (a) a disk having a plurality of radial markings and being mounted to said base member, said disk being mounted coaxially with said rotation axis, and (b) a radial marking reader mounted to said rotative support means so as to face said radial markings of said disk;

said radial marking reader being electrically connected to said computing means for supplying an electrical signal to said computing means when said radial marking reader faces one radial marking of said disk.

8. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 7, wherein said cable angle measuring assembly includes reference detecting means to detect said predetermined reference point;

said reference detecting means being mounted to said rotative support means and being electrically connected to said computing means for supplying an electrical signal to said computing means when said reference detecting means faces said reference point.

9. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 1, wherein said extendable cable means is wound upon a rotatable spool, said cable length measuring assembly includes means for measuring the portion of said extendable cable which is unwound from said rotatable spool.

10. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for measuring includes a friction wheel having a predetermined outer circumference and being fixedly mounted to a rotation counter.

11. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 10, wherein said rotatable spool includes a rotating mechanism to automatically wind the extendable cable upon said spool.

12. A telemetric spacial data recorder for devising a floor plan comprising:

a base member;

a remote member having a probe;

extendable cable means connecting said remote member to said base member, said extendable cable means being so mounted to said base member as to rotate about a first rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the floor;

said extendable cable means being so mounted to said remote member as to rotate about a second rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the floor;

said extendable cable having a variable length;

a first cable angle measuring assembly mounted to said base member to measure a first angular position of said extendable cable means with respect to a first predetermined reference point;

a second cable angle measuring assembly mounted to said remote member to measure a second angular position of said extendable cable means with respect to a second predetermined reference point;

a cable length measuring assembly mounted to one of said base member and said remote member for measuring the length of said extendable cable means; and

data acquisition means electrically connected to said first and second cable angle measuring assemblies and to said cable length measuring assembly, said data acquisition means collecting cable angular position data from said first and second cable angle measuring assemblies and cable length data from said cable length measuring assembly, whereby when said probe is brought in contact with a point of a physical object, angle data and length data are respectively supplied to said data acquisition means by said first and second cable angle measuring assemblies and by said cable length measuring assembly, said angle data and said length data permitting a determination of relative spacial coordinates of said point of said physical object with respect to said base member.

13. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 12, wherein said probe has a variable length and further including a probe length measuring assembly mounted to said remote member and electrically connected to said data acquisition means to supply probe length data to said data acquisition means.

14. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 13, wherein said data acquisition means include computing means being so configured as to determine relative spacial coordinates of points being contacted by said probe with respect to said base member by using said collected angle data and length data supplied to said data acquisition means by said first and second cable angle measuring assemblies, said cable length measuring assembly, and said probe length measuring assembly.

15. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 14, wherein said data acquisition means include display means electrically connected to said computing means for displaying said relative spacial coordinates of points being contacted by said probe.

16. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 14, wherein said first cable angle measuring assembly includes:

rotative support means mounted to said base member for rotation about said first rotation axis,

first cable detection means mounted to said rotative support means and emitting a beam;

said first cable detection means being so mounted as to emit said beam in a direction parallel to said first rotation axis;

said first cable detection means emitting a first electric signal when said beam intersects said extendable cable means;

said first electric signal being supplied to said computing means to thereby allow the computing means to determine an angular position of said cable means in a plane perpendicular to said first rotation axis, with respect to said first predetermined reference point.

17. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 16, wherein said first cable angle measuring assembly includes a second cable detection means mounted to said rotative support means and emitting a beam;

said second cable detection means being so mounted as to emit said beam at an angle with respect to said first rotation axis;

said second cable detection means emitting a second electric signal when said beam intersects said extendable cable means;

said second electric signal being supplied to said computing means to thereby allow the computing means to determine an angular position of said cable means in a plane defined by said first rotation axis and said extendable cable means.

18. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 17, wherein said first cable angle measuring assembly includes rotative support position determination means for determining the angular position of the rotative support means.

19. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 18, wherein said rotative support position determination means includes (a) a disk having a plurality of radial markings and being mounted to said base member, said disk being mounted coaxially with said first rotation axis, and (b) a radial marking reader mounted to said rotative support means so as to face said radial markings of said disk;

said radial marking reader being electrically connected to said computing means for supplying an electrical signal to said computing means when said radial marking reader faces one radial marking of said disk.

20. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 19, wherein said first cable angle measuring assembly includes reference detecting means to detect said first predetermined reference point;

said reference detecting means being mounted to said rotative support means and being electrically connected to said computing means for supplying an electrical signal to said computing means when said reference detecting means faces said first reference point.

21. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 20, wherein said second cable angle measuring assembly mounted to said remote member includes:

rotative support means mounted to said remote member for rotation about said second rotation axis,

first cable detection means mounted to said rotative support means and emitting a beam;

said first cable detection means being so mounted as to emit said beam in a direction parallel to said second rotation axis;

said first cable detection means emitting a first electric signal when said beam intersects said extendable cable means;

said first electric signal being supplied to said computing means to thereby allow the computing means to determine an angular position of said cable means in a plane perpendicular to said second rotation axis, with respect to said second predetermined reference point.

22. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 21, wherein said second cable angle measuring assembly includes a second cable detection means mounted to said rotative support means and emitting a beam;

said second cable detection means being so mounted as to emit said beam at an angle with respect to said second rotation axis;

said second cable detection means emitting a second electric signal when said beam intersects said extendable cable means;

said second electric signal being supplied to said computing means to thereby allow the computing means to determine an angular position of said cable means in a plane defined by said second rotation axis and said extendable cable means.

23. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 22, wherein said cable angle measuring assembly of said second cable angle measuring assembly includes rotative support position determination means for determining the angular position of the rotative support means.

26. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 21, wherein said remote member also includes spirit level means.

27. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 12, wherein said extendable cable means is wound upon a rotatable spool, said cable length measuring assembly includes means for measuring the portion of said extendable cable which is unwound from said rotatable spool.

28. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 27, wherein said means for measuring includes a friction wheel having a predetermined outer circumference and being fixedly mounted to a rotation counter.

29. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 28, wherein said rotatable spool includes a rotating mechanism to automatically wind the extendable cable upon said spool.

24. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 24, wherein said rotative support position determination means includes (a) a disk having a plurality of radial markings and being mounted to said remote member, said disk being mounted coaxially with said second rotation axis, and (b) a radial marking reader mounted to said rotative support means so as to face said radial markings of said disk;

said radial marking reader being electrically connected to said computing means for supplying an electrical signal to said computing means when said radial marking reader faces one radial marking of said disk.

25. A telemetric spacial data recorder as defined in claim 24, wherein said second cable angle measuring assembly includes reference detecting means to detect said second predetermined reference point;

said reference detecting means being mounted to said rotative support means and being electrically connected to said computing means for supplying an electrical signal to said computing means when said reference detecting means faces said second predetermined reference point.