Real time integration of a geoid model into surveying activities
First Claim
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1. A method for enhancing the accuracy of survey location coordinates, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a set of known location coordinates for at least three selected known survey locations;
receiving a sequence of location coordinates representing a grid of locations that are part of a selected geoid that represents a selected region on or near the Earth'"'"'s surface, where each of at least three selected geoid locations coincides with one of the at least three known survey locations;
receiving location coordinates for each of a selected group of survey control locations, referenced to a selected local datum;
estimating the location coordinates, relative to the local datum, of each of the at least three selected geoid locations;
determining a separation distance between each of the at least three selected geoid locations and the local datum;
determining a location coordinate transformation of the geoid onto at least a portion of the local datum, where each of the at least three selected geoid locations is transformed into a corresponding one of the at least three known survey locations; and
applying the location coordinate transformation to location coordinates for at least one selected survey location that is not one of the at least three selected geoid locations.
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for enhancing the accuracy of the elevation coordinate in a survey that uses GPS survey measurements to determine location coordinates for a plurality of survey locations. An optimal locally-best-fitting plane is combined with a geoid model that represents a local region of the Earth, in order to decrease the inaccuracy associated with an elevation coordinate in the survey to a fraction of a decimeter.
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7 Claims
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1. A method for enhancing the accuracy of survey location coordinates, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a set of known location coordinates for at least three selected known survey locations; receiving a sequence of location coordinates representing a grid of locations that are part of a selected geoid that represents a selected region on or near the Earth'"'"'s surface, where each of at least three selected geoid locations coincides with one of the at least three known survey locations; receiving location coordinates for each of a selected group of survey control locations, referenced to a selected local datum; estimating the location coordinates, relative to the local datum, of each of the at least three selected geoid locations; determining a separation distance between each of the at least three selected geoid locations and the local datum; determining a location coordinate transformation of the geoid onto at least a portion of the local datum, where each of the at least three selected geoid locations is transformed into a corresponding one of the at least three known survey locations; and applying the location coordinate transformation to location coordinates for at least one selected survey location that is not one of the at least three selected geoid locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. Apparatus for enhancing the accuracy of survey location coordinates, the apparatus comprising a computer that is programmed:
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to receive a set of known location coordinates for at least three selected survey locations; to receive a sequence of location coordinates representing a grid of locations that are part of a selected geoid that represents a selected region on or near the Earth'"'"'s surface, where each of the at least three selected geoid locations coincides with one of the at least three known survey locations; to receive location coordinates for each of a selected group of survey control locations, referenced to a selected local datum; to estimate the location coordinates for each of the at least three selected geoid locations; to determine a separation distance between each of the at least three selected geoid locations and the local datum; to determine a location coordinate transformation of the geoid onto at least a portion of the local datum, where each of the at least three selected geoid locations is transformed into a corresponding one of the at least three known survey locations; and to apply the location coordinate transformation to location coordinates for at least one selected survey location that is not one of the at least three selected geoid locations. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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Specification