Remote pile driving analyzer

• US 6,301,551 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pile Dynamics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pile Dynamics, Inc.
• Inventors: Rausche, Frank, Piscalko, George, Grävare, Carl-John
• Primary Examiner(s): ASSOUAD, PATRICK J
• Application Number:
  US09/164,746
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 702/188, 702/158, 702/166, 702/182, 340/853.2, 340/853.3, 340/853.8, 340/853.9, 340/854.1
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 13/06 for observation while placing

Abstract

A pile driving analyzer (PDA) which obtains, processes and stores pile driving data. The PDA is operable as an independent self-contained unit, or may be used in conjunction with a remote computer system. Position data indicative of the position of a pile, and pile data indicative of characteristics of a pile may be automatically input to the PDA. When used in conjunction with the remote computer system, the PDA may be controlled remotely by the remote computer system. Alternatively, the PDA may be controlled locally by an operator, and data acquired by the PDA provided to the remote computer system for monitoring and/or storage.

Claims

1. A data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving, the system comprising:

data acquisition means for acquiring pile driving data from an associated sensor means disposed in relatively close proximity thereto, the pile driving data including at least one of a plurality of measurable physical characteristics associated with a pile driving operation;

a non-volatile local data store, disposed in relatively close proximity to the data acquisition means, for selectively storing the pile driving data;

processing means for processing the pile driving data into a format adapted for analysis thereof;

means for selectively removing data from the non-volatile local data store to facilitate analysis thereof;

encoding means adapted for selectively encoding the pile driving data into encoded pile driving data to facilitate at least one of storage/retrieval and remote communication thereof; and

remote data communication means adapted for selectively initiating a contact with at least one associated remote data station, the remote data communication means including;

data transmission means adapted for selectively communicating encoded pile driving data with the at least one associated remote data station; and

data receiving means adapted for communicating at least one of operating instructions and control data received from the at least one associated remote data station.

2. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising the at least one associated remote data station including:

a data station receiving means adapted for selectively communicating encoded pile driving data with the data transmission means;

a data station data transmission means adapted for communicating at least one of operating instructions and control data with the data receiving means; and

means for selectively decoding pile driving data received therein so as to displayed in a humanly-viewable format.

3. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising analyzer means for unsupervised obtaining of pile driving data from associated, external transducers.

4. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising means for selectively removing the non-volatile, local data store so as to be adapted for use in an associated, secondary data processing system.

5. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 wherein said pile driving data includes at least one of blow count data, pile position data, pile penetration data, energy data, and installation angle.

6. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 5 further comprising analyzer means including data input means for automatically obtaining position data indicative of the position of a pile that is to be installed.

7. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 6, wherein said data input means receives the pile position data from a global positioning system (GPS).

8. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising a means for acquiring pile identification data identifying each particular pile from which pile driving data is acquired, and means for associating pile driving data therewith.

9. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 8 wherein said pile identification data includes at least one of:

pile name/number, length, area, type, and material.

10. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising testing means for automatically testing external sensors and providing data representative of potential problems.

11. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising a removable data storage device for storing data collected by said data acquisition means.

12. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising data compression means for compressing data acquired by said data acquisition means.

13. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 3 wherein said analyzer means is operable by field personnel while simultaneously allowing data acquired by said analyzer means to be viewed by personnel at a remote location, said data being transmitted by the communication means to the remote location via the data communications medium.

14. The data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising sensor means including at least one of strain transducers and accelerometers for acquiring the pile driving data.

16. The method of data acquisition and processing system for collecting and processing data for pile driving of claim 1 further comprising the steps including:

selectively communicating, at least one associated remote data station, encoded pile driving data with the data transmission means;

selectively communicating of via at least one associated remote data station, at least one of operating instructions and control data with the data receiving means; and

means for selectively decoding pile driving data received at least one associated remote data station, so as to displayed in a humanly-viewable format.

15. A method of data acquisition and processing for collecting and processing data for pile driving, the system comprising the steps of:

acquiring pile driving data from an associated sensor means disposed in relatively close proximity thereto, the pile driving data associated with a pile driving operation;

selectively storing the pile driving data in an associated, non-volatile local data store;

selectively removing data from the non-volatile local date store to facilitate analysis thereof;

selectively encoding the pile driving data into encoded pile driving data to facilitate at least one of storage/retrieval and remote communication thereof;

processing the pile driving data to facilitate analysis thereof;

initiating a contact with at least one associated remote data station;

selectively communicating encoded pile driving data with the at least one associated remote data station; and

communicating at least one of operating instructions and control data received from the at least one associated remote data station.

17. A remote data acquisition and monitoring system comprising:

data acquisition means for acquiring construction data from an associated sensor means disposed in relatively close proximity thereto, the construction data including at least one of a plurality of measurable physical characteristics associated with a construction operation;

a non-volatile local data store, disposed in relatively close proximity to the data acquisition means, for selectively storing the construction data;

processing means for processing the construction data into a format adapted for analysis thereof;

means for selectively removing data from the non-volatile local data store to facilitate analysis thereof;

encoding means adapted for selectively encoding the construction data into encoded construction data to facilitate at least one of storage/retrieval and remote communication thereof;

at least one associated remote data station, each remote data communication means including,

data transmission means adapted for selectively communicating encoded construction data with the at least one associated remote data station, and

data receiving means adapted for communicating at least one of operating instructions and control data received from the at least one associated remote data station; and

at least one associated remote data station including,

a data station data receiving means adapted for selectively communicating encoded construction data with the data transmission means,

a data station data transmission means adapted for communicating at least one of operating instructions and control data with the data receiving means; and

means for selectively decoding construction data received therein so as to be displayed in a human-viewable format.

18. The remote data acquisition and monitoring system of claim 17 further comprising a sensor array for generating the construction data, the sensor array including means for acquiring bar-coded information relative to identification of construction materials and position information relative to a physical location of the construction materials as set forth by reference to a global positioning system.