High precision GPS/RTK and laser machine control

• US 6,433,866 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Nichols, Mark Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US09/566,041
• Time in Patent Office: 829 Days
• Field of Search: 356/4.08, 356/141--14, 356/141.1, 342/357.08, 342/357.14, 342/357.17, 372/4.5
• US Class Current: 356/141.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• 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 19/04 providing carrier phase data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/071 DGPS corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/072 Ionosphere corrections
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/10 providing dedicated supplementary positioning signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver

Abstract

The integrated laser and satellite positional system receiver is disclosed. The integrated laser and satellite positioning system receiver can provide a plurality of mobile units with a laser plane data determined with a millimeter relative accuracy. The integrated laser and differential satellite positioning system receiver can also generate and transmit the differential correctional data to a plurality of mobile units. Each mobile unit equipped with a mobile satellite positioning system receiver can use the differential correction data and the high precision laser plane data to improve its position determination capabilities.

Claims

1. An integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LASATPSAG) comprising:

an integrated laser and satellite positioning system (LASATPS) positioned in a location with known coordinates, said LASATPS system comprising;

a laser system generating a laser beam, said laser beam providing a high accuracy vertical coordinate; and

a stationary satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver integrated with said laser system, said stationary SATPS receiver having a stationary antenna exposed to the view of sky, wherein the distance between the phase center of said stationary antenna and said laser beam is known and fixed;

a mobile unit including a laser detector and a mobile satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver; and

a communication link between said LASATPS system and said mobile unit;

wherein said communication link is used to continuously transmit to said mobile unit the vertical coordinate of said laser beam and differential corrections obtained by said stationary SATPS receiver, and wherein said mobile SATPS receiver utilizes said differential corrections to obtain the precise coordinate measurements of said mobile unit.

2. An integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LAVSATPSAG) comprising:

an integrated laser and vector satellite positioning system (LAVSATPS) positioned in a location with known coordinates, said LAVSATPS system comprising;

a laser system generating a rotating laser beam, said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy dual slope reference laser plane; and

a vector differential satellite positioning system (VSATPS) receiver integrated with said laser system, said vector differential VSATPS receiver having a master stationary satellite antenna and a plurality of slave stationary satellite antennas exposed to the view of sky, wherein said vector differential VSATPS receiver is capable of determining the attitude of said dual slope reference laser plane, and wherein the distance between a phase center of said master stationary satellite antenna and said reference laser plane is known and fixed;

a plurality of mobile units, each said mobile unit including a laser detector and a navigational device including a mobile satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver; and

a plurality of communication links between said LAVSATPS system and each said mobile unit;

wherein at least one said communication link is used to transmit to one said mobile unit an elevation, a slope and angles of orientation of said laser plane at the location of said (LAVSATPS) and differential corrections obtained by said vector differential SATPS receiver;

and wherein for each said mobile unit one said navigational device utilizes a set of data including a set of positional data obtained by one said mobile SATPS receiver, said elevation, said slope and said angles of orientation of said laser plane at the (LAVSATPS) location, and said differential corrections data in order to obtain the precise coordinate measurements of said mobile unit.

3. An integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LASATPSAG) comprising:

an integrated laser and satellite positioning system (LASATPS) positioned in a location with known coordinates, said LASATPS system comprising;

a laser system generating a rotating laser beam, said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy reference laser plane; and

a differential SATPS receiver integrated with said laser system, said differential SATPS receiver having a stationary antenna exposed to the view of sky, wherein the distance between the phase center of said stationary antenna and said reference laser plane is known and fixed;

a plurality of mobile units, each said mobile unit including a laser detector and a navigational device including a mobile satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver; and

a plurality of communication links between said LASATPS system and each said mobile unit, wherein at least one said communication link is used to transmit to each said mobile unit the elevation of said laser plane and differential corrections obtained by said differential SATPS receiver, and wherein for each said mobile unit one said navigational device utilizes positional data obtained by one said mobile SATPS receiver and said elevation data and said differential corrections data to obtain the precise coordinate measurements for said one mobile unit.

4. The system of claim 3;

wherein said differential SATPS receiver further comprises;

a differential GPS receiver;

and wherein said mobile SATPS receiver further comprises;

a mobile GPS receiver.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one said communication link further comprises:

a radio link.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one said communication link further comprises:

a modulation system adapted to modulate the laser beam with the elevation data and differential correction data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each said mobile unit further includes:

a computer, and wherein said computer utilizes the elevation data and the differential correction data received from said LASATPS system in order to precisely operate said mobile unit.

8. A method of guiding a plurality of mobile units utilizing an integrated laser and satellite positioning system LASATPSAG);

said integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LASATPSAG) comprising;

(a) an integrated laser and satellite positioning system (LASATPS) positioned in a location with known coordinates, said LASATPS system further comprising a laser system generating a rotating laser beam, said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy reference laser plane; and

a differential SATPS receiver integrated with said laser system, said differential SATPS receiver having a stationary antenna exposed to the view of sky, wherein the distance between the phase center of said stationary antenna and said reference laser plane is known and fixed;

(b) and at least one communication link between said LASATPS system and said mobile unit, wherein said at least one communication link is used to transmit to said one mobile unit the elevation of said laser plane and differential corrections obtained by said differential SATPS receiver, and wherein for said one mobile unit one said navigational device utilizes positional data obtained by said mobile SATPS receiver and said elevation data and said differential corrections data to obtain the precise coordinate measurements for said one mobile unit;

said method comprising the steps of;

generating a laser beam having a reference laser plane with a high accuracy elevation by using said LASATPS system;

determining the elevation of said laser reference plane using a stationary SATPS receiver;

sequentially transmitting to each said mobile unit the elevation of said laser reference plane using a communication link between said LASATPS system and said mobile unit; and

updating said elevation data with a rotational frequency.

9. A method of tracking a mobile unit utilizing an integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LASATPSAG), said integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LASATPSAG) comprising:

(a) an integrated laser and satellite positioning system (LASATPS) positioned in a location with known coordinates, said LASATPS system further comprising a laser system generating a rotating laser beam, said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy reference laser plane; and

a differential SATPS receiver integrated with said laser system, said differential SATPS receiver having a stationary antenna exposed to the view of sky, wherein the distance between the phase center of said stationary antenna and said reference laser plane is known and fixed;

(b) and at least one communication link between said LASATPS system and said mobile unit, wherein said at least one communication link is used to transmit to said one mobile unit the elevation of said laser plane and differential corrections obtained by said differential SATPS receiver, and wherein for said one mobile unit one said navigational device utilizes positional data obtained by said mobile SATPS receiver and said elevation data and said differential corrections data to obtain the precise coordinate measurements for said one mobile unit;

said method comprising the steps of;

generating a laser beam having a high accuracy vertical coordinate by using said LASATPS system;

determining said vertical coordinate of said laser beam using a differential satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver integrated with said laser system;

obtaining differential corrections data by said differential SATPS receiver;

tracking said mobile unit using said laser beam;

continuously transmitting to said mobile unit using said at least one communication link the vertical coordinate of said laser beam and said differential corrections data;

obtaining raw positional data of said mobile unit using a mobile SATPS receiver; and

obtaining precise positional data of said mobile unit utilizing said raw positional data, said differential corrections data, and said laser beam precise vertical coordinate.

10. A method of guiding a plurality of mobile units utilizing an integrated laser and vector satellite positioning guidance system (LAVSATPSAG), said integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LAVSATPSAG) comprising:

(a) an integrated laser and vector satellite positioning system (LAVSATPS) positioned in a location with known coordinates, said LAVSATPS system further comprising;

a laser system generating a rotating laser beam, said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy dual slope reference laser plane; and

a vector differential satellite positioning system (VSATPS) receiver integrated with said laser system, said vector differential VSATPS receiver having a master stationary satellite antenna and a plurality of slave stationary satellite antennas exposed to the view of sky, wherein said vector differential VSATPS receiver is capable of determining the attitude of said dual slope reference laser plane, and wherein the distance between a phase center of said master stationary satellite antenna and said reference laser plane is known and fixed; and

at least one communication link between said LAVSATPS system and each said mobile unit;

wherein at least one said communication link is used to transmit to one said mobile unit an elevation, a slope and angles of orientation of said laser plane at the location of said (LAVSATPS) and differential corrections obtained by said vector differential SATPS receiver; and

wherein for each said mobile unit one said navigational device utilizes a set of data including a set of positional data obtained by one said mobile SATPS receiver, said elevation, said slope and said angles of orientation of said laser plane at the (LAVSATPS) location, and said differential corrections data in order to obtain the precise coordinate measurements of said mobile unit;

said method comprising the steps of;

generating a rotating laser beam using said LAVSATPS system;

said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy dual slope reference laser plane;

determining an elevation, a slope and angles of orientation of said dual slope reference laser plane at the location of said laser system using a vector differential satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver integrated with said laser system;

obtaining differential corrections data by said vector differential SATPS receiver;

transmitting to each said mobile unit said differential corrections data, said elevation, said slope and said angles of orientation of said laser plane at the location of said (LAVSATPS) using a communication link between said LAVSATPS system and said mobile unit;

obtaining raw positional data for each said mobile unit using a mobile SATPS receiver; and

obtaining precise positional data for each said mobile unit using said raw positional data, said differential corrections data, and said elevation, said slope and said angles of orientation of said laser plane at the (LAVSATPS) location.

11. A method of guiding a plurality of mobile units utilizing an integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LASATPSAG), said integrated laser and satellite positioning guidance system (LASATPSAG) comprising:

(a) an integrated laser and satellite positioning system (LASATPS) positioned in a location with known coordinates, said LASATPS system further comprising a laser system generating a rotating laser beam, said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy reference laser plane; and

a differential SATPS receiver integrated with said laser system, said differential SATPS receiver having a stationary antenna exposed to the view of sky, wherein the distance between the phase center of said stationary antenna and said reference laser plane is known and fixed;

(b) and at least one communication link between said LASATPS system and said mobile unit, wherein said at least one communication link is used to transmit to said one mobile unit the elevation of said laser plane and differential corrections obtained by said differential SATPS receiver, and wherein for said one mobile unit one said navigational device utilizes positional data obtained by said mobile SATPS receiver and said elevation data and said differential corrections data to obtain the precise coordinate measurements for said one mobile unit;

said method comprising the steps of;

generating a rotating laser beam by using said LASATPS system;

said rotating laser beam providing a high accuracy reference laser plane;

determining an elevation of said reference laser plane at the location of said laser system using a differential satellite positioning system (SATPS) receiver integrated with said laser system;

obtaining differential corrections data by said differential SATPS receiver;

transmitting to each said mobile unit said differential corrections data and said elevation data using a communication link between said LASATPS system and said mobile unit;

obtaining raw positional data for each said mobile unit using a mobile SATPS receiver;

obtaining precise positional data for each said mobile unit using said raw positional data, said differential corrections data, and said elevation data using a navigational computer; and

utilizing the generated precise positional data to precisely operate said mobile unit using said navigational computer.