Self surveying laser transmitter

• US 7,310,137 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2004
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Nichols, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RATCLIFFE, LUKE D
• Application Number:
  US11/010,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20060127096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,102 Days
• Field of Search: 356/3.12, 356/139.01
• US Class Current: 356/139.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/04 providing carrier phase data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/10 providing dedicated supplementary positioning signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/44 Carrier phase ambiguity resolution; Floating ambiguity; LAMBDA [Least-squares AMBiguity Decorrelation Adjustment] method

Abstract

A self-surveying laser transmitter comprising a laser transmitter configured to generate at least one rotating laser beam and a radio positioning system integrated with the laser transmitter. The radio positioning system is configured to obtain the precise coordinate measurements of the laser transmitter. by utilizing the differential corrections transmitted from the Base Station by using the wireless communication link.

Claims

1. A method of tracking a plurality of mobile units utilizing a self-surveying integrated laser and radio positioning guidance system (SSI_LARADPS);

said SSI_LARADPS system comprising;

a laser transmitter;

a stationary radio positioning system (RADPS) receiver integrated with said laser transmitter, said stationary RADPS receiver having a stationary radio antenna, wherein the distance between the phase center of said stationary antenna and said laser beam is known and fixed;

a first wireless communication link;

a stationary wireless communication device integrated with said laser transmitter;

each said mobile unit including a laser detector, a mobile radio positioning system (RADPS) receiver, and a mobile wireless communication device; and

a second wireless communication link between said SSI_LARADPS system and at least one said mobile unit;

said method comprising the steps of;

(A) generating a laser beam using said laser transmitter;

(B) receiving a set of differential corrections data by using said first wireless communication link and said stationary wireless communication device;

(C) obtaining precise coordinate measurements of said laser transmitter by using said stationary radio positioning system (RADPS) receiver;

wherein said stationary radio positioning system (RADPS) is configured to obtain the precise coordinate measurements of said laser transmitter by using a plurality of radio ranging signals from plurality of radio sources selected from the group consisting of;

{GPS;

GLONASS;

GALILEO;

Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS);

at least one pseudolite transmitter} and by using said set of differential corrections data;

(D) using said stationary wireless communication device and at least one said second wireless communication link to substantially continuously transmit to at least one said mobile unit said precise coordinate measurements of said laser transmitter and said set of differential corrections obtained by said stationary RADPS receiver;

(E) obtaining the precise coordinate measurements of said at least one mobile unit by using said mobile RADPS receiver configured to utilize said differential corrections;

(F) sending back to said laser transmitter said precise coordinate measurements of said at least one mobile by using at least one said second wireless communication link and at least one said mobile wireless communication device;

and

(G) repeating said steps (D-F) for each said mobile unit.

2. The method of claim 1, said SSI_LARADPS system further comprising a display, said method further comprising the step of:

(H) displaying said precise coordinate measurements of each said mobile unit on said display.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

(I) substantially continuously updating the precise coordinate measurements of each said mobile unit;

(K) sending back to said laser transmitter said updated coordinate measurements of each said mobile unit by using at least one said second wireless communication link and at least one said mobile wireless communication device;

and

(L) displaying said updated coordinate measurements of each said mobile unit on said display.