Method and apparatus for configuring a survey controller

• US 8,261,969 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Peskin, Christopher Alexander, Hanson, Nigel Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Labaze, Edwyn
• Application Number:
  US12/206,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20100059584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,464 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 235/487, 235/470, 705/1, 705/10, 705/11, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration

Abstract

Method and apparatus for configuring a controller for surveying equipment. In one embodiment, an identification tag associated with a surveying tool may be detected by a controller. An indicator related to the identification tag may be presented to a user of the controller. According to another embodiment, operation of the controller may be configured based, at least in part, on the identification tag.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a controller of geographic surveying equipment, the method comprising the acts of:

detecting by the controller an identification tag associated with a geographic surveying tool;

determining if the identification tag detected by the controller is associated with one or more of a surveying tool and user stored in memory of the controller;

presenting an indicator relating to the identification tag to a controller user; and

configuring controller operation based, at least in part, on the identification tag, wherein configuring the controller includes configuring the controller to interoperate with the surveying tool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification tag is one of a radio frequency identification tag and a barcode tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator is at least one of a controller display visual notification and an audible tone.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting data provided by the identification tag, wherein the data comprises at least one surveying tool characteristic.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a user identification tag associated with the identification tag.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein configuring the controller includes configuring the controller user interface based on a user profile associated with the user identification tag.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting at least one additional identification tag associated with at least on additional surveying tool.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, further comprising configuring the controller to interoperate with the additional surveying tool based, at least in part, on the additional identification tag.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating measurement data received from the surveying tool.

10. A geographic surveying equipment controller comprising:

a display;

a tag reader configured to detect an identification tag associated with a geographic surveying tool;

a processor coupled to the display and the tag reader, the processor configured to;

determine if the identification tag detected by the tag reader is associated with one or more of a surveying tool and user stored in memory of the controller;

present an indicator relating to the identification tag to a controller user; and

configure controller operation based, at least in part, on the identification tag, wherein configuring the controller includes configuring the controller to interoperate with the surveying tool.

11. The controller of claim 10, wherein the identification tag is one of a radio frequency identification tag and a barcode tag.

12. The controller of claim 10, wherein the indicator is at least one of a controller display visual notification and an audible tone.

13. The controller of claim 10, wherein the tag reader is further configured to detect data provided by the identification tag, wherein the data comprises at least one surveying tool characteristic.

14. The controller of claim 10, wherein the tag reader is further configured to detect a user identification tag associated with the identification tag.

15. The controller of claim 14, wherein configuring the controller includes configuring the controller user interface based on a user profile associated with the user identification tag.

16. The controller of claim 10, wherein the tag reader is further configured to detect at least one additional identification tag associated with at least on additional surveying tool.

17. The controller of claim 16, wherein, further comprising configuring the controller to interoperate with the additional surveying tool based, at least in part, on the additional identification tag.

18. The controller of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to integrate measurement data received from the surveying tool.