System and method for surveying with a barcode target

• US 8,348,166 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanson, Nigel Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US12/123,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20090289120A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 23546201-47203, 235/375
• US Class Current: 235/462.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points

Abstract

System and method for surveying. In one embodiment, a process is provided including detecting a barcode associated with a position of interest. The barcode may be decoded to extract data associated with the position of interest. Additionally, decoded data associated with the position of interest can be presented to an operator of a surveying tool.

Claims

1. A method of surveying, the method comprising the acts of:

detecting a barcode on a surveying mark associated with a position of interest, wherein the barcode is detected based on imaging by a surveying tool;

decoding the barcode to extract encoded data associated with feature information for the position of interest, the data including position data for the position of interest;

performing a surveying measurement to determine position data for the position of interest, the surveying measurement performed by a position detection module of the surveying tool; and

presenting the data associated with the position of interest to an operator of the surveying tool, wherein presenting includes displaying position data decoded from the barcode and displaying position data determined from the surveying measurement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the barcode is one of a two-dimensional barcode and a matrix code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data extracted from the barcode relates to one of an elevation and a grade.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature information for the position of interest includes at least one of a date of last entry, a longitude, a latitude, a location of a utility service, a location of a next position of interest, and user-provided data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting decoded data includes displaying the decoded data on the surveying tool, the decoded data associated with a barcode target identified by a target window displayed by the surveying tool.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising labeling the position of interest with the barcode bearing the encoded data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a surveying measurement for the position of interest based on orientation data decoded from the barcode.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising evaluating a change in the position of interest based, at least in part, on the decoded data and surveying measurement, wherein evaluating includes comparing a result of the surveying measurement to data extracted from the barcode.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating data provided by the barcode, wherein updating comprises:

encoding data for the position of interest into an updated barcode; and

labeling the position of interest with the updated barcode.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the surveying tool further comprises a barcode printer and the updated barcode is printed from the barcode printer.

11. A surveying tool comprising:

a display;

a barcode scanner configured to detect a barcode associated with a position of interest, wherein the barcode is detected based on imaging by the barcode scanner;

a position detection module; and

a processor coupled to the display, the position detection module and the barcode scanner, the processor configured to;

decode the barcode to extract data associated with the position of interest, the data including position data for the position of interest;

control a surveying measurement by the position detection module to determine position data for the position of interest; and

present decoded data including an angular position of the surveying tool with respect to the position of interest, to the display of the surveying tool, wherein the processor controls display of position data decoded from the barcode and display of position data determined from the surveying measurement.

12. The surveying tool of claim 11, wherein the barcode is one of a two-dimensional barcode, and a matrix code.

13. The surveying tool of claim 11, wherein the data extracted from the barcode relates to one of an elevation, and grade.

14. The surveying tool of claim 11, wherein the feature information for the position of interest includes at least one of a date of last entry, a longitude, a latitude, a location of a utility service, a location of a next position of interest, and user-provided data.

15. The surveying tool of claim 11, wherein presenting the decoded data includes displaying the decoded data on the display, the decoded data associated with a barcode target identified by a target window displayed by the surveying tool.

16. The surveying tool of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a surveying measurement for the position of interest based on orientation data decoded from the barcode.

17. The surveying tool of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate a change in the position of interest based, at least in part, on the decoded data and surveying measurement, wherein evaluating a characteristic of the position of interest includes comparing a result of the surveying measurement to data extracted from the barcode.

18. The surveying tool of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to update data provided by the barcode, wherein updating comprises generating an updated barcode to be labeled to the position of interest, the updated barcode having data encoded for the position of interest.

19. The surveying tool of claim 11, further comprising a barcode printer configured to print barcodes containing the position and the elevation of the position of interest.

20. The surveying tool of claim 11, further comprising labeling the position of interest with the barcode bearing the encoded data.