Method and system for surveying using RFID devices

• US 8,800,859 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Amor, Miguel, Holmgren, Martin, Hanson, Nigel Peter, Janky, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US13/956,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20130313315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/451, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor

Abstract

A method of surveying may include determining a location of a surveying tool, determining a location of a position of interest, detecting an RFID tag associated with the position of interest, and decoding information stored in the RFID tag. The information stored in the RFID tag may include a reference to information stored remote from the RFID tag.

Claims

1. A method of surveying, the method comprising:

determining a location of a surveying tool;

using the surveying tool to detect an RFID tag associated with a position of interest;

using the surveying tool to decode information stored in the RFID tag, the information stored in the RFID tag including a reference to information stored remote from the RFID tag, the information stored remote from the RFID tag providing surveying data associated with the position of interest;

orienting the surveying tool relative to the position of interest based on the information stored in the RFID tag;

thereafter, using the surveying tool to determine a location of the position of interest based on the location of the surveying tool; and

presenting the location of the position of interest and the surveying data associated with the position of interest to an operator of the surveying tool.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference to information stored remote from the RFID tag includes a web address.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data includes one or more images of the position of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data includes one or more images of another position of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data includes a detailed description of the position of interest.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data comprises GNSS data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data associated with the position of interest relates to one of an elevation, grade, global position, or surveying measurement in general.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data associated with the position of interest relates to reference information for the position of interest.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the surveying data associated with the position of interest includes information stored during a previous survey that identifies at least one of:

a person who performed the previous survey, a date on which the previous survey was performed, a type of object associated with the position of interest, equipment used to perform the previous survey, a geoid model, a location of a control point, or a surveying method.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the information stored in the RFID tag includes an offset between the position of interest and another position of interest.

11. A surveying tool comprising:

a display;

a position detection module configured to determine a location of the surveying tool;

an RFID tag scanner configured to detect an RFID tag associated with a position of interest; and

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

decode information stored in the RFID tag;

use the information stored in the RFID tag to access data associated with the position of interest that is stored remote from the RFID tag;

orient the surveying tool relative to the position of interest based on the information stored in the RFID tag;

determine a location of the position of interest based on the location of the surveying tool; and

present the location of the position of interest and the data associated with the position of interest on the display.

12. The surveying tool of claim 11 wherein the information stored in the RFID tag includes a web address used to access the data stored remote from the RFID tag.

13. The surveying tool of claim 11 wherein the data associated with the position of interest includes one or more images of the position of interest.

14. The surveying tool of claim 11 wherein the data associated with the position of interest includes a detailed description of the position of interest.

15. The surveying tool of claim 11 wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate a characteristic of the position of interest based on the location of the position of interest and the data associated with the position of interest, wherein evaluating a characteristic of the position of interest includes comparing the location of the position of interest to the data associated with the position of interest.

16. The surveying tool of claim 11 wherein the information stored in the RFID tag includes an offset between the position of interest and another position of interest.

17. A device configured for RFID tag detection comprising:

a display;

a radio frequency receiver configured to detect an RFID tag associated with an item located at a position of interest;

a first position detection module configured to determine a location of the device;

a second position detection module configured to determine position data for the position of interest; and

a processor coupled to the display, the first position detection module, and the second position detection module, wherein the processor is configured to;

decode the RFID tag to extract information stored in the RFID tag;

using the information extracted from the RFID tag, access data stored remote from the RFID tag to obtain data associated with the item;

orient the device relative to the position of interest based on the information extracted from the RFID tag;

determine the position data for the position of interest based on the location of the device;

output the data associated with the item and the position data to the display; and

store updated data in the RFID tag.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the information stored in the RFID tag includes a web address used to access the data stored remote from the RFID tag.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein the data associated with the item includes one or more images of the item.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein the information stored in the RFID tag includes an offset between the position of interest and another position of interest.