Optical method and apparatus for determining a characteristic such as volume and density of an excavated void in a construction material
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- optically interacting with a void excavated in a construction material using a material interacting device for determining at least one measurement thereof;
manipulating the at least one measurement to determine a dimensional characteristic of the void;
determining mass of material excavated to form the void;
determining a moisture content of the excavated material; and
determining a material characteristic of the construction material prior to the excavation based on the dimensional characteristic of the void and the determined mass of the excavated material, and wherein determining a material characteristic of the excavated material comprises determining the construction characteristic based on the moisture content.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
One or more methods and apparatuses for determining a characteristic, such as volume, of an excavated void of a construction material are provided. The one or more methods may include excavating a void defined in a construction material, interacting with the void using a material interacting device for determining at least one measurement thereof, manipulating the at least one measurement to determine a characteristic of the void such as the volume thereof, obtaining at least one measurement of the material, and determining a characteristic of the void based on the measurements obtained. The apparatus may include at least one material interacting device configured to interact with a surface of a construction material and a surface of a void defined therein for determining at least one respective measurement thereof and manipulate a plurality of the at least one measurement so as determine a characteristic of the void.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
optically interacting with a void excavated in a construction material using a material interacting device for determining at least one measurement thereof; manipulating the at least one measurement to determine a dimensional characteristic of the void; determining mass of material excavated to form the void; determining a moisture content of the excavated material; and determining a material characteristic of the construction material prior to the excavation based on the dimensional characteristic of the void and the determined mass of the excavated material, and wherein determining a material characteristic of the excavated material comprises determining the construction characteristic based on the moisture content. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. An apparatus comprising:
-
at least one material interacting device configured to; optically interact with a void in a construction material for determining at least one measurement thereof; computer hardware configured to; manipulate a plurality of the at least one measurement so as determine a characteristic of the void; determine mass of material excavated to form the void; and determine a material characteristic of the construction material prior to the excavation based on the dimensional characteristic of the void and the determined mass of the excavated material; and a frame for engaging with the construction material, and the material interacting device is carried by the frame. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method comprising:
-
excavating a void defined in a construction material; interacting with the void using a material interacting device for determining at least one measurement thereof; manipulating the at least one measurement to determine a characteristic of the void; obtaining at least one measurement of the material; and determining a characteristic of the void of the construction material based on a determined dry density of the construction material in-situ. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification