Integrating position information into a handheld tool

• US 9,510,150 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Kahle, Kent, Bohle, Pat, Waibel, Reinhard, Messmer, Markus, Glockner, Oliver, Beckenbauer, Angela, Cramer, Till, Winter, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nealon, William
• Application Number:
  US14/685,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20150223026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 455/457, 340/686.5, 340/679, 340/12.5, 701/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0272 for a projector or beamer module assembly constructional features of projectors per se G03B21/00; constructional details of projectors using electronic spatial light modulators per se H04N9/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In a method of integrating position information including: position data of an object that will be embedded in a material at a worksite is determined. The position data of the object is recorded, in an information management system. The position data is used to update a record at the information management system, where the record indicates that the object is an embedded object and the position data of the object includes a position of the embedded object. The position of the embedded object is conveyed from information management system to the to a handheld tool at the worksite. The position of the embedded object is displayed on a display device integrated with the handheld tool.

Claims

1. A method of integrating position information, the method comprising:

determining position data of an object, the position data indicating a location of the object;

recording, in an information management system, the position data of the object;

receiving an indication that the object has been embedded in a structure;

after receiving the indication that the object has been embedded, tagging the object, in the information management system, as being embedded;

communicating the position data of the embedded object from the information management system to a handheld tool at the worksite; and

at the worksite, on a display of the handheld tool, electronically displaying;

a real-time image of the structure embedding the object, and

an indication of the communicated position data of the embedded object on the real-time image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving real-time data of progress of a task performed by said handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating a warning with said handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating a message causing said handheld tool to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object.

2. A method of integrating position information, the method comprising:

with a first handheld tool, determining position data of an object, the position data indicating a location of the object;

recording, in an information management system, the position data of the object;

receiving an indication that the object has been embedded in a structure;

after receiving the indication that the object has been embedded, tagging the object, in the information management system, as being embedded;

communicating the position data of the embedded object from the information management system to a second handheld tool at the worksite; and

at the worksite, on a display of the second handheld tool, electronically displaying;

a real-time image of the structure embedding the object, and

an indication of the communicated position data of the embedded object on the real-time image.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

communicating to said second handheld tool, a distance of said embedded object beneath a surface of said material.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving real-time data of progress of a task performed by said second handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating a warning with said second handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating a message causing said second handheld tool to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating at least one message which provides a positioning cue for positioning a working end of said second handheld tool at a location; and

generating at least one message which provides a cue for orienting said second handheld tool around an axis.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying said position of said embedded object upon a display device coupled with said second handheld tool.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying said position of said embedded object upon a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

projecting an image from a projector, wherein said image shows said position of said embedded object.

14. An embedded object display system comprising:

a handheld tool comprising a display device; and

an information management system configured to;

receive and store position data of an object embedded in a structure, and

communicate a report to said handheld tool, wherein said report indicates the position data; and

wherein said handheld tool is configured to receive said report from said information management system, to receive real-time image information of the structure embedding the object, and to display, with the display device, the real-time image information of the structure and an indication of the object on the real-time image, wherein the indication is displayed based on said position data of said embedded object.

15. The embedded object display system of claim 14, wherein said display device is configured to indicate a distance of said embedded object beneath a surface of said structure.

16. The embedded object display system of claim 14, wherein said handheld tool further comprises:

a communication transceiver configured to generate a message conveying real-time data of progress of a task performed by said handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

17. The embedded object display system of claim 14, wherein said handheld tool further comprises:

a communication transceiver configured to receive a warning to said handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

18. The embedded object display system of claim 17, wherein said handheld tool is further configured to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object in response to a received message.

19. The embedded object display system of claim 14, further comprising:

a user interface configured to display a positioning cue for positioning a working end of said handheld tool at a location and to display a cue for orienting said handheld tool around an axis.

20. The embedded object display system of claim 19, wherein said user interface comprises a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses and wherein said position of said embedded object is displayed upon said set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses.

21. The embedded object display system of claim 19, wherein user interface is implemented on said display device of said handheld tool.