Real-time transmission of survey data

• US 20100036642A1
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Pagels, Christian Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/54 using carrier phase measurements; using long or short baseline interferometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

In a survey operation, survey measurement data obtained at each location is transmitted in real time as the measurement is made to avoid the limitations of the disk or other storage medium used in saving the data, to avoid loss or corruption of the data prior to the disk being delivered to its final destination, and to allow users to immediately view the results of the measurements while the rovers are still out in the field and readily capable of redoing measurements or supplementing the results with additional measurement points.

Claims

1. A method of surveying, comprising

obtaining survey measurement data, and

transmitting the survey measurement data to a central location in real time.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the real time transmission comprises transmitting survey measurement data for a first location before obtaining survey measurement data for a second location.

3. A method of claim 1, wherein the real time transmission comprises storing survey measurement data for one or more locations in a memory, and subsequently transmitting the survey measurement data for said one or more locations while continuing to obtain survey measurement data for additional locations.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein the survey measurement data for the locations is transmitted to the central location in the order in which it is obtained.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the survey measurement data is transmitted to a VRS server.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the survey measurement data is by way of NMEA messages.

7. A method of claim 5, wherein the transmission of the survey measurement data is by way of NMEA messages.

8. A method of claim 5, wherein the VRS server transmits the survey measurement data to the central location.

9. A method of claim 8, wherein the central location includes a Data Center which decodes the survey data and stores it in a SQL database (DB).

10. A method of claim 9, where the data is gathered and organized in the DB by user/rover, project, and session.

11. A method of claim 8, wherein the transmission from the VRS server to the central location is as part of one or more NMEA messages.

12. A method of claim 11, wherein the survey measurement data is transmitted as part of an NMEA message by adding an MRES record to an NMEA message frame.

13. A method of claim 8, further comprising making the survey measurement data available for downloading over the Internet.

14. A method of claim 13, wherein the survey measurement data is made available on a secure data link.

15. A method of claim 14, wherein the secure data link includes password protection.

16. A method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the survey measurement data on a map.

17. A method of claim 16, wherein the map includes a representation of the geographic area being surveyed (also referred to as a terrain map) or an aerial photograph of the area being surveyed.

18. A method of claim 13, further comprising re-measuring locations of previously obtained survey measurement data or supplementing the survey measurement data by adding additional survey measurement data locations before the rover returns from a survey session.

19. A method of claim 17, further comprising re-measuring locations of previously obtained survey measurement data or supplementing the survey measurement data by adding additional survey measurement data locations before the rover returns from a survey session.