Visual stakeout

• US 9,228,835 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Javad GNSS, Inc.
• Original Assignee: JA VAD GNSS Incorporated
• Inventors: Gribkov, Mikhail, Khvalkov, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Troost, Aaron L
• Application Number:
  US13/626,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 701/468
• 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: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for marking a point of interest in a live image on a navigation device is provided. A position of a navigation device is determined based on navigation signals received from satellites. An orientation of the device is determined based on data from an orientation sensor. A first live image is obtained from a first camera and displayed. A first marker is displayed in the first live image. The first marker indicates a first location of the point of interest in the first live image. A second live image is obtained and displayed. A second marker is displayed in the second live image. The second marker indicates a second location of the point of interest in the second live image. The first and second locations are based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device and the position of the point of interest.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for marking a point of interest in a live image, the method comprising:

determining a position of a navigation device based on navigation signals received from satellites;

determining an orientation of the device based on data from an orientation sensor of the device;

obtaining a position of a point of interest;

obtaining a first live image from a first camera of the device;

displaying the first live image on a display of the device;

displaying a first marker in the first live image indicating a first location of the point of interest in the first live image, wherein the first location is based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device and the position of the point of interest;

determining whether the point of interest is within a field of view of a second camera of the device based on the position of the point of interest;

obtaining a second live image from the second camera of the device; and

in response to determining that the position of the point of interest is within the field of view, displaying the second live image on the display of the device and a second marker in the second live image indicating a second location of the point of interest in the second live image, wherein the second location is based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device, and the position of the point of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second live image has a second field of view that is substantially perpendicular to a first field of view of the first live image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the second live image occurs in response to a user command.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first marker includes a fixed portion and a variable portion, wherein the fixed portion has a fixed size independent of a distance from the device to the point of interest, and wherein the variable portion has a size based on the distance from the GNSS device to the point of interest.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first marker is a color that depends on an error associated with the position of the device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second marker is a color that depends on an error associated with the position of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first marker includes an indication of the difference in elevation between the device and the point of interest.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the point of interest is obtained from memory in the device.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with executable instructions for marking a point of interest in a live image, the instructions comprising instructions for:

determining a position of a navigation device based on navigation signals received from satellites;

determining an orientation of the device based on data from an orientation sensor of the device;

obtaining a position of a point of interest;

obtaining a first live image from a first camera of the device;

displaying the first live image on a display of the device;

displaying a first marker in the first live image indicating a first location of the point of interest in the first live image, wherein the first location is based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device and the position of the point of interest;

determining whether the point of interest is within a field of view of a second camera of the device based on the position of the point of interest;

obtaining a second live image from a second camera of the device; and

in response to determining that the position of the point of interest is within the field of view, displaying the second live image on the display of the device and a second marker in the second live image indicating a second location of the point of interest in the second live image, wherein the second location is based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device, and the position of the point of interest.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the second live image has a second field of view that is substantially perpendicular to a first field of view of the first live image.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein displaying the second live image occurs in response to a user command.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first marker includes a fixed portion and a variable portion, wherein the fixed portion has a fixed size independent of a distance from the device to the point of interest, and wherein the variable portion has a size based on the distance from the GNSS device to the point of interest.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first marker is a color that depends on an error associated with the position of the device.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the second marker is a color that depends on an error associated with the position of the device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first marker includes an indication of the difference in elevation between the device and the point of interest.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the position of the point of interest is obtained from memory in the device.

17. A navigation device for providing a visual indication of a point of interest on a live image, the device comprising:

a first camera having a first field of view;

a second camera having a second field of view;

a navigation antenna configured to receive navigation signals from satellites;

memory, wherein the memory comprises instructions for;

determining a position of the navigation device based on navigation signals received from satellites;

determining an orientation of the device based on data from an orientation sensor of the device;

obtaining a position of a point of interest;

obtaining a first live image from the first camera of the device;

displaying the first live image on a display of the device;

displaying a first marker in the first live image indicating a first location of the point of interest in the first live image, wherein the first location is based on the position of the device and the orientation of the device;

determining whether the point of interest is within the second field of view of the second camera of the device based on the position of the point of interest;

obtaining a second live image from the second camera of the device; and

in response to the position of the point of interest being within the second field of view, displaying the second live image on the display of the device and a second marker in the second live image indicating a second location of the point of interest in the second live image, wherein the second location is based on the position of the device, the orientation of the device, and the position of the point of interest; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the second field of view is substantially perpendicular to the first field of view of the first camera.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein displaying the second live image occurs in response to a user command.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the first marker includes a fixed portion and a variable portion, wherein the fixed portion has a fixed size independent of a distance from the device to the point of interest, and wherein the variable portion has a size based on the distance from the GNSS device to the point of interest.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the first marker is a color that depends on an error associated with the position of the device.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the second marker is a color that depends on an error associated with the position of the device.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the first marker includes an indication of the difference in elevation between the device and the point of interest.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the position of the point of interest is obtained from memory in the device.