System for positioning a tool in a work space

• US 9,760,078 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Inventors: Kahle, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/194,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20140172149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 700184, 700182, 37348, 701408, 701484, 701485, 701492
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/46 Indirect determination of position data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/18 Numerical control [NC], i.e. automatically operating machines, in particular machine tools, e.g. in a manufacturing environment, so as to execute positioning, movement or co-ordinated operations by means of programme data in numerical form G05B19/418 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for assisting in the use by an operator of the operating element of a tool at desired locations at a worksite, includes a stationary control and a position sensor secured to the tool. The stationary control is located at the worksite, and has data stored therein specifying one or more desired locations for operation of the operating element of the tool at the worksite. A position sensor is mounted on the tool. The position sensor determines the position of the operating element of the tool. The position sensor includes a communication device for communicating with said stationary control, a sensor for determining its relative position with respect to said stationary control, and a display for providing indications to the user of the tool of the desired location for the operating element of the tool and of the actual location of the operating element of the tool.

Claims

1. A system for assisting an operator of an operating element of a tool at desired locations at a worksite, the system comprising:

a stationary control, located at said worksite, having data stored therein specifying one or more desired locations for operation of said operating element of said tool at said worksite, said stationary control including a plurality of fixed position ranging radios;

a plurality of ranging radios mounted on said tool, wherein the ranging radios of said tool are configured to receive data generated by the fixed position ranging radios of the stationary control;

a measurement circuit mounted on said tool, wherein the measurement circuit is responsive to said plurality of ranging radios of said tool, and is configured to determine a distance between each of the ranging radios of said tool and each of the fixed position ranging radios based on trilateration analysis of each of the ranging radios of said tool with said plurality of fixed position ranging radios and to determine a location of each of the ranging radios of said tool based on the determined distances; and

a display configured to provide indications to said operator of said tool of said desired locations for said operating element of said tool and to provide an indication of an actual location of said operating element of said tool determined based on the determined location of each of the ranging radios of said tool and wherein movement of said operating element of said tool to said desired locations is facilitated.

2. The system according to claim 1, in which said plurality of ranging radios of said tool are mounted on said tool by a support band extending around said tool.

3. The system according to claim 1, in which said measurement circuit determines the position of said operating element of said tool and movement of said operating element needed to move said operating element to said desired locations.

4. The system according to claim 1, in which said desired locations are specified in three dimensions.

5. The system according to claim 1, in which said desired locations are specified in two dimensions.

6. A system for determining dimensional coordinates of an operating element of a tool in a work space and indicating to a user of said tool that said operating element is properly positioned for operation, the system comprising:

a tool having an operating element;

a stationary control, comprising a plurality of fixed position ranging radios located at known positions in said work space;

first and second ranging radios mounted on said tool, the first ranging radio spaced from said operating element by a first distance, and the second ranging radio spaced from said first ranging radio by a second distance, wherein the ranging radios of said tool are configured to receive data generated by the fixed position ranging radios of the stationary control;

a measurement circuit mounted on said tool, wherein the measurement circuit is, responsive to said first and second ranging radios, and is configured to determine a distance between each of the first and second ranging radios of said tool and each of the fixed position ranging radios based on trilateration analysis of each of the first and second ranging radios with said plurality of fixed position ranging radios and to determine the position of each of said first and second ranging radios based on the determined distances; and

a display, mounted on said tool, for indicating that said operating element is properly positioned at a desired location for operation of said tool and for indicating an actual location of said operating element of said tool determined based on the determined location of each of the ranaina radios of said tool and wherein movement of said operating element of said tool to said desired locations is facilitated.

7. The system of claim 6, in which said first distance and said second distance are substantially equal.

8. The system of claim 6, in which said plurality of fixed position ranging radios comprise at least four fixed position ranging radios.

9. The system of claim 6, in which said measurement circuit is responsive to user input to permit said user to specify said desired location for said operating element of said tool.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising at least one additional ranging radio mounted on said tool, said one additional ranging radio being spaced circumferentially around said tool with respect to said pair of ranging radios.

11. A system for assisting an operator of an operating element of a tool at desired locations, comprising:

a central radio-frequency identification (RFID) system, comprising a plurality of fixed position ranging radios located at known positions,

at least three RFID circuits mounted on said tool, wherein the RFID circuits of said tool are configured to receive the position data generated by the central RFID system;

a measurement circuit mounted on said tool, wherein the measurement circuit is responsive to the RFID circuits of said tool, and is configured to determine a distance between each of the RFID circuits of said tool and each of the fixed positions based on trilateration analysis of each of the RFID circuits with said plurality of fixed position ranging radios and to determine a location of each of the RFID circuits based on the determined distances; and

a display, mounted on said tool, for providing indications to said operator of said tool of said desired locations for said operating element of said tool and of an actual location of said operating element of said tool determined based on the determined location of each of the RFID circuits of said tool and wherein movement of said operating element of said tool to said desired locations is facilitated.

12. The system according to claim 11, in which said RFID circuits are mounted on said tool by a support strap extending around said tool.

13. The system according to claim 11, in which said desired locations are specified in three dimensions.

14. The system according to claim 11, in which said tool is a power tool.

15. The system according to claim 11, in which said RFID circuits include at least four RFID circuits.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said display is an LED display.

17. A method of assisting an operator of an operating element of a tool at desired locations at a worksite, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of fixed position ranging radios located at known positions at said worksite;

providing a plurality of ranging radios on said tool for determining an actual location of said operating element of said tool with respect to said worksite, wherein the ranging radios of said tool are configured to receive data generated by the fixed position ranging radios;

with a measurement circuit mounted on said tool determining a distance between each of the ranging radios of said tool and each of the fixed position ranging radios based on trilateration analysis of each of the ranging radios on said tool with said plurality of fixed position ranging radios;

determining said actual location based on the determined distances;

identifying said desired location at said worksite at which said tool is to be used; and

displaying an indication to said operator of said tool that said operating element of said tool is located at said actual location at said worksite and displaying an indication to said operator of said desired location of said operating element of said tool and wherein movement of said operating element of said tool to said desired locations is facilitated.

18. The method of claim 17, in which said plurality of ranging radios of said tool are mounted on said tool by a support band extending around said tool.

19. The method of claim 17, in which said desired location is specified in three dimensions.

20. The method of claim 17, in which said desired location is specified in two dimensions.