Trimble Navigation Limited

Steve Kersey

James M Janky

Charles Gilbert

Mobile system apparatus for accurately determining the location of a designated object, spaced apart from the apparatus, without having to approach the designated object. The invention uses a Satellite Positioning System (SATPS), such as GPS or GLONASS, to determine the SATPS location of a first reference SATPS station, whose location is known with high accuracy, and of a second mobile SATPS station. The second mobile SATPS station uses two SATPS signal antennas, spaced apart a known distance but arbitrarily oriented. SATPS antennas at the first and second SATPS stations each receive SATPS signals from a plurality of SATPS satellites that can be used to determine the location of each antenna. The location of each SATPS antenna may be determined using differential corrections for the location of the first SATPS station antenna. The locations of the two SATPS signal antennas at the second SATPS station define a baseline for purposes of determination angular orientation. This angular orientation information, plus information provided by angle and range readouts for the designated object from a rangefinder positioned adjacent to the second SATPS station, allows determination of the location of the designated object without requiring use of magnetic field-dependent instruments such as magnetic compasses that may be inaccurate when used adjacent to metal structures or sources of intense electromagnetic fields. Another approach uses triangulation of the designated object location from two or more spaced apart known locations of the second SATPS station and does not require angular orientation information. Information on the location of the designated object can be processed at the second SATPS station, at the first SATPS station, or at any other place that has SATPS signal processing equipment.

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Elgin, IL, United States of America

Steve Kersey