The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 27, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 07, 1997
Ian Timothy Viney, Christchurch, NZ;
Philip Richard Jackson, Lyttleton, NZ;
Trimble Navigation Limited, Sunnvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of recording position data for measuring the position of a ground point during a survey procedure in which satellite signals are used to determine the position of an antenna on a range pole. The pole is moved through non-vertical orientations by an operator so that the antenna position is determined at various points which generally do not lie directly over the ground point. The antenna positions lie on a geometric figure, generally the surface of a sphere which is centered on the ground point and has a radius equal to the length of the pole. Characterizing the sphere by a statistical analysis of the antenna positions either in real time or during post processing, leads to an accurate measurement of the ground point position. The method is preferably enabled by an otherwise standard handheld controller device which operates as part of a roving antenna/receiver station. The satellite signals are preferably derived from the Global Positioning System although other systems may also be used.