Claims
- 1. An improved receiver for use in a robotic theodolite spatial positioning apparatus, comprising:
a receiver having a sensor that receives a first position signal and a second position signal and outputs a first and a second receive signal, the first and second position signal originating from a single location; a calculator that determines the first interval time separation between the first and second receive signals, converts the first time interval separation into elevation angle data and outputs the elevation angle data, and a display that receives and displays the elevation angle data output.
- 2. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first position signal and the second position signal originate from a transmitter.
- 3. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor detects one of a laser beam, a radio frequency signal beam and an infrared signal beam.
- 4. The positioning apparatus of claim 2, said calculator further comprising a database containing transmitter calibration data.
- 5. The positioning apparatus of claim 4, wherein said transmitter calibration data is used to convert the first separation time interval into the elevation angle.
- 6. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor receives a third position signal and outputs a third receive signal,
wherein the calculator receives the third receive signal and determines the third receive signal arrival time and converts the first time interval separation and the third receive signal arrival time into an azimuth angle data and outputs the azimuth angle data, said display receiving the azimuth angle data output and displays the azimuth angle.
- 7. The positioning apparatus of claim 6, and further comprising a second tracker that receives the third receive signal and outputs a third receive signal arrival time.
- 8. The positioning apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first and second tracker are the same.
- 9. The positioning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the third position signal is a strobe pulse.
- 10. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a broadband detector.
- 11. The positioning apparatus of claim 10, wherein the broadband detector is a photodetector.
- 12. The positioning apparatus of claim 11, wherein the photodetector is a silicon photodetector.
- 13. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface that allows a user to interact with the receiver.
- 14. The positioning apparatus of claim 13, wherein the user interface is one of a keyboard, a pointing device, a joystick, a rocker device, a tactile interface, a touch screen, a thumbwheel and an audio receiver.
- 15. The positioning apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a menu-driven operating system that displays a user-selectable menu on the display and allows a user to select calculator functions according to user interaction with the user interface.
- 16. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display is one of a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display, a printer, and a projector and screen.
- 17. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the calculator is at least one of a program stored in a memory, a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, programmed microprocessor or microprocessor, and application specific integrated circuit, a programmable logic device, a digital signal processor, and a hard wired electronic or logic circuit.
- 18. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a clock that receives the first and a second receive signal and outputs a first receive signal time stamp and a second receive signal time stamp, said calculator receives the first receive signal time stamp and a second receive signal time stamp to determine the first time interval separation.
- 19. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, the calculator further comprising a directional determination portion that determines which direction the receiver must be moved in order to arrive at a predetermined location and outputs directional information, whereby the display receives and displays the directional information.
- 20. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an input/output interface connectable to an external apparatus.
- 21. The positioning apparatus of claim 20, wherein the external apparatus contains a memory.
- 22. The positioning apparatus of claim 20, wherein the input/output interface is at least one of a communications interface, a network card, a dial-up modem, a parallel port, a serial port, a universal serial bus port and an infrared port.
- 23. The positioning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a hand-held device.
- 24. An improved receiver for use in a robotic theodolite spatial positioning apparatus, comprising:
a hand-held receiver; a sensor that receiver first and second position signals and outputs a first and second receive signal; a clock that receives the first and a second receive signal and outputs a first receive signal time stamp and a second receive signal time stamp; a memory that stores calibration information; a calculator that receives the first and second receive signals and the first and second receive signal time stamps and determines a first time interval separation between the first position signal and the second position signal, converts the first time interval separation into an elevation angle and outputs the elevation angle, and a display that receives the elevation angle output and displays the elevation angle.
- 25. A method for determining a relative position of a receiver with respect to a single transmitter by sensing position signals and determining the time interval between the signals, comprising the steps of:
receiving a first position signal from the transmitter; time-tagging the first position signal and outputting a first receive signal; receiving a second position signal from the transmitter; time-tagging the second position signal and outputting a second receive signal; retrieving transmitter calibration from memory; determining the elevation of the receiver; outputting the receiver elevation to a display; and displaying the receiver elevation of the receiver.
- 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of
inputting into the receiver a desired elevation; comparing the desired elevation with the receiver elevation; determining which direction to move the receiver towards the desired elevation; and displaying the direction to move the receiver towards the desired elevation.
- 27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of emitting an audio signal that varies with the proximity of the receiver to the desired elevation.
- 28. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:
receiving a third position signal; time-tagging the third position signal and outputting a third receive signal; determining the azimuth of the receiver; outputting the receiver azimuth to a display; and displaying the azimuth of the receiver.
- 29. A method for determining an azimuth and an elevation of a receiver with respect to a single transmitter by sensing position signals and determining the time interval between the signals, comprising the steps of:
receiving a first position signal from the transmitter; time-tagging the first position signal and outputting a first receive signal; receiving a second position signal from the transmitter; time-tagging the second position signal and outputting a second receive signal; retrieving transmitter calibration from memory; determining the elevation of the receiver; outputting the receiver elevation to a display; displaying the receiver elevation of the receiver; receiving a third position signal; time-tagging the third position signal and outputting a third receive signal; determining the azimuth of the receiver; outputting the receiver azimuth to a display; and displaying the azimuth of the receiver.
Parent Case Info
[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] This application claims priority of previously filed U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/185,379 filed Feb. 28, 2000, incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/532,100, 09/532,099, and 09/523,026 filed Mar. 21, 2000, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/417,112, all of which relate to Precision Position Measurement Systems and Methods, and all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60185379 |
Feb 2000 |
US |