IP Library › Granted Patent US 12674665
Granted Patent B2
US 12674665 · App. 18/400,536 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Rover orientation measurement for surveying tilt orientation

Inventors: Young Jin Lee (Westminster, CO); Scott Graybill (Arvada, CO); Matthew Fonken (Federal Heights, CO); Ashish Dhital (Westminster, CO); Jordan Lawver (Denver, CO); Kent Kahle (Fallbrook, CA); Vinod Khare (Westminster, CO)
Assignee: Trimble Inc.
G01C15/008G01C11/28G01C15/02G01C21/16G01C21/3623
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12674665
App. No.
18/400,536
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An orientation of a rover, such as a surveying rod or a robot, is used for tilt-compensated surveying. A surveying device, separate from the rover measures a position of a first part of the rover. A position of a second part of the rover is calculated based on measuring the position of the first part of the rover, the orientation of the rover, and a known relation between the first part of the rover and the second part of the rover.

Claims (61)

1 . A system for tilt-compensation surveying, the system comprising:

a rover;

a surveying device, separate from the rover; and

one or more memory devices comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following steps:

measuring a position of a first part of the rover, wherein measuring the position of the first part of the rover is performed using the surveying device;

measuring an orientation of the rover; and

calculating a position of a second part of the rover based on measuring the position of the first part of the rover, measuring the orientation of the rover, and a known relation between the first part of the rover and the second part of the rover.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rover is a surveying pole.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the rover is a robotic device.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the surveying device is a total station;

the position of the first part of the rover is measured using a laser of the total station;

the system comprises an augmented-reality device;

the augmented-reality device comprises a camera; and

measuring the orientation of the rover is based on an image acquired by the camera of the augmented-reality device.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the rover is measured using an image.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the image is acquired by a camera of the rover.

7 . A method for tilt-compensated surveying, the method comprising:

measuring a position of a first part of a rover, wherein:

measuring the position of the first part of the rover is performed using a device, and

the device is separate from the rover;

measuring an orientation of the rover; and

calculating a position of a second part of the rover based on measuring the position of the first part of the rover, measuring the orientation of the rover, and a known relation between the first part of the rover and the second part of the rover.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the device is a total station;

the rover is a surveying rod; and

the position of the second part of the rover is a tip of the rover touching a wall or ceiling.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein:

a camera is part of the total station; and

measuring the orientation of the rover is based on an image acquired by the camera.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the orientation of the rover is measured using an image.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the image is acquired by a camera of an augmented-reality device; and

the image is of two fiducials on the rover.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the image is acquired by a camera of the rover; and

the image is of two fiducials on the device.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the image is acquired by a camera of the rover;

the image is of one fiducial on the device;

the device tracks the rover; and

only one fiducial on the device in the image is used to calculate the orientation of the rover.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the image is acquired by a camera of the rover;

the image is one of a plurality of images; and

the plurality of images are used to measure the orientation of the rover based on visual odometry.

15 . The method of claim 7 , wherein measuring the orientation of the rover is based on data from an inertial measurement unit of the rover.

16 . A memory device comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the following steps:

measuring a position of a first part of a rover, wherein:

measuring the position of the first part of the rover is performed using a device, and

the device is separate from the rover;

measuring an orientation of the rover; and

calculating a position of a second part of the rover based on measuring the position of the first part of the rover, measuring the orientation of the rover, and a known relation between the first part of the rover and the second part of the rover.

17 . The memory device of claim 16 , wherein:

the device is a surveying device; and

the orientation of the rover is measured using an image.

18 . The memory device of claim 17 wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to present a model of an object on a display of the augmented-reality device based on orienting the augmented-reality device with the surveying device.

19 . The memory device of claim 17 , wherein:

the surveying device is a total station; and

the position of the first part of the rover is measured using a laser of the total station.

20 . The memory device of claim 17 , wherein the orientation of the rover is measured using an image acquired by an augmented-reality device.