IP Library Granted Patent US 9,031,585
Granted Patent B2
US 9,031,585 · App. 13/689,556 · Granted May 12, 2015

Integrating position information into a handheld tool

Inventors: Kent Kahle (Hayward, CA); Pat Bohle (Boulder, CO); Reinhard Waibel (Berneck, CH); Markus Messmer (Wasserburg, DE); Oliver Glockner (Feldkirch, AT); Angela Beckenbauer (St. Gallen, CH); Till Cramer (Jenins, CH); Andreas Winter (Feldkirch, AT)
Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
H04W4/02G01C15/00G01S19/14G06Q10/0631G06Q10/0833G06Q10/087G06Q50/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,031,585
App. No.
13/689,556
Granted
May 12, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for integrating position information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the position data of an object embedded in a material at a worksite is recorded. The position data is used to update a record showing the position of the object as an embedded object. The position of the embedded object is displayed at a handheld tool.

Claims (44)

1. A method of integrating position information comprising:

determining, performed by a first handheld tool, position data of an object that will be embedded in a material at a worksite;

recording said position data of said object embedded in said material at said worksite;

using said position data to update a record showing the position of said object as an embedded object, wherein said position data is not recorded locally with respect to said embedded object and wherein said recording of said position data and said using of said position data are performed by a computerized information management system; and

displaying the position of said embedded object on a display device integrated with a second handheld tool.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving real-time data of the progress of a task performed by said first handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

generating a warning to said first handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

generating a message causing said first handheld tool to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object.

5. A method of integrating position information comprising:

determining, performed by a handheld tool, position data of an object at a worksite;

recording said position data of said object at said worksite, wherein said position data is recorded in a record;

creating an updated record by updating said record showing the position of the object after said object has been embedded in a material to create an embedded object, wherein said updated record indicates that said object is an embedded object, wherein said position data of said object comprises said position data of said embedded object, and wherein said position data is not required to remain local with respect to said embedded object; and

conveying said position of said embedded object to a handheld tool proximate to said embedded object.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

conveying to said handheld tool, a distance of said embedded object beneath a surface of said material.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving real-time data of the progress of a task performed by said handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating a warning to said handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating a message causing said handheld tool to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object.

10. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating at least one message which provides a positioning cue for positioning a working end of said handheld tool at a location; and

generating at least one message which provides a cue for orienting said handheld tool around an axis.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying the position of said embedded object upon a display device coupled with said handheld tool.

12. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

displaying the position of said embedded object upon a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses.

13. An embedded object display system comprising:

a database that receives, from a first handheld tool, position data of an object at a worksite;

said database configured to store position data of said object at said worksite prior to said object becoming embedded in a material to create an embedded object, wherein none of said database is local with respect to said embedded object;

a report generator configured to generate a report conveying said position data of said embedded object to said handheld tool; and

a display device coupled with said handheld tool configured to display said position of said embedded object.

14. The embedded object display system of claim 13 wherein said display device is configured to indicate a distance of said embedded object beneath a surface of said material.

15. The embedded object display system of claim 13 further comprising:

a communication transceiver configured to generate a message conveying real-time data of the progress of a task performed by said handheld tool while proximate to said embedded object.

16. The embedded object display system of claim 15 wherein said communication transceiver is further configured to receive a warning to said handheld tool of potential damage to said embedded object.

17. The embedded object display system of claim 16 wherein said handheld tool is further configured to terminate an operation to prevent damage to said embedded object in response to a received message.

18. The embedded object display system of claim 13 further comprising:

a user interface configured to display a positioning cue for positioning a working end of said handheld tool at a location and to display a cue for orienting said handheld tool around an axis.

19. The embedded object display system of claim 18 wherein said user interface comprises a set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses and wherein the position of said embedded object is displayed upon said set of heads-up display (HUD) glasses.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2013
From: KAHLE, KENT; BOHLE, PAT; WAIBEL, REINHARD; MESSMER, MARKUS; GLOCKNER, OLIVER; BECKENBAUER, ANGELA; CRAMER, TILL; WINTER, ANDREAS
To: TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 030247/0628 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61564604 · Nov 29, 2011
Related Publication 20130137468A1 · May 30, 2013