Mobile instrument, viewing device, and methods of processing and storing information
A method of transferring information stored in a mobile instrument, the information including a first information file ( 140 ) containing metadata and a pointer indicative of a first auxiliary file address; and a first auxiliary file ( 141 ) containing image information, the first auxiliary file being located at the first auxiliary file address. The method includes the steps of: storing the metadata in a second information file ( 140 ′); storing the image information in a second auxiliary file ( 142 ′) at a second auxiliary file address; generating a second pointer indicative of the second auxiliary file address; and storing the second pointer in the second information file. The instrument includes a camera ( 70 ); one or more spatial sensors; and an external sensor port ( 56 ). Power to the sensors can be controlled asynchronously. Various parsing methods are also described. The instrument includes a marker module configured to superimpose a marker on the image.
1. A mobile handheld device configured to capture an image of a target and spatial data for determination of a position of the target, the device including:
i) one or more spatial sensors including:
a) one or more orientation sensors configured to determine an orientation of the mobile device;
b) a laser distance meter configured to determine a distance from the mobile device to a target; and
c) a positioning system configured to determine a position of the mobile instrument; and
ii) a viewing device including a camera for providing an image, a marker module configured to superimpose a marker indicative of a datum position on the image, and a display screen for displaying the image superimposed with the marker; the marker including a plurality of image elements including a first element, and a second element having a visual content which contrasts with a visual content of the first element; visual content including one or more of colour, brightness and tonal content; and the laser distance meter being aligned with the datum position; and
iii) a processor configured to cause data to be captured substantially simultaneously from the spatial sensors and camera in response to a single user instruction to take a reading.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second elements are adjacent, substantially straight, parallel lines.
3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the marker includes four or more lines which radiate from a common central region.
4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the elements are arranged in a line in an alternating pattern.
5. A device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second elements have different tonal content.
6. A device according to claim 1 wherein the first element is lighter than the second element.
7. A device according to claim 1 wherein the positioning system is a global positioning system (GPS) system.
8. A device according to claim 1 further including a tilt sensor for indicating a tilt of the device relative to a datum direction indicated by the marker.
9. A mobile device according to claim 1 configured to determine a position of the target from the position information, distance information and direction information.
10. A mobile device according to claim 1 configured to capture and store an image including the target.
11. A mobile device according to claim 1 , the processor being configured to dynamically change the visual content of one or more of the first and second elements in accordance with the displayed image.
12. A device according to claim 2 wherein the marker includes four or more pairs of adjacent, substantially straight, parallel lines which radiate from a common central region.
13. A device according to claim 3 wherein the lines do not intersect at the common central region, whereby the image can be viewed in the central region.
14. A device according to claim 4 wherein the elements are arranged in two or more adjacent lines in a chequerboard pattern.