Abstract: A method for identifying one or more pixels of image data associated with a point in an image includes receiving an indication of a portion of the image as displayed on the display monitor that surrounds the point. The pixels of image data as displayed on the display monitor are identified that are located approximately at edges of the portion of the image. One or more inverse transformations are performed to transform the pixels of image data as displayed on the display monitor to pixels of image data as captured by an image sensor. A portion of image data as captured by the image sensor is identified that corresponds to a portion of the image that surrounds the point. The portion of the image data as captured by the image sensor is displayed on the display monitor without data transformation.
Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for estimating environmental parameters from GNSS signals in real time. Some embodiments estimate a float solution using a federated ionospheric filter. Some embodiments fix ambiguities for improved estimates.
Abstract: An apparatus for providing navigational information associated with locations of objects includes an imaging device configured to acquire image data, a visual display coupled to the imaging device and configured to display the image data, a position measuring device configured to determine position information associated with the imaging device, and an orientation device configured to determine orientation information associated with the imaging device. The apparatus may also include a rendering system coupled to the visual display, the position measuring device, and the orientation device. The rendering system may be configured to determine image coordinates associated with a location of an object and provide a navigational graphic on the visual display oriented relative to the image coordinates.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 12, 2014
Date of Patent:
July 14, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Peter France, Kevin Sharp, Stuart Ralston
Abstract: A composite document system is implemented as instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. When executed on a processor, the instructions cause the processor to receive model data that describes a three-dimensional model of an object, where the three-dimensional model is generated using a modeling software, and where the model data conforms to a non-image format of the modeling software. The instructions further cause the processor to receive web page data that includes content and description of the content in a mark-up language, generate a composite document that includes the model data and the web page data, interpret the model data in the composite document to generate a visual representation of the three-dimensional model, and interpret the web page data in the composite document to generate a visual representation of the web page data.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 29, 2011
Date of Patent:
July 7, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
John M. Bacus, Paul McLean, Jeff Hauswirth, Preston Jackson, Brian G. Brown
Abstract: A hook block sensor assembly is disclosed. In one embodiment, the hook block sensor comprises a housing configured to removably couple about a lifting hook of a lifting device, a first global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver coupled with the housing and configured for determining a hook block sensor assembly position in three dimensions, a load monitor coupled with the housing and configured for monitoring a load coupled with the lifting hook, including monitoring a load position and a load orientation of the load and a wireless transceiver coupled with the housing and configured for wirelessly providing information including the load position, the load orientation, and the hook block sensor assembly position, to a display unit located apart from the hook block sensor assembly.
Abstract: A moisture sensing water system comprising at least one moisture sensor coupled with at least one wheel coupled with a water conveyance system, the at least one moisture sensor pierces the ground during each rotation of the at least one wheel and performs a moisture sensing. A moisture information converter receives the moisture sensing information and converts the moisture sensing information into a signal indicative of the moisture content of the ground. A moisture content provider provides the signal indicative of the moisture content of the ground in a user accessible format to automatically control the amount of water disseminated by the moisture sensing watering system.
Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention recite a data collector with expanded functionality and a method of enhancing revenue generation using a data collector with expanded functionality. In one embodiment, a central unit of a data collector is configured to receive a replaceable unit such that any one of a variety of replaceable units can be configure to be attached to said central unit.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 12, 2013
Date of Patent:
June 23, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Dennis York, John Paul Harmon, Craig Jurs, Gerald Steiger, Timothy James Jondrow, Robert Nicol
Abstract: A system for agricultural monitoring and prediction comprises a first reporting agent a second reporting agent a database, and a processor. The first reporting agent is configured for reporting aerial data representing relative measurements of an agricultural metric in a geographic area, the relative measurements having an unknown bias. The second reporting is configured for reporting ground-based data representing absolute measurements of the agricultural metric for a portion of the geographic area. The database is configured for storing the absolute measurement data and the relative measurement data along with other farming data for a wide geographic area. The processor is configured for accessing the database and using the ground-based data for the portion of the geographic area to calibrate the aerial data, thereby synthesizing absolute measurements of the agricultural metric for the geographic area from the aerial data.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 24, 2011
Date of Patent:
June 16, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Robert J. Lindores, Ted Mayfield, Morrison Ulman
Abstract: A smart device is disclosed which contains a digital camera with an active electronic viewscreen that displays the detected image, in which the camera can sense laser light beams. The smart device has the capability receiving and executing an application program that allows the camera to be used as a grade elevation detector, in which the camera can sense a laser light beam that effectively forms a plane of laser light which defines an “on-grade” elevation for a jobsite. The user can determine this on-grade elevation by running the APP and viewing the display screen to find the (rotating or static) laser beam. An automated APP system can capture the on-grade elevation using a sequence of images that include a grade rod measurement paired with laser beam intensity detection images.
Abstract: A device and methods are provided for detecting data points using an integrated radar sensor. In one embodiment, a method includes determining position of a device, detecting data points by an integrated radar sensor of the device, wherein the data points are determined for one or more points in space associated with one or more objects, and generating a spatial model of the one or more objects based on the detected data points. The device and methods may advantageously be employed for one or more of mapping, modeling, planning, machine control, navigation and object tracking.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 4, 2013
Publication date:
June 4, 2015
Applicant:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Mark Edward NICHOLS, Gregory Craig Wallace
Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for creating an annotated angle with the user specified points are described herein. Embodiments of the present invention relate to reducing or eliminating the effort a user must put forth in creating an angular dimension by drawing two explicit lines or two explicit objects comprised of two lines where either the user would have to ensure the explicit lines intersected to form the angular dimension or define an exact center point to be the vertex of the angular dimension. Further embodiments allow a user to easily create the annotated angle by defining points in the CAD interface eliminating the need to create line geometry with the defined center point in the CAD interface. In one embodiment, this is achieved by the user specifying a start point, a start direction, an end point, and an end direction where the annotated angle may then be created based on the user defined points in the CAD interface.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 18, 2011
Date of Patent:
June 2, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Preston Jackson, John Bacus, Paul McLean, Jeffrey Hauswirth
Abstract: A system and method may generate unit tests for source code concurrently with API documentation. The system may receive a source code file including several comments sections. Each comments section may include a description of a source code unit such as a class, method, member variable, etc. The description may also correspond to input and output parameters the source code unit. The system and method may parsing the source code file to determine a source code function type corresponding to the unit description and copy the unit description to a unit test stub corresponding to the function type. A developer or another module may then complete the unit test stub to transform each stub into a complete unit test corresponding to the source code unit. Additionally, the system and method may execute the unit test and generate a test result indication for each unit test.
Abstract: A tower crane load location determiner is disclosed. One example includes a load location measurer to provide load location measurement information for a load coupled with a tower crane. In addition, a load position determiner utilizes the load location measurement information to determine a location of the load. A user accessible load location provider provides the determined location of the load.
Abstract: A method of determining the orientation of a robotic machine at a worksite contemplates providing a target on the machine, moving the target to a first position on said machine, determining the location of the first position in the worksite, moving the target to a second position on said machine, and determining location of the second position in the worksite. The first and second positions are known with respect to the machine. Finally, a vector between the first and second locations defines the orientation of the machine with respect to the worksite. The target may be moved to additional positions on the machine.
Abstract: This disclosure concerns novel tools and techniques for distributing status information, including without limitation status information about commercial equipment. In some cases, a status monitoring device can be attached to, incorporated within, or otherwise placed in communication with a piece of commercial equipment. The status monitoring device can monitor the status of the equipment and communicate that status. Some of the discloses tools and techniques employ a social networking infrastructure to convey information (such as status information about a piece of equipment).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 19, 2011
Date of Patent:
May 26, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Bryn Allen Fosburgh, George Derrick Darby, Omar Soubra, James M. Janky
Abstract: A system and method for controlling power usage of a reporting device associated with an asset is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method determines whether the reporting device is in a sleep mode or an active mode and in response to determining the reporting device is in the sleep mode, the method maintains the sleep mode and in response to determining a state change associated with the reporting device, the method powers up the reporting device to the active mode.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 7, 2007
Date of Patent:
May 26, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Daniel John Wallace, Doug Eggert, Curt Conquest
Abstract: In a method of milling asphalt, a relative elevation of an unmilled asphalt pavement surface adjacent to an area to be milled is sensed with respect to a milling machine body and rotatable milling drum of the milling machine. An elevation of a bottom surface of the rotatable milling drum is determined using a computer processor. Based on a map, stored in a computer memory, of a design surface specifying a design elevation of a milled surface over the area to be milled, the elevation of the milling machine body and the rotatable milling drum are automatically adjusted such that the rotatable milling drum mills the asphalt surface to the design elevation over the area to be milled.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 29, 2014
Date of Patent:
May 26, 2015
Assignee:
Trimble Navigation Limited
Inventors:
Jeroen Snoeck, Richard Paul Piekutowski