Patents by Inventor Robert G. Conner

Robert G. Conner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8743376
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a surveying system including a surveying instrument and method for detecting light of fan shaped laser beam. The surveying instrument includes a detector for detecting light of the fan shaped laser beam rotating around a propagation axis with a direction of rotation and having two detector elements arranged in a known spatial relation for outputting a detection signal when irradiated. A position determining unit is used to obtain a first set of detection signals from the detector elements, to determine a first time relation between the detection signals of the first set, and to determine a positional relation between the detector and the propagation axis based on the first time relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Lars Schumacher, Robert G. Conner
  • Publication number: 20130308141
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a surveying system including a surveying instrument and method for detecting light of fan shaped laser beam. The surveying instrument includes a detector for detecting light of the fan shaped laser beam rotating around a propagation axis with a direction of rotation and having two detector elements arranged in a known spatial relation for outputting a detection signal when irradiated. A position determining unit is used to obtain a first set of detection signals from the detector elements, to determine a first time relation between the detection signals of the first set, and to determine a positional relation between the detector and the propagation axis based on the first time relation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Lars Schumacher, Robert G. Conner
  • Patent number: 8526014
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a positioning system including a positioning device and method for detecting light of fan shaped laser beam. The positioning device includes a detector for detecting light of the fan shaped laser beam rotating around a propagation axis with a direction of rotation and having two detector elements arranged in a known spatial relation for outputting a detection signal when irradiated. A position determining unit is used to obtain a first set of detection signals from the detector elements, to determine a first time relation between the detection signals of the first set, and to determine a positional relation between the detector and the propagation axis based on the first time relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventors: Lars Schumacher, Robert G. Conner
  • Publication number: 20110141488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a positioning device and method for detecting light of fan shaped laser beam, as well as to a positioning system comprising the device and to a light emitting device emitting the fan shaped laser beam, which enable to find a spot of a laser beam easier and quicker. The positioning device comprises a detector for detecting light of a fan shaped laser beam rotating around a propagation axis with a direction of rotation and having two detector elements arranged in a known spatial relation for outputting a detection signal when irradiated; and a position determining unit to obtain a first set of detection signals from the detector elements, determine a first time relation between the detection signals of the first set, and determine a positional relation between the detector and the propagation axis based on the first time relation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: TRIMBLE NAVIGATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Lars Schumacher, Robert G. Conner
  • Patent number: 7409312
    Abstract: A laser light receiver is provided with an integral laser distance measurement (LDM) device for measuring the distance from a laser plane of a desired elevation to a desired physical target point to be measured on a jobsite. The laser receiver can be combined with a gravity reference device, so that the laser receiver does not necessarily have to be held plumb to a desired target point, when determining the relative elevation of the laser receiver between a rotating beam of laser light and the target point; it can also acquire multiple samples of positions and automatically take a vertical measurement and store that result for later readout. The laser receiver can be further combined with a GPS receiver, to acquire latitude and longitude data, and then in combination act as a three-dimensional transducer that is more accurate in the vertical direction than a GPS receiver alone is capable of.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Apache Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Conner, James T. Zalusky
  • Publication number: 20080015811
    Abstract: A laser light receiver is provided with an integral laser distance measurement (LDM) device for measuring the distance from a laser plane of a desired elevation to a desired physical target point to be measured on a jobsite. The laser receiver can be combined with a gravity reference device, so that the laser receiver does not necessarily have to be held plumb to a desired target point, when determining the relative elevation of the laser receiver between a rotating beam of laser light and the target point; it can also acquire multiple samples of positions and automatically take a vertical measurement and store that result for later readout. The laser receiver can be further combined with a GPS receiver, to acquire latitude and longitude data, and then in combination act as a three-dimensional transducer that is more accurate in the vertical direction than a GPS receiver alone is capable of.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Robert G. Conner, James T. Zalusky
  • Patent number: 6398175
    Abstract: A hand-held laser detector clamp apparatus is provided for use in attachment against virtually all available sizes and shapes of members found on construction sites and in surveying applications. A reversible jaw adapter that contains both a “flat” face and a “ramped” face is attached to a travelling clamp jaw with a clamp lead screw. The reversible jaw adapter can be used with either its flat face out or its ramped face out. A detector bracket and detector screw are also provided as part of the clamp apparatus to hold a hand-held laser detector in place. If the flat face of the reversible jaw adapter is oriented so as to be “out,” then the clamp apparatus will generally be most useable in attaching to flat surfaces, such as rectangular rods or boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Apache Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Conner, Chris W. Snyder