Automatic ground marking method and apparatus

A computer software product comprising logic stored on computer readable media and executable by a processor for causing a carriage including a controllable steering and drive system and a controllable marking system, to mark out a sign on a ground surface, the software product comprising:

• carriage position logic for reading a carriage position from a data stream generated by a position sensing device;
• sign point logic for reading a file of points defining a desired sign;
• and
• command logic for generating commands to cause a carriage to traverse the ground surface and dispense paint on the surface in order to mark out the sign.

A method for marking undulating turf, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring the position of an automated carriage arranged to move over a predetermined path;
• creating a collection of points defining a desired sign using recorded position coordinates;
• and
• processing the collection of points to generate control signals to cause the carriage to traverse the ground in the predetermined path to mark out the desired sign.

A method of surveying a surface by a carriage adapted to automatically traverse the surface to be surveyed and associated with a position determining system, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a path for the carriage to follow to cover the surface to be surveyed;
• generating command signals to instruct the carriage to traverse the path;
• receiving positioning data for the carriage from the position determining system during the traverse;
• storing the positioning data in a data file.