Apparatus and system for determining terrestrial position
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorAdam J. Gudat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a spatial positioning and measurement system and a reference station for determining the instantaneous position of a dynamic reference point. The reference station emits a primary laser beam, determines the terrestrial position of a local reference point located on the reference station using a satellite based global positioning system and transmits the terrestrial position. The system detects the primary laser beam and the terrestrial position of the local reference point and responsively determining the terrestrial position of the dynamic reference point.
Claims28
A reference station, comprising:
- a station frame;
- means connected to said frame for emitting a primary laser reference beam;
- means for determining a terrestrial position of a reference point located on the reference station relative to a fixed terrestrial reference system, R.sub.T, and responsively producing a terrestrial position signal;
- and
- communication means for receiving said terrestrial position signal and responsively transmitting a communication signal indicative of said terrestrial position signal.
A spatial positioning and measurement system for determining the instantaneous position of a reference point, DP, comprising:
- at least one reference station, said one reference station including:
- a station frame;
- means connected to said frame for emitting a primary laser reference beam;
- means for determining a terrestrial position of a reference point located on said laser reference emitting means and responsively producing a terrestrial position signal;
- and
- communication means for receiving said signal and responsively emitting a communication signal indicative of said terrestrial position;
- wherein the spatial positioning and measurement system further comprises a positioning means located at said reference point, said positioning means including:
- means for detecting said primary laser reference beam, responsively determining the location of said reference point, DP, relative to said reference station, and responsively producing a location signal;
- means for receiving said communication signal and said location signal and responsively determining the terrestrial position of the reference point, DP.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.