US 5,739,785 A · Location and generation of high accuracy survey control marks using satellites

Abstract

A method for accurately determining the location of a pre-selected survey or construction mark, or for accurately identifying the survey position for a new mark with pre-selected location coordinates. A Satellite Positioning System (SPS), such as GPS or GLONASS, with at least two SPS stations (antennas and receiver/processors) is used to receive and analyze SPS signals from four or more SPS signal satellites. An SPS signal reference station is placed at a position with known location coordinates, which can be stationary or be known functions of time. An SPS signal roving station receives the location coordinates of the reference station and determines its own location coordinates relative to the reference station, using SPS differential positioning. The roving station is then moved to a pre-selected survey mark or position, either to locate that survey mark or to identify (by marking) a new survey position from pre-selected location coordinates. The reference station analyzes the satellite signals received and transmits this measurement information and the reference station location to the roving station. The roving station independently makes similar measurements using satellites signals it receives. The roving station can contain a data-base of pre-selected positions that are to be located, which may or may not have corresponding physical marks. A handheld survey controller incorporating a visual or audible display is attached to the roving station, which guides the user to one or more of the pre-determined positions. Suitable radio communication apparatus is provided to allow the reference receiver to broadcast information to the roving receiver, even if the roving receiver is not directly visible from the reference receiver.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Apparatus for accurately determining the location coordinates of an already-existing physical survey mark on or near the Earth's surface, using differential position determination in real time, the apparatus comprising:

a first Satellite Positioning System (SPS) location determination station with known location coordinates, for receiving SPS signals from at least four SPS signal sources, which are spaced apart from the first SPS station, and for determining location coordinates of the first SPS station from the SPS signals received by the first SPS station;
a second SPS location determination station for receiving SPS signals from at least four SPS signal sources, and for determining location coordinates of the second SPS station relative to the first SPS station from the SPS signals received by the second SPS station, where the second SPS station is provided with the location coordinates of the first SPS station;
an angularly orientable measuring device, having first and second ends and a selected length L, with distances marked along the measuring device, for measuring a distance along the measuring device and for measuring an angular orientation in a substantially horizontal plane of a selected direction determined by the first and second ends of the measuring device;
and
where, when the measuring device indicates that the second SPS station is within a distance L from the location of a selected physical survey mark, the measuring device is positioned so that the the measuring device extends from the second SPS station location toward the physical survey mark location, and the second SPS station determines location coordinates of the second SPS station relative to the physical survey mark location along the measuring device.

2 more elements

Apparatus for accurately determining the physical location of a new survey location that is specified by selected location coordinates on or near the Earth's surface, using differential position determination in real time, the apparatus comprising:

a first Satellite Positioning System (SPS) location determination station with known location coordinates, for receiving SPS signals from at least four SPS signal sources, which are spaced apart from the first SPS station, and for determining location coordinates of the first SPS station from the SPS signals received by the first SPS station;
a second SPS location determination station, for receiving SPS signals from at least four SPS signal sources, and for determining location coordinates of the second SPS station relative to the first SPS station from the SPS signals received by the second SPS station, where the second SPS station is provided with the location coordinates of the first SPS station;
a user interface connected to the second SPS station that indicates, by at least one of a visually perceptible display and an audibly perceptible communication, the location of the second SPS station relative to a new survey location specified by selected location coordinates;
an angularly orientable measuring device, having first and second ends and a selected length L, with distances marked along the measuring device, for measuring a distance along the measuring device and for measuring an angular orientation in a substantially horizontal plane of a selected direction determined by the first and second ends of the measuring device;
and
where, when the user interface indicates that the second SPS station location is within a distance L from the location of the new survey location, the second station determines location coordinates of the new survey location, relative to the location coordinates of the second SPS station, the measuring device is positioned to extend from the second SPS station location toward a location with the new survey location coordinates and the physical location of the new survey location is determined.

3 more elements

A method for accurately determining the location coordinates of an already-existing physical survey mark on or near the Earth's surface, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals at a first SPS station that determines the location of the first SPS station from the SPS signals received
receiving SPS signals at a second SPS station that determines the location of the second SPS station relative to the first SPS station from the SPS signals received, where the second SPS station is provided with the location coordinates of the first SPS station;
determining the location coordinates for the second SPS station, in real time, relative to the first SPS station location, using SPS carrier phase signals received by the second SPS station;
orienting a measuring device, having first and second ends and a selected length L, having distances marked along the measuring device and having an angle measuring mechanism for measuring the angular orientation in a substantially horizontal plane of a selected direction defined by the first and second ends of the measuring device, so that the measuring device extends from the second SPS station location toward the physical survey mark location;
and
when the second SPS station is within a distance L from the physical survey mark location, using the measuring device to determine at least one of the location coordinates of the physical survey mark location, the location of the physical mark survey location relative to the first phy station, and the location of the physical mark survey location relative to the second SPS station.

3 more elements

A method for accurately determining the physical location corresponding to new survey location coordinates on or near the Earth's surface, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals at a first SPS station that determines the location of the first SPS station from the SPS signals received;
receiving SPS signals at a second SPS station that determines the location of the second SPS station relative to the first SPS station from the SPS signals received, where the second SPS station is provided with the location coordinates of the first SPS station and with the location coordinates for a new survey location;
receiving user interface signals that indicate, by at least one of a visually perceptible display and an audibly perceptible communication, the location of the second SPS station relative to a new survey location specified by selected location coordinates;
determining the location coordinates for the second SPS station, in real time, relative to the first SPS station location, using SPS carrier phase signals received by the second SPS station;
orienting a measuring device, having first and second ends and a selected length L, having distances marked along the measuring device and having an angle measuring mechanism for measuring the angular orientation in a substantially horizontal plane of a selected direction defined by the first and second ends of the measuring device, so that the measuring device extends from the second SPS station location toward a location whose location coordinates are the new survey location coordinates;
and
when the user interface signals indicate that the second SPS station location coordinates are within a distance L from the new survey location, using the measuring device, oriented in the selected direction, to determine the physical location of the new survey location.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Location and generation of high accuracy survey control marks using satellites

Life of this patent

Location and generation of high accuracy survey control marks using satellites

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10