Electronic rod reader and field notebook

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354057-B2
Application number	US-201414498356-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2014
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

An electronic rod reader and field notebook is disclosed. In one embodiment, the electronic rod reader and field notebook comprises an image capture device for capturing an image through the eyepiece of an auto-level. The electronic rod reader and field notebook further comprises logic implemented by a processor of the electronic rod reader for automatically recognizing a crosshair viewed through the eyepiece of the auto-level, for automatically comparing the crosshair against a scale of a standard grade rod viewed through the eyepiece of the auto-level, and for automatically determining an elevation of the standard grade rod based upon the comparing. The electronic rod reader and field notebook further comprises a non-transitory computer readable data storage medium coupled with the processor for storing the elevation as a first reading.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic rod reader and field notebook comprising:
an image capture device for capturing an image through an eyepiece of an auto-level;
logic implemented by a processor of said electronic rod reader for automatically recognizing a crosshair viewed through said eyepiece of said auto-level, for automatically comparing said crosshair against a scale of a standard grade rod viewed through said eyepiece of said auto-level, and for automatically determining an elevation of said standard grade rod based upon said comparing; and
a non-transitory computer readable data storage medium coupled with said processor for storing said elevation as a first reading.

2. The electronic rod reader and field notebook of claim 1 wherein said image capture device, said processor, and said non-transitory computer readable data storage medium comprise components of a portable electronic device which is not originally configured to be used as a surveying device.

3. The electronic rod reader and field notebook of claim 2 wherein said image capture device, said processor, and said non-transitory computer readable data storage medium comprise components of a cellular telephone.

4. The electronic rod reader and field notebook of claim 2 further comprising:
a wireless communication device configured for receiving a position of said standard grade rod and wherein said logic causes said position to be automatically stored with said first reading.

5. The electronic rod reader and field notebook of claim 1 wherein said logic implemented by said processor facilitates automatically recognizing a character shown on said standard grade rod by said electronic rod reader and field notebook.

6. The electronic rod reader and field notebook of claim 1 wherein said logic implemented by said processor facilitates automatically determining a type of said standard grade rod viewed through the eyepiece of said auto-level by said electronic rod reader and field notebook.

7. The electronic rod reader and field notebook of claim 1 wherein said logic implemented by said processor is configured to estimate a value of said standard grade rod by counting image pixels between the crosshair of the auto-level and said scale of said standard grade rod.

8. A method of automatically reading and recording auto-level readings, said method comprising:
capturing an image through an eyepiece of an auto-level using an image capture device;
automatically recognizing a crosshair viewed through said eyepiece of said auto-level using logic implemented by a processor of an electronic rod reader;
automatically comparing said crosshair against a scale of a standard grade rod viewed through said eyepiece of said auto-level using said logic implemented by said processor of said electronic rod reader;
automatically determining an elevation of said standard grade rod using said logic implemented by said processor of said electronic rod reader based upon said comparing; and
automatically storing said elevation using a non-transitory computer readable data storage medium coupled with said processor as a first reading.

9. The method of claim 8 further wherein said image capture device, said processor, and said non-transitory computer readable data storage medium comprise components of a portable electronic device which is not originally configured to be used as a surveying device, said method further comprising:
using said portable electronic device to perform said capturing, said automatically recognizing, said automatically comparing, said automatically determining, and said automatically storing.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said image capture device, said processor, and said non-transitory computer readable data storage medium comprise components of a cellular telephone, said method further comprising:
using said cellular telephone to perform said capturing, said automatically recognizing, said automatically comparing, said automatically determining, and said automatically storing.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:
receiving a position of said standard grade rod using a wireless communication device of said portable electronic device; and
automatically storing said position with said first reading.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
automatically recognizing a character shown on said standard grade rod.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
automatically determining a type of said standard grade rod viewed through the eyepiece of said auto-level.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
automatically estimating a value of said standard grade rod by counting image pixels between the crosshair of the auto-level and said scale of said standard grade rod.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method of automatically reading and recording auto-level readings, said method comprising:
capturing an image through an eyepiece of an auto-level using an image capture device;
automatically recognizing a crosshair viewed through said eyepiece of said auto-level using logic implemented by a processor of an electronic rod reader;
automatically comparing said crosshair against a scale of a standard grade rod viewed through said eyepiece of said auto-level using said logic implemented by said processor of said electronic rod reader;
automatically recognizing a character shown on said standard grade rod;
automatically determining an elevation of said standard grade rod using said logic implemented by said processor of said electronic rod reader based upon said comparing; and
automatically storing said elevation using a non-transitory computer readable data storage medium coupled with said processor as a first reading.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 further wherein said image capture device, said processor, and said non-transitory computer readable data storage medium comprise components of a portable electronic device which is not originally configured to be used as a surveying device, and wherein said method further comprises:
using said portable electronic device to perform said capturing, said automatically recognizing, said automatically comparing, said automatically determining, and said automatically storing.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein said image capture device, said processor, and said non-transitory computer readable data storage medium comprise components of a cellular telephone, and wherein said method further comprises:
using said cellular telephone to perform said capturing, said automatically recognizing, said automatically comparing, said automatically determining, and said automatically storing.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein said method further comprises:
receiving a position of said standard grade rod using a wireless communication device of said portable electronic device; and
automatically storing said position with said first reading.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein said method further comprises:
automatically determining a type of said standard grade rod viewed through said eyepiece of said auto-level.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein said method further comprises:
automatically estimating a value of said standard grade rod by counting image

Assignees

• Trimble Navigation Ltd

Inventors

• Bank Michael

Classifications

• G01C15/006 Primary

  Detectors therefor · CPC title

• G01C5/00 Primary

  Measuring height; Measuring distances transverse to line of sight; Levelling between separated points; Surveyors' levels (G01C3/20, G01C3/30 take precedence) · CPC title