| TOPCON POSITIONING SYSTEMS, INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120130602 | Automatic Blade Control System with Integrated Global Navigation Satellite System and Inertial Sensors - Disclosed are method and apparatus for controlling the blade elevation and blade slope angle of a dozer blade. Elevation and slope angle measurements are calculated from measurements received from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna and an inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer blade. The inertial measurement unit includes three orthogonally placed accelerometers and three orthogonally placed rate gyros. The measurements are processed by algorithms to calculate estimates of the blade elevation, blade vertical velocity, blade slope angle, and blade slope angular velocity. These estimates are then provided as inputs to a control algorithm which provides control signals to control a dozer hydraulic system which controls the blade elevation and blade slope angle. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20120059554 | Automatic Blade Control System during a Period of a Global Navigation Satellite System ... - For precision grading of terrain by a dozer, the dozer blade can be automatically controlled based on measurements from a combination of a global navigation satellite system real-time kinematic mode (GNSS RTK) system and inertial sensors. At least one GNSS sensor and at least one inertial sensor are mounted on the dozer. Control algorithms are based on blade elevation and blade slope angle. During a period of GNSS RTK system outage, control of blade elevation is not available. Blade control is maintained by switching to control algorithms based on blade slope angle and blade pitch angle. Blade slope angle and blade pitch angle are controlled based on extrapolated target values of blade slope angle and blade pitch angle. The extrapolated target values of the angles are extrapolated from target values of the angles prior to the GNSS RTK system outage with the use of a distance travelled by the dozer. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120056787 | Patch Antenna with Capacitive Radiating Patch - A patch antenna includes a capacitive radiating patch, a ground plane, and vertical coupling elements electrically connected to defined portions of the capacitive radiating patch and the ground plane. The capacitive radiating patch includes an array of conductive segments along the periphery and within the interior of the capacitive radiating patch. Capacitors are electrically connected to specific conductive segments in a defined pattern. Vertical coupling elements electrically connect specific conductive segments along the periphery of the capacitive radiating patch to the ground plane. Vertical coupling elements can be conductors or defined combinations of resistors, inductors, and capacitors. Various embodiments of the patch antenna are configured for linear polarization and circular polarization. Relative to a conventional patch antenna of a similar size, a patch antenna with a capacitive radiating patch has a broader operational bandwidth and a broader radiation pattern in the forward hemisphere. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120026329 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MEASURING VEHICLE SPEED BASED ON MOVEMENT OF VIDEO CAMERA - A digital video camera is placed on a vehicle. The video camera is attached to the vehicle and is directed to a surface at a certain angle to the surface. The camera angle can change while vehicle is in motion. The camera angle is constantly measured by angular sensor (i.e., inclinometer). Images of the surface are projected onto a video matrix and transformed into a sequence of digital frames that are formed at a pre-set time interval. A speed of the video camera relative to the surface is calculated as a ratio of an off-set between the adjacent frames and the time interval between the frames. Then a known relative speed of the vehicle can be corrected by multiplication of the height of the camera (above the surface) by a coefficient that equals a ratio of the known vehicle speed and the measured camera speed. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20110307767 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO ESTIMATION IN CONVOLUTIONAL CODES (VITERBI) DECODER - A method of estimating signal-to-noise ratio in a Viterbi decoder comprising: setting a threshold SNR value; determining a dependence on SNR of the average decoding path length; filling branch metrics matrix, minimal path metrics matrix, path metrics matrix and paths matrix with initial values; receiving packets from a communication channel; calculating the matrices that contains paths stored during operation of Viterbi algorithm in its rows, and a minimal path metrics matrix, including calculating an estimate of a decoding path length, where all the paths converge, based on the paths matrix; calculating current SNR estimate using an estimate of a decoding path length, based on results of previous steps; setting a decoder control signal to an active state if the current estimated SNR does not exceed the threshold, and to an inactive state otherwise; if the decoder control signal is in active state, the branch metrics matrix, the minimal path metrics matrix, the paths metrics matrix and the paths matrix are filled with the initial values; generating a decoded symbol; and repeating the steps on a next packet if one is available. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110243274 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFICATION OF PORTABLE ANTENNA MODULES - Antenna identification data is transferred over a regular channel that is normally used for transferring navigation signals. Modulation of the received signal is used for transferring the portable antenna parameter data. Antenna identifications and parameters are written into a portable antenna module. The antenna module is attached to a radio receiver. The antenna module and the receiver are powered up. The portable antenna module receives radio signals that are amplified in a low-noise amplifier. Then, a level of the output signal is discretely modulated in the amplitude modulator and the signal is transferred to the radio receiver. The discrete fluctuations of the level of the signal are determined in the amplitude demodulator. The fluctuation of the level of the signal carries the information about the identification parameters of the portable antenna module. An analog-to-digital conversion of the determine signal fluctuation is performed in an analog-to-digital converter. The converted digital signal is used for receiving data related to the type and parameters of the portable antenna module. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110211660 | MULTI -CHANNEL SEQUENTIAL VITERBI DECODER - A multi-channel sequential Viterbi decoder includes: an input data buffer, a “Read Single Data Word from Input Data Buffer” signal driver, a processing unit selector, a decoder channel parameters registers unit, a processing unit for the “Reset Path Metrics” command, a processing unit for the “Set Path Metric Value for the Given Path Number” command, a processing unit for the “Get Single Bit from the Path with Given Number” command, a processing unit for the “Process Input Samples” command, a decoding paths and path metrics RAM, a unit for generating current decoder channel base address for the decoding paths and path metrics RAM, a unit for generating cell address for the decoding path and path metric RAM, and a data buffers unit for decoder channels output. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110169949 | System and Method for Orienting an Implement on a Vehicle - A system for determining an orientation of an implement on a vehicle is provided. The system includes a camera mounted to the vehicle, and a target object within a field of vision of the camera and mounted to the implement. The target object includes markings to enable a determination of the orientation of the implement with respect to the camera. A method of determining an orientation of an implement on a vehicle is provided. A system of orienting an implement is provided. A method of installing an implement orientation system is provided. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions is provided. The computer-executable instructions cause a processor to perform a method of determining an orientation of an implement when executed. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110115676 | Compact Multipath-Resistant Antenna System with Integrated Navigation Receiver - A patch antenna system with improved multipath resistance includes a top antenna assembly and a bottom antenna assembly. Each antenna assembly includes a radiator patch and a ground plane separated by a dielectric medium. The radiator patch on the top antenna assembly is excited by an exciter and an excitation circuit. The bottom antenna assembly is electromagnetically coupled to the top antenna assembly. The resonant frequency of the bottom antenna assembly is approximately equal to the resonant frequency of the top antenna assembly. Electromagnetic fields induced in the bottom antenna assembly are in opposite phase to the electromagnetic fields excited in the top antenna assembly. Amplitudes of electromagnetic fields induced in the bottom antenna assembly are subtracted from amplitudes of electromagnetic fields excited in the top antenna assembly, and multipath signals are suppressed. Single band and dual band antenna systems suitable for global navigation satellite systems can be implemented. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110115669 | Detection and Correction of Anomalous Measurements and Ambiguity Resolution in a Global ... - A global navigation system includes a first navigation receiver located in a rover and a second navigation receiver located in a base station. Single differences of measurements of satellite signals received at the two receivers are calculated and compared to single differences derived from an observation model. Anomalous measurements are detected and removed prior to performing computations for determining the output position of the rover and resolving integer ambiguities. Detection criteria are based on the residuals between the calculated and the derived single differences. For resolving integer ambiguities, computations based on Cholessky information Kalman filters and Householder transformations are advantageously applied. Changes in the state of the satellite constellation from one epoch to another are included in the computations. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110050903 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING POSITION AND ORIENTATION OF VEHICLE TRAILERS - A method and system for determining orientation and positioning of a vehicle trailer. A digital camera is placed on a vehicle. The camera is pointed to a trailer attached to the vehicle. The camera acquires images of the trailer. These images are processed and spatial positioning and orientation of the trailer is determined based on image processing. A special marker visible by the camera is set on the trailer. Relative positions of devices attached to the vehicle—global positioning receiver, spatial orientation measuring device and the digital camera are measured. When each digital frame is formed, coordinates and orientation data of the camera are measured. Pixels corresponding to the marker in the image are determined. A simplified copy of the image, containing only the data related to the marker pixels, is generated. The marker pixels are used for calculating position and azimuth orientation of the marker. The azimuth orientation of the trailer is calculated based on calculated azimuth orientation of the marker. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20100299031 | Semiautomatic Control of Earthmoving Machine Based on Attitude Measurement - The blade on an earthmoving machine is controlled by a semiautomatic method comprising a combination of a manual operational mode and an automatic operational mode. An operator first enters the manual operational mode and manually sets the height of the blade. The operator then enters the automatic mode and sets a reference pitch angle and an initial control point. The height of the blade is automatically controlled based on pitch angle measurements received from pitch angle sensors. Automatic control is effective over a particular range of soil conditions. When the automatic control range is exceeded, the operator manually shifts the control point, and automatic control resumes about the new control point. Blade slope is automatically controlled based on roll angle measurements received from roll angle sensors. | 11-25-2010 |
| 20090069987 | Automatic Blade Control System with Integrated Global Navigation Satellite System and Inertial Sensors - Disclosed are method and apparatus for controlling the blade elevation and blade slope angle of a dozer blade. Elevation and slope angle measurements are calculated from measurements received from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna and an inertial measurement unit mounted on the dozer blade. The inertial measurement unit includes three orthogonally placed accelerometers and three orthogonally placed rate gyros. The measurements are processed by algorithms to calculate estimates of the blade elevation, blade vertical velocity, blade slope angle, and blade slope angular velocity. These estimates are then provided as inputs to a control algorithm which provides control signals to control a dozer hydraulic system which controls the blade elevation and blade slope angle. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090038185 | Valve Switch Unit - A valve switch unit has a detector configured to detect an input, such as current, from a machine controller. The valve switch unit also has a switching circuit configured to switch control of the one or more valves an automatic controller to the machine controller if the input from the machine controller exceeds a predetermined threshold. When the current detected exceeds the predetermined threshold, the circuit switches control from the automatic controller to the machine controller. In a similar fashion, when the current falls below the predetermined threshold, the circuit switches control back to the automatic controller. | 02-12-2009 |
