Handheld Laser Receiver Height Correction Using Gravity Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser receivers for measuring relative elevation on construction sites are cumbersome, require precise alignment with gravity, and suffer from lower vertical accuracy compared to horizontal accuracy, making them inefficient for inaccessible points and prone to measurement errors.
Innovation Solution
A handheld laser receiver unit integrating a laser distance measurement device, gravity sensor, and GPS receiver, allowing for automatic height correction and three-dimensional position determination without needing to be held plumb, enabling accurate measurements over a large reception range and in inaccessible locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional laser receiver is used with a pole or handle, then the measurement method is simple and widely used, but the pole/handle is expensive, less rugged than desired, and requires careful handling to assure accurate measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the laser receiver with a distance measurement device and gravity sensor into an integrated unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate poles or handles, providing both the simplicity of the conventional method and improved reliability through automated measurements and electronic level detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical pole/handle system with an electronic integrated device that uses sensors and digital processing. The mechanical alignment requirements are substituted with electronic level detection and automated distance measurement, reducing the need for careful manual handling while maintaining accuracy.
2Ease of operation
If a pole or handle is used to mount the laser receiver, then the receiver can be positioned to indicate on-grade position, but much care must be taken to assure accurate measurements and the pole/handle must be held plumb with respect to gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical plumb requirement with an electronic gravity sensor that automatically detects the vertical direction. The integrated device uses the gravity sensor data to electronically level the measurement, eliminating the need for manual plumb alignment while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated device performs self-leveling using the built-in gravity sensor. The device automatically detects its orientation relative to gravity and adjusts the measurement accordingly, eliminating the need for the operator to manually ensure plumb alignment while maintaining ease of operation.
3Loss of information
If GPS receivers are used for survey and machine control, then horizontal position data can be acquired, but the vertical accuracy is at least a factor of two worse than the accuracy in the plane parallel to the Earth's surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges GPS horizontal positioning with laser-based vertical measurement and gravity sensing. This combination leverages the strengths of each system: GPS provides accurate horizontal position data while the laser distance measurement and gravity sensor provide superior vertical accuracy, overcoming the limitation of GPS alone.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides enhanced vertical accuracy and accessibility, allowing for precise three-dimensional position fixes, reducing user effort and improving measurement reliability and accuracy, especially in challenging site conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a laser distance measurement device for measuring a distance between a laser plane of a desired elevation and a desired physical target point to be measured on a job site
Implementation Method 2
a gravity sensor that generates a signal that is substantially indicative of an angular orientation of the housing with respect to gravity
Implementation Method 3
a first laser light photosensor, which generates a first signal if receiving a beam of laser light energy from an external laser light source
Data Source
AI summary
A laser light receiver is provided with an integral laser distance measurement (LDM) device for measuring the distance from a laser plane of a desired elevation to a desired physical target point to be measured on a jobsite. The laser receiver can be combined with a gravity reference device, so that the laser receiver does not necessarily have to be held plumb to a desired target point, when determining the relative elevation of the laser receiver between a rotating beam of laser light and the target point; it can also acquire multiple samples of positions and automatically take a vertical measurement and store that result for later readout. The laser receiver can be further combined with a GPS receiver, to acquire latitude and longitude data, and then in combination act as a three-dimensional transducer that is more accurate in the vertical direction than a GPS receiver alone is capable of.