Surveying Instrument Target Tracking via Movement Pattern Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Surveying instruments face challenges in accurately tracking moving targets due to narrow line of sight and the difficulty in verifying the correct target, leading to time-consuming manual intervention and potential errors.

Innovation Solution

A method using a processing unit that combines optical tracking data with sensor unit data to determine movement patterns, ensuring accurate target identification and automation of tracking by comparing datasets and adjusting for measurement tolerances and orientation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual intervention and re-targeting are used when targets are lost, then the surveying instrument can recover tracking, but the process becomes time consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetarget tracking reliabilityVSAvoidtime for manual re-targeting

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously comparing movement patterns detected by the surveying instrument with expected movement patterns from sensor units. When deviations are detected indicating target loss or identity errors, the system automatically initiates corrective actions such as searching for the correct target or adjusting tracking parameters, eliminating the need for manual intervention and recovering tracking automatically

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The surveying instrument performs self-service by automatically verifying target identity through movement pattern comparison and autonomously correcting tracking errors. The system monitors its own tracking performance, identifies when it has lost the correct target or locked onto the wrong one, and autonomously initiates search procedures or adjusts tracking parameters without requiring operator intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If the surveying instrument tracks multiple potential targets, then the chance of finding the correct target increases, but the difficulty in verifying the correct target increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to track multiple targetsVSAvoiddifficulty in verifying correct target

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring movement patterns of tracked targets and comparing them against expected movement patterns from sensor units. This real-time comparison provides automatic verification of target identity, allowing the system to distinguish the correct target from multiple potential targets based on whether its movement matches the predicted pattern, thus resolving the verification difficulty

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system effectively uses movement pattern signatures as unique identifiers for different targets, analogous to color changes. Each target has a characteristic movement pattern that serves as its identifier, allowing the surveying instrument to verify target identity by matching observed movement patterns against expected patterns, making it easy to distinguish the correct target among multiple candidates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

3Measurement precision

If the surveying instrument uses narrow line of sight for tracking, then the precision of directional measurement is improved, but the ability to find and verify the correct target is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirectional measurement precisionVSAvoiddifficulty in finding correct target

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges optical tracking data from the narrow line of sight surveying instrument with movement pattern data from sensor units attached to targets. This combination allows the system to maintain high directional measurement precision while using movement pattern verification to automatically identify and confirm the correct target, compensating for the limited field of view

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The movement pattern data from sensor units acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the narrow line of sight capability and the need to verify target identity. The intermediary movement pattern information allows automatic target verification without requiring the surveying instrument to visually search through multiple potential targets, thus maintaining measurement precision while enabling reliable target identification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11709269B2Method, processing unit and surveying instrument for improved tracking of a target

Publication Date: 2023.07.25 TRIMBLE AB

AI summary

A method implemented in a processing unit controlling a surveying instrument is provided. The method comprises obtaining a first set of data from optical tracking of a target with the surveying instrument, and identifying from the first set of data a dependence over time of at least one parameter representative of movements of the target. The method further comprises receiving a second set of data from a sensor unit via a communication channel, the second set of data including information about the at least one parameter over time, and determining whether a movement pattern for the optically tracked target as defined by the dependence over time of the at least one parameter is the same as, or deviates by a predetermined interval from, a movement pattern as defined by the dependence over time of the at least one parameter obtained from the second set of data.