UWB-Verified Total Station Tracking for Construction Machine Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for automatic control of construction site machinery using total stations or theodolites face challenges in reliably tracking and measuring cooperative targets, particularly when line of sight is obstructed or when assigning the target to its specific reference point on the machine.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an ultra-wide band (UWB) signal transceiver with anchor and tag modules, along with a machine control unit, to confirm the identity and location of cooperative targets by matching optical and UWB distance measurements within a tolerance value, and uses additional UWB anchor modules for determining horizontal angles and rough locations to ensure accurate tracking and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical distance measurement alone is used to track cooperative targets, then the system is simple, but reliability deteriorates when line of sight is obstructed or target assignment is ambiguous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines optical distance measurement from the total station with UWB distance measurement from anchor and tag modules to create a hybrid measurement system. The machine control unit correlates measurements from both systems to confirm target identity and maintain tracking reliability even when one system experiences line-of-sight obstructions
Solution Approach 2:
The UWB communication system acts as an intermediary verification layer between the optical measurement system and the machine control system. By measuring distance independently and comparing results, it mediates the confirmation of target identity, preventing misassignment when optical tracking alone is insufficient
2Measurement precision
If only optical measurement is used, then the device complexity is low, but measurement precision deteriorates in obstructed environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different measurement methods locally appropriate to their strengths: optical measurement is used when line of sight is clear for high-precision tracking, while UWB measurement is used or verified when obstructions may affect optical paths. The machine control unit dynamically selects or correlates measurements based on local conditions
3Reliability
If cooperative targets are tracked without UWB verification, then the system is simpler, but target identity assignment becomes unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The UWB system provides feedback verification to the optical tracking system. The machine control unit continuously compares UWB-measured distances with optically measured distances, and only confirms target identity when both measurements correlate within tolerance. This feedback loop prevents misassignment by verifying target identity through independent measurement channels
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
This solution enhances the reliability of automatic tracking and measurement of cooperative targets, preventing misassignment and maintaining accurate control of construction site machines even when line of sight is obstructed, by using UWB technology to verify target identity and location.
Implementation Method 1
optical distance meter for measuring an optical distance to a cooperative target
Implementation Method 2
ultra-wide band (UWB) distance meter associated with the UWBST anchor-module configured for measuring a distance (UWB-distance) between the UWBST anchor-module and the UWBST tag-module
Data Source
AI summary
A system is configured for confirming a mobile cooperative target being automatically tracked and measured by a total station or theodolite in order to automatically control a machine operation of a construction site machine. The system includes at least one total station or theodolite with a UWBST anchor-module having an anchor-ID, and a cooperative target associated with a UWBST tag-module having a tag-identifier (tag-ID) and being used for automatically controlling a machine operation of the construction site machine. The system can include a machine control unit associated with the construction site machine configured for controlling machine operations based on tracking and continuously measuring cooperative targets carried out by the total station or theodolite, and an ultra-wide band (UWB) distance meter associated with the UWBST anchor-module configured for measuring a distance (UWB-distance) between the UWBST anchor-module and the UWBST tag-module.