US 12,332,363 B2
Methods for geospatial positioning and portable positioning devices thereof
Charles Lemaire, Carquefou (FR); and Clement Fouquet, Joinvelle le Pont (FR)
Assigned to Trimble Inc., Westminster, CO (US)
Filed by Trimble Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/545,809.
Claims priority of application No. 20290084 (EP), filed on Dec. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0187476 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. G01S 19/47 (2010.01); G06F 18/214 (2023.01); G06F 18/25 (2023.01); G06N 3/08 (2023.01); G06T 7/32 (2017.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G06T 17/05 (2011.01); G06V 10/82 (2022.01)
CPC G01S 19/47 (2013.01) [G06F 18/214 (2023.01); G06F 18/251 (2023.01); G06N 3/08 (2013.01); G06T 7/32 (2017.01); G06T 7/70 (2017.01); G06T 17/05 (2013.01); G06V 10/82 (2022.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method implemented in a positioning device for determining a geospatial position of an object, said method comprising:
capturing, by an imaging device of said positioning device, at least one image of a surface;
processing, by a processing unit of the positioning device, the at least one captured image for identifying candidate objects in said surface and for determining a nature of said candidate objects;
displaying, at a display unit, the at least one captured image with a selection mechanism for assisting in selection of said candidate objects, wherein the at least one captured image is displayed and an indication of the determined nature of said candidate objects is overlaid on the displayed image, wherein for each of the candidate objects, the indication includes at least a first indication and a second indication of the determined nature, and wherein the first indication includes a different graphical representation than the second indication;
receiving an input via the selection mechanism for selection of at least one of the candidate objects;
collecting data from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiving unit of the positioning device and data from said imaging device for a plurality of positions of said positioning device at which the selected object is viewed by the imaging device;
determining, based on said collected data, orientations and positions of said positioning device for said plurality of positions of said positioning device in a global coordinate system (X1, Y1, Z1); and
determining the geospatial position of the selected object in said global coordinate system based on the determined orientations and positions of the positioning device in the global coordinate system;
wherein the positioning device includes (i) a first unit comprising the GNSS receiving unit and a holding element, and (ii) a second unit comprising the imaging device and the display unit, and wherein the holding element is adapted to receive the second unit.