초록 ▼

A prism pole has a tubular housing having an open top, a flange at the open top, a bottom portion for contacting ground soil, a height-adjustable rod insertable into the tubular housing with an outer diameter less than inner diameter of the tubular housing to provide a slidable friction fit therebet

A prism pole has a tubular housing having an open top, a flange at the open top, a bottom portion for contacting ground soil, a height-adjustable rod insertable into the tubular housing with an outer diameter less than inner diameter of the tubular housing to provide a slidable friction fit therebetween for positioning the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing, a lip at the top of the rod, a laser sensor mounted on the tubular housing for emitting a laser toward the lip to measure distance between the laser sensor and the lip, an electronic control unit in electrical communication with the laser sensor for receiving height measurements and providing height reference data corresponding to the height measurements, an electronic display in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for receiving the height reference data and displaying the height reference data, an audio device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for emitting an alarm in response to receipt of a signal from the electronic control unit indicating movement of the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing, and an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a data collection device.

대표청구항 ▼

The following is claimed: 1. A direct reading prism pole for automatically taking height measurements and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top, a flange positioned at the open top, and a bottom portion for contacting ground soil; b) a he

The following is claimed: 1. A direct reading prism pole for automatically taking height measurements and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top, a flange positioned at the open top, and a bottom portion for contacting ground soil; b) a height-adjustable rod insertable into the housing, having an outer diameter less than inner diameter of the housing to provide a friction fit therebetween for adjustably fixedly positioning the height-adjustable rod relative to the housing; c) a series of spaced apart optically-perceptible markings extending longitudinally on the rod exterior; d) an electronic control unit including an optical reader and being mounted on the housing at the open top thereof to define a reading point for obtaining height data from the markings and processing the height data into height reference data and including an electronic display displaying the height reference data on a screen; e) an audio device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for emitting an audible alarm in response to receipt of a signal from the electronic control unit indicating movement of the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing; and f) an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a remote data collection device. 2. A direct reading prism pole for automatically taking height measurements and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top, a flange positioned at the open top, and a bottom portion for supporting the housing on ground soil; b) a height-adjustable rod insertable into the housing, having an outer diameter less than inner diameter of the housing to provide a friction fit therebetween for adjustably fixedly positioning the height-adjustable rod relative to the housing; c) an electronic control unit including a wheel assembly having a wheel rotatable about an axis, the wheel being in a frictioned contact with the height-adjustable rod and rotating about the axis in response to telescoping movement of the height-adjustable rod relative to the housing, for calculating a height measurement from an angular displacement of the wheel and converting the height measurement into height reference data and including an electronic display for displaying the height reference data on a screen; d) an audio device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for emitting an alarm in response to receipt of a signal from the electronic control unit indicating movement of the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing; and e) an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a data collection device. 3. A direct reading prism pole for automatically taking height measurements and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top, a flange positioned at the open top, and a bottom portion for supporting the housing on ground soil; b) a height-adjustable rod telescopically insertable into the tubular housing and having an outer diameter sufficiently less than inner diameter of the housing to provide a friction fit therebetween for adjustably fixedly positioning the height-adjustable rod relative to the housing; c) a lip at the top end of height-adjustable rod that does not telescope into the housing; d) a laser beam sensing unit mounted to the tubular housing for emitting a laser beam toward the lip to generate measurement data indicative of the distance between the laser sensor and the lip, the laser beam being parallel to the height-adjustable rod and perpendicular to the lip, the laser sensing unit having a detecting portion for sensing reflection of the emitted laser beam by the lip back towards the unit; e) an electronic control unit in electrical communication with the laser beam emitting and laser sensing unit for receiving the measurement data and providing height reference data corresponding to the measurement data; f) an electronic display in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for receiving the height reference data and displaying the height reference data on a screen; g) an audio device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for emitting an alarm in response to receipt of a signal from the electronic control unit indicating movement of the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing; and h) an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a data collection device. 4. The direct reading prism pole of claim 3 wherein the laser beam sensing unit is mounted on an outer surface of the tubular housing. 5. A direct reading prism pole for taking height measurements and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top and a bottom portion for supporting the housing on ground soil; b) an adjustable rod telescopically insertable into the housing, having outer diameter sufficiently less than inner diameter of the housing to provide slidable friction fit therebetween for adjustably fixedly positioning the rod relative to the housing including a reflector at the end of the rod that does not telescope into the housing; c) a sensing unit connected to the housing for emitting a laser toward the reflector to generate data indicative of the distance between the sensing unit and the lip, the emitted laser beam being parallel to the rod and perpendicular to the reflector, the sensing unit having a detecting portion for sensing reflection of the laser by the reflector back towards the sensing unit; and d) an electronic control unit in electrical communication with the sensing unit for receiving the measured data and providing height reference information corresponding to the measured data period. 6. The prism pole of claim 5 further comprising an electronic display in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for receiving the height reference data and displaying the height reference data on a screen. 7. The prism pole of claim 6 further comprising: a) an audio device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for emitting an alarm in response to receipt of a signal from the electronic control unit indicating movement of the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing; and b) an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a data collection device. 8. The prism pole of claim 6 wherein the electronic display is an integral portion of the electronic control unit. 9. The prism pole of claim 5 further comprising an audio device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for emitting an alarm in response to receipt of a signal from the electronic control unit indicating movement of the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing. 10. The prism pole of claim 5 further comprising an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a data collection device. 11. A direct reading prism pole for measuring height and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top, and a bottom portion for supporting the housing on ground soil; b) an adjustable rod telescopically insertable into the housing, having outer diameter sufficiently less than inner diameter of the housing to provide slidable friction fit therebetween for adjustably fixedly positioning the rod relative to the housing including means, mounted at the end of the rod that does not telescope into the housing for retaining string when inserted thereinto; c) a string potentiometer mounted to the tubular housing for generate measurement data indicative of the distance between the string potentiometer and the string retaining means upon string being pulled from the potentiometer and inserted into the retaining means lip, along a line parallel with the height-adjustable rod; d) an electronic control unit in electrical communication with the string potentiometer for receiving the measurement data and providing height reference data corresponding to the measurement data. 12. The prism pole of claim 11 wherein the electronic control unit displays the height reference data on a screen. 13. The prism pole of claim 11 further comprising an audio device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for emitting an alarm in response to receipt of a signal from the electronic control unit indicating movement of the height-adjustable rod with respect to the tubular housing. 14. The prism pole of claim 11 further comprising an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a data collection device. 15. A direct reading prism pole for automatically taking height measurements and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top and a bottom portion for supportingly contacting ground soil; b) a height-adjustable rod telescopingly insertable into the housing, having outer diameter less than inner diameter of the housing to provide a friction fit therebetween for adjustably fixedly positioning the rod relative to the housing and including a series of spaced apart distance indicating indicia extending longitudinally on the rod exterior; c) an electronic control unit including an sensor for said indicia, being mounted on the housing at the open top thereof to define a reading point for obtaining height data from the indicia and processing the height data into height reference data. 16. The prism pole of claim 15 wherein the indicia are magnetic. 17. The prism pole of claim 15 wherein the indicia are optically encoded. 18. The prism pole of claim 15 wherein the indicia are mechanically detectable. 19. A direct reading prism pole for taking height measurements and providing corresponding height reference data, comprising: a) a tubular housing having an open top and a bottom portion for supporting the housing on ground soil; b) an adjustable rod telescopically insertable into the housing, having outer diameter sufficiently less than inner diameter of the housing to provide slidable friction fit therebetween for adjustably fixedly positioning the rod relative to the housing including a light diffuser at the end of the rod that does not telescope into the housing; c) a sensing unit connected to the housing for emitting a laser toward the diffuser to generate data indicative of the distance between the sensing unit and the light diffuser, the emitted laser beam being parallel to the rod, the sensing unit having a detecting portion for sensing scattering of the laser by the diffuser; and d) an electronic control unit in electrical communication with the sensing unit for receiving the measured data and providing height reference information corresponding to the measured data period. 20. The prism pole of claim 19 further comprising an output device in electrical communication with the electronic control unit for sending the height reference data to a data collection device.