Geoffrey Robert Kirk, Age 561643 Garnet St, Broomfield, CO 80020

6343254, Jan 29, 2002

Oct 22, 1998

09/177780

Geoffrey R. Kirk - San Francisco CA
Darin Muncy - San Jose CA
Joseph V. R. Paiva - Shawnee KS

Trimble Navigation Limited - Sunnyvale CA

G06G 778

701216, 34235714

A survey system and method for determining the best source of position data for a particular application. The system includes both an optical unit and a satellite positioning system (SATPS) unit for obtaining position data. The optical unit includes a theodolite and an electronic distance meter for determining the position of a rover unit. The SATPS unit includes a SATPS antenna and a SATPS receiver for receiving signals from satellites of the SATPS and a radio for coupling the received signals to the rover unit. The present invention automatically determines the best source of position data. The best source of position data is then used to calculate the position of the rover unit.

6400447, Jun 4, 2002

Mar 11, 2000

09/524426

Geoffrey R Kirk - San Francisco CA
Robert J. Lamm - Mountain View CA

Trimble Navigation, LTD - Sunnyvale CA

G06K 900

356 407, 382103

A system and method for selecting at least one target with strong reflectivity from a set of strong and weak reflectors by using an amplitude of a reflected signal to make such a selection. The pre-computed look-up table that relates an amplitude of the reflected signal from a target with a strong reflectivity to the distance at which such target is located is used in a real-time mode to separate weak reflectors from strong reflectors. In the post-processing mode the usage of normalizing function allows to further differentiate between strong reflectors (like windows) and very strong reflectors (like prisms).

6727849, Apr 27, 2004

Feb 15, 2002

10/078294

Geoffrey R. Kirk - San Francisco CA
Darin Muncy - San Jose CA
Joseph V. R. Paiva - Kansas City MO
Peter Large - Westminster CO

Trimble Navigation Limited - Sunnyvale CA

H04B 7185

34235714, 34235717, 342464

A survey system and method for determining the best source of position data for a particular application. The system includes both a satellite positioning system (SATPS) and a non-SATPS unit for obtaining position data. The SATPS unit includes a SATPS antenna and a SATPS receiver for receiving signals from satellites of the SATPS and a radio for coupling the received signals to the rover unit. Data is collected using both the SATPS and non-SATPS methods to obtain a master data set. Data is selected and/or combined from the master data set to produce the data subset required for position determination. The basic SATPS method may also be augmented by the use of one or more reference stations at known locations.

6732051, May 4, 2004

Apr 20, 2001

09/839466

Geoffrey R. Kirk - San Francisco CA
Darin Muncy - San Jose CA
Joseph V. R. Paiva - Shawnee KS

Trimble Navigation Limited - Sunnyvale CA

G01C 2126

701216, 34235706, 34235717

A survey system and method for determining the best source of position data for a particular application. The system includes both an optical unit and a satellite positioning system (SATPS) unit for obtaining position data. The optical unit includes a theodolite and an electronic distance meter for determining the position of a rover unit. The SATPS unit includes a SATPS antenna and a SATPS receiver for receiving signals from satellites of the SATPS and a radio for coupling the received signals to the rover unit. The present invention automatically determines the best source of position data. The best source of position data is then used to calculate the position of the rover unit.

6985104, Jan 10, 2006

Jul 29, 2002

10/209613

Peter Large - Westminster CO, US
Geoffrey R. Kirk - San Francisco CA, US
Michael Timo Allison - Salisbury, GB

Trimble Navigation Limited - Sunnyvale CA

H04B 7/185
G01S 5/14

34235709

A method and system for variable data rate transmission in a real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning system. An RTK positioning system having a reference station and a rover utilizes wireless communications for data transfer. The data transmission rate between the reference station and the rover is dynamically controlled by a programmable transmission controller. The transmission rate is determined on the basis of specific parameters. Parameters that may be used to determine the data transmission rate include rover demand, required rover accuracy, satellite positioning system (SATPS) events, the required data for ambiguities, and the type and content of the data transmitted.

7456786, Nov 25, 2008

Oct 28, 2005

11/261123

Peter Large - Westminster CO, US
Geoffrey R. Kirk - San Francisco CA, US
Michael Timo Allison - Salisbury, GB

Trimble Navigation Limited - Sunnyvale CA

H04B 7/185
G01S 1/00
G01S 5/14

34235715, 34235709

A method and system for variable data rate transmission in a real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning system. An RTK positioning system having a reference station and a rover utilizes wireless communications for data transfer. The data transmission rate between the reference station and the rover is dynamically controlled by a programmable transmission controller. The transmission rate is determined on the basis of specific parameters. Parameters that may be used to determine the data transmission rate include rover demand, required rover accuracy, satellite positioning system (SATPS) events, the required data for ambiguities, and the type and content of the data transmitted.

7580389, Aug 25, 2009

Aug 3, 2006

11/499326

Geoffrey Kirk - Redwood City CA, US
James M. Janky - Los Altos CA, US
Arthur E. Anderson - Sunnyvale CA, US

Trimble Navigation Limited - Sunnyvale CA

H04Q 7/00

370329, 370341

A first communication device (e. g. , the communication device that is sending data) monitors a radio channel in a predetermined set of radio channels. A message is transmitted on the first radio channel if the first radio channel is unoccupied. A second radio channel from the predetermined set of channels is checked if the first radio channel is occupied. The message is sent on the second radio channel if the second radio channel is unoccupied and the message was not sent on the first radio channel. In one embodiment, the transmission is sent in predetermined limited time blocks and predetermined set of channels is limited to a particular number of channels. In one embodiment a channel occupancy map and channel selection algorithm are utilized to establish the predetermined set of channels.

8098367, Jan 17, 2012

Jun 10, 2009

12/481923

Geoffrey Kirk - Broomfield CO, US
Nicholas Talbot - Ashburton, AU

Trimble Navigation Limited - Sunnyvale CA

G01B 11/26
G01B 5/02
G01B 5/18
G01C 9/00

356 28, 3561414, 702158, 702166, 702150

Tools and techniques for estimating elevations, including without limitation tools and techniques that employ mobile stations with laser detectors for receiving a beam emitted from a laser source and estimating an elevation of the mobile station based on the received beam. In some instances, a mobile station may be configured to identify, based on some or all of a variety of factors, a situation in which the elevation of the detector is likely to change to the extent that the slope of the emitter needs to be adjusted to account for this change in elevation. The mobile station may also be configured to inform the laser source that the slope of the emitted beam should be adjusted. In response, the laser source may adjust the slope of the emitted beam accordingly.