Patent US3705772A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3705772A
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Profile determining method and system
Assignee: SCI TEK COMPUTER CENTER Inc
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Filing: 1971-04-20
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Granted: 1972-12-12
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Expires: 1991-04-20
Abstract
Abstract A distance ranging system of conventional design is utilized to measure radial distances transversely to the direction of motion of a vehicle or other object along a right-of-way. Using a high speed rotating transducer element, successive radial scansions are made during the vehicle movement. Each successive radial scansion or sweep is divided into segments or channels, one for every preselected number of degrees of arc in the swept field under examination. At least one channel covers every portion of the swept field. The range information for corresponding arcuate portions or channels of each succeeding revolution or sweep is compared with that previously stored information for such channel and the minimum range information retained for each of the channels. Thus, with each sweep or revolution of the ranging device, new data for each channel is individually compared with the data already residing in each channel. If the new distance measured is less than the distance previously measured and stored for this channel, this new measurement information is then stored and the old information discarded. Simultaneously therewith, lineal distance information as to the location of each minimum range point can be recorded in separate storage area. The process continues for each right-of-way to be measured at which time the operator transfers the stored information to be transferred to paper tape or other storage.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry E Andreas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C7/00; G01C7/06; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/24; G01C13/00; G01C13/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
The method in an automatic system for obtaining information relative to the clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way from sequential ranging information developed by radially scanning at least a portion of said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while lineally traversing the same, which method comprises: generating physical representations of said ranging information, segmenting the physical representations derived from at least a portion of each radial scansion, storing the segmented physical representations from one of said radial scansions, comparing said segmented physical representations of said ranging information derived from subsequent radial scansions with corresponding ones of said stored representations for determining the lesser range physical representations, and updating said stored physical representations with the lesser one of each of said compared physical representations, whereby said stored representations correspond to the minimum clearance ranges of said right-of-way.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
The method in an automatic system for obtaining information relative to the clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way from sequential ranging information developed by radially scanning at least a portion of said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while lineally traversing the same, which method comprises: generating physical representations of said ranging information, segmenting the physical representations derived from at least a portion of each radial scansion, storing the segmented physical representations from one of said radial scansions, comparing said segmented physical representations of said ranging information derived from subsequent radial scansions with corresponding ones of said stored representations for determining the lesser range physical representations, and updating said stored physical representations with the lesser one of each of said compared physical representations, whereby said stored representations correspond to the minimum clearance ranges of said right-of-way.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1 including the additional step of transferring said updated representations to an auxiliary storage upon the completion of each right-of-way determination.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 1 including the additional steps of: generating physical manifestations corresponding to the lineal distance along said right-of-way of each of said radial scansions, and storing the distance manifestations corresponding to any of said segmented range manifestations which upon said comparison is found to be less than a prior corresponding segmented range manifestatIon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 3 including the additional step of updating said stored physical distance representations with the distance representation corresponding to the lesser of said range physical representations.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 4 including the additional step of transferring said updated distance representations to an auxiliary storage upon the completion of each right-of-way determination.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 5 which includes the steps of: selecting those physical representations corresponding to range information falling between predetermined limits, and counting each such physical representation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 which includes the additional steps of: selecting those physical representations corresponding to range information falling between predetermined limits, and counting each such physical representation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
135 words
The method in a computing system for obtaining information relative to the clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way from sequential ranging information developed by radially scanning at least a portion of said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while lineally traversing the same, which method comprises: programming the computing system to store the ranging information derived from one of said radial scansions along said right-of-way, programming the computing system to successively compare selected angular portions of the ranging information obtained on each successive radial scansion with corresponding angular portions of the stored ranging information, programming the computing system to determine for each of said selected angular portions the lower ranging information, and programming said computing system to replace the originally stored ranging information after each determination of lower ranging information at each such angular portion.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
135 words
The method in a computing system for obtaining information relative to the clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way from sequential ranging information developed by radially scanning at least a portion of said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while lineally traversing the same, which method comprises: programming the computing system to store the ranging information derived from one of said radial scansions along said right-of-way, programming the computing system to successively compare selected angular portions of the ranging information obtained on each successive radial scansion with corresponding angular portions of the stored ranging information, programming the computing system to determine for each of said selected angular portions the lower ranging information, and programming said computing system to replace the originally stored ranging information after each determination of lower ranging information at each such angular portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 8 which includes the additional steps of: receiving distance information corresponding to each successive radial scan, programming said computing system to store said distance information corresponding to the lowest ranging information determination for each of said selected angular portions, thereby to reduce the information accumulated by said system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
124 words
An automatic system for determining the minimum clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way, said system utilizing ranging information representations developed by radially scanning said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while linearly traversing such right-of-way, said ranging information comprising discrete elements of range information to the nearest obstruction for each of n arcuate segments, said system comprising: means for storing the ranging information representations for one of said radial scansions along said right-of-way, means for successively comparing corresponding angular portions of said ranging information representations derived in scansions subsequent to said one with said one scansion ranging information, means for determining for each said angular portion the lowest ranging information representation, and means for storing such lowest ranging information for each said angular portion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
124 words
An automatic system for determining the minimum clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way, said system utilizing ranging information representations developed by radially scanning said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while linearly traversing such right-of-way, said ranging information comprising discrete elements of range information to the nearest obstruction for each of n arcuate segments, said system comprising: means for storing the ranging information representations for one of said radial scansions along said right-of-way, means for successively comparing corresponding angular portions of said ranging information representations derived in scansions subsequent to said one with said one scansion ranging information, means for determining for each said angular portion the lowest ranging information representation, and means for storing such lowest ranging information for each said angular portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
A system according to claim 10 which also includes: means for deriving from said automatic system distance representations corresponding to the lineal position along said right-of-way of each of said radial scansions; means responsive to said comparing means for storing said distance representations corresponding to the point of occurrence of lowest ranging information for each of said n arcuate segments, thereby to reduce the information storage requirements of said system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
162 words
An automatic system for determining the minimum clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way, said system utilizing ranging information representations developed by radially scanning said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while linearly traversinG such right-of-way, said ranging information comprising discrete elements of range information to the nearest obstruction for each of n arcuate segments, said system comprising: means for generating physical representations of said ranging information, means for segmenting into n segments the physical representations derived from at least a portion of each radial scansion, means for storing each of said n segmented physical representations from one of said radial scansions, means for comparing each of said n segmented physical representations of said ranging information derived from each subsequent radial scansion with corresponding ones of said n stored representations, and means responsive to said comparing means for updating said stored representations with the lesser one of each of said representations, whereby said stored representations correspond to the minimum clearance of said right-of-way.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
162 words
An automatic system for determining the minimum clearance profile of a lineal right-of-way, said system utilizing ranging information representations developed by radially scanning said right-of-way with a range determining apparatus while linearly traversinG such right-of-way, said ranging information comprising discrete elements of range information to the nearest obstruction for each of n arcuate segments, said system comprising: means for generating physical representations of said ranging information, means for segmenting into n segments the physical representations derived from at least a portion of each radial scansion, means for storing each of said n segmented physical representations from one of said radial scansions, means for comparing each of said n segmented physical representations of said ranging information derived from each subsequent radial scansion with corresponding ones of said n stored representations, and means responsive to said comparing means for updating said stored representations with the lesser one of each of said representations, whereby said stored representations correspond to the minimum clearance of said right-of-way.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system according to claim 12 which also includes: means for generating physical manifestations corresponding to the lineal distance along said right-of-way of each of said radial scansions, and means for storing the distance manifestations corresponding to any of said segmented range manifestations which upon said comparison is found to be less than a prior corresponding segmented range manifestation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
A system according to claim 13 which also includes: means for updating said stored physical distance representations with the distance representations corresponding to the lesser of said range physical representations.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 14 which also includes: means for selecting those physical representations corresponding to range information falling between predetermined limits, and counting each such physical representation.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 12 which also includes: means for selecting those physical representations corresponding to range information falling between predetermined limites, and counting each such physical representation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-12-12 | 1976-06-12 | 1976-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-12-12 | 1980-06-12 | 1980-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-12-12 | 1984-06-12 | 1984-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |