Patent ID: 6014220
Filing Date: 2000-01-11
Classification: G01B,G01C

Abstract:
An automatic control system comprising:a construction machine having a ground leveling implement and a light-reflecting target coupled to the implement, wherein the construction machine also has reception means for receiving deviation data and implement control means for controlling the height of said implement according to the received deviation data;a survey unit including means for measuring a coordinate position and a height of said target by projecting a beam of light toward said target and receiving light reflected from said target;storage means coupled to the survey unit for storing finished-height data corresponding to coordinate positions, wherein the finished-height data defines a desired finished height of the ground at the coordinate positions;computation means coupled to the survey unit for determining from the finished-height data a finished target height at the coordinate position of said target, wherein the finished target height is the height of the target when the implement is at the desired finished height of the ground at the coordinate position of said target, and wherein the computation means further includes means for determining a deviation between the finished target height and the measured target height measured by the survey unit; andtransmission means coupled to the computation means for transmitting said deviation to the reception means on the construction machine;wherein said survey unit includes means for operating in a finished-height data drive mode by moving the light beam vertically so that the height of the light beam at the coordinate position of said target is at the finished target height.