Patent Publication Number: US-2023140756-A1

Title: Precision cutting guide system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/271,013, filed Oct. 22, 2021, the disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to a digital precision cutting guide system, which can be used with woodworking, metalworking, or other type of cutting machinery and related methods, systems, and devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Professional and hobby woodworkers, metalworkers, and the like use a tape measure and various saws to get an accurate measured cut. Miter saws typically range in cost from $100 to over $1,500 without accessories and are used to cut a variety of materials. Numerous accessories are available to enhance the saw&#39;s functionality, including built in measuring tools (e.g., laser cutting indicators), production stops, and work clamps. These accessories are designed to increase accuracy, ease of use, and speed of production. 
     Accurate measurements are critical, particularly with precision woodworking and metalworking. The introduction of human error has made the ability to obtain an accurate cut prone to error. These errors can be compounded when measurements are at atypical lengths (e.g., increments of fractions of an inch), or include a non-right-angle cuts either horizontally, vertically, or both. 
     SUMMARY 
     The disclosure describes digital precision guide systems that can be used with various cutting machinery (e.g., miter saws, table saws, band saws, or other cutting devices) to obtain accurate and precise measured cuts on a piece of material even when the cuts are being made at atypical lengths or include non-right angle cuts. While the below disclosure primarily describes aspects of the invention with respect to woodworking machinery, the concepts of the digital precision guide system can be used in other applications, including metalworking or other activities that require accurate and precise measured cuts. 
     Digital precision guide systems in accordance with the present disclosure allow a user to easily input a desired length and optional angle of cut (e.g., vertical angle, horizontal angle, or both) that the user would like to obtain based on a particular piece of material. The precision guide system includes a guide rail that provides a digital indicator tick mark, such as an LED indicator, along the guide rail corresponding to the alignment position that the workpiece should be set to obtain the desired cut. 
     In some examples, the disclosure describes digital precision guide systems comprising a digital guide rail configured to be positioned adjacent to a cutting machine, wherein the digital guide rail comprises a plurality of LED indicator tick marks, the plurality of LED indicator tick marks being separated by set intervals; and a user interface comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive at least a desired cut length from the user interface and illuminate a corresponding LED indicator of the plurality of LED indicator tick marks that corresponds to the desired cut length away from a blade of the cutting machine. The system may further include at least one of a digital tape measure or a digital angle measurement device. 
     In some examples, the disclosure describes digital precision guide systems comprising a digital guide rail and stop mechanism. The stop mechanism may be motorized to move along the digital guide rail to correspond to the desired cut length away from a blade of the cutting machine, which could include corresponding to a tick mark. Such movement may be facilitated using a motorized track that moves the stop mechanism into a desired position, a drive belt or other suitable mechanism. Such stop mechanisms can help to physically show where the end of workpiece should be positioned along guide rail. Additionally, such a stop may be able to be moved out of position to allow the cutting machine to be used in a normal manner without the system. Such systems may further include a user interface comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to receive at least a desired cut length from the user interface and move the stop to the position that corresponds to the desired cut length away from a blade of the cutting machine. The system may further include at least one of a digital tape measure or a digital angle measurement device. 
     The features and advantages of the disclosure will be set forth in the description, which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles, or the like, which has been included in the specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive implementations of the disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. Advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG.  1    is schematic illustration of one illustrative embodiment of an example digital precision guide system in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic illustration of an example digital tape measure that may be used with the digital precision guide system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic illustration of the measuring tape of the digital tape measure of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  4    is another view of the digital tape measure of  FIG.  2   . 
         FIG.  5    is an illustration of the various identified edges within a compound cut. 
         FIG.  6    is an illustration of a cut trim board be mounted against a wall. 
         FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  are front and rear perspective views of another illustrative embodiment of an example digital precision guide system in accordance with the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  7 C and  7 D  are enlarged partial views of portions of the system of  FIGS.  7 A  and B showing some assembly details thereof. 
         FIG.  8    is a rear perspective view of a portion of another illustrative embodiment of an example digital precision guide system in accordance with the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     While various embodiments are amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the claimed inventions to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the subject matter as defined by the claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and devices for precision guide systems and devices for use with cutting machines. In the following description of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific implementations in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     Before the methods, systems and devices of the present disclosure are discussed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular configurations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein as such configurations, process steps, and materials may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing implementations only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. 
     In describing and claiming the disclosure, the following terminology will be used in accordance with the definitions set out below. 
     It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. 
     Further, although specific implementations of the disclosure have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the disclosure is to be defined by the claims appended hereto, any future claims submitted here and in different applications, and their equivalents. 
     Current miter saw systems on the market rely on the user to get a proper measurement and align the workpiece on the saw at exactly the right place to make a cut at the desired length. Some common user mistakes that cause an error in making such measurements or cuts can include, but are not limited to, making measurements at a particular location (e.g., the location the material is to be installed) and then transferring the measurements to the material inaccurately, confusing the tick marks on the measuring device when performing such transfers (e.g., seeing the measurement being 0.5 inches away from a 65 inch mark and either getting 65.5 inches or confusing it with 64.5 inches), getting confused by the tick marks on a tape measure which can range from every ⅛ of an inch to every 1/64 of an inch, using a measuring device that has insufficient precision for the given task, confusing metric and imperial measurements, failing to account for the width of the cutting blade, cutting on the wrong side of a given measurement mark, introducing more complex geometry inaccurately into the cut or measurement, and the like. These errors can lead to the workpiece being unsuitable for a given task, require extra cuts to be made in order to “shave” the workpiece down to size, and increased time and costs of production. Some workpieces, such as exotic woods, can be extremely costly to replace. Additional cuts can also enhance the ware on the machinery, which costs a user time. 
     A miter saw can be the ideal tool to use for cutting material at an angle. A typical 90° angle is relatively straightforward and involves placing the material snug against the base and fence of the saw and cutting the workpiece at the desired length. With an atypical cut, there can be multiple points where human error can be introduced. While determination of the proper length or angle can be determined through trigonometry, these calculations can be time-consuming or challenging for the average hobbyist. The challenge in determining where to cut a particular workpiece can be compounded by the introduction of different angles. Such angles include both the vertical cut angle (e.g., bevel angle  513 ), which refers to the angle that the blade intersects the base of the cutting machine. Thus a 90° vertical angle corresponds to standard flush cut while a theoretical 0° angle would correspond to the blade being parallel to the base of the saw. The other angle is referred to as the horizontal cut angle (e.g., rotation angle  511 ), which refers to the angle that the blade intersects with the fence of the saw. Thus a 90° horizontal angle corresponds to a standard flush cut while a theoretical 0° angle would correspond to the blade being parallel to the fence of the saw. Cutting materials where both a non-90° vertical and horizontal cut angle are incorporated can be particularly challenging to calculate for the average user, even more so when both ends of the material include such compounded angles. Such complex cuts are significantly prone to error. To avoid needing to calculate such complex angles or lengths, often a user might make a cut that too long and use a shaving technique to trim down the material to the correct length. This trial-and-error approach can cost the user significant time investment and requires multiple trips back and forth between the cutting site and the location the workpiece is to be installed. The disclosed digital precision guide system offers the ability for the user to input a desired length, horizontal cut angle, and vertical cut angle, to obtain a conveniently readable tick mark along a guide rail to align the material in order to obtain the desired cut dimensions. 
       FIG.  1    shows an example digital precision guide system  10  that can be incorporated with a machine cutting device (e.g., miter saw  12 ) to obtain accurate and precise cuts within a workpiece  20 . While the machine cutting device is illustrated as miter saw  12 , precision guide system  10  can be included with other cutting devices including, for example, table saws, band saws, radial arm saws, and the like. Miter saw  12  includes base  17 , fence  13 , and blade  11 . 
     Digital precision guide system  10  includes a user interface  14  and processor  15  and guide rail  16 . Guide rail  16  is aligned with fence  13  of miter saw  12  and operates as a backstop by which the material to be cut (e.g., workpiece  20 ) can be placed and aligned. Guide rail  16  includes a plurality of digital tick marks  18  spaced apart at defined increments. During operation, a user can input a specified set of measurements into a user interface  14  and processor  15  corresponding to a desired cut the user would like to make within a particular workpiece  20 . These measurements may include one or more of the desired length of cut to be made, the vertical cut angle, the horizontal cut angle, the width of workpiece  20 , the thickness of workpiece  20 , and the corner of workpiece  20  aligned against fence  13  and base  17 . Based on the inputted of values, processor  15  can perform the necessary calculations using conventional trigonometric/geometric algorithms to determine where along guide rail  16  that workpiece  20  should be placed to obtain the desired compound angle and length of cut. User interface  14  and processor  15  can then illuminate the corresponding digital tick mark  18   a  that will allow the user to obtain the desired cut in workpiece  20 . Thus, the user only needs to ensure workpiece  20  is aligned at digital tick mark  18   a,  and that miter saw  12  is set to the desired vertical and horizontal cut angles to conveniently obtain the desired cut. 
     Digital tick marks  18  can include individual LEDs that are in communication with user interface  14  and processor  15 , thereby allowing processor  15  to illuminate the individual tick mark  18   a  corresponding with the desired cut. Tick marks  18  can be spaced at any equally spaced intervals that correspond with conventional measurements. For example, tick marks  18  may be spaced every ¼ inch, every ⅛ inch, every 1/16 inch, or every 1/32 inch. Additionally, or alternatively, tick marks  18  may be spaced using typical metric measurements (e.g., every millimeter or the like). In some examples, tick marks  18  can be aligned along a singular axis or multiple axes. If tick marks  18  are aligned along a single axis, the width of a conventional LED may limit how small of an increment tick marks  18  can be spaced. In situations where a more precise increment is desired, tick marks  18  may be aligned in multiple rows in a staggered formation, thereby allowing greater precision to be obtained. Tick marks  18  may also be overlaid with a masking material that limits the visually observed size of each tick mark  18 , thereby improving the precision that can be obtained by tick marks  18 . 
     User interface  14  and processor  15  may include the necessary processing circuitry and components needed to perform the described trigonometric/geometric calculations to obtain the desired cut. Such components may include, but are not limited to, one or more central processing units, hard drives, virtual memory, wireless communication components, circuit boards, UI input components, display screens, power supply, and the like. 
     In some embodiments, processor  15  may perform all necessary trigonometric/geometric calculations based on the desired length by which workpiece  20  is to be cut in relation to pivot point  22 . Pivot point  22  corresponds to the location at which blade  11  intersects both fence  13  and base  17 . In ideal arrangements, pivot point  22  remains constant in reference to blade  11  regardless of the cut angle, particularly with high precision machines. In a simple right angle cut (e.g., a cut where both the vertical and horizontal cut angles are 90°), a user can input the desired cut length for workpiece  20 , and user interface device and processor  14  will illuminate tick mark  18   a  that corresponds to that distance away from pivot point  22 . 
     While the benefits of digital precision guide system  10  can be obtained with simple 90° cuts, the system offers significant advantages in making cuts in materials having horizontal cut angles, vertical cut angles, or both that can be difficult to calculate by the average user. To calculate the end point in a single angle cut, three pieces of information may be needed; the angle of the saw (e.g., the horizontal or the vertical angle), the width of the material, and the desired total length along one of the corners/sides. When using both axes to make a cut, a user may also need to know the height of the material and the second angle. The math with five variables can be complicated for the average user. Thus, allowing user interface  14  and processor  15  to perform such calculations can significantly improve the accuracy in performing such calculations but also assist with user confidence in approaching such complicated cuts. 
     In some examples, the calculations may be simplified somewhat by setting up digital precision guide system  10  such that all measurements and calculations are performed relative to pivot point  22 . In examples where the user desires to include a vertical cut angle or horizontal cut angle, the user can input the desired length from pivot point  22  (e.g., inside corner cut) into the user interface device  14 . Thus, the user would only need to know the length of the corner that aligns with fence  13  and base  17 . This in turn can help minimize user error often attributed with failing to account for the thickness of blade  11  or additional complications associated with incorporating the thickness of the material or the width of the material. The goal of digital precision guide system  10  being to diminish errors and improve accuracy and precision in making complex or simple cuts, while simultaneously speeding up the user&#39;s ability to get work done with minimal waste, all of which reduces costs to the user. 
     Additionally, or alternatively, user interface  14  and processor  15  may be configured to allow the user to selectively input which corner/side, relative to pivot point  22 , the length of cut is being measured. The user can input a desired length for the corresponding corner into user interface device and processor  14  along with an indication of which corner is being measured relative to the corner that intersects pivot point  22 . The user can further provide the width and thickness of workpiece  20 , and processor  14  can perform the complex trigonometric/geometric calculations to determine where workpiece  20  should be aligned along guide rail  16  to obtain the desired cut length. 
     In some examples, the general shape of the material (e.g., half round or other decorative trim boards) to be cut may limit which corner can be aligned with pivot point  22 . In such events, the user may need to align a different edge/corner of the material with pivot point  22 . These corners may be characterized as the inside short corner  510 , inside long corner  512 , outside short corner  514 , or outside long corner  516  as shown in  FIG.  5   . The user can select via user interface  14  which associated corner is being aligned with pivot point  22  while processor  15  performs the appropriate calculations to determine where tick mark  18   a  should be placed to provide the proper length of cut. The length input by the user would therefore correspond to the desired length in relation to the selected corner. 
     In examples where both ends of workpiece  20  include non-90° angle cuts, the user may further specify which associated corners of both ends of workpiece  20  is being aligned with the tick that intersects between the fence and base of the saw. Processor  15  may then perform the additional calculations to determine where the corner should be aligned and which tick mark  18   a  should be illuminated. It should be appreciated that when only a single angle cut is being made (e.g., only a horizontal angle cut or only a vertical angle cut is being made), workpiece  20  will only include an inside edge/corner and an outside edge/corner, thereby simplifying the calculations and alignment positions. The user could cycle between; inside to inside, outside to outside, and inside to outside measurements alignments (e.g., in reference to the two ends of workpiece  20 ) via user interface  14  to obtain the proper orientation for processor  15  to calculate the desired alignment for the workpiece  20 . In some examples, user interface  14  may be programmed with convenient pictorial representations of the alignment of workpiece  20  relative to pivot point  22  for the proper selection and positioning of the selected corner/edge being aligned. 
     In some examples, the disclosed system  10  may be particularly beneficial for installing trim boards. In such examples, the user may measure the length of the wall needing to receive the trim piece. However, as shown in  FIG.  6   , due to the incorporation of the appropriate angle (e.g., 45°), the trim piece may be longer than the wall to obtain the proper joint, as indicated at  610 . The additional length needed to accommodate the desired angle cut may be characterized by Equation 2 shown below. The additional length may be added to the total desired length (e.g., the length of the wall) and the appropriate tick mark  18   a  may be illuminated by processor  15  to obtain the target cut length for the trim board. 
     Digital precision guide system  10  offers several advantages and conveniences to the user. Such advantages include reduction of user error affiliated with taking measurements and transferring them to a workpiece. As discussed further below, further improvements can be made by using a digital tape measure  30  or a digital angle measurement device  60  configured to communicate directly with user interface  14  and processor  15 . Digital tape measure  30  permits the user to measure a desired length (e.g., the place workpiece  20  is to be installed) and automatically upload precise and accurate measurements to user interface  14  and processor  15 , thereby eliminating a possible source of user error in manually entering such measurements. 
     Digital precision guide system  10  performs such calculations based on standard trigonometric/geometric algorithms to provide a simple and easily understood manner for the user to obtain the cut the user desires. In some examples, digital precision guide system  10  may determine the location for tick mark  18   a  based conventional trigonometric/geometric algorithms including, but not limited to on one or more of the following equations: 
         A /Sine( a )= B /Sine( b )= C /Sine(c)  Equation 1
 
       Additional length=Thickness of material*Sin(cut angle)  Equation 2
 
       Additional length=Width of material*Sin(bevel angle)+thickness of material*Sin(rotation angle)  Equation 3
 
     where A, B, and C refer to the length of the sides of a triangle, and a, b, c refer to the opposing angles relative to sides A, B, and C. Equations 2 and 3 represent calculations for single angle and compound or dual angle cuts. 
     Digital precision guide system  10  performs such calculations and determines which individual digital tick mark  18   a  of the plurality of tick marks  18  by which workpiece  20  must be aligned to obtain the desired cut. The user can then either install a stop block (e.g., if multiple work materials  20  of the same size are needed) or simply align work workpiece  20  with tick mark  18   a  and perform the desired cut. 
     In some embodiments digital precision guide system  10  may be a standalone device and provided separate from miter saw  12 . For example, digital precision guide system  10  may be provided in the form of a standalone guide rail  16  and corresponding user interface  14  and processor  15  to use with miter saw  12 . Guide rail  16  may be an attachment fence or an LED light strip that are aligned relative to fence  13 . 
     Once mounted, guide system  10  can be calibrated by the user to ensure accurate and precise cuts. The calibration can include placing a material having a known length against guide rail  16  and flush with blade  11 . The user can input the actual length of the material into user interface  14  and processor  15 , which illuminates the crude position of a corresponding tick mark (e.g., tick mark  18   b ). The user could then manually adjust the location of the illuminated tick mark, via user interface  14  and processor  15 , until the illuminated mark aligns with the actual location of the material (e.g., tick mark  18   a ). Alternatively, the user could physically move guide rail  16  relative to fence  13  until the illuminated tick mark aligns with the edge of workpiece  20 . 
     In some examples, digital guide rail  16  may be in the form of a flexible LED light strip. The strip could include an adhesive backing configured to be adhered to pre-existing guide fence or measurement rail of a saw, cutting table, or other equipment. Such a system would allow for digital guide rail  16  to be applied to various types of machines or devices including, for example, along the measurement rail of the table saw, bandsaw, or other device that typically uses a movable fence to set the position for the material and the user draws the workpiece along a stationary blade as opposed to a miter saw or radial arm saw where the workpiece remains stationary relative to fence  13  and guide rail  16  and the blade is drawn across the material. Once installed, the digital guide rail  16  may be calibrated using the techniques disclosed herein. 
     In some examples, digital precision guide system  10  may be configured to communicate directly with miter saw  12  to determine the exact setting of the horizontal and vertical cut angles for blade  11 . Miter saw  12  could thus communicate directly with user interface  14  and processor  15  to provide such information to the system  10  without the need of user input. The user would simply modify the horizontal or vertical cut angles of miter saw  12  such that they are in the desired position and user interface  14  and processor  15  would use such information to automatically determine the appropriate position for tick mark  18   a  based on the desired length of the cut. 
     In some embodiments digital precision guide system  10  may further include a digital tape measure  30  configured to communicate with user interface  14  and processor  15  to provide quick, easy, and reliable measurements to system  10 . For example, a user can take digital tape measure  30  and measure the desired length for a particular cut and press corresponding button to read the current length of tape measure  30 . This value can then be transferred to user interface  14  and processor  15 . The digital precision guide system  10  can then, based on the measured value from digital tape measure  30 , illuminate tick mark  18   a  which corresponds to the precise measured length. 
       FIGS.  2 - 4    a schematic illustrations of an example digital tape measure  30  that can be used with precision guide system  10 . Digital tape measure  30  includes a housing  32 , measuring tape  34 , barcode scanner  36 , and processing circuitry  38  (e.g., circuit board, battery, wireless transmission capabilities). Measuring tape  34  may include a plurality of barcodes  35  positioned at set intervals along tape  34  as shown in  FIG.  3   . Housing  32  may include window  40 , that allows barcode scanner  36  to be projected through window  40  onto measuring tape  34 . Using barcode scanner  36  on measuring tape  34  can help a user know exactly where barcode scanner  36  aligns with the intended measurement. For example, barcode scanner  36  projects a digital line  44  over measuring tape  34  and overlapping material  42 , thereby allowing the user to see where the barcode scanner  36  is measuring. This may minimize any drift that could be introduced from other digital measurement systems. 
     When barcode scanner  36  is aligned with the end of material  42  (or desired length by which the cut is to be performed), the user can push a button on digital to measure  30  to capture the barcode  35  on measuring tape  34  corresponding with the desired length measurement. Several encoding options are open source for barcode programming and can be used to encode the numbers in a decimal fashion for barcode scanner  36  to determine the precise length being measured by measuring tape  34 . 
     In some examples digital tape measure  30  can include one or more buttons  46  corresponding to different measurement functions (e.g.,  FIG.  4   ). For example, digital tape measure  30  can include corresponding buttons  46  to record the length, the width, and the thickness of a material. Digital tape measure  30  can also include other useful buttons  46  such as on/off capabilities. 
     By having a digital measuring tool (e.g., digital tape measure  30 ) that can record all the length measurement data and communicate such information to precision guide system  10  configured to implement the trigonometric/geometric functions, making simple or complex angled cuts will be much easier and save time and material. For many users, not ever needing to make these kinds of calculations offers several advantages. The user would no longer be required to remember the value of a particular measurement. The user would also avoid making mistakes when reading a tape measure, and there would be no need to count 1/16-inch marks, make a second (or third) measurement, or take the time to make marks on the workpiece. This would save the user valuable time and minimize costly mistakes. 
     Additionally, or alternatively, system  10  can include a digital angle measurement device  60  configured to measure the horizontal angle and vertical angle of miter saw  12 . The digital angle measurement device  60  could then communicate the measured angle directly to user interface  14  and processor  15  (e.g., via wireless communication) to provide those measurements to system  10  for calculation of the desired location for tick mark  18   a  to obtain a desired cut length and cut angle. 
     In some examples, digital precision guide system  10  may be sold as a kit that includes guide rail  16 , user interface  14  and processor  15  configured to communicate with guide rail  16 , optionally digital tape measure  30 , and optionally digital angle measurement device  60 . In other examples, one or more of the above components may be provided as separate components or add-on features (e.g., digital tape measure  30  and digital angle measurement device  60 ) that are configured to communicate with user interface  14  and processor  15 . Offering such components as their own standalone device allows flexibility for the user to determine what features of digital precision guide system  10  are needed for their own personal applications. 
     In some examples, digital precision guide system  10  may also include a stop mechanism to align with tick mark  18   a.  The stop mechanism may be motorized to move along digital guide rail  16  to correspond with desired tick mark  18   a.  Such movement may be facilitated using a motorized track that moves the stop mechanism into a desired position. Additionally, or alternatively, either digital guide rail  16  or a base component of the real can include pop-up style stops that protrude at or adjacent to the desired tick mark  18   a.  Such stop mechanisms can help to physically show where the end of workpiece  20  should be positioned along guide rail  16 . 
       FIGS.  7 A  and B show an example digital precision guide system  710  that can be incorporated with a machine cutting device (e.g., miter saw  712 ) to obtain accurate and precise cuts within a workpiece. While the machine cutting device is illustrated as miter saw  712 , precision guide system  710  can be included with other cutting devices including, for example, table saws, band saws, radial arm saws, and the like. Miter saw  712  includes base  717 , fence  713 , and blade  711 . 
     Digital precision guide system  710  includes a user interface  714  that contains a processor and a guide rail assembly  720 . Guide rail assembly  720  may have a base portion  727  aligned with base  717  of miter saw and a fence portion  723  aligned with fence  713  of miter saw  712  and operates as a backstop by which the material to be cut (e.g., workpiece  20 ) can be placed and aligned when the system  710  is installed on the cutting device. As depicted the guide rail assembly  720  may be supported by appropriate legs or stands  721  to align with the miter saw  712  and support a workpiece to be cut. 
     Digital guide system  710  may further include a stop member  730  that may be disposed adjacent to the guide rail assembly  720  to form a stop for positioning a workpiece to the cut by the miter saw  712 . As depicted, the stop assembly  730  may include a stop member body  731  with a front face  732  that faces saw  712  when in use. An upper arm  734  portion of the stop member body  731  may extend over the guide rail fence portion  723  to a slide member  736 . As depicted, the slide member  736  may be formed as a pivot or hinge that allows the stop member  730  to be rotated up and away from the guide rail assembly  720  to allow a user to use the guide rail assembly  720  and cutting device without the utilizing the digital features associated with the stop member  730 . Slide member  736  may reside on a rail  745  that extends along the rear surface of the guide wail wall  723 . 
     The slide member  736  may be connected to a drive mechanism. In the illustrative embodiment of  FIGS.  7 A and  7 B , the drive mechanism may be a belt drive assembly  740 . Belt drive assembly  740  may include a belt  746  disposed on one or more wheels  744  and a drive unit  742  that may include a suitable motor, such as a stepper motor or the electric motor and any necessary transmission elements to actuate the belt  746  to move on wheels  744 . A linkage  747  may connect the slide member  736  to belt  746 , such that movement of belt  746  moves the stop member to different positions along the guide rail assembly to change the spacing of front face  732  from the miter saw  712 . 
     During operation, a user can input a specified set of measurements into a user interface  714  and processor  715  corresponding to a desired cut the user would like to make within a particular workpiece  20 . These measurements may include one or more of the desired length of cut to be made, the vertical cut angle, the horizontal cut angle, the width of workpiece  20 , the thickness of workpiece  20 , and the corner of workpiece  20  aligned against fence  713  and base  717 . Based on the inputted of values, processor  15  can perform the necessary calculations using conventional trigonometric/geometric algorithms to determine where along guide rail  723  that workpiece  20  should be placed to obtain the desired compound angle and length of cut. User interface  714  and processor  715  can then actuate the belt drive assembly  740  to move the stop member  730  to the appropriate position that will allow the user to obtain the desired cut in workpiece  20 . Thus, the user only needs to ensure workpiece  20  is aligned at the front face  732  of the stop member  730 , and that miter saw  712  is set to the desired vertical and horizontal cut angles to conveniently obtain the desired cut. 
     User interface  714  and processor  715  may include the necessary processing circuitry and components needed to perform the described trigonometric/geometric calculations to obtain the desired cut. Such components may include, but are not limited to, one or more central processing units, hard drives, virtual memory, wireless communication components, circuit boards, UI input components, display screens, power supply, and the like. 
     In some embodiments, processor  715  may perform all necessary trigonometric/geometric calculations based on the desired length by which workpiece  20  is to be cut in relation to pivot point  722 . Pivot point  722  corresponds to the location at which blade  711  intersects both fence  713  and base  717 . In ideal arrangements, pivot point  722  remains constant in reference to blade  711  regardless of the cut angle, particularly with high precision machines. In a simple right angle cut (e.g., a cut where both the vertical and horizontal cut angles are 90°), a user can input the desired cut length for workpiece  20 , and user interface device and processor  715  will actuate the drive assembly  740  to move stop member  730  such that front face  730  is positioned to correspond to that distance away from pivot point  22 . 
     While the benefits of digital precision guide system  710  can be obtained with simple 90° cuts, the system offers significant advantages in making cuts in materials having horizontal cut angles, vertical cut angles, or both that can be difficult to calculate by the average user. To calculate the end point in a single angle cut, three pieces of information may be needed; the angle of the saw (e.g., the horizontal or the vertical angle), the width of the material, and the desired total length along one of the corners/sides. When using both axes to make a cut, a user may also need to know the height of the material and the second angle. The math with five variables can be complicated for the average user. Thus, allowing user interface  714  and processor  715  to perform such calculations can significantly improve the accuracy in performing such calculations but also assist with user confidence in approaching such complicated cuts. 
     In some examples, the calculations may be simplified somewhat by setting up digital precision guide system  710  such that all measurements and calculations are performed relative to pivot point  722 . In examples where the user desires to include a vertical cut angle or horizontal cut angle, the user can input the desired length from pivot point  722  (e.g., inside corner cut) into the user interface device  714 . Thus, the user would only need to know the length of the corner that aligns with fence  713  and base  717 . This in turn can help minimize user error often attributed with failing to account for the thickness of blade  711  or additional complications associated with incorporating the thickness of the material or the width of the material. The goal of digital precision guide system  710  being to diminish errors and improve accuracy and precision in making complex or simple cuts, while simultaneously speeding up the user&#39;s ability to get work done with minimal waste, all of which reduces costs to the user. 
     Additionally, or alternatively, user interface  714  and processor  715  may be configured to allow the user to selectively input which corner/side, relative to pivot point  722 , the length of cut is being measured. The user can input a desired length for the corresponding corner into user interface device and processor  714  along with an indication of which corner is being measured relative to the corner that intersects pivot point  722 . The user can further provide the width and thickness of workpiece  20 , and processor  715  can perform the complex trigonometric/geometric calculations to determine where sop member  730  should be positioned to align the workpiece  20  along guide rail  723  to obtain the desired cut length. 
     In some examples, the general shape of the material (e.g., half round or other decorative trim boards) to be cut may limit which corner can be aligned with pivot point  722 . In such events, the user may need to align a different edge/corner of the material with pivot point  722 . As discussed previously herein, these corners may be characterized as the inside short corner  510 , inside long corner  512 , outside short corner  514 , or outside long corner  516  as shown in  FIG.  5   . The user can select via user interface  714  which associated corner is being aligned with pivot point  722  while processor  715  performs the appropriate calculations to determine where stop member  730  should be placed to provide the proper length of cut. The length inputted by the user would therefore correspond to the desired length along the selected corner. 
     In examples where both ends of workpiece  20  include non-90° angle cuts, the user may further specify which associated corners of both ends of workpiece  20  is being aligned with the stop member  730 . Processor  715  may then perform the additional calculations to determine where the stop member  730  should be positioned. It should be appreciated that when only a single angle cut is being made (e.g., only a horizontal angle cut or only a vertical angle cut is being made), workpiece  20  will only include an inside edge/corner and an outside edge/corner, thereby simplifying the calculations and alignment positions. The user could cycle between; inside to inside, outside to outside, and inside to outside measurements alignments (e.g., in reference to the two ends of workpiece  20 ) via user interface  714  to obtain the proper orientation for processor  715  to calculate  20  the desired alignment. In some examples, user interface  714  may be programmed with convenient pictorial representations of the alignment of workpiece  20  relative to pivot point  722  for the proper selection and positioning of the selected corner/edge being aligned. 
     In some examples, the disclosed system  10  may be particularly beneficial for installing trim boards. In such examples, the user may measure the length of the wall needing to receive the trim piece. As discussed previously herein processor  715  calculate the additional length required to obtain the total desired length (e.g., the length of the wall) and the appropriately position stop member  730  to obtain the target cut length for the trim board. 
     Digital precision guide system  710  offers several advantages and conveniences to the user. Such advantages include reduction of user error affiliated with taking measurements and transferring them to a workpiece. As discussed previously herein with respect to system  10 , further improvements can be made by using a digital tape measure  30  or a digital angle measurement device  60  configured to communicate directly with user interface  714  and processor  715 . Digital tape measure  30  permits the user to measure a desired length (e.g., the place workpiece  20  is to be installed) and automatically upload precise and accurate measurements to user interface  714  and processor  715 , thereby eliminating a possible source of user error in manually entering such measurements. 
     Digital precision guide system  710  may perform such calculations based on standard trigonometric/geometric algorithms to provide a simple and easily understood manner for the user to obtain the cut the user desires. In some examples, digital precision guide system  710  may determine the location for stop member  730  using conventional trigonometric/geometric algorithms as discussed previously herein. 
     In some embodiments digital precision guide system  710  may be a standalone device, which can be provided separate from miter saw  712 . Once mounted, guide system  710  can be calibrated by the user to ensure accurate and precise cuts. The calibration may include placing a material having a known length against guide rail  723  and flush with blade  711 . The user can input the actual length of the material into user interface  714  and processor  715 . The user could then manually adjust the location of the stop member  730  to align with the actual location of the material workpiece  20 . In some embodiments, the system  710  may calibrate by moving the stop  730  until front face  732  contacts blade  711  or another feature of known distance from blade  711 , which may be controlled by processor  715 . 
     In some examples, digital precision guide system  710  may be configured to communicate directly with miter saw  712  to determine the exact setting of the horizontal and vertical cut angles for blade  711 . Miter saw  712  could thus communicate directly with user interface  714  and processor  715  to provide such information to the system  710  without the need of user input. The user would simply modify the horizontal or vertical cut angles of miter saw  712  such that they are in the desired position and user interface  714  and processor  715  would use such information to automatically determine the appropriate position for stop member  730  based on the desired length of the cut. 
     In some embodiments digital precision guide system  710  may further include a digital tape measure  30  configured to communicate with user interface  714  and processor  715  to provide quick, easy, and reliable measurements to system  710 . For example, a user can take digital tape measure  30  and measure the desired length for a particular cut and press corresponding button to read the current length of tape measure  30 . This value can then be transferred to user interface  714  and processor  715 . The digital precision guide system  710  can then, based on the measured value from digital tape measure  30 , move top member  730  to the position that corresponds to the precise measured length. 
       FIG.  7 C  depicts one example of a sectional connection for guide rail assembly  720 . As depicted the guide rail assembly may be formed from one or more separate sections, such as those depicted at  720 A and  720 B. Counterpart alignment features such as tabs  725  on the guide rail base  727 B and wall  723 B and recesses  729  in the guide rail base  727 A and wall  723 A allow the sections to be accurately aligned. The leg assembly  721  may support the connection of the sections. The use of sections allows the length of the guide rail assembly to be adjusted for use in different locales and for cutting various substrates that have differing lengths. Additionally, a user may be able to purchase sections separately to expand a system  710  when needed. 
     It is noted that belt  746  depicted in  FIG.  7 C  resides in a belt recess  785  formed in the rear of the fence  723  that provides protection for the belt and its movement during use. Users may be provided with various interchangeable belts for use with differing numbers of sections. 
     Additionally, a stop lock assembly  790  is depicted and is shown in more detail in  FIG.  7 D . Stop lock assembly  790  may include a carriage body  792 . In some embodiments, the carriage body may be attached to the stop member  730  opposite front face. In the depicted embodiment, wheels  794  allow the carriage to smoothly move along the rail  720  as the stop member position is adjusted. A locking assembly  795  may be used to secure the stop lock assembly in a position and thereby prevent movement of the stop member  730 . In the depicted embodiment, the locking assembly  790  includes a twist-activated handle  796  that may be used to actuate a locking member or mechanism  798 , assembly. In the depicted embodiment, the locking mechanism may be a magnet that is brought into contact with a metal component of the guide rail assembly, such as a metal insert, to secure thereto. In other embodiments it could be a locking member that extends into a recess, or an expanding member that expands in a central rail slot to secure thereto. This may help prevent the stop member from movement during cutting, as by flexion of belt  746  or otherwise. In some embodiments, the user may loosen the stop in order to allow the system  710  to move the stop member  730  and then secure it before cutting material with the saw  712 . In some embodiments, instead of a handle, the locking mechanism could be activated by a solenoid or other actuator controlled by the processor  715 . 
       FIG.  8    shows an example of a section of a guide rail  820  for a digital precision guide system  810  that can be incorporated with a machine cutting device to obtain accurate and precise cuts within a workpiece, which uses an alternate drive mechanism. As with the other systems discussed previously herein, precision guide system  810  can be included with various cutting devices including, for example, miter saws, table saws, band saws, radial arm saws, and the like. 
     Digital precision guide system  810  includes guide rail assembly  820  which may have a base portion  827  and a fence portion  816  that may be aligned with the base and fence of a cutting device for use and operate as a backstop against which the material to be cut (e.g., workpiece  20 ) can be placed and aligned. Digital guide system  810  may further includes a stop member  830  that may be disposed adjacent to the guide rail assembly  820  to form a stop for positioning a workpiece to be cut. As depicted, the stop assembly  830  may include a stop member body  831  with a front face  832 . An upper arm  834  portion of the stop member body  831  may extend over the guide rail fence portion  823  to a linkage  836 . As depicted, the linkage  836  may be formed as a pivot or hinge that allows the stop member  830  to be rotated up and away from the guide rail assembly  820  to the depicted retracted position to allow a user to use the guide rail assembly  820  on a cutting device without the utilizing the digital features associated with the stop member  830 . The linkage may also reside on a rail. 
     The linkage  836  may be connected to a drive mechanism. In the illustrative embodiment of  FIG.  8   , the drive mechanism may be a screw-drive assembly  840 . Screw-drive assembly  840  may include a threaded shaft  846  disposed between two bearing assemblies  844 A and  844 B that allow it to rotate. A drive unit  842  that may include a suitable motor  843 , such as a stepper motor or other electric motor may actuate a drive linkage  847  to rotate the threaded shaft. Linkage  836  may have a base with a threaded bore that resides on the threaded shaft  846 , such that rotation of the shaft  846  moves the stop member to different positions along the guide rail assembly to change the spacing of the front face  832 . On other embodiments, a rack and pinion type drive member may be used, but it will be appreciated that any suitable drive assembly that can be controlled by the processor may be used. 
     It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the disclosure. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the disclosure has been shown in the drawings and described above with particularity and detail, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.