Patent ID: 8745884

Claim:
A system, comprising: a first base unit including a first vertical laser transmitter configured to emit a first vertical laser plane, where the first vertical laser transmitter is capable of being rotated about a substantially vertical rotational axis to position the first vertical plane at a first azimuth angle with respect to a first null angular position; a second base unit including: a second vertical laser transmitter configured to emit a second vertical laser plane, where the second vertical laser transmitter is capable of being rotated about a substantially vertical rotational axis to position the second vertical laser plane at a second azimuth angle with respect to a second null angular position having a fixed position with respect to the first null angular position; a horizontal laser transmitter having a fixed location with respect to the rotational axis of the second vertical laser transmitter, the horizontal laser transmitter configured to emit a horizontal laser plane, where the horizontal laser transmitter is capable of being rotated about a substantially horizontal rotational axis to position the horizontal laser plane at a pitch angle with respect to level reference angle associated with the horizontal laser transmitter; and where the first base unit and the second base unit are configured to translate between a three dimensional coordinate and a first azimuth angle, a second azimuth angle, and a pitch angle that specify positions of the first vertical laser transmitter, the second vertical laser transmitter, and the horizontal laser transmitter, respectively, that will cause the first vertical laser plane, the second vertical laser plane, and the horizontal laser plane to intersect at a position that corresponds to the three dimensional coordinate.