Patent ID: 6966387

Claim:
A universal optical adapter assembly for use with a planar automatic grading system for an earth-moving vehicle having a grading implement that defines a graded surface, said automatic grading system including an energy beam receiver mounted on the earth-moving vehicle and operable for detecting the height at which a datum energy beam strikes said receiver along a detection portion thereof, and a control device operably coupled to said energy beam receiver and the grading implement to control the elevation of the grading implement in response to the position at which the datum energy beam strikes said detection portion of said energy beam receiver, said optical interface adapter assembly comprising: an optical interface apparatus configured to be carried by said earth moving vehicle during movement thereof and adapted to cooperate with the energy beam receiver, said interface apparatus having an energy source emitting one or more implement controlling energy beams strategically onto selected positions of the detection portion of the energy beam receiver to control the elevation of the grading implement.