Patent ID: 8031332

Claim:
A method of establishing the location of one of a series of construction points at an indoor construction site, where the point is defined by x and y coordinates and an anticipated z coordinate on a generally horizontal building surface, with the construction point being established on an actual building surface by illumination of a point on said actual building surface that has said x and y coordinates, comprising the steps of: inputting construction data into a handheld device, said construction data defining a plurality of construction points at the construction site, selecting one of said plurality of construction points with the handheld device, generating a beam of laser light with a robotic total station, directing the beam of laser light from the robotic total station toward the selected construction point, defined by said x and y coordinates and an anticipated z coordinate on a generally horizontal building surface, determining the distance from the robotic total station to a point on the actual building surface which is illuminated by the beam, and if the distance from the robotic total station to the point on the actual building surface is greater or less than anticipated, repeatedly determining an updated construction point, directing the beam at the updated construction point, and determining the distance to the illuminated point on the actual building surface until the distance from the robotic total station to the point on the actual building structure is substantially equal to that anticipated, whereby a point on the actual building surface having said x and y coordinates is established.