Patent ID: 8903656

Claim:
A method for synchronizing a three-dimensional measurement device (3DM) having a 3DM internal 3D coordinate system O 3DM , X 3DM , Y 3DM , and Z 3DM , with an intelligent guidance device (IGD) that is physically separate from the 3DM, the IGD having a display device, a gravity direction measurement device, an electronic compass, and an IGD internal 3D coordinate system O IGD , X IGD , Y IGD , Z IGD , the method comprising: use of a processor for determining coordinates RPX IGD , RPY IGD , RPZ IGD of a reference point RP in the IGD internal 3D coordinate system O IGD , X IGD , Y IGD , Z IGD ; defining a coordinate system O Earth , X IGD-Earth , Y IGD-Earth , Z IGD-Earth using a direction opposite to gravity as Z IGD-Earth and a direction corresponding to a magnetic north pole as Y IGD-Earth , from a perspective of the IGD; computing and applying a rigid transformation T IGD-To-IGDEarth to transform axes X IGD , Y IGD , Z IGD of the IGD internal 3D coordinate system to X IGD-Earth , Y IGD-Earth , Z IGD-Earth and the reference point RP having the coordinates RPX IGD , RPY IGD , RPZ IGD to O Earth ; determining coordinates RPX 3DM , RPY 3DM , RPZ 3DM of the reference point RP in the 3DM internal 3D coordinate system O 3DM , X 3DM , Y 3DM , and Z 3DM ; defining a coordinate system O Earth , X 3DM-Earth , Y 3DM-Earth , Z 3DM-Earth using a direction opposite to gravity as Z 3DM-Earth and the direction corresponding to the magnetic north pole as Y 3DM-Earth , from a perspective of the 3DM; and computing and applying a rigid transformation T 3DM-To-3DMEarth to transform axes X 3DM , Y 3DM , and Z 3DM of the 3DM internal 3D coordinate system to axes X 3DM-Earth , Y 3DM-Earth , Z 3DM-Earth and the reference point RP having the coordinates RPX 3DM , RPY 3DM , RPZ 3DM to O Earth .