Patent · US Active

Inclination detection methods and apparatus

US7688433B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

10References

31Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Trimble Jena GmbH · DE

Inventor

Andreas Glimm · Weimar, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jun 16, 2008
Grant date	Mar 30, 2010
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jun 16, 2028

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG01C2009/066
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for detecting inclination employ a point source of light from which light is emitted through a lens toward a reflective surface of a liquid contained in a vessel. Light reflected from the surface passes through the lens to form a defocused image of the point source on a two-dimensional array of detector elements. Data acquired from the array represents intensity of the light incident on each of the detector elements. A center of gravity representing inclination of the vessel is determined from the data.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.