Machine control & machine guidance

The Trimble SPS Series Total Station has been designed to operate as a universal total station. The instrument has a machine control mode that optimizes the angle and distance measurement system through a synchronization process that also reduces latency of the data. In addition, when in machine control mode the instrument outputs data at a higher rate than conventional total stations (20 Hz). The instrument radio system is designed to reduce jitter significantly, the instrument tracking and search functions are optimized for dynamic tracking applications, and the instrument also features trajectory prediction helping to reacquire lock if the prism is obscured.

When operated in Site Positioning mode and Trimble Field Software is used in Vehicle mode, the instrument will also utilize the high update rates and synchronized data, however the radio master is at the instrument allowing for a one to one operation with the robotic rod controller. When operated in Machine Control mode, the radio master shifts to the machine. In this mode the radio system is also optimized to eliminate jitter, which provides enhanced positioning control for the machine system hydraulics.

Please refer to the application software user guide to determine the proper startup procedure for the machine control or machine guidance application you use.

When used for any machine control application, the instrument should be set up first with the field software, a station establishment carried out and then perform the shut down process and place the instrument in Machine Control mode. This process involves placing the station establishment information in the instrument memory, so that it can be transferred to the calling machine control application.

The instrument capability to track moving vehicles and machines is referred to as Advanced Tracking Sensor (ATS).

Advanced Tracking Sensor (ATS) capability

ATS capability delivers the following performance benefits for dynamic positioning applications:

• Low, fixed and well defined latency of data output from the instrument and over the radio.

• Synchronized angle and distance measurements.

• 20 Hz data update rates.

• 16 Channel Target ID — 1-8 are used for Site Positioning mode and 9-16 for Machine Control mode.

• Dedicated radio channels for site positioning (channels 1-30) and machine control (channels 31-60).

• Optimized search routines designed for tracking a machine with trajectory prediction.

• Radio scanning capability: the instrument can be programmed to sequentially scan a series of radio channel and network ID combinations, allowing it to serve a number of machines, all on different channels at a single location on demand.