FOR AUTOMATED LAYOUT OF BUILDINGS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation in part of US Utility Application No.

16/279,497 and claims priority from US Provisional Application No. 62/633,130 filed on February 21 , 2018.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention relates to the construction industry, specifically to the task of laying out the points of reference as identified in blueprints for the construction of a structure, such as a building.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The current method for laying out or marking for construction of buildings involves a significant number of resources in terms of time and man power, and thus ultimately, expense. Traditionally, the method for laying out a structure involves one, two, or even more individuals using a set of blue prints, plans, and drawings to walk the construction site or structure marking points and snapping lines to ensure that the building is square (See line 100A in Prior Art Figure 1) in order to allow for properly constructed walls and foundations (See Prior Art Figure

2) as well as other structures. In laying out a building, the workers are essentially transferring the information from the blue prints or drawings to the actual site at which the construction work is to be performed. An actual scale copy has to be transferred to or interpretation of the drawings has to be recreated to actual scale.

The floor, walls, ceilings, and other structures have to be marked to show where structural components are to be built. On occasions, there are differences between the information provided on blueprints or drawings, and the actual site dimensions or conditions. Adjustments to accommodate these differences are typically made while laying out or marking the building. Thus, this time consuming method of: (a) dragging a set of blueprints around a construction site; (b) verifying that the building, as drawn, fits squarely onto the foundation as constructed: (c) when a foundation is not square, making field adjustments to properly place the building upon that foundation: (d) making field adjustments to accommodate for dimensional and other discrepancies between the drawings and the actual site conditions: and (e) actually transferring the information from the drawings to the building or site where the work will be performed. Ultimately, after this information has been correctly reconciled, it will have to be distributed to others associated with the project. These adjustments that are made to accommodate these field conditions may affect other trades involved with the project. These trades include but are not limited to those involved with the fabrication of components to be used within the building. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Starting from a set of plans, such as, without limitation, blueprints, drawings, or Autocad® files, a system and method is described herein for calibrating such plans and transferring such plans into a computer readable file and loading a specially designed electronic version of such plans into a hardware-based system that locates, adjusts, transfers, and prints, to a desired scale, a lasting image of said construction plans drawn onto a building surface, thus eliminating the need for workers to carry blueprints to a job site and physically transfer information from such blueprints onto the building site via the traditional method of snapping lines and marking of points.

In addition to providing for a lasting image of construction plans on a building surface, an improved system and method allows for surveying of land generally, as well as for preparation for construction on that land.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrate the prior art method for layout techniques in construction of buildings. Fig. 3 depicts the transfer electronically of a construction location point on hardcopy of a blueprint to a relative position on a building construction surface.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a laser device as placed at the comer of building construction surface. Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the comer of a building construction surface as marked by the system of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view from above a building construction surface showing the placement for constructing a stairwell in said surface.

Fig. 7 is the final verified floorplan of the interior of a floor of a building to be constructed.

Fig. 8 is a juxtaposition of a floorplan as shown in Fig. 5 and the view from above of a building construction surface as shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an auto-locator device.

Fig, 10 is a perspective view of a robotic printer device.

Fig. 11 shows the remote operation of the instant system by an operator.

Fig. 12 is a block diagram of an improved system of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a frontal view of the prism and reflector unit of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a frontal view of the central tracking unit of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a top view representation of the carriage and printing unit of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a block diagram of the parts of the prism and reflector unit of Fig.

13.

Fig. 17 is a block diagram of the parts of the central tracking unit of Fig. 14. Fig. 18 is a block diagram of the parts of the carriage and printing unit of

Fig. 15.

Fig. 19 is a representative screen display as shown on the screen of the wireless computing device of the present invention.

Fig. 20 depicts the central tracking unit juxtaposed with a prism and reflector unit as described in the method of the present invention.

Fig. 21 depicts the central tracking unit juxtaposed with a single carriage and printing unit as described in the method of the present invention.

Fig. 22 depicts the central tracking unit juxtaposed with multiple carriage and printing units as described in the method of the present invention.

Fig. 23 is the top view of a carriage and printing unit having a drone attached thereto.

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of a rough terrain version of the carriage and printing unit of the present invention.

Fig. 25 is a perspective side view of the carriage and printing unit of Fig. 23.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A system and method for, from a set of plans, such as, without limitation, blueprints, drawings, or Autocad® files, calibrating such plans and transferring such plans into a computer readable file and loading same into hardware that locates, adjusts, transfers, mid prints, to a desired scale, a lasting image of that drawing onto die building surface, thus eliminating the need for workers to carry blueprints to a jobsite and physically transfer information from such blueprints onto die building site via the traditional method of snapping lines and marking of points.

The process is started by identifying and locating several reference points, for example, the comer reference point 13 as shown on Fig. 3, which shows hardcopy blueprint 10 (having floorplan 12 described on it) in juxtaposition with the building construction surface 11. In this case, the objective is to lay out for construction the proper locations for the walls 21, the door openings 22, the window locations 23, and the stairwells 24, all as shown on the hardcopy of the floorplan 12, onto the actual construction surface 11, whether that surface is a wood framed floor of a building or a concrete slab. In the prior art technology, as shown on Figs. 1 and 2, points are marked on the building surface by persons who physically mark such points on several comers of the building construction surface by snapping lines such as line 100 A in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 5, such points will correspond to the inside of the wall at the exact location where the two outside walls should intersect at that comer 13 on surface 11. This process is repeated at the other comers of the building.

As shown in Fig. 4, in the present invention a laser-based receiver/transmitter device 20 is place at said comer 13. Device 20 communicates with other similar laser devices and with the operator 2000 as shown in Fig. 11 of the system of the present invention. Using a panoply of generated laser references

(in the preferred embodiment of this invention three such laser reference 21 , 22, and 23) device 20 locates comer 13 on surface 11 as marked on floorplan 12 of the hardcopy blueprint 10. A panoply of said devices 20 communicate using software that identifies a device 20 closest to the referenced comer 13 and are self- adjusted to ensure that the building to be constructed is square on surface 11 , without the need manually to snap line, and to incorporate dimensional changes as the construction proceeds. These laser devices 20 communicate proper locations, such as comer 13, to a panoply of robotic printers, such as printer 1001, having wheels

1002 for movement to the proper position, as shown in Fig. 10.

While said panoply of laser devices 20 are self-controlled by said software program, such control of said devices 20 is subject to being overridden remotely by the operator 2000 of the system at issue. Said operator 2000 as shown in Fig. 11 can communicate and control all of said devices remotely using a desktop computer having display screens 2001 , or a laptop computer, from a construction office or by using a mobile device or tablet at the construction site. Using the process described above said operator checks to ensure that said references created are square (that is, are at 90-degree angles to each other as shown in Fig. 6 by the use of electronically generated line 100 that electronically replicates the prior art physical line 100 A as shown in use in Fig. 1). While said devices 20 by control of software self-adjust discrepancies and make adjustments until the reference lines are square to each other, further adjustments and fine tuning of reference points can be remotely changed by operator 2000. Upon obtaining the desired results, new final reference points along with new final reference lines projected by devices 20 are created which reference lines provide guides and boundaries for the robotic printers 1000 that print out the drawings onto the construction surface. The distance between the new final reference points is checked for accuracy and the results noted in the software of the system.

The method of use of the system described herein is as follows: Desired computer-generated floor plans, drawings, or blueprints for the construction area in question are accessed. The points on the drawings that correspond with the new final reference points created above are identified and are matched with each other.

The dimensions between the new final reference points are verified against the dimensions provided on the drawings. The drawings can be overlaid onto the new final reference lines.

Adjustments can be made for any dimensional discrepancies between the dimensions supplied by the devices and the corresponding dimensions obtained from the drawings. These adjustments can be automatically made by the software or remotely by operator 2000, as shown in Fig. 11 using a desktop computer with display screens 2001, once the dimensions obtained from the drawings are entered and compared against the actual dimensions generated by the devices. These adjustments can be made by adjusting the new final reference points to correspond with the drawings, or the dimensions contained in the drawings can be adjusted to correspond with the dimensions obtained from the devices, or a combination of both. The end result will be a set of final files that are specific to that building and, which, in this case, can be used in laying out all of the walls, doors, and windows for each floor of this building as shown in Fig. 7.

At times there may be extraneous items or elements that may or may not be detailed in the drawings or that are created as a part of the construction process that may cause problems in laying out the construction site by the robotic printers 1000.

Locating these items or elements is necessary for safety and to avoid delays in construction. As examples, such items may include plumbing fixtures, such as pipes, or bolts that are part of the construction process that protrude from the floor, temporary holes in a floor at which a stairwell is to be located, or protrusions of structural materials or scaffolding on the exterior of the building under construction. These items and elements can be identified and located on the building by the use of an auto locator device 1000 as shown in Fig.9. An auto locator 1000 is programmed to work within the system in conjunction with laser devices 20 and robotic printers 1001, or may be used independently to locate elements, such as a pipe protruding through a floor under construction in order to ensure that the location of such an element is identified as a hazard to be avoided by a moving robotic printer 1000. Auto locator 1000 is constructed so as to allow for full movement of its aperture 1010 in both the horizontal direction 1011 and in the vertical direction 1012, both relative to the construction surface 11 on which said auto locator is placed, and is programmed to communicate with all parts of the system under the control of the software of the system and remotely by operator

2000 in Fig. 11. Exact locations of the above referenced items and elements are identified and incorporated into the automated process described above.

Dimensional adjustments, if needed to accommodate these items or elements, can be made in the same manner described above and incorporated into the final drawings as shown in Fig.7. Auto locator 1000, which can be free standing as shown in Fig. 9 or incorporated on top of a laser device 20, marks points and transfers them directly to the electronic drawings, which points are matched to a library of shapes for identification in said drawings, such as “a pipe protruding from floor.” The size of the protruding pipe is entered into the drawings so that a robotic printer 1001 in its motion will avoid contact with the protruding pipe.

Fig. 10 is a robotic printer 1001 known in the art. A panoply of such printers

1001 in the preferred embodiment are placed on the construction surface 11 in order that the final drawings are automatically printed onto construction surface 11. Operator 2000 transmits information as described above and contained in the final drawings as directions to the robotic printers 1001. Robotic printers 1001 efficiently transfer all the desired information from the drawings onto the surface

11 for proper construction of a floor or a building. Robotic printers 1001 automatically divide the printing tasks, or operator 2000 may override the software program to assign certain printing tasks between or among a panoply of robots

1001. Having identified all hazardous items and elements, robotic printers 1001 automatically avoid or work around certain areas during construction. As a result, robotic printer 1001 is prevented from falling off the side of a building under construction, or falling down an open stairwell, or running into a protruding pipe.

Robotic printers 1001 communicate wirelessly under control of the system software with laser devices 20, auto locators 1000, or with both to retrieve and share information, and as such are used to layout simple or intricate designs to be incorporated into final floor as constructed. Information from the drawings can be used by a fabricator in the cutting of the individual pieces of material to be used on a floor printed using the system and in accordance with the method described herein. Such pieces can be numbered, or marked to match the same markings placed on the floor by the robot 1001 and similar work can be done when creating a design on a ceiling or walls. A layout or design can either be drawn out on the floor and transferred directly to the ceiling or walls, or applied directly to the ceiling or wall. ‘No Go Zones” can be identified on surfaces as described in the electronic drawings using auto locator 1000 or laser devices 20, or may be remotely entered into the electronic drawings by operator 2000. A “No Go Zone” at a stairwell is set by an auto locater 1001 identifying the perimeters of the stairwell. Once a “No Go Zone” is established electronically, robotic printer 1001 is prohibited from entry by automatic software command.

The system is programed to mark and to create lines and designs of different shapes and colors onto a construction surface 11 and the scale of the drawings or pictures being transferred can be adjusted remotely by operator 2000. These markings can be done so as to be resistant to a variety of weather conditions and foot traffic. Various structures can be color coded (i.e., walls- black lines, window openings-green, cabinet locations- red, electrical fixtures-purple, or plumbing fixtures-blue).

A history comprised of computer-generated files detailing the initial runs of the panoply of robot printers 1001 for a variety different sized projects is stored in a centralized program in the present invention for use in estimating duration and complexity for future projects. As more and more projects are completed, this predictive database will grow, thus increasing its usefulness for future estimates of time and cost to complete a host of different construction projects. The system is programmed to alert operator 2000 as to the estimated time to complete tasks. Upon completion of tasks by robotic printer 1001, the software of the system alerts operator 2000 or others in the construction staff, such as the general contractor owner of the property, via text, email, or automated phone call.

While one robotic printer 1001 can be used to complete this work, the option of using multiple robots 1001 can be taken in order to complete the entire layout expeditiously.

Fig. 12 is a block diagram of an improved robotic printing system for layout marking and printing 3000 having the following devices: a central tracking unit

(CTU) 3004; at least one prism and reflector unit 3003; at least one carriage and printing robot 3005 fitted with an on-carriage tracking unit (OCT); a wireless routing system 3002, such as a WiFi router; and a computing device 3001, such as a laptop or tablet with a remote desktop visible on a screen display. In this system, layout printing is carried out in a two-step process: layout marking and layout printing

Fig. 14 shows in greater detail a central tracking unit 3004 of Fig. 12. The central tracking unit 3004 is placed inside the layout as shown in Figs. 20, 21, and

22 to detect the prism and reflecting units 3003 placed at different points, but generally at comer points of the layout during the process of layout marking. The central tracking unit as shown in Fig. 14 is fitted with prism reflector unit 30041 on top of it that facilitates tracking unit fitted on a carriage and printing robot 3005 to detect and measure angle and distances to estimate and correct its position in the layout the printing process as shown in Fig. 21 and Fig. 22. The central tracking unit as shown in Fig. 14 also comprises a reflector column 30042, a laser module

30043, a camera 30044, a LiDAR (Light detection and ranging) and Laser distance measurement module 30045, a tilt control mechanism for camera, LiDAR, and laser 30046, a 360-degree pan control for camera, LiDAR, and laser 30047, and an auto levelling module 30048. As the block diagram for the central tracking unit of

Fig. 17 shows, the central tracking unit 3004 also comprises a microcontroller unit to communicate with master controller of the computing device, a 24-volt battery and dc-dc converters to power the system, as well as zoom lens and focus lens controls for camera 30044. Camera 30044 is used to scan the layout area in order to detect obstacles or fixed objects, such as water or drainage pipes, but the camera can also detect obstacles and hazards that are not part of the building plan ab initio, but come into existence as the layout is taking place, such as a brick that has fallen onto the building surface during the layout process. The scan provided by camera

30044 is used by the application program to send wireless instructions to allow movable carriage and printing robots to avoid such obstacles or fixed objects while printing. Fig. 13 shows one of a panoply of prism and reflector units 3003 used to locate various points on the layout and to discern whether there are any deviations in the foundation from the layout drawing. Units 3003 are capable of measuring tilt, and are auto levelling to communicate with central tacking unit 3004 for residual tilt compensation. In Fig. 13 the prism and reflector unit 3003 is shown to be outfitted with a prism block 30031, a prism rod tilt angle measurement module

30032, a reflector column 30033, and an auto levelling module 30034. Fig. 16 is a block diagram of prism and reflector unit 3003 that includes a battery and power switch. When placed at a point in the layout, a prism and reflector unit 3003 measures the tilt angle of the building surface. Based on this angle the auto levelling module 30034 performs platform level adjustment within its tolerance limits so that the remaining tilt angle is compensated in the software while electronically measuring distances.

Fig. 15 shows the carriage and printing mobile robot unit 3005 with on- carriage tracking unit (OCT) 30053, locomotive means, such as four wheels 30051, and marker/ink spray nozzle 30052. As shown in the block diagram of Fig. 18 the carriage and printing robot 3005 is a combination of carriage, gantry, battery, power switch, printing head 30052), and tracking unit (OCT) 30053, by which it can move to perform various tasks of the layout printing process. Carriage unit

3005 is fitted with OCT tracking unit 30053 that has LiDAR and laser distance measurement units and the capability to control pan and tilt angles of the LiDAR and LASER modules, as well as a camera module that is used to scan the layout area as the carriage unit 3005 is in motion in order to detect obstacles or fixed objects, such as water or drainage pipes, but also to detect newly placed, unanticipated hazards, such as a brick or other construction material that may have fallen by chance onto the surface, a bird that has landed on said construction site, or an animal that has wandered onto said construction site. Using the camera, the carriage unit 3005 can avoid hazards and obstacles while in motion. An application program running on master controller computing device 3001 controls the scanning and printing process as shown as an example in Fig. 19 a sample screen display in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) as shown on the display screen of computing device 3001 for control of layout marking and printing functions. The carriage and printing unit 3005 comprises a four-wheel carriage and a gantry fixed to the carriage. In a preferred embodiment, the carriage measures 1000mm X 1000mm in size which can cover print area of 3’x3’. Said gantry has a mechanism to attach any of the following printing options: Marker,

Ink spray nozzle, Inkjet print head. The movement of a carriage and printing robot

3005 is controlled by a dedicated microcontroller system that takes commands from a master controller in a computing device 3001 wirelessly over a serial communication port. Gantry movement and printing tasks are handled by another dedicated microcontroller system that takes commands from said master controller also wirelessly over a serial communication port. The carriage and printing unit

3005 is used to process layout files in .dxf format and convert to a custom format that printing head understands, perform printing head angular and linear error correction, detect obstacles in the path of the carriage in real time and take evasive measures to bypass the obstacles, and print the layout drawing on the building surface to actual size.

The process for using the improved system described hereinabove has two parts: a layout marking phase and a layout printing phase. The layout marking phase can be described as follows; As stated above, Fig. 19 is a screen display that is visible on the computing device 3001 that provides a remote visible representation of layout marking and printing process. When Set Config command from master control application is received, the tracking unit 3004 scans for prisms in the area of the intended layout. When a prism 3003 located on a prism and reflector unit is detected, laser module 30043 is focussed on the column and keeps blinking until Start Marking command is received from the application program.

When the Start Marking command is received from the application, tracking unit

3004 conducts a 360° scan and when prisms are found, the unit 3004 focusses the laser 30043 on to the reflector columns and measures accurate distance and angle values. When Finish Marking command is received, the tracking unit 3004 sends the measurement data to the master control application for generating layout information for further analysis. After the marking phase has been completed, the position of central tracking unit 3004 remains intact until the printing task is completed.

The layout marking process comprises the following steps:

Locating the points to be marked on the layout and note those as A, B, C, D, etc:

Turning on the master controller system and start the master control application and select ‘Marking’ as the job type:

Placing the central tracker unit 3004 at the center of the intended layout area and turning on power to said unit;

Placing a prism and reflector unit 3003 at point A and clicking SetConfig,

Start Marking on the GUI on the screen display of the computing device 3001 such as that shown in Fig. 19;

Waiting until the tracker unit 3004 detects said prism and reflector column

30033 and keeps flashing its laser on it;

Placing prism and reflector units 3003 at the remaining points (B, C, D...) and clicking on ‘Start Marking’ button in the application GUL

Thereafter, central tracking unit performs a 360° forward scan (clockwise) with LiDAR 30045 and then tracks back (counter clockwise) with laser 30033 taking distance and angle values for each of the placed prism and reflector units

3003.

When the marking is completed the laser 30033 will keep flashing on the column at point A. After the use clicks on ‘Finish Marking’ button on the master control application GUI, the master control application creates layout marking file in .dxf format. The application program then imports this file and compares it to the original layout drawing file to see whether there are any deviations, perform layout correction if needed, and proceed with printing activity.

The steps in the layout printing process are as follows:

Turning on power to the system and wait until the system boots;

Using remote desktop connection from a windows computer connect to a computing device 3001,

Invoking the master control application on the remote computing device

3001;

Selecting proper job ID and insuring the drawing file is present in the job id folder;

Selecting Printing as the job type and click on Set Config button in the master control application GUI;

Clicking on ‘Start Printing’ button; Observing the current segment being printed and printing progress in the master control application GUI.

The process first prints the border segments and then prints internal segments.

Fig. 21 shows an example in the preferred embodiment of the printing phase using a single carriage and printing robot 3005 by completing the steps that follow:

Placing the printing unit 3005 at a desired position in the intended layout area;

Starting printing from master control application GUI by selecting ‘Printing’ as job type;

Entering 1 in the number of printers box and click on ‘Set Config’ button in the application GUI which causes the on-carriage tracker (OTC) of the printing unit 3005 to track the central tracking unit 3004 and keep flashing its laser on the column of the central tracking unit 3004; and

Clicking on ‘Start Printing’ button to allow the printing unit to keep tracking and measuring distance and angle values continuously for carriage position correction.

When the printing unit position is within the tolerable error limits, the layout information is printed and printing unit moves to next segment. This process continues for the entire layout is printed and the progress is updated in the GUI.

The user then clicks on ‘Finish Printing’ when the entire layout is printed.

Fig. 22 illustrates the use of a panoply of robotic printing devices 3005 in the preferred embodiment of the layout printing phase. It is to be noted that as an initial matter the location of the central tracking unit 3004 should remain undisturbed after completion of the marking phase. The steps of such process are as follows:

Placing the selected number of printing units 3005 in each partitioned print area as shown in Fig. 22;

Selecting that number of printers in master control application GUI, that is

“3” as in the example of Fig. 22; and

Clicking on ‘Set Config’ button in the application GUI to assign the printing areas to each printer and to configure each printer 3005 to the print area to be covered.

The central tracking unit 3004 keeps scanning for any obstacles in each of the print areas and communicates with the applicable printing unit 3005 with obstacle information that is used to take evasion action by the carriage and printing unit 3005 at risk. The progress of each printing unit 3005 is displayed in the master control application’s GUL The user clicks on ‘Finish Printing’ when all the printers finish their printing tasks. A second embodiment of a carriage and printing unit 4005 is shown in a top view in Fig. 23. Unit 4005 is intended to be used both for layout printing on a regular building surface as well as in a surveying application on barren or unprepared land, especially land that is rough terrain. The system as disclosed herein provides for the marking of reference points from a survey plan for land that is loaded electronically into memory of computing device 4001 for reference by the application program running thereon. In this embodiment of the system, carriage and printing unit 4005 includes stake/object storage area 40055 in which surveying stakes can be stored for automated installation similar to the printing operations disclosed herein. Stakes are collected one from a storage rack in area

40055 one at a time by a printer/stake object applicator enclosed in unit 4005 for installation on barren or unprepared land under surveyance at locations as determined by the marking process disclosed hereinabove; alternatively, unit 4005 can be used for painting survey marks, pre-drilling marks, or hand installation of stakes by surveyors. Carriage and printing unit 4055 is shown attached to a drone

5000 as show in Fig. 25 by the 4 crosses 40054 that illustrate the placement of the

4 propellers 40054 of drone 5000.

Fig. 24 shows one embodiment of a carriage and printing unit 4005 outfitted with locomotive means, such as the rough terrain tank treads 40056 or other rough terrain wheels. Unit 4005 is configured with self-leveling capability if needed to facilitated the proper locating of a point in barren land that is rough terrain.

Fig. 25 shows a carriage and printing unit modified to be delivered to the location by locomotive means that entail flying and hovering into the location by use of drone 5000 in order to avoid rough terrain and unprepared land. Drone

5000 is under the control wirelessly of a user of the system having access to the application program running on computing device 3001.

As noted above, all information obtained during layout using the present invention for each specific building or project is stored for potential future use in estimating and completing future projects.

This system can be programmed to mark lines and add shapes on foundations, floors, and walls using lasers that can create permanent lines, markings, or drawings onto surfaces. Using the system described with drones and

GPS signals allows the construction company to layout, mark, and add shapes on concrete, wood, or other surfaces. Such drawings can be covered with a veneer or poly coating to preserve the drawing and make permanent on a concrete floor so marked.

The invention described herein is not limited to the preferred embodiment.

The process described can be in many industrial settings, including, but not limited to: layout of excavation work or other site work; layout of foundations; layout for framing; layout for HAVC, plumbing, or electrical systems; layout for interior finishes; layout for painting; and for creating designs and murals, or parking lot or street line stripes painting.