A dimension measuring system and method are provided. Two track reference target (TRT) assemblies are positioned at spaced-apart locations on a railroad track's rails. Each of the TRT assemblies has two targets at fixed positions in a plane perpendicular to the rails. For each of the TRT assemblies, at least one of the two targets is positioned at a known and fixed height over one of the rails. A laser-based distance measuring device measures vector distances to the two targets associated with each of the TRT assemblies. The vector distances are processed in combination with the fixed positions to determine an elevation of each of the rails in the plane associated with each of the TRT assemblies.

Various embodiments of the present application set forth a computer-implemented method comprising aggregating positional signals that were received from device sensors, where each positional signal has an observed signal strength, identifying a subset of the positional signals, where each positional signal in the subset was received by a device sensor while the device sensor was located within the physical location, for each positional signal, generating, by an estimation device and based at least on a position of the device sensor, an approximate object height for an object located at the physical location, for each approximate object height, determining an expected signal strength for the positional signal corresponding to the approximate object height, generating a cost value that is based on a difference between the expected signal strength and the observed signal strength, and determining, by the estimation device and based on the cost values, an estimated object height.

Various embodiments of the present application set forth a computer-implemented method comprising aggregating positional signals that were received from device sensors, where each positional signal has an observed signal strength, identifying a subset of the positional signals, where each positional signal in the subset was received by a device sensor while the device sensor was located within the physical location, for each positional signal, generating, by an estimation device and based at least on a position of the device sensor, an approximate object height for an object located at the physical location, for each approximate object height, determining an expected signal strength for the positional signal corresponding to the approximate object height, generating a cost value that is based on a difference between the expected signal strength and the observed signal strength, and determining, by the estimation device and based on the cost values, an estimated object height.

A system for registering a target includes a first sensor, a second sensor, and a processor. The first sensor measures a plurality of ranges from a source to a target, and the second sensor obtains a plurality of location measurements of the source. The system further includes a processor configured for determining one or more weighting criteria associated with each one of the plurality of location measurements based on an estimated reliability of each one of the plurality of location measurements. The processor calculates a plurality of target location values based on the plurality of ranges measured by the first sensor and the plurality of locations measured by the second sensor and calculates an estimated target location value based on the plurality of target location values weighted according to the weighting criteria.

A travel height sensor is attached to a front of a pilot vehicle escorting a trailing vehicle hauling an oversized load to alert traffic ahead of the trailing vehicle of the oversized load approaching with the travel height sensor elevated to a highest point of the trailing vehicle and its oversized cargo, wherein the travel height sensor determines whether or not the trailing vehicle and cargo will clear a overhead wire, tree branch, bridge or overpass height prior to incurring damage to the trailing vehicle, its cargo or the overhead obstacle, the travel height sensor making contact with an obstruction below the preset height and subsequently communicating the contact to the driver of the pilot vehicle and driver of the trailing vehicle before the trailing vehicle arrives at the low obstruction, thus avoiding a catastrophic incident.

A travel height sensor is attached to a front of a pilot vehicle escorting a trailing vehicle hauling an oversized load to alert traffic ahead of the trailing vehicle of the oversized load approaching with the travel height sensor elevated to a highest point of the trailing vehicle and its oversized cargo, wherein the travel height sensor determines whether or not the trailing vehicle and cargo will clear a overhead wire, tree branch, bridge or overpass height prior to incurring damage to the trailing vehicle, its cargo or the overhead obstacle, the travel height sensor making contact with an obstruction below the preset height and subsequently communicating the contact to the driver of the pilot vehicle and driver of the trailing vehicle before the trailing vehicle arrives at the low obstruction, thus avoiding a catastrophic incident.

A method and a system for establishing a route of an unmanned aerial vehicle are provided. The method includes identifying an object from surface scanning data and shaping a space, which facilitates autonomous flight, as a layer, collecting surface image data for a flight path from the shaped layer, and analyzing a change in image resolution according to a distance from the object through the collected surface image data and extracting an altitude value on a flight route.

A method of positioning an instrument by an unmanned aircraft for measurement purposes relating to a target surface is provided. The method includes coupling the instrument to the unmanned aircraft and moving the unmanned aircraft to position the instrument away from the target surface. The method further includes stabilizing the unmanned aircraft to maintain a constant altitude and a level attitude relative to the target surface and orientating the instrument perpendicular to the target surface. A measurement is conducted by the instrument while the instrument is orientated perpendicular to the target surface. The method also includes transmitting the measurement to a receiver.

A height measuring apparatus comprising a main body portion adapted for placement upon an object to be measured, and a movable portion which is movable relative to the main body portion, wherein the movable portion comprises a laser source and a photo detector, the movable portion being movable so that a laser beam from the laser source can be directed to the ground when the main body is placed on the object to be measured.

Determination of the position of devices may be useful in various communication systems. For example, wireless communication systems that support emergency services may benefit from being able to make a vertical position determination of user equipment and/or network elements within a building or in other indoor environments, such as caves. A method can be implemented by a processor of a base station. The method can include receiving from at least one user equipment, at least one report based on at least a signal strength of a wireless connection between the at least one user equipment and the base station. The method can also include determining a vertical position of the base station, from the at least one report.