# US 10,478,706 B2 · Method and apparatus for precise determination of a position of a target on a surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,706 B2 - Document ID: US10478706B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/581,389 - Filed: 2014-12-23 - Published: 2015-07-02 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2013-12-26 - Assignees: Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. - Applicants: Topcon Positioning Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Raymond M. O'Connor; Kyle Snow; Xiankun Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478706B2 ## CPC - A63B 71/0619: {Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills} - A63B 24/0021: {Tracking a path or terminating locations} - G01C 11/06: by comparison of two or more pictures of the same area - G06T 7/74: {involving reference images or patches} - A63B 2024/0053: {for locating an object, e.g. a lost ball} - A63B 2071/0691: {Maps, e.g. yardage maps or electronic maps} - A63B 2220/05: Image processing for measuring physical parameters - A63B 2220/13: Relative positions - A63B 2220/20: Distances or displacements - A63B 2220/807: Photo cameras - A63B 2220/89: Field sensors, e.g. radar systems - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A method and apparatus for determining the precise location of a target on a surface by utilizing a plurality of objects that are fixed in their position proximate to the location, thereby constituting a plurality of fixed reference points, upon which the target(s) resides or is otherwise located. The plurality of fixed references points are used either in conjunction with images of the target or certain distance measurements between the target and the fixed reference points to determine the precise location of the target(s) on the surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for determining, in real-time, a location of a target on a golf green, the golf green having a plurality of fixed referenced points located proximally thereabout, the apparatus comprising: a registration control for registering particular ones of the plurality of fixed reference points, the registration control comprising a camera for capturing an image, in real-time, of certain ones of the particular ones of the plurality of fixed reference points; an instrument for measuring a plurality of distances, each distance of the plurality of distances being between the target and the certain ones of the fixed reference points registered by the registration control; and a processor, for executing computer program instructions stored in a memory, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: determining the location of the target, in real-time, based on the plurality of distances, wherein the determining the location of the target further comprises: receiving coordinates of the certain ones of the fixed reference points registered of the plurality of fixed reference points, and surface elevation information associated with the target, the surface elevation information generated from a contour map of the golf green having a plurality of contours, one or more of the contours representing one or more lines of constant elevation, and a plurality of directional lines that are defined from a topography of the golf green, and the contour map generated from a digital elevation model (DEM) representing a continuous topographical surface taken from a discrete set of three-dimensional (3D) points; calculating, using at least two of the measured distances, an initial estimation of the location of the target; and calculating, using the initial estimation of the location of the target and the surface elevation information, the location of the target by iteratively interpolating a surface elevation of the golf green at the location of the target by interpolating the contours of the golf green until reaching a pre-defined tolerance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least three fixed reference points of the plurality of fixed reference points are registered. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus of claim 1 wherein the location of the target is determined based on the plurality of distances and a least-squares estimation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus a laser rangefinder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising: a display for displaying the location of the target. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the target is a golf ball. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the iterative interpolating is initiated using a surface elevation previously interpolated from the contour map and the displaying includes the plurality of directional lines that are associated with the topography of the golf green. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the plurality of fixed reference points are a plurality of sprinkler heads, and the image captured in real-time shows both the target and the certain ones of fixed reference points, the certain ones of fixed reference points being proximate to a user of the apparatus and selected by the user in operating the registration control.