# US 12,111,156 B2 · Target device and surveying system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,156 B2 - Document ID: US12111156B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/982,837 - Filed: 2019-03-25 - Published: 2021-02-25 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-26 - Assignees: Topcon Corporation - Applicants: Topcon Corporation - Inventors: You Sasaki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111156B2 ## CPC - G01C 15/002: {Active optical surveying means (optical plumbing G01C15/105)} - G01C 15/006: {Detectors therefor} - G01C 15/00: Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00 - G01C 15/06: Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers - G01S 17/42: Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S17/46) - G01S 17/66: Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves - 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) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A target device 20 includes: a prism 22 configured to reflect light incident on the prism in a direction identical to a direction of incidence of the light; a support part 21 configured to support the prism 22; and a plurality of direction indicators 23 formed on the prism 22 to indicate a direction of the prism. A surveying system 1 includes the target device 20 attached to a camera 11 of a UAV 10, and a surveying device 3 surveying the prism 22 as a target and taking a target image Tp including the prism 22 to detect the orientation of the UAV 10 based on the direction indicators 23 appearing in the target image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A target device to be surveyed, the device comprising: a reflector configured to reflect light incident on the reflector in a direction identical to a direction of incidence of the light, wherein the reflector comprises a bottom surface with sides; a support part configured to support the reflector; and a direction indicator formed on each of the sides to indicate a direction of the reflector, wherein each of the direction indicators are distinguished from one another based on appearance, and wherein the reflector is a polyhedron prism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The target device of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface comprises four sides. ### Claim 3 A target device to be surveyed, the device comprising: a reflector configured to reflect light incident on the reflector in a direction identical to a direction of incidence of the light; a support part configured to support the reflector; and a plurality of direction indicators formed on the reflector or the support part to indicate a direction of the reflector, wherein the reflector is a polyhedron prism, and the direction indicators are respectively formed on apexes of the polyhedron prism. ### Claim 4 A surveying system for surveying a target device comprising: a surveying instrument configured to collimate a reflector of the target device to survey a location of the reflector, the reflector comprising a bottom surface with sides; a target imager oriented in a direction identical to a direction of collimation of the surveying instrument, the target imager being configured to take a target image including the reflector; and an orientation detector configured to detect an orientation of the target device based on a direction indicator formed on each of the sides of the reflector to indicate a direction of the reflector appearing in the target image, wherein each of the direction indicators are distinguished from one another based on appearance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The surveying system of claim 4, wherein the target device is provided on a mobile object, and the orientation detector detects an orientation of the mobile object based on the orientation of the target device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The surveying system of claim 5, wherein the mobile object is a flight vehicle, and the surveying system further includes: a camera mounted on the flight vehicle to take an image for a photographic survey; and a surveying controller configured to add information on the orientation of the mobile object detected by the orientation detector to a surveying result surveyed by the surveying instrument, and to associate the surveying result with the image taken by the camera to generate data for the photographic survey. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The surveying system of claim 4, wherein the bottom surface comprises four sides. ### Claim 8 A target device to be surveyed, the device comprising: a reflector configured to reflect light incident on the reflector in a direction identical to a direction of incidence of the light; a support part configured to support the reflector; and a plurality of direction indicators formed on the reflector or the support part to indicate a direction of the reflector, wherein the direction indicators are distinguished from each other based on appearances of the direction indicators to indicate the direction of the reflector, and wherein the reflector is a polyhedron prism, and the direction indicators are respectively formed on apexes of the polyhedron prism.