IP Library Granted Patent US 12,510,896
Granted Patent B2
US 12,510,896 · App. 17/946,448 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Marking apparatus, control method for marking apparatus, and storage medium

Inventor: Takeshi Kikuchi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: TOPCON CORPORATION
G05D1/0274E04G21/18G01C15/02G05D1/0214
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,510,896
App. No.
17/946,448
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A marking apparatus includes a marking apparatus main body including a target, a traveling mechanism for automatically traveling on a traveling surface, and a printer, and a control unit configured to control the printer and the mechanism. The control unit controls the traveling so that the mechanism automatically travels along a set traveling route, the control unit compares position coordinates of the marking apparatus main body obtained from three-dimensional position coordinates of the target during traveling input at predetermined intervals with the traveling route, and corrects traveling to eliminate a deviation from the traveling route, the control unit controls the printer so as to print the marking information set at a position corresponding to the position coordinates of the marking apparatus main body, and traveling route data setting the traveling route and marking information data defining the marking information are created based on CAD design data.

Claims (52)

1 . A marking apparatus comprising:

a marking apparatus main body including a target, a traveling mechanism for automatically traveling on a traveling surface, and a printer configured to print marking information onto the traveling surface; and

a control unit including at least a processor and a memory, the control unit configured to control the printer and the traveling mechanism, wherein

the control unit controls the traveling mechanism so that the traveling mechanism automatically travels along a set traveling route,

the control unit compares position coordinates of the marking apparatus main body obtained from three-dimensional position coordinates of the target during traveling input at predetermined intervals with the traveling route, and corrects traveling to eliminate a deviation from the traveling route,

the control unit controls the printer so as to print the marking information set at a position corresponding to the position coordinates of the marking apparatus main body, and

traveling route data setting the traveling route and marking information data defining the marking information are created based on CAD (Computer Aided Design) design data.

2 . The marking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the printer has a wide printing width extending in a direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of the marking apparatus main body, and prints the marking information onto a two-dimensional region along the traveling direction while traveling by collaboration with driving of the traveling mechanism.

3 . The marking apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the marking apparatus main body further includes an indicator lamp configured to irradiate light indicating a traveling direction of the marking apparatus main body.

4 . The marking apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the marking apparatus main body includes an obstacle sensor configured to detect an obstacle in a traveling direction, and

the control unit stops driving of the traveling mechanism when the obstacle sensor detects an obstacle.

5 . The marking apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the marking apparatus main body includes an imaging unit configured to image a traveling surface at a rear side of a traveling direction at predetermined intervals, and

the control unit organizes images of the traveling surface to generate a printed result image of the entire traveling region.

6 . A marking system comprising:

the marking apparatus according to claim 2 ; and

a surveying instrument configured to emit measuring light to the target and receive reflected light to measure a distance and an angle to the target so as to calculate the three-dimensional position coordinates of the target, and to output to the marking apparatus.

7 . The marking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the marking apparatus main body further includes an indicator lamp configured to irradiate light indicating a traveling direction of the marking apparatus main body.

8 . The marking apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the marking apparatus main body includes an obstacle sensor configured to detect an obstacle in a traveling direction, and

the control unit stops driving of the traveling mechanism when the obstacle sensor detects an obstacle.

9 . The marking apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein

the marking apparatus main body includes an imaging unit configured to image a traveling surface at a rear side of a traveling direction at predetermined intervals, and

the control unit organizes images of the traveling surface to generate a printed result image of the entire traveling region.

10 . A marking system comprising:

the marking apparatus according to claim 7 ; and

a surveying instrument configured to emit measuring light to the target and receive reflected light to measure a distance and an angle to the target so as to calculate the three-dimensional position coordinates of the target, and to output to the marking apparatus.

11 . The marking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the marking apparatus main body includes an obstacle sensor configured to detect an obstacle in a traveling direction, and

the control unit stops driving of the traveling mechanism when the obstacle sensor detects an obstacle.

12 . The marking apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the marking apparatus main body includes an imaging unit configured to image a traveling surface at a rear side of a traveling direction at predetermined intervals, and

the control unit organizes images of the traveling surface to generate a printed result image of the entire traveling region.

13 . A marking system comprising:

the marking apparatus according to claim 11 ; and

a surveying instrument configured to emit measuring light to the target and receive reflected light to measure a distance and an angle to the target so as to calculate the three-dimensional position coordinates of the target, and to output to the marking apparatus.

14 . The marking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the marking apparatus main body includes an imaging unit configured to image a traveling surface at a rear side of a traveling direction at predetermined intervals, and

the control unit organizes images of the traveling surface to generate a printed result image of the entire traveling region.

15 . A marking system comprising:

the marking apparatus according to claim 14 ; and

a surveying instrument configured to emit measuring light to the target and receive reflected light to measure a distance and an angle to the target so as to calculate the three-dimensional position coordinates of the target, and to output to the marking apparatus.

16 . A marking system comprising:

the marking apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

a surveying instrument configured to emit measuring light to the target and receive reflected light to measure a distance and an angle to the target so as to calculate the three-dimensional position coordinates of the target, and to output to the marking apparatus.

17 . A control method for a marking apparatus including a marking apparatus main body including a target, a traveling mechanism for traveling on a traveling surface, and a printer configured to print a mark and information related to the mark onto the traveling surface, and a control unit including at least a processor and a memory, the control unit configured to control the printer and the traveling mechanism, wherein

the control unit controls the traveling mechanism so that the traveling mechanism travels along a set traveling route,

the control unit compares position coordinates of the marking apparatus main body obtained from three-dimensional position coordinates of the target during traveling with the traveling route, and corrects traveling to eliminate a deviation from the traveling route,

the control unit controls the printer so as to print the marking information set at a position corresponding to the position coordinates of the marking apparatus main body, and

traveling route data setting the traveling route and marking information data defining the marking information are created based on CAD design data.

18 . A storage medium comprising a program for causing a computer that is the control unit of the marking apparatus to perform the control method for a marking apparatus according to claim 17 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2022
From: KIKUCHI, TAKESHI
To: TOPCON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061121/0744 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-155198 · Sep 24, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230098171A1 · Mar 30, 2023
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