Process for rendering and presenting underground utilities for efficient identification, marking and inspection

• US 10,083,534 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
• Original Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
• Inventors: Simmons, Timothy J., Osbourne, Peter J., Glenn, Christopher A., Phelps, Larry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Montoya, Oschta I
• Application Number:
  US15/482,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20180005422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

The invention provides a much improved process for locating underground utilities where a field technician is provided with a device that presents the location of the underground utility in context with the surroundings. The device uses a screen present an image of the underground utility in its proper perspective with respect to the surroundings using data gathered from a number of sources. The data used to create the image includes location data of both the underground utility and the position of the device along with perspective attributes such as traditional compass orientation, perspective relative to the horizon, and any perceivable movement of the device.

Claims

1. A process for locating an underground utility comprising:

a) providing an underground utility imaging device having a screen, a computer processor, electronic memory, a digital camera with a front facing lens, geographical location sensing circuitry, an electronic compass, horizon sensing circuitry, and an electronic accelerometer;

b) providing location data from a database to the electronic memory of the underground utility imaging device;

c) creating a continuously updated live image of the terrain in view through the front facing lens of the digital camera in electronic format and providing the continuously updated live image in electronic form to the computer processor of the underground utility imaging device;

d) periodically determining the geographical coordinates of the location of the underground utility imaging device using the geographical location sensing circuitry and providing the computer processor of the underground utility imaging device with the geographical coordinates in electronic form;

e) continuously determining the compass heading of the front facing lens of the digital camera with the electronic compass and providing the compass heading in electronic form to the computer processor in electronic form;

f) determining with the horizon sensing circuitry the orientation of the front facing lens of the digital camera relative to a horizontal plane at the location of the underground utility imaging device in electronic format generally including orientation around pitch and roll axes in electronic format to the computer processor providing a perspective of a view of the underground utility taking into account whether the front facing lens of the digital camera is being pointed up or down relative to the horizon or horizontal plane and twisted or rolled side to side relative to the horizon or horizontal plane, wherein the step of determining with the horizon sensing circuitry the orientation of the front facing lens of the digital camera relative to a horizontal plane at the location of the underground utility imaging device in electronic format further includes sensing the relationship to the horizon with an electronic gyroscope;

g) measuring movement in terms of rate and direction of the underground utility imaging device using the electronic accelerometer and providing such movement information in electronic format to the computer processor such that an image of the underground utility takes into account motion of the underground utility imaging device;

h) creating a hypothetical image of the underground utility with the above inputs as if it could be seen on the ground under which the underground utility is actually lying taking into account the fixed location of the underground utility and the perspective through the front facing lens including any orientation parameters of the front facing lens and movement of the front facing lens;

i) creating a composite image of the live image and the hypothetical image where the underground utility is superimposed over the continuously updated live image of the terrain in view of the front facing lens of the digital camera; and

j) presenting the composite image onto a screen so that a technician, while viewing the screen, may efficiently and directly mark, protect, inspect, unearth or access the underground utility;

wherein the underground utility extends along a path that may be visualized as a plurality of segments connected together end to end and location data for the underground utility more particularly comprises location data for each segment of the underground utility such that the step of providing location data from a database to the electronic memory of the underground utility imaging device further includes providing global positioning system as a set of coordinates for the segments of the underground utility and wherein the step of creating a hypothetical image of the underground utility more particularly includes computing the anticipated visual perspective of the segments of the underground utility which would be visible from the location of the imaging device taking into account the orientation of the imaging device.

2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the process of periodically calculating the geographical location of the underground utility imaging device comprises using global positioning system signals from satellites to determine the geographical coordinates of the underground utility imaging device.

3. The process according to claim 2 wherein the geographical coordinates are recalculated at least every five seconds.

4. The process according to claim 2 wherein the geographical coordinates are recalculated at least twice per second.

5. The process according to claim 4 wherein the geographical coordinates are recalculated continuously.

6. The process according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing an underground utility imaging device further includes providing a wearable underground utility imaging device attached to a hat or helmet.

7. The process according to claim 1 the step of providing an underground utility imaging device further includes providing a wearable underground utility imaging device attached to an eyeglass frame to be worn like eyeglasses.

8. The process according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing an underground utility imaging device further includes providing a wearable underground utility imaging device as a handheld device like a cellphone or electronic tablet.

9. The process according to claim 1 further including the step of sensing the elevation of the underground utility imaging device and providing the elevation information to the computer processor in electronic form to be used in the creation of the hypothetical image.

10. The process according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing location data from a database to the electronic memory of the underground utility imaging device further includes downloading such location data wirelessly from a wireless local area network.