Buried service detection
First Claim
1. A mobile detection device for an evaluation of a distance/depth value from the mobile detection device to an occluded AC carrying structure, which evaluation is done according to a magnetic field emanated from the structure by the AC-current, with the mobile detection device comprising:
- a plurality of detection coils, each comprising at least one winding of an electrically conductive material, which are arranged at a fixed location with a spacing with respect to one another;
an electronic signal evaluation unit for detecting the structure according to an electrical signal induced in the plurality of detection coils by the magnetic field and evaluating the distance value according to a difference of the electrical signal in-between at least two of the plurality of detection coils; and
a calibration unit built to configure one of the plurality of detection coils as a transmitter for a calibration field by applying an electrical excitation signal to the transmitter, wherein the calibration field is detected by the remaining of the plurality detection of coils; and
wherein calibration parameters for the plurality of detection coils are determined by the calibration unit based on the detected calibration field.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments of the invention relate to a mobile detection device for an evaluation of a distance value from the mobile detection device to an occluded AC-current carrying structure according to its emanated magnetic field, like a location of underground services. The mobile detection device may include multiple detection coils arranged with a spacing with respect to one another and an electronic signal evaluation unit for detecting the structure according to an electrical signal induced in the detection coils by the magnetic field and to evaluate the distance value according to a difference of the electrical signal in-between at least two of the detection coils.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A mobile detection device for an evaluation of a distance/depth value from the mobile detection device to an occluded AC carrying structure, which evaluation is done according to a magnetic field emanated from the structure by the AC-current, with the mobile detection device comprising:
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a plurality of detection coils, each comprising at least one winding of an electrically conductive material, which are arranged at a fixed location with a spacing with respect to one another; an electronic signal evaluation unit for detecting the structure according to an electrical signal induced in the plurality of detection coils by the magnetic field and evaluating the distance value according to a difference of the electrical signal in-between at least two of the plurality of detection coils; and a calibration unit built to configure one of the plurality of detection coils as a transmitter for a calibration field by applying an electrical excitation signal to the transmitter, wherein the calibration field is detected by the remaining of the plurality detection of coils; and wherein calibration parameters for the plurality of detection coils are determined by the calibration unit based on the detected calibration field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A calibration method performed by a mobile detection device which comprises a plurality of detection coils for an evaluation of a distance value from the mobile detection device to an occluded AC carrying structure according to the structures emanated magnetic field, the method performed by the mobile detection device comprising:
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applying an electrical excitation signal to one of the plurality of detection coils, which then acts as a magnetic field transmitter for a calibration field; receiving and evaluating the calibration field by the remaining detection coil of the plurality of detection coils, which is done multiple times with a permutation of the plurality of detection coils usage for transmitting or receiving; and determining calibration parameters for at least two of the plurality of detection coils is done by a calibration unit, based on a set of the evaluated calibration fields from each permutation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A mobile detection device for an evaluation of a distance/depth value from the mobile detection device to an occluded AC-current carrying structure according to the structure'"'"'s emanated magnetic field, the mobile detection device comprising:
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a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCB) having a plurality of detection coils, each detection coil comprising at least one winding of an electrically conductive material, which detection coils are arranged at a fixed location with a spacing with respect to one another, wherein each of the detection coils is embodied by tracks on the printed circuit board (PCB); and an electronic signal evaluation unit for detecting the structure according to an electrical signal induced in the plurality of detection coils by the magnetic field and evaluating the distance value according to a difference of the electrical signal in-between at least two of the plurality of detection coils; and wherein the plurality of printed circuit boards (PCB) comprises at least one calibration coil embodied as tracks on the printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the at least one calibration coil may be at least one detection coil of the plurality of detection coils or at least one dedicated calibration coil; and a calibration unit built to configure the at least one calibration coil as a transmitter for a calibration field by applying an electrical excitation signal to the at least one calibration coil, which calibration field is detected by the plurality of detection coils, and wherein calibration parameters for the plurality of detection coils are determined by the calibration unit based on the detected calibration field. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification