METHOD OF LOCATING UNDERGROUND UTILITY LINES AND AN UNDERGROUND UTILITY LINE

• US 20040140923A1
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoRFID LLC
• Original Assignee: Guardian Angel Protection Incorporated
• Inventors: Lylick, Peter William, Tucker, Layne Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 6,778,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00

Abstract

A method of locating an underground utility line. A first step involves securing transponders along a length of an underground utility line at regular spaced intervals. A second step involves interrogating the transponders to receive transponder signals. A third step involves ascertaining the position of the transponder signals and extrapolating positioning of the underground utility line from the transponder signals.

Claims

1. A method of locating an underground utility line, comprising the steps of:

securing transponders along a length of an underground utility line at regular spaced intervals;

interrogating the transponders to receive transponder signals;

ascertaining the position of the transponder signals and extrapolating positioning of the underground utility line from the transponder signals.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the transponder signals include vital information regarding the utility line.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinates are determined for each of the transponder signals and the transponder signals from the transponders are displayed on a grid of GPS co-ordinates.

4. An underground utility line, comprising:

an elongate body having transponders secured along it'"'"'s length at regular spaced intervals.

5. The underground utility as defined in claim 4, wherein the transponder are adapted to emit signals which include vital information regarding the utility line.

6. In combination:

an underground utility line having transponders secured along it'"'"'s length at regular spaced intervals; and

a display displaying on a grid of GPS co-ordinates GPS co-ordinates of transponder signals from each of the transponders, along with positioning of the underground utility line as extrapolated from the transponder signals.