Digital locating system and device for underground object detection

• US 20060181280A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Goldak, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Goldak, Inc.
• Inventors: Mulcahey, Butch
• Granted Patent: US 7,372,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/326
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/06 using ac
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/165 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by the object or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/17
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/36 Recording data G01V3/34 takes precedence

Abstract

An underground digital locating system includes a receiver capable of acquiring a signal produced by an underground object and displaying a digital representation of the orientation of underground object and of its depth. The system includes a carrying case for the digital locating receiver, the carrying case further including a transmitter for energizing underground objects to emit a magnetic field. A method of locating an underground object using the described system is also disclosed, as well as methods of measuring a flux field and translating a flux field signal of an underground object into a visual representation of the underground object on the display screen of the locating receiver.

Claims

1. A system for locating of underground objects comprising:

a digital locating receiver, said receiver being capable of receiving a locating signal from an underground object;

a carrying case being adapted to house said receiver, said case comprising a digital transmitter for transmitting signals to an underground object, said signals being capable of energizing said underground object,

wherein said digital locating receiver processes the locating signals received from said underground object and produces an output readable by a user, said output predicting the location of said underground object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said output includes depth reading for said underground object.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said output includes a representation of the orientation of said underground object.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said output provides visual clues for said user to locate said underground object.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said output further provides audio clues for said user to locate said underground object.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said underground object is an underground line.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said underground object is a sonde.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a connection cable for connecting said digital transmitter to an underground object to energize said underground object.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said system further comprises a ground rod for providing grounding to said connection cable.

10. A digital locating receiver for receiving locating signals from underground objects, comprising

a main body, said main body housing at least one microcontroller and internal circuitry;

a display screen located on the main body for providing visual feedback to a user;

a pistol grip for accommodating a hand of a user, said pistol grip including a trigger;

an antenna arm having a first end and a second end, said antenna being swivelably connected to said main body at said first end;

a first antenna set mounted on said second end of the antenna arm and comprising a set of three mutually orthogonal ferrite antennas;

a second antenna set housed within the main body of the receiver, said second antenna set being comprised of a set of three mutually orthogonal ferrite antennas;

wherein said receiver is capable of processing locating signals acquired from an underground object by said first and second antenna sets, and producing an output on said display screen, said output representing the predicted location of the underground object.

11. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, wherein said first antenna set and said second antenna set are 21 inches apart from each other.

12. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, wherein said first antenna set and said second antenna set are separated by a predetermined distance.

13. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, further comprising a speaker for producing audible feedback for the user, said speaker being housed within the main body of said receiver.

14. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, further comprising a battery compartment for storing batteries, said battery compartment housed within the main body of said receiver.

15. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, further comprising a connection panel, said connection panel being located on the main body of said receiver and comprising a plurality of inlets for adapted to accommodate accessory cables.

16. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, wherein said output on the display screen includes an arrow representing the predicted direction of said underground object with respect to said receiver.

17. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, wherein said output on the display screen includes a graphical image of said underground object, said image representing the predicted orientation of said underground object in space.

18. The digital locating receiver of claim 10, wherein said output on the display screen includes a predicted depth of said underground object when said locator is generally positioned over the underground object.

22. The carrying case of claim 16, further comprising a battery compartment for housing a battery.

23. The carrying case of claim 16, wherein said transmitter is capable of energizing an underground object by a direct connection.

24. The carrying case of claim 16, wherein said transmitter is capable of energizing an underground object by induction of a field.

19. A carrying case for a digital locating receiver comprising:

a top half and a bottom half, said two halves being connected to effectuate the opening and closing of said case, at least one of said halves having a cavity designed to accommodate a digital locating receiver;

at least one latch located on at least one of said haves for keeping said carrying case closed;

a handle, said handle shaped to accommodate a user'"'"'s hand; and

a digital transmitter housed within said carrying case, said transmitter capable of energizing an underground object.

20. The carrying case of claim 19, further comprising a control panel, said panel including a digital display and a plurality of buttons for operating said transmitter.

21. The carrying case of claim 19, further comprising a connection panel, said connection panel including a plurality of inlets for providing a connection port to at least one external device.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein said underground object is a utility line.

25. In a system in which a digital locating receiver and a digital transmitter are used to locate an underground object, a method for guiding an operator using said locator to said object, the method comprising the steps of:

energizing said underground object using said digital transmitter;

searching for said underground object using video feedback from said digital locating receiver, said video feedback including visual clues for location of said underground object,

said clues including a directional arrow representing the position of said underground object with respect to the receiver and an image of a predicted orientation of said underground object in space;

pinpointing said underground object with said locator to identify the depth of said object.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said transmitter is connected directly to said underground object to energize said underground object with electrical current.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said transmitter energizes said underground object by an inductive field.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said locator further provides audio feedback to the user in guiding the user to the underground object.

30. In a system in which a digital locating receiver is used to locate an underground transmitter, a method for guiding an operator using said locator to said underground transmitter, the method comprising the steps of:

activating said underground transmitter;

tuning said digital locating receiver to the frequency of said underground transmitter;

searching for said underground transmitter using video feedback from said digital locating receiver, said video feedback including visual clues for location of said underground transmitter,

said clues including a directional arrow representing the position of said underground transmitter with respect to the receiver and an image of a predicted orientation of said underground transmitter in space;

pinpointing said underground transmitter with said locator to identify the depth of said transmitter.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said locator further provides audio feedback to the user in guiding the user to said underground transmitter.

32. A method of measuring a flux field emitted by an underground object by using a locating receiver comprising the steps of:

acquiring said flux field signal by a locator having a first set of antennas and a second set of antennas, the antennas of each set emitting a response upon acquiring said signal;

processing said response from each antenna through a network of analog switching circuitry housed within said receiver, said switching circuitry being controlled by a microcontroller;

said antenna responses being passed by said circuitry through a sum and a difference amplifier, producing numerical results; and

whereby said flux field is calculated by mathematical processing of said numerical results, said mathematical processing calculating magnitude and phase of said antenna responses.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said mathematical processing comprises sequential measurement said responses of said individual antennas to calculate said magnitude and phase.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said mathematical processing comprises pairing said individual antenna responses in a staggered sequence to calculate said magnitude and phase.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the mathematical processing comprises deducing the individual antenna producing a maximum response to said flux field.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein said microcontroller communicates said numerical results to a display screen on said locating receiver, said screen projecting a visual image of said underground object'"'"'s orientation in space.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein said microcontroller communicates said numerical results to a speaker on said locating receiver, said speaker projecting audio signals regarding said underground object'"'"'s location to a user.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein said underground object is a sonde.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein said underground object is an underground line.

40. A method of displaying a digital image of an underground object emitting a flux field on a display screen of a locating receiver, comprising the steps of:

providing two measurement points in space around said underground object, each measurement point being connected to said object by a first vector and a second vector;

measuring a degree of misalignment of the first vector and the second vector by assigning a numerical value to said first vector and said second vector and calculating a third vector, said third vector being a cross product of said first and second vectors;

calculating vector gain;

using said cross-product to determine the direction from which the flux field originates;

whereby the components of said third vector are used to produce a digital image of said underground object on the display screen of said receiver.

41. The method of claim 40, said vector gain being a ratio of magnitude of said first vector to magnitude of said second vector.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein said underground object is a sonde.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein said object is an underground line.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein said antennas are capable of predicting the location of said underground object with a span of 360°

around said receiver.