DIGITAL LOCATING SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR UNDERGROUND OBJECT DETECTION

• US 20080111553A1
• Filed: 01/17/2008
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Butch Mulcahey
• Original Assignee: Butch Mulcahey
• Inventors: Mulcahey, Butch
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,590 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 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said mathematical processing comprises sequential measurement said responses of said individual antennas to calculate said magnitude and phase.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said mathematical processing comprises pairing said individual antenna responses in a staggered sequence to calculate said magnitude and phase.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mathematical processing comprises deducing the individual antenna producing a maximum response to said flux field.

5. The method of claim 1, 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.

6. The method of claim 1, 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.

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

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said underground object is an underground line.

9. 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.

10. The method of claim 9, said vector gain being a ratio of magnitude of said first vector to magnitude of said second vector.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said underground object is a sonde.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said object is an underground line.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said antennas are capable of predicting the location of said underground object with a span of 360°

around said receiver.