SEARCHABLE ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITY LOCATE MARKING OPERATIONS
First Claim
1. A method for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the locate operation comprising identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
- A) electronically receiving source data representing at least one input image of a geographic area comprising the dig area;
B) processing the source data so as to display at least a portion of the at least one input image on a display device;
C) adding to the displayed at least one input image at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation so as to generate a marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark; and
D) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up image so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation in which a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area may be identified using one or more physical locate marks. Source data representing one or more input images of a geographic area comprising the dig area is received and processed so as to display at least a portion of the input image(s) on a display device. One or more digital representations of the physical locate mark(s) applied to the dig area during the locate operation are added to the displayed input image(s) as “locate mark indicators” so as to generate a marked-up image. Information relating to the marked-up image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the locate operation comprising identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) electronically receiving source data representing at least one input image of a geographic area comprising the dig area; B) processing the source data so as to display at least a portion of the at least one input image on a display device; C) adding to the displayed at least one input image at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation so as to generate a marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark; and D) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up image so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. At least one computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the locate operation comprising identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) electronically receiving source data representing at least one input image of a geographic area comprising the dig area; B) processing the source data so as to display at least a portion of the at least one input image on a display device; C) adding to the displayed at least one input image at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation so as to generate a marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark; and D) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up image so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.
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21. An apparatus for facilitating generation of a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the locate operation comprising identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication interface; a display device; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the display device, and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit; controls the communication interface to electronically receive source data representing at least one input image of a geographic area including the dig area; processes the source data and controls the display device so as to display at least a portion of the at least one input image; adds to the displayed at least one input image at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation so as to generate a marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark; and further controls the communication interface and/or the memory to electronically transmit and/or electronically store information relating to the marked-up image so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification