DISTANCE CORRECTION FOR DAMAGE PREVENTION SYSTEM

• US 20090237263A1
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prostar Geocorp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Global Precision Solutions, Llp
• Inventors: Kannan, Senthilnathan, Colby, Daniel E., Sawyer, Tom Y. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.600
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

A system and method for determining a distance of a utility asset from a moving equipment. The invention determines a first current location of the equipment; accesses stored coordinates for a plurality of utility assets; selects an area of interest including a portion of the plurality of utility assets; identifies local utility assets in the selected area; determines a utility asset nearest to the first current position of the equipment, from the local utility assets; determines velocity and direction of the moving equipment; and determines the distance from the nearest utility asset to the second current location of the equipment responsive to the determined velocity and direction of the equipment. The invention may then generate a warning indication responsive to the determined distance.

Claims

1. A method for determining a distance of a utility asset from a moving equipment, the method comprising:

determining a first current location of the equipment;

accessing stored coordinates for a plurality of utility assets;

selecting an area of interest including a portion of the plurality of utility assets;

identifying local utility assets in the selected area;

determining a utility asset nearest to the first current position of the equipment, from the local utility assets;

determining velocity and direction of the moving equipment; and

determining the distance from the nearest utility asset to the second current location of the equipment responsive to the determined velocity and direction of the equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a warning indication responsive to the determined distance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a plurality of warning indications responsive to the determined distance, each warning indication having a different warning level.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising establishing one or more buffer zones for each warning level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining velocity and direction comprises determining velocity and direction of the moving equipment based on the first current location of the equipment and a second current location of the equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining velocity and direction comprises determining velocity and direction of the moving equipment utilizing sensors.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining velocity and direction comprises determining velocity and direction of the moving equipment utilizing radar.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the distance NTR_Correction from the nearest utility asset to the second current location of the equipment comprises calculating:

NTR_Correcton=|(Δ

t*V)·

(NTR)|/|(NTR)| 

 

(2)

where Δ

t is the processing time t and V is the velocity of the equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting time to impact the nearest target responsive to the determined velocity and direction of the equipment.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a warning indication responsive to the adjusted time to impact.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the first current location and the second current location of the equipment utilizing a precision global positioning system.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor determines the distance NTR_Correction from the nearest utility asset to the second current location of the equipment by calculating the following equation:

NTR_Correction=|(Δ

t*V)·

(NTR)|/|(NTR)| 

 

(2)

where Δ

t is the processing time t and V is the velocity of the equipment.

12. A system for determining a distance of a utility asset from a moving equipment comprising:

a global position system receiver for determining a first current location and a second current location of the equipment;

a database for storing coordinates for a plurality of utility assets;

means for selecting an area of interest including a portion of the plurality of utility assets;

a processor for identifying local utility assets in the selected area, determining a utility asset nearest to the current position of the equipment from the local utility assets, determining velocity and direction of the moving equipment, and determining the distance from the nearest utility asset to the second current location of the equipment responsive to the determined velocity and direction of the equipment.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for generating a warning signal responsive to the determined distance.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for generating a plurality of warning signals responsive to the determined distance, each warning signal having a different warning level.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor adjusts time to impact the nearest target responsive to the determined velocity and direction of the equipment.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor generates a warning signal responsive to the adjusted time to impact.

18. A method for determining a distance of a utility asset from a moving equipment, the method comprising:

identifying local utility assets in the selected area;

determining a utility asset nearest to a current position of the equipment;

determining velocity of the moving equipment; and

determining the distance from the nearest utility asset to the moving equipment based on the velocity of the moving equipment and a processing time of location and velocity of the moving equipment.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating a warning indication responsive to the determined distance.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein determining velocity comprises determining velocity of the moving equipment based on a first location of the equipment and a second is location of the equipment.