VIRTUAL WHITE LINES FOR DELIMITING PLANNED EXCAVATION SITES
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. Data representing an aerial image of a geographic area including the dig area is electronically received, the data including geo-coding or geographical identification metadata associated with the aerial image. At least a portion of the aerial image is displayed on a display device, including at least one map symbol, street name, region, and/or landmark description superimposed upon or displayed separately from the geographic area. The dig area is delimited on the displayed image, via a user input device associated with the display device, so as to generate a marked-up digital image including a delimited dig area. Information relating to the marked-up digital image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area.
207 Citations
71 Claims
-
1-51. -51. (canceled)
-
52. A method for facilitating detection of 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 data representing an aerial image of a geographic area including the dig area, the data including geo-coding or geographical identification metadata associated with the aerial image; B) displaying at least a portion of the aerial image on a display device, wherein the displayed aerial image includes at least one map symbol, street name, region, and/or landmark description superimposed upon or displayed separately from the geographic area in the displayed aerial image; C) delimiting the dig area on the displayed aerial image, via a user input device associated with the display device, so as to generate a marked-up digital image including a delimited dig area; and D) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
-
66. At least one computer readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by at least one processing unit, perform a method for facilitating detection of 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 data representing an aerial image of a geographic area including the dig area, the data including geo-coding or geographical identification metadata associated with the aerial image; B) displaying at least a portion of the aerial image on a display device, wherein the displayed aerial image includes at least one map symbol, street name, region, and/or landmark description superimposed upon or displayed separately from the geographic area in the displayed aerial image; C) receiving user input, via a user input device associated with the display device, to delimit the dig area on the displayed aerial image; D) generating a marked-up digital image including a delimited dig area based on the user input; and E) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area.
-
-
67. An apparatus for facilitating detection of 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:
-
a communication interface; a display device; a user input device; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the display device, the user input 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 data representing an aerial image of a geographic area including the dig area, the data including geo-coding or geographical identification metadata associated with the aerial image; controls the display device to display at least a portion of the aerial image, wherein the displayed aerial image includes at least one map symbol, street name, region, and/or landmark description superimposed upon or displayed separately from the geographic area in the displayed aerial image; acquires user input from the user input device to delimit the dig area on the displayed aerial image; generates a marked-up digital image including a delimited dig area based on the user input; and further controls the communication interface and/or the memory to electronically transmit and/or electronically store information relating to the marked-up digital image so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71)
-
Specification