METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF LOCATE AND MARKING OPERATIONS, AND COMBINED LOCATE AND MARKING APPARATUS FOR SAME
First Claim
1. A combination locate and marking apparatus, comprising:
- an actuation mechanism to control dispensing of a marking material;
at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from a target object;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the memory and the at least one receiver antenna, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the memory locate information relating at least in part to operation of the at least one receiver antenna and/or marking information relating at least in part to the marking material.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, methods and apparatus for generating electronic records of locate operations and marking operations. Exemplary systems and apparatus include marking devices that generate, store and/or transmit electronic records of marking information, locate devices that generate, store and/or transmit electronic records of locate information, locate devices and marking devices that communicate with each other (and optionally with other devices or systems) to share/exchange locate information and marking information, and a combined locate and marking apparatus that constitutes an integrated device capable of various functionality germane to respective locate and marking devices, and configured for generating electronic records of both locate information and marking information. An exemplary method for analyzing and processing locate information and marking information includes a computer-implemented method for visually rendering (e.g., in a display field of a display device) various aspects of locate and marking operations.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A combination locate and marking apparatus, comprising:
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an actuation mechanism to control dispensing of a marking material; at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from a target object; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory and the at least one receiver antenna, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the memory locate information relating at least in part to operation of the at least one receiver antenna and/or marking information relating at least in part to the marking material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A combined locate and marking apparatus for logging information relating to a locate and marking operation for at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
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an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility; at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility; at least one input device to provide locate information regarding the locate operation and/or marking information regarding the marking operation, the locate information relating at least in part to operation of the at least one receiver antenna and the marking information relating at least in part to the marking material; a mode selector device to facilitate selection of a locate mode and a marking mode for the apparatus; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory, the mode selector device, the at least one input device, the at least one receiver antenna, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor; 1) when the apparatus is in the marking mode, the processor logs in the memory, in response to at least one actuation of the actuator, at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device; and 2) when the apparatus is in the locate mode, the processor logs in the memory at least some of the locate information provided by the at least one input device. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for performing a locate and marking operation for at least one underground facility using a combined locate and marking apparatus, the method comprising:
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A) detecting, via at least one receiver antenna of the apparatus, a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility; B) dispensing a marking material from the apparatus so as to form at least one locate mark on ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility; and C) logging into local memory of the apparatus locate information relating at least in part to A) and/or marking information relating at least in part to B). - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification