Single and Multi-Trace Omnidirectional Sonde and Line Locators and Transmitter Used Therewith

• US 20110043211A1
• Filed: 11/01/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seektech Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seektech Inc.
• Inventors: Barnicoat, Bradley D., Prsha, Jeffrey, Shaffer, Dawn, Kolb, Thomas R., Cox, David A., Merewether, Ray, Olsson, Mark S., Martin, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,564,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/329
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• 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 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors

Abstract

At least one antenna array including three mutually orthogonal antennas each sharing a common center point senses an electromagnetic signal emitted by a buried object such as a utility line, pipe or sonde. A circuit at least partially mounted in a housing is connected to the array and determines a location of the buried object by measuring signal strength and field angles in three dimensions without having to align the antenna array relative to the buried object while eliminating nulls and false peaks. A graphical user interface (GUI) has user-friendly icons, symbols, menus, numbers and graphical and auditory representation of signal strength. A plurality of different underground objects can be simultaneously detected and their different locations can be simultaneously indicated to a user via audible sounds and/or visual images on a display.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method of locating a plurality of buried objects by sensing a plurality of different electromagnetic signals emitted by the objects, comprising the steps of:

traversing a topside area beneath which a plurality of objects emitting a plurality of different electromagnetic signals are buried with at least one antenna array;

sensing the electromagnetic signals emitted from the buried objects with the one array; and

simultaneously determining a plurality of different locations of the buried object based on the sensed electromagnetic signals and simultaneously indicating the different locations to a user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the locations of the buried objects are sensed without having to align the one antenna array relative to the buried objects and while eliminating nulls and false peaks.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the antenna array includes three mutually orthogonal antennas.

14. The method of claim 11 and further comprising the step of simultaneously providing a plurality of different visual indications of the different locations of the buried objects.

15. The method of claim 11 and further comprising the step of simultaneously providing a plurality of different audible indications of the different location of the buried objects.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the topside area is simultaneously traversed with a fourth antenna spaced from the one antenna array and a plurality of different depths of the buried objects are determined based on the electromagnetic signals sensed by all of the antennas.

17. The method of claim 11 and further comprising the step of simultaneously displaying a plurality of icons indicative of the different buried objects.

18. The method of claim 11 and further comprising the step of simultaneously displaying a plurality of different buried objects in a plurality of different colors, each of the colors being associated with a particular type of object.

19. The method of claim 11 and further comprising the step of simultaneously indicating the orientation of a plurality of buried long conductors.

20-40. -40. (canceled)