METHODS, APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING SEARCHABLE ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITY LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS AND ASSESSING ASPECTS OF SAME
First Claim
1. A method for assessing at least one aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the locate and/or marking operation, the locate and/or marking operation comprising locating and/or 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) digitally representing, on a display device, the at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation;
B) determining a length associated with at least a portion of the digitally represented at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation; and
C) based at least in part on the length determined in B), automatically assessing the at least one aspect relating to the locate and/or marking operation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Assessing at least one aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the locate and/or marking operation. The locate and/or marking operation comprises locating and/or 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 at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark is digitally represented on a display device so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation. A length associated with at least a portion of the digitally represented at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation is determined and, based at least in part on the determined length, the at least one aspect relating to the locate and/or marking operation is automatically assessed.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for assessing at least one aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the locate and/or marking operation, the locate and/or marking operation comprising locating and/or 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) digitally representing, on a display device, the at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation; B) determining a length associated with at least a portion of the digitally represented at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation; and C) based at least in part on the length determined in B), automatically assessing the at least one aspect relating to the locate and/or marking operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for assessing an aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the locate and/or marking operation, the locate and/or marking operation comprising locating and/or 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) digitally representing, for display on a display device, at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation; B) determining a length associated with at least a portion of the digitally represented at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation; C) based at least in part on the length determined in B), automatically assessing the at least one aspect relating to the locate and/or marking operation.
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24. An apparatus for assessing at least one aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the locate and/or marking operation, the locate and/or marking operation comprising locating and/or 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 display device; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the display device and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit; A) controls the display device to display the at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation; B) determines a length associated with at least a portion of the digitally represented at least one underground facility and/or at least one physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation; C) based at least in part on the length determined in B), automatically assesses the at least one aspect relating to the locate and/or marking operation.
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Specification