METHODS, APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING LIMITED ACCESS FILES FOR SEARCHABLE ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITY LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS

• US 20120110019A1
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Steven, Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,902,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40

Abstract

Managing information relating to a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility. At least one electronic manifest corresponding to the locate and/or marking operation is generated based on first information relating to the locate and/or marking operation. The at least one electronic manifest includes image information documenting performance of the locate and/or the marking operation. At least one limited access file comprising second information relating to the at least one electronic manifest or the image information is generated, and the at least one limited access file and/or information relating to the at least one limited access file is electronically transmitted and/or stored to facilitate selective/limited access to or viewing of the electronic manifest(s).

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing information relating to a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit;

A) generates at least one electronic manifest relating to the locate and/or marking operation based on first information relating to the locate and/or marking operation, the at least one electronic manifest including image information documenting performance of the locate and/or the marking operation;

B) generates at least one limited access file comprising second information relating to the at least one electronic manifest or the image information; and

C) controls the communication interface to transmit, and/or controls the memory to store, the at least one limited access file and/or information relating to the at least one limited access file.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in B), the second information included in the at least one limited access file relates to the at least one electronic manifest.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in B), the second information included in the at least one limited access file relates only to the image information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first information includes;

a base image of a geographic area in which the locate and/or marking operation is performed; and

geographic coordinates for at least one of locate mark indicators, detection indicators, and landmark indicators to be rendered on the base image; and

the second information specifies access permissions for at least one of the locate mark indicators, the detection indicators, and the landmark indicators.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in B), the processing unit generates the at least one limited access file so as to limit or prevent at least one of copying of, saving of, and writing to the at least one electronic manifest or the image information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing unit further:

D) allows access to the at least one limited access file and/or information relating to the at least one limited access file only when one or more certain conditions are met.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein in D), the processing unit allows access to the at least one limited access file and/or information relating to the at least one limited access file in response to a password protected log-in procedure.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein in D), the processing unit allows access to the at least one limited access file and/or information relating to the at least one limited access file in response to an indication of acceptance of terms and/or conditions.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein in D), the processing unit allows access to the at least one limited access file and/or information relating to the at least one limited access file in response to payment of a fee.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in C), the processing unit controls the communication interface to transmit the information relating to the at least one limited access file, wherein the information includes a link to the at least one limited access file.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein in C), the processing unit controls the communication interface to send an email including the link to the at least one limited access file.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein in C), the processing unit further sets an expiration date for the link to the at least one limited access file.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in C), the processing unit controls the communication interface to transmit, and/or controls the memory to store, the at least one limited access file as at least one password-protected limited access file.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in C), the processing unit controls the communication interface to transmit, and/or controls the memory to store, the at least one limited access file as at least one encrypted limited access file.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in C), the processor controls the communication interface to transmit, and/or controls the memory to store, the at least one limited access file as at least one proprietary format limited access file.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in B), the processing unit further configures the at least one limited access file so as to facilitate access to the at least one limited access file only via a corresponding image file viewer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one limited access file comprises version information identifying a corresponding version of the image file viewer to facilitate access to the at least one limited access file.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein in C), the processor further controls the communication interface to transmit the image file viewer to facilitate access to the at least one limited access file.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image file viewer prevents write access to the at least one limited access file.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image file viewer prevents save access to the at least one limited access file.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image file viewer prevents copy access to the at least one limited access file.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image file viewer requires a password to permit access to the at least one limited access file.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image file viewer requires an indication of acceptance of terms and/or conditions prior to permit access to the at least one limited access file.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least one limited access file includes at least one encrypted file, and wherein the image file viewer decrypts the at least one encrypted file.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the image file viewer is programmed to determine whether an updated version of the image file viewer is available.

26. A method for managing information relating to a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) electronically generating at least one electronic manifest relating to the locate and/or marking operation based on first information relating to the locate and/or marking operation, the at least one electronic manifest including image information documenting performance of the locate and/or the marking operation;

B) electronically generating at least one limited access file comprising second information relating to the at least one electronic manifest or the image information; and

C) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing the at least one limited access file.

27. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one program including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for managing information relating to a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) electronically generating at least one electronic manifest relating to the locate and/or marking operation based on first information relating to the locate and/or marking operation, the at least one electronic manifest including image information documenting performance of the locate and/or the marking operation;

B) electronically generating at least one limited access file comprising second information relating to the at least one electronic manifest or the image information; and

C) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing the at least one limited access file.