METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF LOCATE OPERATIONS
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Accused Products
Abstract
Exemplary apparatus include locate devices that generate, store and/or transmit electronic records of locate information relating to detection of underground facilities. An exemplary method for analyzing and processing locate information includes a computer-implemented method for visually rendering (e.g., in a display field of a display device) various aspects of locate operations. In one implementation, an output stream of data packets may be provided, wherein each data packet includes one or more flag fields that are set or reset upon at least one actuation of an actuation system of a locate device, and wherein at least some of the data packets include locate information relating to a locate operation.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory to store processor-executable instructions and locate information, the locate information including; magnetic field information based on a magnetic field detected by at least one receiver antenna of at least one locate device used for the locate operation; and geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor; A) displays in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the locate information stored in the memory, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information; and B) displays, on the display device, a digital image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, the digital image generated based on at least one of an aerial image, photographic image, facility map, architectural drawings, construction drawings, engineering drawings, and land survey data; wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the digital image, based at least in part on the geographic information. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4)
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5. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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A) accessing an electronic record of the locate operation, the electronic record comprising a first data set associated with detection of the at least one underground facility by a locate receiver, wherein the first data set comprises a first piece of geographic information corresponding to a location at which the at least one underground facility was detected; B) for at least the first data set of the electronic record, displaying on the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; and C) displaying, on the display device, a digital image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, the digital image generated based on at least one of an aerial image, photographic image, facility map, architectural drawings, construction drawings, engineering drawings, and land survey data; wherein; the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the digital image, based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; the locate receiver includes at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility so as to provide magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; and at least one characteristic of the displayed at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory to store processor-executable instructions and an electronic record; and a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor; A) accesses the electronic record of the locate operation, the electronic record comprising a first data set associated with detection of the at least one underground facility by a locate receiver, wherein the first data set comprises a first piece of geographic information corresponding to a location at which the at least one underground facility was detected; B) for at least the first data set of the electronic record, displays on the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; and C) displays, on the display device, a digital image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, the digital image generated based on at least one of an aerial image, photographic image, facility map, architectural drawings, construction drawings, engineering drawings, and land survey data; wherein; the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the digital image, based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; the locate receiver includes at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility so as to provide magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; and at least one characteristic of the displayed at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification