Methods And Apparatus For Generating Output Data Streams Relating To Underground Utility Marking Operations

• US 20140074970A1
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• 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 9,542,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/06 Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for generating electronic records of marking operations for underground facilities/utilities. Electronic records of marking information may be logged/stored in local memory of a marking device, formatted in various manners, processed and/or analyzed at the marking device itself, and/or transmitted in whole or in part to another device (e.g., a remote computer/server) for storage, processing and/or analysis. In one example, an output stream of data packets is provided, wherein each data packet includes one or more flag fields that is/are set or reset upon at least one actuation of the marking device.

Claims

1. A marking apparatus to perform a marking operation, the marking apparatus comprising:

an actuation system;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the actuation system, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor provides an output stream of data packets, each data packet including at least one flag field that is set or reset upon at least one actuation of the actuation system.