DUAL ORIENTATION BURIED ASSET LOCATOR DEVICE

• US 20160097873A1
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UTTO Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IPEG Corporation
• Inventors: Haddy, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,568,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 29/085 for detecting presence or location of electric lines or cables fault detection G01R31/50; fault location G01R31/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/17 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005

Abstract

A locator device for generating buried asset data is disclosed. The device includes at least two sensing units pivotally attached to a central unit, each sensing unit comprising an elongated housing accommodating at least one sensor, wherein each sensor is for reading a plurality of analog signals from a buried asset, and wherein the sensing units can be pivoted from a first position to a second position. The locator further includes a position sensing device for sensing a position of the locator device, and a processor configured for applying a position filtering process to the analog signals based on the position of the device, converting the analog signals into a plurality of digital signals comprising buried asset data and a display unit for displaying the buried asset data in a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A locator device for generating buried asset data comprising:

at least two sensing units pivotally attached to a central unit,

each sensing unit comprising an elongated housing accommodating at least one sensor, wherein each sensor is for reading a plurality of analog radio frequency (RF) signals from a buried asset, and wherein the sensing units can be pivoted from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position,

wherein in the first position the sensing units have at least two sensors having a known vertical distance between them,

wherein in the second position the sensing units have at least two sensors having a known horizontal distance between them;

a position sensing device for sensing a position of the locator device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the position sensing device and to each sensor of each sensing unit, the processor configured for;

determining the position of the locator device;

reading, via the sensors of the sensing units, a plurality of analog RF signals from the buried asset;

applying a position filtering process to the analog RF signals based on the position;

converting the analog RF signals into a plurality of digital signals comprising buried asset data corresponding to the buried asset, wherein the buried asset data includes depth data, position data and electrical current data for a buried asset; and

,

a display unit for displaying the buried asset data in a graphical user interface, wherein the buried asset data corresponds to the plurality of analog RF signals that were read.

2. The locator device of claim 1, wherein each sensor comprises an antenna communicatively coupled with the processor.

3. The locator device of claim 2, wherein the elongated housing of each sensing unit has a first end opposing a second end and a side wall spanning from the first end to the second end, and wherein the first end is pivotally connected to a housing of the central unit accommodating the processor.

4. The locator device of claim 3, wherein in the first position the sensing units are vertically oriented, adjacent to one another and below the housing of the central unit.

5. The locator device of claim 4, wherein in the second position the sensing units are horizontally oriented, collinear and on opposing sides of the housing of the central unit.

6. The locator device of claim 5, wherein the position sensing device is a tilt sensor.

7. A method on a locator device for generating buried asset data, the locator device comprising at least two sensing units pivotally attached to a central unit housing a processor, each sensing unit comprising an elongated housing accommodating at least one sensor, wherein each sensor is for reading a plurality of analog radio frequency (RF) signals from a buried asset, wherein the sensing units can be pivoted from a first position to a second position and from the second position to the first position, the locator device further comprising a position sensing device for sensing a position of the device, the method comprising:

determining, by the processor, the position of the locator device;

reading, by the processor, via the sensors of the sensing units, a plurality of analog RF signals from the buried asset;

applying, by the processor, a position filtering process to the analog RF signals based on the position;

converting, by the processor, the analog RF signals into a plurality of digital signals comprising buried asset data corresponding to the buried asset, wherein the buried asset data includes depth data, position data and electrical current data for a buried asset; and

,

displaying, by the processor, the buried asset data in a graphical user interface of a display, wherein the buried asset data corresponds to the plurality of analog RF signals that were read.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step before the step of reading of:

performing, by the processor, a pre-amplification process upon the plurality of analog RF signals.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

performing, by the processor, an amplification process upon the plurality of analog RF signals after the pre-amplification process.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of amplifying the plurality of analog RF signals further comprises performing, by the processor, a filtering process to remove noise.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the processor further converts the plurality of analog RF signals to a plurality of digital signals and applies a digital signal processing step to the plurality of digital signals.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying the buried asset data further comprises:

generating, by the processor, a graphic corresponding to a magnitude of one of the buried asset data.

13. A locator device for generating buried asset data comprising:

an elongated housing accommodating at least two sensors, wherein each sensor is for reading a plurality of analog radio frequency (RF) signals from a buried asset, wherein the at least two sensors having a known distance between them, and wherein the housing may be oriented either horizontally or vertically;

a sensing device for sensing an orientation of the elongated housing; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the sensing device and to each sensor, the processor configured for;

determining the orientation of the elongated housing;

reading, via the sensors, a plurality of analog RF signals from the buried asset;

applying an orientation filtering process to the analog RF signals based on the orientation;

converting the analog RF signals into a plurality of digital signals comprising buried asset data corresponding to the buried asset, wherein the buried asset data includes depth data, position data and electrical current data for a buried asset; and

,

a display unit for displaying the buried asset data in a graphical user interface, wherein the buried asset data corresponds to the plurality of analog RF signals that were read.

14. The locator device of claim 13, wherein each sensor comprises an antenna communicatively coupled with the processor.

15. The locator device of claim 14, wherein the elongated housing has a first end opposing a second end and a side wall spanning from the first end to the second end, and wherein the housing accommodates the processor.

16. The locator device of claim 15, wherein the sensing device is a tilt sensor.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the sensing device is a button.

18. A locator device for generating buried asset data, comprising:

a first elongated housing accommodating at least one sensor, and a second elongated housing accommodating at least one sensor, wherein each sensor is for reading a plurality of analog radio frequency (RF) signals from a buried asset,

wherein the second elongated housing is designed for at least partial placement within the first elongated housing, and wherein the second elongated housing may extend a predefined length out of the first elongated housing,

wherein in a first position the second elongated housing is at least partially located within the first elongated housing and in the first position the at least one sensor of the first elongated housing has a first predefined distance to the at least one sensor of the second elongated housing,

wherein in a second position the second elongated housing extends the predefined length out of the first elongated housing and in the second position the at least one sensor of the first elongated housing has a second predefined distance to the at least one sensor of the second elongated housing;

a sensing device for sensing at least one signal corresponding to an orientation of the locator device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the sensing device and to each sensor, the processor configured for;

determining the orientation of the locator device;

reading, via the sensors, a plurality of analog RF signals from the buried asset;

applying an orientation filtering process to the analog RF signals based on the orientation;

converting the analog RF signals into a plurality of digital signals comprising buried asset data corresponding to the buried asset, wherein the buried asset data includes depth data, position data and electrical current data for a buried asset; and

,

a display unit for displaying the buried asset data in a graphical user interface, wherein the buried asset data corresponds to the plurality of analog RF signals that were read.

19. The locator device of claim 18, wherein each sensor comprises an antenna communicatively coupled with the processor.

20. The locator device of claim 19, wherein the second elongated housing has a first end opposing a second end and a side wall spanning from the first end to the second end.