Apparatus and method for obtaining geographical positional data for an object located underground
First Claim
1. An underground cable locating device including:
- underground cable locating means for locating an underground object, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the underground cable;
positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device, including means for receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a second stationary receiver;
data storage means (12) for storing data relating to the position of the underground object as determined by the geographical position of the locating device; and
means for receiving data from the stationary receiver that has been modulated on to a signal that is transmitted along the underground cable detected by the locating device, said means including two detection coils for detecting the magnetic field produced by a current passing through the underground cable.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Geographical positional data is obtained for an underground object by locating the object using a device that locates underground objects. An apparatus that receives data from a global position system ("GPS") provides data identifying global position of the device, and thus also of the located underground object. A data storage unit stores such positional data, which may be used in the future to re-locate the underground object. The GPS-data receiving apparatus can preferably receive data from at least one overhead GPS satellite and from a secondary stationary receiver. Data from the secondary stationary receiver may be modulated on to a signal transmitted along a detected underground cable object.
140 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An underground cable locating device including:
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underground cable locating means for locating an underground object, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the underground cable; positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device, including means for receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a second stationary receiver; data storage means (12) for storing data relating to the position of the underground object as determined by the geographical position of the locating device; and means for receiving data from the stationary receiver that has been modulated on to a signal that is transmitted along the underground cable detected by the locating device, said means including two detection coils for detecting the magnetic field produced by a current passing through the underground cable.
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2. A locating device including:
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positional data receiving means for receiving data relating to the geographical position of the locating device; data storage means containing data relating to the location of an underground object; means for comparing the data stored in the data storage means with the data received by the positional data receiving means; and means for producing a warning signal when said means for comparing indicate that the underground object is within a predetermined distance of the locating device.
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3. A locating device including:
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underground object locating means for locating an underground object; positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device, including means for receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a secondary stationary receiver; and data storage means for storing data relating to the position of the underground object as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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4. A locating device including:
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underground object locating means for locating an underground object; positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device, including means for receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a secondary stationary receiver, wherein the data from the secondary stationary receiver is receivable by radio transmission; and data storage means for storing data relating to the position of the underground object as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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5. A locating device including:
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underground object locating means for locating an underground object; positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device, including means for receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a secondary stationary receiver, wherein the data from the secondary stationary receiver has been modulated on to a signal which is transmitted along a cable detected by the locating device; and data storage means for storing data relating to the position of the underground object as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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6. A locating device including:
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underground object locating means for locating an underground object; positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device, including means for receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a secondary stationary receiver, wherein the data from the secondary stationary receiver has been modulated on to a signal which is transmitted along a cable detected by the locating device, and the means for receiving the data from the secondary stationary receiver includes two detection coils for detecting the magnetic field produced by a current passing through the underground cable; and data storage means for storing data relating to the position of the underground object as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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7. An underground cable locating device including:
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underground cable locating means for locating an underground cable, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the cable; positional data receiving means for receiving data relating to the geographical position of the locating device; and data storage means for storing data relating to the position of the underground cable as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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8. An underground cable locating device including:
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underground cable locating means for locating an underground cable, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the cable; positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device; and data storage means for storing data relating to the position of the underground cable as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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9. An underground cable locating device including:
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underground cable locating means for locating an underground cable, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the cable; positional data receiving means for receiving data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) relating to the geographical position of the locating device, including means for receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a secondary stationary receiver; and data storage means for storing data relating to the position of the underground cable as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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10. A method of recording the position of an underground cable, including the steps of:
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(a) locating the cable with a locating device that includes underground cable locating means, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the cable; (b) receiving positional data relating to the geographical position of the locating device; and (c) storing data relating to the position of the underground cable as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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11. A method of recording the position of an underground cable, including the steps of:
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(a) locating the cable with a locating device that includes underground cable locating means, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the cable; (b) receiving positional data relating to the geographical position of the locating device from a Global Positioning Systems (GPS); and (c) storing data relating to the position of the underground cable as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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12. A method of recording the position of an underground cable, including the steps of:
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(a) locating the cable with a locating device that includes underground cable locating means, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the cable; (b) receiving positional data relating to the geographical position of the locating device from a Global Positioning Systems (GPS), including receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a secondary stationary receiver; and (c) storing data relating to the position of the underground cable as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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13. A method of recording the position of an underground cable, including the steps of:
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(a) locating the cable with a locating device that includes underground cable locating means, the means including two detection coils for detecting a magnetic field produced by a current passing through the cable; (b) receiving positional data relating to the geographical position of the locating device from a Global Positioning System (GPS), including receiving data from both at least one overhead GPS satellite and a secondary stationary receiver, wherein the data from the stationary receiver has been modulated on to a signal which is transmitted along a cable detected by the locating device, and said means for receiving the data from the secondary stationary receiver include the two detection coils for detecting the magnetic field produced by a current passing through the underground cable; and (c) storing data relating to the position of the underground cable as determined by the geographical position of the locating device.
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14. An underground cable locating device including:
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positional data receiving means for receiving data relating to the geographical position of the locating device; data storage means containing data relating to the location of an underground cable; means for comparing the data stored in the data storage means with the data received by the positional data receiving means; and means for producing a warning signal when said means for comparing indicate that the underground cable is within a predetermined distance of the locating device.
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Specification