Automated cable installation method and apparatus

• US 5,949,373 A
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huffman, John Sinclair, Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DRUMMOND, DEVIN E
• Application Number:
  US09/089,827
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 37/367, 37/370, 37/904, 342/357.13
• US Class Current: 342/357.25
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/00 Protection or supervision of installations arrangements for protecting foundations E02D31/00; protecting pipes from damage or internal or external wear F16L57/00, against corrosion and scale F16L58/00; investigation of the fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00

Abstract

As an utility conveyance (12), such as a pipe or cable is buried, its location is accurately determined by a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Reading device (32) at the initial point of burial, and preferably, at successive lengths of the conveyance. A data logger (34) records the GPS location coordinates, as well as length measurement of the conveyance, to provide a permanent record of the location of the conveyance that is not require reference to any physical landmarks to enable re-location.

Claims

1. A method for accurately locating a buried utility conveyance, comprising the step of:

burying the conveyance while;

making at least one global positioning satellite location measurement of the location of the conveyance during burial.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the location measurement is made at an initial point of conveyance burial.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the location measurements are made at successive points along the conveyance during burial.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein a cable length indication is made at each location measurement.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein a second location measurement is made at a terminal point of burial.

6. Apparatus for burying a conveyance comprising:

a machine movable along the earth;

a plow carried by the machine for (1) cleaving the earth to create a trench, (2) feeding the conveyance into the resultant trench; and

(3) covering the trench with dirt, as the machine moves along the earth;

a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Reading device for establishing the location of the conveyance during burial;

a data logger for recording the location of the conveyance as established by the GPS reading device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the GPS reading device makes location measurements at successive points along the conveyance during burial.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 further including a conveyance length measuring device coupled to the data logger for providing an indication when prescribed length of cable has been buried.