Method and apparatus for locating high resistance utility convenyances

• US 6,351,126 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huffman, John Sinclair, Eslambolchi, Hossein, Belew, Michael Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Patidar, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aurora, Reena
• Application Number:
  US09/571,623
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 324/326, 324/67, 324/228, 324/232, 324/327, 324/329, 324/539, 324/541, 324/543, 324/544
• US Class Current: 324/326
• 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

Abstract

Location of an underground utility conveyance having a metallic part (10) running along its length is enhanced by providing a plurality of selective conduction units (30) spaced along the length of the conveyance. Each selective conduction unit selectively shunts the metallic part of the conveyance to ground at a point between its first and second ends in response to a particular pattern of pulses modulated onto the locating tone impressed on the metallic part by a cable-locating signal generator (14) to cause only that portion of the metallic part lying between the first end and said point to radiate the locating signal. In this way, the amplitude of the locating signal radiated above the earth for locating purposes is increased.

Claims

1. A method for locating a buried underground conveyance having a high resistance metallic part that runs along its length, comprising the steps of:

applying a locating signal to a first end of the metallic part of the conveyance while coupling a second end of the metallic part to ground;

selectively shunting the metallic part of the conveyance to ground at a point between said first and second ends, such that said point lies at least as far from the first end from where location of the conveyance is desired, to cause only that portion of metallic part lying between the first end and said point to radiate the locating signal;

detecting the locating signal radiated by said only portion of the metallic part to locate the conveyance.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the locating signal is modulated with a pulse pattern to control the location of the point at which the metallic part is shunted to ground.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the metallic part is shunted within a region that encompasses an area where location of the conveyance is sought.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cable-locating signal generator produces a locating tone within the frequency range of 10 Hz to 10 kHz.

5. Apparatus for locating a buried underground conveyance having a high resistance metallic part that runs along its length, comprising:

a conveyance-locating signal generator for applying a locating signal to a first end of the metallic part of the conveyance whose second end is coupled to ground;

a plurality of selective conduction units spaced along the metallic part, each selective conduction unit selectively shunting the metallic part of the conveyance to ground at a point between said first and second ends in response to a particular pattern of pulses modulated onto the locating signal by the conveyance-locating signal generator to cause only that portion of the metallic part lying between the first end and said point to radiate the locating signal; and

a signal detector for detecting the locating signal radiated by said only portion of the metallic part to locate the conveyance.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein each selective conduction unit comprises:

a switching element having its switching portion coupled between the metallic part and circuit ground; and

a control unit for controlling said switching element in response to the pattern of pulses modulated onto the locating signal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the switching element comprises a semiconductor.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the switching element comprises a solid state relay.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the control unit of the selective conduction device is powered from the locating signal impressed on the metallic part.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the selective conduction unit further includes:

a 60 Hz filter trap coupled in parallel with the switching element for shunting 60 Hz. signals to ground; and

a parallel combination of a gas tube and Metal Oxide Varistor shunting the 60 HZ filter trap for conducting high voltages to ground.

11. Apparatus for causing a buried underground conveyance having a high resistance metallic part that runs along its length to radiate a locating signal to facilitate locating the conveyance, comprising:

a conveyance-locating signal generator for applying a locating signal to a first end of the metallic part of the conveyance whose second end is coupled to ground; and

a plurality of selective conduction units spaced along the metallic part, each selective conduction unit selectively shunting the metallic part of the conveyance to ground at a point between said first and second ends in response to a particular pattern of pulses modulated onto the locating signal by the conveyance-locating signal generator to cause only that portion of the metallic part lying between the first end and said point to radiate the locating signal.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein each selective conduction unit comprises:

a switching element having its switching portion coupled between the metallic part and circuit ground; and

a control unit for controlling said switching element in response to the pattern of pulses modulated onto the locating tone.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the switching element comprises a semiconductor.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the switching element comprises a solid state relay.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the control unit of the selective conduction device is powered from the locating signal impressed on the metallic part.

16. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the selective conduction unit further includes:

a 60 Hz filter trap coupled in parallel with the switching element for shunting 60 Hz. signals to ground; and

a parallel combination of a gas tube and Metal Oxide Varistor shunting the 60 HZ filter trap for conducting high voltages to ground.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the cable-locating signal generator produces a locating tone within the frequency range of 10 Hz to 10 kHz.