System and method for collecting information related to utility assets

• US 8,081,112 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prostar Geocorp, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Global Precision Solutions, Llp
• Inventors: Tucker, Layne D., Lepper, John, Colby, Daniel E., Tucker, Page, Sawyer, Tom Y. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, HARRY K
• Application Number:
  US12/611,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 342/459
• US Class Current: 342/459
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12

Abstract

A method and apparatus, including software, for the development and operational use of precise utility location and utility asset management information. Field-usable data sets may be produced that meet standards of accuracy and usability that are sufficient for use by field operations personnel participating in damage prevention activities associated with ground penetrating projects (e.g., excavating, trenching, boring, driving, and tunneling) or other asset applications. Some embodiments relate to integrating utility asset data including coordinate location, and geographical information data using a consistently available and accurate coordinates reference for collecting the data and for aligning the geographical information data. Some embodiments relate to managing projects with equipment that provides real time images and the updating of the data as required with this desired accuracy.

Claims

1. A method for collecting information related to utility assets, the method comprising:

determining a position of an underground utility asset by underground imaging;

in substantially real time, integrating location data from a GPS receiver with the determined position of the underground utility asset to provide information about depth, longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the position of the underground utility asset;

adding characteristics of the underground utility asset including a size of the underground utility asset, to the integrated data to generate one or more data records for the underground utility asset including the information about depth, longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the position of the underground utility asset;

in substantially real time, integrating landbase data with the one or more data records for the underground utility asset; and

in substantially real time, displaying a scrolling map including the one or more data records and a portion of the landbase data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining a project area including the position of the underground utility asset, wherein the scrolling map is a map of the project area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching symbols input by a user to the landbase data and the one or more data records.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the one or more data records for the underground utility asset to a remote database;

and storing the transmitted one or more data records in the remote database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the underground imaging comprises utilizing one or more of the group consisting of a ground penetrating radar, an electromagnetic imaging device, and a computer aided tomography device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more characteristics of the underground utility asset comprises one or more of the group consisting of a type, a size, a material, and a conduit of the underground utility asset.

7. A system for collecting information related to utility assets comprising:

an underground imaging device for determining a position of an underground utility asset;

a GPS receiver for generating location data for the underground utility asset;

a processor configured to integrate the location data with the determined position of the underground utility asset in substantially real time to provide information about depth, longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the position of the underground utility asset, and add characteristics of the underground utility asset including a size of the underground utility asset, to the integrated data to generate one or more data records for the underground utility asset;

a database for storing landbase data, wherein the processor is further configured to integrate the landbase data with the one or more data records for the underground utility asset in substantially real time; and

a display for displaying a scrolling map including the one or more data records and a portion of the landbase data.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a user input device for defining a project area including the position of the underground utility asset, wherein the scrolling map is a map of the project area.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user input device is configured to accept symbols to be attached to the landbase data and the one or more data records.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting the one or more data records for the underground utility asset to a remote database;

and storing the transmitted one or more data records in the remote database.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the underground imaging device comprises one of the group consisting of a ground penetrating radar, an electromagnetic imaging device, and a computer aided tomography device.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more characteristics of the underground utility asset comprises one or more of the group consisting of a type, a size, a material, and a conduit of the underground utility asset.

13. A method for collecting information related to utility assets, the method comprising:

placing a transponder with an underground utility asset;

determining a position of the underground utility asset by a transponder reading device;

in substantially real time, integrating location data from a GPS receiver with the determined position of the underground utility asset to provide information about depth, longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the position of the underground utility asset and to generate one or more data records for the underground utility asset;

recording the one or more data records for the underground utility asset;

in substantially real time, integrating landbase data with the one or more data records for the underground utility asset; and

in substantially real time, displaying a scrolling map including the one or more data records and a portion of the landbase data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a user-identifiable landmark in the map;

and verifying a current location of the display device, in accordance with a location of the landmark.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the one or more data records for the underground utility asset to a remote database;

and storing the transmitted one or more data records in the remote database.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more characteristics of the underground utility asset comprises one or more of the group consisting of a type, a size, a material, and a conduit of the underground utility asset.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the displayed map includes a photo imagery.