Methods and apparatus for associating a virtual white line (VWL) image with corresponding ticket information for an excavation project
First Claim
1. An apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
- a communication interface;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit;
digitally searches the memory to identify a descriptor file corresponding to at least one ticket, the at least one ticket constituting an instruction to perform a locate operation to detect the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area, wherein the descriptor file comprises first information identifying the at least one ticket and wherein the descriptor file comprises second information identifying at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket;
based on identifying information in the descriptor file, identifies the at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket, the at least one image comprising at least one indication of at least one dig area, wherein;
the at least one indication comprises at least one marking delimiting the at least one dig area;
the at least one dig area comprises a plurality of dig areas;
the at least one image includes a plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket, each image of the plurality of images including one indication of the at least one indication; and
the one indication in each image includes the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, such that different images of the plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket indicate different dig areas of the plurality of dig areas;
automatically labels and dates the one indication in each image including the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, according to planned excavation stages and dates for the plurality of dig areas specified by the at least one ticket;
electronically bundles the at least one image with ticket information from the at least one ticket to generate a ticket bundle; and
provides the generated ticket bundle to at least one party associated with the at least one underground facility, to process the ticket bundle to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. Source data representing one or more input images of a geographic area including the dig area is electronically received at a first user location, which may be remote from the dig area. The source data is processed so as to display at least a portion of the input image(s) on a display device. One or more indicators are added to the displayed input image(s), via a user input device associated with the display device, to provide at least one indication of the dig area and thereby generate a marked-up digital image. The marked-up digital image may be electronically bundled with information from a corresponding ticket. A descriptor file may be used to identify one or more marked-up images corresponding to a ticket.
267 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication interface; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit; digitally searches the memory to identify a descriptor file corresponding to at least one ticket, the at least one ticket constituting an instruction to perform a locate operation to detect the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area, wherein the descriptor file comprises first information identifying the at least one ticket and wherein the descriptor file comprises second information identifying at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket; based on identifying information in the descriptor file, identifies the at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket, the at least one image comprising at least one indication of at least one dig area, wherein; the at least one indication comprises at least one marking delimiting the at least one dig area; the at least one dig area comprises a plurality of dig areas; the at least one image includes a plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket, each image of the plurality of images including one indication of the at least one indication; and the one indication in each image includes the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, such that different images of the plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket indicate different dig areas of the plurality of dig areas; automatically labels and dates the one indication in each image including the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, according to planned excavation stages and dates for the plurality of dig areas specified by the at least one ticket; electronically bundles the at least one image with ticket information from the at least one ticket to generate a ticket bundle; and provides the generated ticket bundle to at least one party associated with the at least one underground facility, to process the ticket bundle to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by at least one processing unit, perform a method for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) digitally searching a memory to identify a descriptor file corresponding to at least one ticket, the at least one ticket constituting an instruction to perform a locate operation to detect the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area, wherein the descriptor file comprises first information identifying the at least one ticket and second information identifying the at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket; B) based on identifying information in the descriptor file, digitally searching for the at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket, the at least one image comprising at least one indication of at least one dig area, wherein; the at least one indication comprises at least one marking delimiting the at least one dig area; the at least one dig area comprises a plurality of dig areas; the at least one image includes a plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket, each image of the plurality of images including one indication of the at least one indication; and the one indication in each image includes the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, such that different images of the plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket indicate different dig areas of the plurality of dig areas; B1) automatically labeling and dating the one indication in each image including the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, according to planned excavation stages and dates for the plurality of dig areas specified by the at least one ticket; C) electronically bundling the at least one image with ticket information from the at least one ticket to generate a ticket bundle; and D) providing the generated ticket bundle to at least one party associated with the at least one underground facility, to process the ticket bundle so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within at least one dig area, wherein at least a portion of the at least one dig areas is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) digitally searching a memory to identify a descriptor file corresponding to at least one ticket, the at least one ticket constituting an instruction to perform a locate operation to detect the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility within the dig area, wherein the descriptor file comprises first information identifying the at least one ticket and second information identifying the at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket; B) based on identifying information in the descriptor file, digitally searching for the at least one image corresponding to the at least one ticket, the at least one image comprising at least one indication of at least one dig area, wherein; the at least one indication comprises at least one marking delimiting the at least one dig area; the at least one dig area comprises a plurality of dig areas; the at least one image includes a plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket, each image of the plurality of images including one indication of the at least one indication; and the one indication in each image includes the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, such that different images of the plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket indicate different dig areas of the plurality of dig areas; B1) automatically labeling and dating the one indication in each image including the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, according to planned excavation stages and dates for the plurality of dig areas specified by the at least one ticket; C) electronically bundling the at least one image with ticket information from the at least one ticket to generate a ticket bundle; and D) providing the generated ticket bundle to at least one party associated with the at least one underground facility, to process the ticket bundle so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility.
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15. An apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication interface; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit; electronically receives, via the communication interface, at least one image corresponding to at least one ticket or at least one link to the at least one image, the at least one image comprising at least one indication of at least one dig area, and data relating to the at least one image, wherein; the at least one indication comprises at least one marking delimiting the at least one dig area; the at least one dig area comprises a plurality of dig areas; the at least one image includes a plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket, each image of the plurality of images including one indication of the at least one indication; and the one indication in each image includes a label and a date according to planned excavation stages and dates for the plurality of dig areas specified by the at least one ticket, the one indication in each image further including the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, such that different images of the plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket indicate different dig areas of the plurality of dig areas; based on the data relating to the at least one image, identifies ticket information in the memory corresponding to the at least one ticket; electronically bundles the at least one image or the at least one link with the ticket information to generate a ticket bundle; and provides the generated ticket bundle, via the communication interface, to at least one party associated with the at least one underground facility, to process the ticket bundle so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by at least one processing unit, perform a method for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) electronically receiving at least one image corresponding to at least one ticket or at least one link to the at least one image, the at least one image comprising at least one indication of at least one dig area, and data relating to the at least one image, wherein; the at least one indication comprises at least one marking delimiting the at least one dig area; the at least one dig area comprises a plurality of dig areas; the at least one image includes a plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket, each image of the plurality of images including one indication of the at least one indication; and the one indication in each image includes a label and a date according to planned excavation stages and dates for the plurality of dig areas specified by the at least one ticket, the one indication in each image further including the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, such that different images of the plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket indicate different dig areas of the plurality of dig areas; B) based on the data relating to the at least one image, identifying ticket information corresponding to the at least one ticket; C) electronically bundling the at least one image or the at least one link with the ticket information to generate a ticket bundle; and D) providing the generated ticket bundle to at least one party associated with the at least one underground facility, to process the ticket bundle so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility.
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33. A method for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within at least one dig area, wherein at least a portion of the at least one dig areas is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) receiving at least one image corresponding to at least one ticket or at least one link to the at least one image, the at least one image comprising at least one indication of at least one dig area, and data relating to the at least one image, wherein; the at least one indication comprises at least one marking delimiting the at least one dig area; the at least one dig area comprises a plurality of dig areas; the at least one image includes a plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket, each image of the plurality of images including one indication of the at least one indication; and the one indication in each image includes a label and a date according to planned excavation stages and dates for the plurality of dig areas specified by the at least one ticket, the one indication in each image further including the at least one marking delimiting one dig area of the plurality of dig areas, such that different images of the plurality of images corresponding to the at least one ticket indicate different dig areas of the plurality of dig areas; B) based on the data relating to the at least one image, identifying ticket information corresponding to the at least one ticket; C) electronically bundling the at least one image or the at least one link with the ticket information to generate a ticket bundle; and D) providing the generated ticket bundle to at least one party associated with the at least one underground facility, to process the ticket bundle so as to facilitate the detection of the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification