Methods and apparatus for displaying an electronic rendering of a locate operation based on an electronic record of locate information
First Claim
1. An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
- a memory to store processor-executable instructions and locate information, the locate information including;
magnetic field information based on a magnetic field detected by at least one receiver antenna of at least one locate device used for the locate operation;
geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and
ticket information relating to a locate ticket, wherein the ticket information comprises location information for a work site at which the locate operation is performed; and
a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor;
A) displays in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the locate information stored in the memory, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information; and
B) displays, on the display device, an aerial image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed,wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the aerial image, based at least in part on the geographic information.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of an underground facility. One or more electronic detection marks are displayed in a display field of the display device, based at least in part on locate information generated by a locate device used for the locate operation. The locate device includes a receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the underground facility. The locate information includes magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field, and geographic information indicating at least one location of the locate device during the locate operation. One or more characteristics of the electronic detection mark(s) is/are based on the magnetic field information, and one or more positions in the display field at which the electronic detection mark(s) is/are displayed is/are based on the geographic information.
440 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory to store processor-executable instructions and locate information, the locate information including; magnetic field information based on a magnetic field detected by at least one receiver antenna of at least one locate device used for the locate operation; geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and ticket information relating to a locate ticket, wherein the ticket information comprises location information for a work site at which the locate operation is performed; and a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor; A) displays in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the locate information stored in the memory, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information; and B) displays, on the display device, an aerial image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the aerial image, based at least in part on the geographic information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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A) displaying in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on locate information relating to the locate operation or provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation, the at least one locate device including at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility, the locate information including; magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and ticket information relating to a locate ticket, wherein the ticket information comprises location information for a work site at which the locate operation is performed, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information, prior to displaying in the display field of the display device; B) receiving at least one event entry from the at least one locate device, wherein the at least one event entry includes the geographic information and the magnetic field information, wherein; the at least one event entry includes a plurality of event entries; each event entry of the plurality of event entries includes at least some of the geographic information and at least some of the magnetic field information; and displaying in the display field of the display device comprises displaying the at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the plurality of event entries, wherein the at least one electronic detection mark includes a single electronic detection mark based on at least two event entries of the plurality of event entries.
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5. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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A) displaying in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on locate information relating to the locate operation or provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation, the at least one locate device including at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility, the locate information including; magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and ticket information relating to a locate ticket, wherein the ticket information comprises location information for a work site at which the locate operation is performed, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information, prior to displaying in the display field of the display device; B) receiving at least one event entry from the at least one locate device, wherein the at least one event entry includes the geographic information and the magnetic field information, wherein; the at least one event entry includes a plurality of event entries; each event entry of the plurality of event entries includes at least some of the geographic information and at least some of the magnetic field information; and displaying in the display field of the display device comprises displaying the at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the plurality of event entries, wherein; the at least one electronic detection mark comprises a plurality of electronic detection marks; and each electronic detection mark of the plurality of electronic detection marks corresponds to a different one of the plurality of event entries. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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A) accessing an electronic record of the locate operation, the electronic record comprising a first data set associated with detection of the at least one underground facility by a locate receiver, wherein the first data set comprises a first piece of geographic information corresponding to a location at which the at least one underground facility was detected; B) for at least the first data set of the electronic record, displaying on the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; and C) displaying, on the display device, an aerial image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the aerial image, based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor in a computer, perform a method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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A) displaying in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on locate information relating to the locate operation or provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation, the at least one locate device including at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility, the locate information including; magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and ticket information relating to a locate ticket, wherein the ticket information comprises location information for a work site at which the locate operation is performed, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information; and B) displaying, on the display device, an aerial image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the aerial image, based at least in part on the geographic information.
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30. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor in a computer, perform a method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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A) accessing an electronic record of the locate operation, the electronic record comprising a first data set associated with detection of the at least one underground facility by a locate receiver, wherein the first data set comprises a first piece of geographic information corresponding to a location at which the at least one underground facility was detected; B) for at least the first data set of the electronic record, displaying on the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; and C) displaying, on the display device, an aerial image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the aerial image, based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information.
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31. An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory to store processor-executable instructions and an electronic record; and a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor; A) accesses the electronic record of the locate operation, the electronic record comprising a first data set associated with detection of the at least one underground facility by a locate receiver, wherein the first data set comprises a first piece of geographic information corresponding to a location at which the at least one underground facility was detected; B) for at least the first data set of the electronic record, displays on the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; and C) displays, on the display device, an aerial image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the aerial image, based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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A) displaying in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on locate information relating to the locate operation or provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation, the at least one locate device including at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility, the locate information including; magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and ticket information relating to a locate ticket, wherein the ticket information comprises location information for a work site at which the locate operation is performed, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information, prior to displaying in the display field of the display device; B) receiving at least one event entry from the at least one locate device, wherein the at least one event entry includes the geographic information and the magnetic field information, wherein; the at least one event entry includes a plurality of event entries; each event entry of the plurality of event entries includes at least some of the geographic information and at least some of the magnetic field information; and displaying in the display field of the display device comprises displaying the at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the plurality of event entries, wherein; the at least one electronic detection mark comprises a plurality of electronic detection marks; each event entry comprises at least one time stamp; and displaying in the display field of the display device comprises dynamically displaying in the display field of the display device the plurality of electronic detection marks based at least in part on the at least one time stamp in at least some event entries of the plurality of event entries. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification