Enhanced precise location
First Claim
1. A method for determining a location of underground cables and pipes, comprising:
- measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases at a plurality of positions while traversing a target line in a substantially parallel direction using a plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors, the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors being mounted on opposite sides of a cart frame within wheel wells of a cart-based location receiver such that there is a horizontal separation between the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors, and such that the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors are oriented substantially orthogonal to the target line;
modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic field magnitudes of a single underground conductor at each of the plurality of positions to form a set of hypothesized values corresponding to a set of individual models for the target line, the modeling including using an estimation of a current attenuation at two nearest side tones to update a fit factor, the side tones defined by a carrier frequency and a modulation frequency;
determining which of the set of individuals models is a best model;
determining confidence information at each of the plurality of positions based on a comparison between the measured set of complex electromagnetic magnitudes and phases and the best model; and
determining parameters at each of the plurality of positions related to the target line from the best model.
4 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for determining the location of underground cables and pipes is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes measuring a set of electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases at a plurality of positions while traversing a target line parallelly using 3D electromagnetic coil sensors, the 3D electromagnetic coil sensors being orthogonally oriented to the target line, modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic field magnitudes of a single underground conductor at each of the positions to form a set of values corresponding to a set of individual models for the target line, determining which of the set of individuals models is a best model, determining confidence information at each of the positions based on a comparison between the measured set of complex electromagnetic magnitudes and phases and the best model, and determining parameters at each of positions related to the target line from the best model.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for determining a location of underground cables and pipes, comprising:
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measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases at a plurality of positions while traversing a target line in a substantially parallel direction using a plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors, the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors being mounted on opposite sides of a cart frame within wheel wells of a cart-based location receiver such that there is a horizontal separation between the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors, and such that the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil sensors are oriented substantially orthogonal to the target line; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic field magnitudes of a single underground conductor at each of the plurality of positions to form a set of hypothesized values corresponding to a set of individual models for the target line, the modeling including using an estimation of a current attenuation at two nearest side tones to update a fit factor, the side tones defined by a carrier frequency and a modulation frequency; determining which of the set of individuals models is a best model; determining confidence information at each of the plurality of positions based on a comparison between the measured set of complex electromagnetic magnitudes and phases and the best model; and determining parameters at each of the plurality of positions related to the target line from the best model. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A line locator, comprising:
- a plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors configured to measure a complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase generated at least by a target line as the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors are moved along the target line, the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors being mounted on opposite sides of a cart frame within wheel wells of a cart-based location receiver such that there is a horizontal separation between the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors, and such that the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors are oriented substantially orthogonal to the target line;
circuitry coupled to receive signals from the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors and provide quadrature signals indicating a measured complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase;
a position locator for indicating a precise position of the line locator;
a processor coupled to receive the complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase and the position and calculate values related to the target line;and a display coupled to the processor, the display indicating to a user the values related to the target line, wherein the processor includes software for performing the following; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic field magnitudes of a single underground conductor at each of a plurality of positions determined by the position locator to form a set of hypothesized values corresponding to a set of individual models for the target line, the modeling including using an estimation of a current attenuation at two nearest side tones to update a fit factor, the side tones defined by a carrier frequency and a modulation frequency; determining which of the set of individuals models is a best model; determining target line location confidence information at each of the plurality of positions based on a comparison between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases and the best model; and determining parameters at each of the plurality of positions related to the target line from the best model. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- a plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors configured to measure a complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase generated at least by a target line as the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors are moved along the target line, the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors being mounted on opposite sides of a cart frame within wheel wells of a cart-based location receiver such that there is a horizontal separation between the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors, and such that the plurality of 3-dimensional electromagnetic coil detectors are oriented substantially orthogonal to the target line;
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24. A method for determining a location of underground cables and pipes, comprising:
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measuring a set of complex electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases at a plurality of positions while traversing a target line in a substantially parallel direction using a plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer sensors, the plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer sensors being mounted on opposite sides of a cart frame within wheel wells of a cart-based location receiver such that there is a horizontal separation between the plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer sensors, and such that the plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer sensors are oriented substantially orthogonal to the target line; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic field magnitudes of a single underground conductor at each of the plurality of positions to form a set of hypothesized values corresponding to a set of individual models for the target line, the modeling including using an estimation of a current attenuation at two nearest side tones to update a fit factor, the side tones defined by a carrier frequency and a modulation frequency; determining which of the set of individuals models is a best model; determining confidence information at each of the plurality of positions based on a comparison between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases and the best model; and determining parameters at each of the plurality of positions related to the target line from the best model.
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25. A line locator, comprising:
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a plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer detectors configured to measure a complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase generated at least by a target line as the plurality of magnetometer detectors are moved along the target line, the plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer detectors being mounted on opposite sides of a cart frame within wheel wells of a cart-based location receiver such that there is a horizontal separation between the plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer detectors, and such that the plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer detectors are oriented substantially orthogonal to the target line; circuitry coupled to receive signals from the plurality of 3-dimensional magnetometer detectors and provide Quadrature signals indicating a measured complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase; a position locator for indicating a position of the line locator; a processor coupled to receive the complex electromagnetic field magnitude and phase and the position and calculate values related to the target line; and a display coupled to the processor, the display indicating to a user the values related to the target line, wherein the processor includes software for performing the following; modeling a set of expected complex electromagnetic field magnitudes of a single underground conductor at each of a plurality of positions determined by the position locator to form a set of hypothesized values corresponding to a set of individual models for the target line, the modeling including using an estimation of a current attenuation at two nearest side tones to update a fit factor, the side tones defined by a carrier frequency and a modulation frequency; determining which of the set of individuals models is a best model; determining target line location confidence information at each of the plurality of positions based on a comparison between the measured set of complex electromagnetic field complex electromagnetic field magnitudes and phases and the best model; and determining parameters at each of the plurality of positions related to the target line from the best model.
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Specification