Methods, apparatus and systems for generating image-processed searchable electronic records of underground facility locate and/or marking operations
First Claim
1. A method for managing and displaying information relating to performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation, the method comprising:
- A) electronically receiving image information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation, the locate operation and/or marking operation comprising;
receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and
in response to the locate request ticket, detecting, and/or marking using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area;
B) processing the image information, via at least one processing unit, to improve at least one aspect of an image represented by the image information and thereby provide improved image information; and
C) based at least in part on the improved image information, generating at least one electronic manifest documenting the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation, wherein C) comprises;
C1) rendering the image for display on a display device as an improved image, based at least in part on the improved image information;
C2) after rendering the improved image for display in C1), receiving user input via at least one user interface associated with the display device;
C3) based on the user input received in C2), adding to the improved image rendered for display in C1) a digital representation of at least a portion of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation to thereby generate a marked-up digital image that includes the improved image and the digital representation; and
C4) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image as the at least one electronic manifest.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Managing and displaying information relating to a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility. First information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation is electronically received, wherein the first information includes image information. The image information is processed to improve at least one aspect of an image represented by the image information and thereby provide improved image information. Based at least in part on the improved image information, at least one electronic manifest is generated that documents a performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation.
370 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method for managing and displaying information relating to performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation, the method comprising:
-
A) electronically receiving image information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation, the locate operation and/or marking operation comprising; receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and in response to the locate request ticket, detecting, and/or marking using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area; B) processing the image information, via at least one processing unit, to improve at least one aspect of an image represented by the image information and thereby provide improved image information; and C) based at least in part on the improved image information, generating at least one electronic manifest documenting the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation, wherein C) comprises; C1) rendering the image for display on a display device as an improved image, based at least in part on the improved image information; C2) after rendering the improved image for display in C1), receiving user input via at least one user interface associated with the display device; C3) based on the user input received in C2), adding to the improved image rendered for display in C1) a digital representation of at least a portion of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation to thereby generate a marked-up digital image that includes the improved image and the digital representation; and C4) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image as the at least one electronic manifest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. An apparatus for managing information relating to performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation, 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; A) controls the communication interface so as to electronically receive image information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation, the locate operation and/or marking operation comprising; receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and in response to the locate request ticket, detecting, and/or marking using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area; B) processes the image information to improve at least one aspect of an image represented by the image information and thereby provide improved image information; and C) based at least in part on the improved image information, generates at least one electronic manifest documenting the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation;
wherein C) comprises;C1) rendering the image for display on a display device as an improved image, based at least in part on the improved image information; C2) after rendering the improved image for display in C1), receiving user input via at least one user interface associated with the display device; C3) based on the user input received in C2), adding to the improved image rendered for display in C1) a digital representation of at least a portion of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation to thereby generate a marked-up digital image that includes the improved image and the digital representation; and C4) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image as the at least one electronic manifest. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
-
17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for managing and displaying information relating to performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation, the method comprising:
-
A) electronically receiving image information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation, the locate and/or marking operation comprising; receiving a locate request ticket identifying a dig area, wherein a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities; and in response to the locate request ticket, detecting, and/or marking using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area; B) processing the image information to improve at least one aspect of an image represented by the image information and thereby provide improved image information; and C) based at least in part on the improved image information, generating at least one electronic manifest documenting the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation;
wherein C) comprises;C1) rendering the image for display on a display device as an improved image, based at least in part on the improved image information; C2) after rendering the improved image for display in C1), receiving user input via at least one user interface associated with the display device; C3) based on the user input received in C2), adding to the improved image rendered for display in C1) a digital representation of at least a portion of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation to thereby generate a marked-up digital image that includes the improved image and the digital representation; and C4) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image as the at least one electronic manifest. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
Specification