Methods and apparatus for displaying an electronic rendering of a locate and/or marking operation using display layers
First Claim
1. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within an area of interest, wherein at least a portion of the area of interest is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
- A) electronically categorizing, into a plurality of display layers of the electronic rendering, marking information and at least one of locate information and landmark information from the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation;
B) providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of at least some display layers of the plurality of display layers via at least one user interface; and
C) displaying in a display field of the display device only enabled display layers of the plurality of display layers so as to provide the electronic rendering of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation,wherein;
A) further comprises categorizing all marking information as a marking display layer, the marking display layer including a plurality of marking sub-layers, wherein;
the marking information includes marking material information relating to at least one characteristic of a marking material used in the marking operation, said marking material information including at least one of marking material color, marking material brand, and marking material type information;
A) further comprises categorizing at least some of the marking information into at least one marking material sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers, said at least one marking material sub-layer including one or more of;
a marking material color sub-layer;
a marking material brand sub-layer; and
a marking material type sub-layer;
B) further comprises providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of each marking sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and
C) further comprises displaying in the display field of the display device only enabled marking sub-layers of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and
A) further comprises categorizing all locate information, when present, as a locate display layer, the locate display layer including a plurality of locate sub-layers, wherein;
the locate information includes one or more of;
magnetic field information relating to a magnetic field strength and/or frequency provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation;
depth information relating to a depth of at least one object detected by the at least one locate device;
mode information relating to an operation mode of the at least one locate device; and
gain information relating to a gain of the at least one locate device;
A) further comprises categorizing at least some of the locate information into at least one locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers, said at least one locate sub-layer including one or more of;
a magnetic field sub-layer;
a depth sub-layer;
a mode sub-layer; and
a gain sub-layer;
B) further comprises providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of each locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers; and
C) further comprises displaying in the display field of the display device only enabled locate sub-layers of the plurality of locate sub-layers.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Locate information, marking information, and/or landmark 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 is categorized into a plurality of display layers for electronic rendering. At least some of the display layers may be independently enabled or disabled for display such that only enabled display layers are displayed in a display field of a display device. Alternate enabling and disabling of one or more display layers facilitates comparative viewing of the layers. A layer directory or layer legend pane may be displayed to allow for selective enabling/disabling of one or more layers. One or more layers further may be categorized into sub-layers, and respective sub-layers of a given layer similarly may be independently enabled or disabled for display.
244 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within an area of interest, wherein at least a portion of the area of interest is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) electronically categorizing, into a plurality of display layers of the electronic rendering, marking information and at least one of locate information and landmark information from the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation; B) providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of at least some display layers of the plurality of display layers via at least one user interface; and C) displaying in a display field of the display device only enabled display layers of the plurality of display layers so as to provide the electronic rendering of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation, wherein; A) further comprises categorizing all marking information as a marking display layer, the marking display layer including a plurality of marking sub-layers, wherein; the marking information includes marking material information relating to at least one characteristic of a marking material used in the marking operation, said marking material information including at least one of marking material color, marking material brand, and marking material type information; A) further comprises categorizing at least some of the marking information into at least one marking material sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers, said at least one marking material sub-layer including one or more of; a marking material color sub-layer; a marking material brand sub-layer; and a marking material type sub-layer; B) further comprises providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of each marking sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and C) further comprises displaying in the display field of the display device only enabled marking sub-layers of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and A) further comprises categorizing all locate information, when present, as a locate display layer, the locate display layer including a plurality of locate sub-layers, wherein; the locate information includes one or more of; magnetic field information relating to a magnetic field strength and/or frequency provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation; depth information relating to a depth of at least one object detected by the at least one locate device; mode information relating to an operation mode of the at least one locate device; and gain information relating to a gain of the at least one locate device; A) further comprises categorizing at least some of the locate information into at least one locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers, said at least one locate sub-layer including one or more of; a magnetic field sub-layer; a depth sub-layer; a mode sub-layer; and a gain sub-layer; B) further comprises providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of each locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers; and C) further comprises displaying in the display field of the display device only enabled locate sub-layers of the plurality of locate sub-layers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 51)
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25. An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within an area of interest, wherein at least a portion of the area of interest is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory to store processor-executable instructions, and one or more of locate information, marking information, and landmark information from the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation; at least one user interface; and a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one user interface, and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor; A) categorizes, into a plurality of display layers of the electronic rendering, the marking information and at least one of the locate information and the landmark information; B) provides for independent enabling or disabling for display of at least some display layers of the plurality of display layers via the at least one user interface; and C) displays in a display field of the display device only enabled display layers of the plurality of display layers so as to provide the electronic rendering of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation; wherein; in A), the processor further categorizes all marking information as a marking display layer, the marking display layer including a plurality of marking sub-layers, wherein the marking information includes marking material information relating to at least one characteristic of a marking material used in the marking operation, said marking material information including at least one of marking material color, marking material brand, and marking material type information; in A), the processor further categorizes at least some of the marking information into at least one marking material sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers, said at least one marking material sub-layer including one or more of;
a marking material color sub-layer;
a marking material brand sub-layer; and
a marking material type sub-layer;in B), the processor further provides for independent enabling or disabling for display of each marking sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and in C), the processor further displays in the display field of the display device only enabled marking sub-layers of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and in A), the processor categorizes all locate information, when present, as a locate display layer, the locate display layer including a plurality of locate sub-layers, wherein; the locate information includes one or more of;
magnetic field information relating to a magnetic field strength and/or frequency provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation;
depth information relating to a depth of at least one object detected by the at least one locate device;
mode information relating to an operation mode of the at least one locate device; and
gain information relating to a gain of the at least one locate device;in A), the processor further categorizes at least some of the locate information into at least one locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers, said at least one locate sub-layer including one or more of;
a magnetic field sub-layer;
a depth sub-layer;
a mode sub-layer; and
a gain sub-layer;in B), the processor provides for independent enabling or disabling for display of each locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers; and in C), the processor displays in the display field of the display device only enabled locate sub-layers of the plurality of locate sub-layers. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 52)
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50. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium 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 performance of a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within an area of interest, wherein at least a portion of the area of interest is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:
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A) electronically categorizing, into a plurality of display layers of the electronic rendering, marking information and at least one of locate information and landmark information from the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation; B) providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of at least some display layers of the plurality of display layers via at least one user interface; and C) displaying in a display field of the display device only enabled display layers of the plurality of display layers so as to provide the electronic rendering of the performance of the locate operation and/or the marking operation; wherein; A) further comprises categorizing all marking information as a marking display layer, the marking display layer including a plurality of marking sub-layers, wherein; the marking information includes marking material information relating to at least one characteristic of a marking material used in the marking operation, said marking material information including at least one of marking material color, marking material brand, and marking material type information; A) further comprises categorizing at least some of the marking information into at least one marking material sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers, said at least one marking material sub-layer including one or more of; a marking material color sub-layer; a marking material brand sub-layer; and a marking material type sub-layer; B) further comprises providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of each marking sub-layer of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and C) further comprises displaying in the display field of the display device only enabled marking sub-layers of the plurality of marking sub-layers; and A) further comprises categorizing all locate information, when present, as a locate display layer, the locate display layer including a plurality of locate sub-layers, wherein; the locate information includes one or more of; magnetic field information relating to a magnetic field strength and/or frequency provided by at least one locate device used for the locate operation; depth information relating to a depth of at least one object detected by the at least one locate device; mode information relating to an operation mode of the at least one locate device; and gain information relating to a gain of the at least one locate device; A) further comprises categorizing at least some of the locate information into at least one locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers, said at least one locate sub-layer including one or more of; a magnetic field sub-layer; a depth sub-layer; a mode sub-layer; and a gain sub-layer; B) further comprises providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of each locate sub-layer of the plurality of locate sub-layers; and C) further comprises displaying in the display field of the display device only enabled locate sub-layers of the plurality of locate sub-layers. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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Specification