×

Optical sensing methods and apparatus for detecting a color of a marking substance

  • US 9,004,004 B2
  • Filed: 04/22/2013
  • Issued: 04/14/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A marking apparatus to mark a presence or an absence of an underground facility in a dig area, the marking apparatus comprising:

  • a housing configured to enable dispensing of a marking substance onto ground for marking the presence or the absence of the underground facility in the dig area;

    a marking dispenser holder affixed to the housing to hold at least one marking dispenser;

    an actuator communicatively coupled to the marking dispenser to cause the dispensing of the marking substance from the marking dispenser onto the ground in the dig area;

    an optical sensor, coupled to the housing and disposed proximate to the marking dispenser, to provide sensor information representative of a color of the marking substance in the marking dispenser; and

    a processing device, coupled to the optical sensor, to generate output information in response to the sensor information, the output information indicative of the color of the marking substance.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×