Utility mapping and data distribution system and method

• US 9,360,588 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Corporation
• Inventors: Young, Gary, Alft, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, TOAN M
• Application Number:
  US14/326,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20150012215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/00 Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 11/002 Details, e.g. power supply systems for logging instruments, transmitting or recording data, specially adapted for well logging, also if the prospecting method is irrelevant means for transmitting well survey signals E21B47/12; signal transmission systems in general G08C; transmission in general H04B
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/6163 Electromagnetic

Abstract

A system and method of mapping underground utilities and other subsurface objects involves one or more of acquiring utility location data using a number of different detectors and sensors, processing the multiple detector/sensor output data to produce mapping data, storing the mapping data in a database, and providing access to and use of the stored mapping data by subscribing users on a usage fee basis.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing, to a processor, a three-dimensional geographic reference model comprising at least data for existing utilities within a subsurface volume of interest;

receiving, by a fusion engine, a plurality of disparate data sets generated by a plurality of disparate sensors configured to evaluate the subsurface volume of interest, the disparate data sets comprising disparate sensor data and associated geographic location data;

fusing, by the fusion engine, the disparate data sets to produce fused data representative of one or more utilities detected within the subsurface volume of interest;

updating, by the processor, the geographic reference model to include the one or more detected utilities; and

generating, by the processor, a three-dimensional map of the existing and detected utilities within the subsurface volume of interest using the geographic reference model.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional map indicates the geographical position and a depth of at least the detected utilities within the subsurface volume of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional map indicates the geographical position and a depth of the existing and detected utilities within the subsurface volume of interest.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, on a display coupled to the processor, or generating, via an output device, a report of the three-dimensional map.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on a display coupled to the processor, the three-dimensional map; and

displaying, on the display, data associated with one or more of the disparate sensors or one or more of the detected utilities.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving ground-truth data for one or more of the detected utilities; and

adjusting at least depth data of one or more of the detected utilities using the ground-truth data.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving soil sensor data for the subsurface volume of interest; and

adjusting at least depth data of one or more of the detected utilities using the soil sensor data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving historical data for the subsurface volume of interest;

wherein fusing the disparate data sets comprises using the historical data to produce the fused data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving external factors data for the subsurface volume of interest;

wherein fusing the disparate data sets comprises using the external factors data to produce the fused data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising computing a depth tolerance factor associated with depth data for one or more of the detected utilities.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically identifying one or more of the detected utilities.

12. The method of claim 11, further associating a utility ID for each of the automatically identified detected utilities.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional map comprises a plurality of infrastructure features;

and

generating the three-dimensional map comprises maintaining the depths and vertical relationships of the infrastructure features and the disparate sensor data.

14. A system, comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of disparate data sets generated by a plurality of disparate sensors configured to evaluate a subsurface volume of interest, the disparate data sets comprising disparate sensor data and associated geographic location data;

a fusion engine configured to fuse the disparate data sets to produce fused data representative of one or more utilities detected within the subsurface volume of interest; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the fusion engine, the processor configured to;

interact with a three-dimensional geographic reference model comprising at least as-built data for existing utilities within the subsurface volume of interest;

update the geographic reference model to include the one or more detected utilities; and

generate a three-dimensional map of the existing and detected utilities within the subsurface volume of interest using the geographic reference model.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to indicate the geographical position and depth of at least the detected utilities within the subsurface volume of interest in the three-dimensional map.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising an output device coupled to the processor, the output device configured to display or generate a report of the three-dimensional map and data associated with one or more of the disparate sensors or one or more of the detected utilities.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to compute a depth tolerance factor associated with depth data for one or more of the detected utilities.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to automatically identify one or more of the detected utilities.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to associate a utility ID for each of the automatically identified detected utilities.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to receive ground-truth data for one or more of the detected utilities, and adjust at least depth data of one or more of the detected utilities using the ground-truth data.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to receive soil sensor data for the subsurface volume of interest, and adjust at least depth data of one or more of the detected utilities using the soil sensor data.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the processor is configured to receive historical data for the subsurface volume of interest; and

the fusion engine is configured to use the historical data to produce the fused data.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the processor is configured to receive external factors data for the subsurface volume of interest; and

the fusion engine is configured to use the external factors data to produce the fused data.