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Magnetic sensing buried object locator including a camera

  • US 9,523,788 B1
  • Filed: 06/11/2012
  • Issued: 12/20/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A human-portable locator apparatus for locating a buried object characterized by an electromagnetic (EM) field emission, comprising:

  • a housing;

    a magnetic field sensor array connected to the housing, the sensor array including three substantially identical magnetic field sensors each having at least one conductive coil with an outer side and an inner side disposed in an annular shape having a radial centroid defining a sensing axis;

    a circuit operatively coupled to the sensor array for detecting and reporting information based on sensed magnetic field emissions from the buried object;

    a video sensor with optics having a predefined image field of view disposed on the locator; and

    a video processing circuit electrically coupled to a camera to process images or video generated by the camera based on the predefined field of view to determine a direction and velocity of the locator system relative to a ground surface.

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