User interfaces for utility locators
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A utility locator, comprising:
- a housing;
an antenna array for sensing a buried utility;
a memory;
a processing element for generating information associated with the buried utility; and
a display coupled to the processing element and/or memory, wherein the display provides a user interface for visually communicating information by rendering the information on the display device, the displayed information including at least a representation of information relating to a depth of at least one sensed utility with respect to a first position of the locator, a representation of information relating to a type of the at least one sensed utility, and a representation of information relating to a direction of current of the at least one sensed utility.
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to user interfaces for enhanced utility locators. Such enhanced utility locators may include a variety of sensors and other such technologies for determining information regarding a buried or otherwise inaccessible utility line. Such information may be displayed in various ways to convey relative characteristics among multiple utilities, or to convey relative characteristics of one or more utilities with respect to a locator.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A utility locator, comprising:
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a housing; an antenna array for sensing a buried utility; a memory; a processing element for generating information associated with the buried utility; and a display coupled to the processing element and/or memory, wherein the display provides a user interface for visually communicating information by rendering the information on the display device, the displayed information including at least a representation of information relating to a depth of at least one sensed utility with respect to a first position of the locator, a representation of information relating to a type of the at least one sensed utility, and a representation of information relating to a direction of current of the at least one sensed utility. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A utility locator, comprising:
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a housing; an antenna array for sensing a buried utility; a memory; a processing element for generating information associated with the buried utility; and a display coupled to the processing element and/or memory, wherein the display provides a user interface for visually communicating information by rendering the information on the display device, the displayed information including one or more of a representation of information relating to a depth of at least one sensed utility with respect to a first position of the locator, a representation of information relating to a type of the at least one sensed utility, and a representation of information relating to a direction of current relating to the at least one sensed utility;
wherein a true depth or soil attenuation correction is visually represented on sensed utility lines based on percentage of current loss.
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15. A utility locator, comprising:
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a housing; an antenna array for sensing a buried utility; a memory; a processing element for generating information associated with the buried utility; and a display coupled to the processing element and/or memory, wherein the display provides a user interface for visually communicating information by rendering the information on the display device, the displayed information including one or more of a representation of information relating to a depth of at least one sensed utility with respect to a first position of the locator, a representation of information relating to a type of the at least one sensed utility, and a representation of information relating to a direction of current relating to the at least one sensed utility;
wherein a passively connected AC line is visually depicted on the user interface as above ground.
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16. A method for displaying information relating to one or more utilities on a user device, comprising:
generating, on a display device, a visual representation of information regarding one or more sensed utilities, wherein the visual representation includes at least a representation of information relating to a depth of at least one sensed utility with respect to a first position of the locator, a representation of information relating to a type of the at least one sensed utility, and a representation of information relating to a direction of current of the at least one sensed utility. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A utility locator, comprising:
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a display; a memory; and a processing element coupled to the memory and/or display to visually communicate information on the display associated with one or more sensed utilities, including at least information relating to a depth of at least one sensed utility with respect to a first position of the locator, information relating to a type of the at least one sensed utility, and information relating to a direction of current of the at least one sensed utility.
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22. A utility locator, comprising:
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an antenna array for sensing a buried utility; a memory; a processing element coupled to the memory for generating information associated with the buried utility; and a display coupled to the processing element and/or memory, wherein the display provides a user interface for visually communicate information regarding one or more sensed utilities by rendering information on the display, the displayed information including information relating to a direction of current of the at least one sensed utility, as well as one or more of a representation of detected utility represented as a cluster of lines, a representation of a detected utility represented as an envelope of lines, and a representation of one or more detected utilities as a grouped line.
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Specification