Smart personal communication devices as user interfaces
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An underground utility locating system, comprising:
- a portable locator including a plurality of omnidirectional antennas for detecting emissions from a buried utility;
a personal communication device operatively connected to the portable locator for receiving information from the portable locator representing a location of the buried utility; and
programming in the personal communication device for storing and transmitting the location of the buried utility;
wherein the portable locator has a receptacle for removably receiving the personal communication device and a first connector for mating with a second connector of the portable communication device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A personal communication device or “smart phone” is connected to a utility locator system or pipe inspection system and serves as a user interface, communication interface, and control system for such systems.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An underground utility locating system, comprising:
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a portable locator including a plurality of omnidirectional antennas for detecting emissions from a buried utility; a personal communication device operatively connected to the portable locator for receiving information from the portable locator representing a location of the buried utility; and programming in the personal communication device for storing and transmitting the location of the buried utility; wherein the portable locator has a receptacle for removably receiving the personal communication device and a first connector for mating with a second connector of the portable communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An underground utility locating system, comprising:
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a portable locator that detects electromagnetic emissions from a buried utility; a personal communication device operatively connected to the portable locator for receiving information from the portable locator representing a location of the buried utility; programming in the personal communication device for storing and transmitting the location of the buried utility; a cable storage drum; a resilient flexible push-cable stored in coiled fashion inside the drum; a rotatable support that carries the drum so that the push cable can be paid out from the drum and re-wound back into the drum; a camera head operatively coupled to a distal end of the push-cable for capturing images of the inside of a pipe as the push-cable is paid out from the cable storage drum to force the camera head down an interior of the pipe; a personal communication device operatively connected to the camera head for receiving images from the camera head; and programming in the personal communication device for managing the images; wherein the portable locator has a receptacle for removably receiving the personal communication device and a first connector for mating with a second connector of the portable communication device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 18)
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14. An underground utility locating system, comprising:
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a portable locator that detects electromagnetic emissions from a buried utility; a personal communication device operatively connected to the portable locator for receiving information from the portable locator representing a location of the buried utility; and programming in the personal communication device for storing and transmitting the location of the buried utility; wherein the portable locator has a receptacle for removably receiving the personal communication device and a first connector for mating with a second connector of the portable communication device; and wherein the programming allows the personal communication device to generate geo-tagged images.
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15. An underground utility locating system, comprising:
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a portable locator that detects electromagnetic emissions from a buried utility; a personal communication device operatively connected to the portable locator for receiving information from the portable locator representing a location of the buried utility; and programming in the personal communication device for storing and transmitting the location of the buried utility; wherein the portable locator has a receptacle for removably receiving the personal communication device and a first connector for mating with a second connector of the portable communication device; and wherein the programming in the personal communication device includes programming for computation of electromagnetic field vectors of signals received from one or more antennas of the portable locator.
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16. An underground utility locating system, comprising:
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a portable tripod locator that detects electromagnetic emissions from a buried utility; a personal communication device operatively connected to the portable locator for receiving information from the portable locator representing a location of the buried utility; and programming in the personal communication device for storing and transmitting the location of the buried utility; wherein the portable locator has a receptacle for removably receiving the personal communication device and a first connector for mating with a second connector of the portable communication device.
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17. An underground utility locating system, comprising:
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a portable locator including a plurality of omnidirectional antennas for detecting electromagnetic emissions from a buried utility; a personal communication device operatively connected to the portable locator for receiving information from the portable locator representing a location of the buried utility; and programming in the personal communication device for storing and transmitting the location of the buried utility; and a transmitter for generating a current to be applied to the buried utility to generate the electromagnetic emissions; wherein the portable locator has a receptacle for removably receiving the personal communication device and a first connector for mating with a second connector of the portable communication device.
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Specification