Electronic marker devices and systems
First Claim
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1. An integrated buried utility locator system for locating buried utilities using magnetic sensing while simultaneously receiving marker device signals, comprising:
- a marker device excitation transmitter module for generating and sending a marker device radio frequency excitation signal at a marker device excitation signal frequency;
a utility locator front end subsystem to simultaneously receive a magnetic field signal emitted from a buried utility resulting from AC current flowing therein and a radio frequency magnetic field reply signal from a marker device responsive to the excitation signal;
a processing element for processing the received buried utility signals and marker device reply signal and generating information associated with the buried utility, including depth and/or positional information of the buried utility, and information associated with the marker device, including depth and/or positional information of the marker device, based on the received buried utility signal and marker device reply signal; and
a non-transitory memory for storing the information associated with the buried utility and the marker device;
wherein the marker device excitation signal is sent at least partially simultaneously to receiving the buried utility signal.
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Abstract
Integrated buried utility locator systems, including a locator including a marker device excitation transmitter a buried utility locator along with one or more marker devices, are disclosed. In operation a marker device excitation signal is sent from the locator at least partially simultaneously to receiving and processing a buried utility signal.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An integrated buried utility locator system for locating buried utilities using magnetic sensing while simultaneously receiving marker device signals, comprising:
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a marker device excitation transmitter module for generating and sending a marker device radio frequency excitation signal at a marker device excitation signal frequency; a utility locator front end subsystem to simultaneously receive a magnetic field signal emitted from a buried utility resulting from AC current flowing therein and a radio frequency magnetic field reply signal from a marker device responsive to the excitation signal; a processing element for processing the received buried utility signals and marker device reply signal and generating information associated with the buried utility, including depth and/or positional information of the buried utility, and information associated with the marker device, including depth and/or positional information of the marker device, based on the received buried utility signal and marker device reply signal; and a non-transitory memory for storing the information associated with the buried utility and the marker device; wherein the marker device excitation signal is sent at least partially simultaneously to receiving the buried utility signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 24, 25, 26)
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10. A marker device for use with an integrated buried utility locator system, comprising:
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an antenna for receiving an excitation signal at an excitation signal frequency and sending a reply signal at a reply signal frequency lower than the excitation signal frequency; an input module coupled to the antenna; a clock circuit coupled to the input module to generate a clock signal at a frequency synchronized to the received excitation signal; a power supply circuit coupled to the input module to generate an output power signal from the received excitation signal; a processing element for generating an output signal at an output signal frequency synchronized with the clock signal frequency and different from and lower in frequency than the excitation signal frequency; and an output module for receiving the output signal from the processing element and providing the output signal to the antenna for transmission. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for performing a locate operation with an integrated buried utility locator system, comprising:
- sending, from an excitation transmitter module integral with a utility locator, a radio frequency magnetic field excitation signal for powering a marker device;
receiving, simultaneous to at least part of the sending an excitation signal, in a front end subsystem of the locator and without overloading the front end subsystem with the excitation signal, a radio frequency magnetic field signal sent from
1) a buried utility generated from AC current flowing therein; and
2) a radio frequency magnetic field reply signal from a marker device powered by the excitation signal;
determining, in a processing element, information associated with the buried utility including position and/or depth information based on the radio frequency magnetic field signal generated from the buried utility and information including position and/or depth information of the marker device based on the radio frequency reply signal; and
storing the determined information in a non-transitory memory. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
- sending, from an excitation transmitter module integral with a utility locator, a radio frequency magnetic field excitation signal for powering a marker device;
Specification