System and method for locating underground lines using motion based responsiveness
First Claim
1. An underground line locator comprising:
- a receiver configured to receive signals from an underground line and to provide raw measurement data from the received signals, the raw measurement data indicative of a location of an underground line relative to the receiver;
a motion sensor mechanically coupled to the receiver and configured to generate motion data of the underground line locator;
a processor coupled to the receiver to receive the raw measurement data and coupled to the motion sensor to receive motion data, the processor configured to;
determine a state of motion from the motion data of the underground line locator,set a responsiveness from the state of motion,determine a primary measurement signal from the raw measurement data, including filtering with a band-pass filter with an adjustable bandwidth adjusted according to the responsiveness, anddetermine a secondary measurement signal from the primary measurement signal, including filtering with an adaptive low-pass filter that is adjusted in accordance with the responsiveness, the responsiveness determining how quickly display signals track fluctuations in the raw measurement data;
provide a display signal indicating a measurement signal, which includes the primary measurement signal and the secondary measurement signal; and
a display coupled to the processor, the display showing the display signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of for underground line location using motion based responsiveness includes an underground line locator. The underground line locator includes a receiver generating raw measurement data based on a location of an underground line relative to the receiver, a motion sensor generating motion data based on a state of motion of the underground line locator, a processor coupled to the receiver and the motion sensor, and a display coupled to the processor. The processor determines a measurement signal based on the raw measurement data. A responsiveness of the measurement signal to the raw measurement data is based on the motion data. The display shows a representation of the measurement signal. In one or more embodiments, the measurement signal may be determined using a primary signal detector that adaptively filters the raw measurement data using an adaptive band-pass filter.
10 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An underground line locator comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive signals from an underground line and to provide raw measurement data from the received signals, the raw measurement data indicative of a location of an underground line relative to the receiver; a motion sensor mechanically coupled to the receiver and configured to generate motion data of the underground line locator; a processor coupled to the receiver to receive the raw measurement data and coupled to the motion sensor to receive motion data, the processor configured to; determine a state of motion from the motion data of the underground line locator, set a responsiveness from the state of motion, determine a primary measurement signal from the raw measurement data, including filtering with a band-pass filter with an adjustable bandwidth adjusted according to the responsiveness, and determine a secondary measurement signal from the primary measurement signal, including filtering with an adaptive low-pass filter that is adjusted in accordance with the responsiveness, the responsiveness determining how quickly display signals track fluctuations in the raw measurement data; provide a display signal indicating a measurement signal, which includes the primary measurement signal and the secondary measurement signal; and a display coupled to the processor, the display showing the display signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a line locator comprising:
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determining raw measurement data from a receiver of the line locator, the raw measurement data related to signals received from an underground line, the raw measurement data related to signals received from the underground line relative to the line locator; determining motion data from a motion detector attached to the line locator; determining a state of motion of the underground line locator based on the motion data; determining a control signal indicating a responsiveness from the state of motion of the underground line locator; determining a primary measurement signal from the raw measurement data, including filtering with a band-pass filter with an adjustable bandwidth adjusted according to the control signal; determining a secondary measurement signal from the primary measurement signal by adaptively filtering the primary measurement signal with an adaptive low-pass filter that is adjusted in accordance with the control signal to achieve the responsiveness, the responsiveness indicating how quickly a display data responds to fluctuations in the raw measurement data; determining the display data indicating a measurement data, which includes the primary measurement signal and the secondary measurement signal; and displaying the display data on a display of the line locator. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification