MARKING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090013928A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vazquez, Rene A., Nielsen, Steven, Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/305
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/203 comprising an extension rod located between the aerosol container and the hand grip setting-out line markings on playing courts A63C19/065; marking-out on finished paving by spraying from aerosol containers E01C23/227
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10376 the interrogation device being adapted for being moveable

Abstract

A marking tool and a method for marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility is presented. The method includes dispensing a marker when a trigger of a marking tool is actuated. The method further includes identifying at least one characteristic associated with the marker or the dispensing of the marker. The method further includes storing the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker when the actuation of the trigger is signaled.

Claims

1. A marking tool, comprising:

a marker dispenser to hold and dispense a marker; and

a processor to determine at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker.

2. The marking tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker includes time data including any one or more of the following:

when the marker was dispensed, a duration of time that the marker was dispensed, and when the marker was not dispensed.

3. The marking tool of claim 1, wherein the processor further determines at least one characteristic associated with the marker.

4. The marking tool of claim 3, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the marker includes a type of the marker or a color of the marker.

5. The marking tool of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker before a triggering system may dispense the marker or continue to dispense the marker.

6. A marking tool, comprising:

a marker dispenser to hold and dispense a marker; and

a processor to determine at least one characteristic associated with the marker.

7. The marking tool of claim 6, wherein the marker includes a tag, the tag storing information associated with the at least one characteristic associated with the marker.

8. The marking tool of claim 7, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and a tag reader is an RFID reader.

9. The marking tool of claim 7, wherein the tag is a barcode and a tag reader is a barcode reader.

10. The marking tool of claim 6, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the marker includes a type of the marker or a color of the marker.

11. The marking tool of claim 6, wherein the processor further determines at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker.

12. The marking tool of claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker includes time data including any one or more of the following:

when the marker was dispensed, a duration of time that the marker was dispensed, and when the marker was not dispensed.

13. The marking tool of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to identify a type of at least one underground facility to which the at least one characteristic associated with the marker corresponds.

14. The marking tool of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to request confirmation that the at least one characteristic associated with the marker is correct before a triggering system may actuate dispensing the marker.

15. A method for marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, comprising the steps of:

dispensing a marker when a trigger of a marking tool is actuated;

identifying at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker; and

storing the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker when the actuation of the trigger is signaled.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker includes time data including any one or more of the following:

when the marker was dispensed, a duration of time that the marker was dispensed, and when the marker was not dispensed.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one characteristic associated with the marker; and

storing the at least one characteristic associated with the marker when the actuation of the trigger is signaled.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the marker includes a type of the marker or a color of the marker.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

determining whether the marker may be dispensed or may continue to be dispensed based on the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of determining is based on an association of the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker with wage and hour rules and regulations.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of identifying the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker further includes the steps of:

presenting a plurality of characteristics associated with dispensing the marker on a user interface; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of characteristics as the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker.

22. A method for marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one marker characteristic regarding a marker loaded into a marking tool;

dispensing the marker when a trigger of the marking tool is actuated; and

storing the at least one marker characteristic when the actuation of the trigger is signaled.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a tag is associated with the marker, the tag storing at least one marker characteristic.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of identifying the at least one marker characteristic includes reading the marker characteristic from a tag.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the tag is a barcode tag.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one marker characteristic includes a type of the marker or a color of the marker.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of identifying the at least one marker characteristic further includes the steps of:

presenting a plurality of marker characteristics on a user interface; and

selecting at least one of the plurality of marker characteristics as the marker characteristic.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

determining whether to permit the trigger to be actuated based on the at least one marker characteristic.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of determining is based on an association of the marker characteristic with information associated with a ticket.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of determining is based on a confirmation that the marker characteristic is correct.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

determining at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with dispensing the marker includes time data including any one or more of the following:

when the marker was dispensed, a duration of time that the marker was dispensed, and when the marker was not dispensed.

34. A marking tool, comprising:

a marker dispenser for dispensing a marker from a marker container; and

a processor to receive information associated with dispensing the marker.

35. The marking tool of claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to identify at least one characteristic associated with the marker.

36. The marking tool of claim 35, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the marker includes a type of the marker or a color of the marker.

37. The marking tool of claim 34, further comprising a triggering system for triggering the marker dispenser to dispense the marker from the marker container, and the processor to initiate the storage of the information associated with dispensing the marker by the marker dispenser.

38. The marking tool of claim 37, wherein the triggering system receives trigger actuation information and causes the processor to increase a count value of dispensation frequency based on the received trigger actuation.

39. The marking tool of claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to present the information on an interface.

40. The marking tool of claim 39, wherein the interface is configured to request confirmation that dispensing the marker is allowed to occur before the triggering system may trigger the dispensing of the marker.

41. The marking tool of claim 34, wherein the information associated with dispensing the marker includes time data including any one or more of the following:

when the marker was dispensed, a duration of time that the marker was dispensed, and when the marker was not dispensed.

42. A marking tool, comprising:

a marker dispenser for dispensing a marker from a marker container;

a tag associated with the marker container, the tag storing information associated with at least one characteristic of the marker or marker container;

a tag reader for reading the information from the tag; and

a processor to receive the information from the tag reader.

43. The marking tool of claim 42, wherein the processor is configured to identify the at least one characteristic of the marker and a type of underground facility to which the at least one characteristic corresponds.

44. The marking tool of claim 42, wherein the processor is further configured to receive information associated with dispensing the marker.

45. The marking tool of claim 44, wherein the information associated with dispensing the marker includes time data including any one or more of the following:

when the marker was dispensed, a duration of time that the marker was dispensed, and when the marker was not dispensed.

46. The marking tool of claim 44, further comprising a triggering system for triggering the marker dispenser to dispense the marker from the marker container, and the processor to initiate storage of the information associated with dispensing of the marker by the marker dispenser.

47. The marking tool of claim 46, wherein the triggering system receives trigger actuation information and causes the processor to increase a count value of dispensation frequency based on the received trigger actuation.

48. The marking tool of claim 42, wherein the processor is further configured to present the information on an interface.

49. The marking tool of claim 48, wherein the interface is configured to request confirmation that the at least one characteristic is correct before the triggering system may trigger the marker dispenser or the processor.

50. The marking tool of claim 42, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and the tag reader is an RFID reader.

51. The marking tool of claim 42, wherein the tag is a barcode and the tag reader is a barcode reader.

52. The marking tool of claim 42, wherein the at least one characteristic associated with the marker comprises a type of the marker or a color of the marker.