SEARCHABLE ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITY LOCATE MARKING OPERATIONS

• US 20090202112A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey, Nielsen, Steven E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/242 by image rotation, e.g. by 90 degrees
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/245 by locating a pattern; Special marks for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation in which a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area may be identified using one or more physical locate marks. Source data representing one or more input images of a geographic area comprising the dig area is received and processed so as to display at least a portion of the input image(s) on a display device. One or more digital representations of the physical locate mark(s) applied to the dig area during the locate operation are added to the displayed input image(s) as “locate mark indicators” so as to generate a marked-up image. Information relating to the marked-up image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.

Claims

1. A method for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the locate operation comprising identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) electronically receiving source data representing at least one input image of a geographic area comprising the dig area;

B) processing the source data so as to display at least a portion of the at least one input image on a display device;

C) adding to the displayed at least one input image at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation so as to generate a marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark; and

D) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up image so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein C) comprises:

adding, via a user input device associated with the display device, the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark to the displayed at least one input image, so as to generate the marked-up image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein C) comprises:

C1) electronically receiving location information regarding a location of the at least one physical locate mark; and

C2) based at least in part on the location information received in C1), adding to the displayed at least one input image the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark.

4. The method of claim 7, wherein the location information received in C1) includes geographic coordinates provided by a GPS-enabled device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one dig area indicator to provide at least one indication of the dig area in the displayed at least one input image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input image comprises a scanned or converted manual free-hand sketch of the geographic area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one map of the geographic area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one map of the geographic area includes one or more of:

a street/road map, a topographical map, a military map, a parcel map, a tax map, a town or county planning map, a polygon map, and a virtual map.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the source data representing the at least one map includes geo-encoded information.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one map includes at least one facility map illustrating at least one installed underground facility in the geographic area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the source data representing the at least one facility map includes geo-encoded information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one architectural, construction and/or engineering drawing or virtual rendition of the geographic area.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one land survey relating to the geographic area.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one grid to provide representational geographic information and a reference relating to the geographic area.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the source data comprises geo-encoded information relating to the geographical area.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the source data does not include pixel information from a digital image acquisition device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one photographic image.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one photographic image comprises at least one street level photographic image.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one photographic image comprises one or more of a topographical image, a satellite image, and an aerial image.

20. At least one computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the locate operation comprising identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) electronically receiving source data representing at least one input image of a geographic area comprising the dig area;

B) processing the source data so as to display at least a portion of the at least one input image on a display device;

C) adding to the displayed at least one input image at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation so as to generate a marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark; and

D) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up image so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.

21. An apparatus for facilitating generation of a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the locate operation comprising identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising:

a communication interface;

a display device;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the display device, and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit;

controls the communication interface to electronically receive source data representing at least one input image of a geographic area including the dig area;

processes the source data and controls the display device so as to display at least a portion of the at least one input image;

adds to the displayed at least one input image at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation so as to generate a marked-up image including the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark; and

further controls the communication interface and/or the memory to electronically transmit and/or electronically store information relating to the marked-up image so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a user input device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit:

acquires user input from the user input device, the user input relating to a geographic location of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation; and

adds to the displayed at least one input image the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark based at least in part on the user input.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the user input device comprises at least one of a stylus and a mouse.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit:

acquires input from a marking device configured to apply the at least one physical locate mark to the dig area, the input relating to a geographic location of the at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation; and

adds to the displayed at least one input image the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark, based at least in part on the input acquired from the marking device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, in combination with the marking device, wherein the marking device comprises a GPS-enabled device.

26. The combination of claim 25, wherein the GPS-enabled device is a GPS-enabled paint wand.

27. The combination of claim 25, wherein the GPS-enabled device is a combined locating/marking device configured to both identify an underground facility in the dig area and apply the at least one physical locate mark to the dig area.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one dig area indicator to provide at least one indication of the dig area in the displayed at least one input image.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one input image comprises a scanned or converted manual free-hand sketch of the geographic area.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one map of the geographic area.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one map of the geographic area includes one or more of:

a street/road map, a topographical map, a military map, a parcel map, a tax map, a town or county planning map, a polygon map, and a virtual map.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the source data representing the at least one map includes geo-encoded information.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the at least one map includes at least one facility map illustrating at least one installed underground facility in the geographic area.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the source data representing the at least one facility map includes geo-encoded information.

35. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one architectural, construction and/or engineering drawing or virtual rendition of the geographic area.

36. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one land survey relating to the geographic area.

37. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one grid to provide representational geographic information and a reference relating to the geographic area.

38. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the source data comprises geo-encoded information relating to the geographical area.

39. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the source data does not include pixel information from a digital image acquisition device.

40. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one input image comprises at least one photographic image.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the at least one photographic image comprises at least one street level photographic image.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the at least one photographic image comprises one or more of a topographical image, a satellite image, and an aerial image.