ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED MARKING APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20090204238A1
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• 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., Conner, Mark A., Vazquez, Rene A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,086,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/58
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications

Abstract

A marking system may hold a container from which markers are dispensed to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area. The container may identify a marker characteristic regarding the markers in the container. The marking system may receive activation of a trigger, dispense a marker from the container when the trigger is activated, and store the marker characteristic and time data when the trigger is activated. In other embodiments, the marking system may dispense a marker, determine location data and/or time data, and substantially simultaneously trigger the dispensing of the marker and logging of the location data and/or the time data. The location data identifies a geographic location where the marker is dispensed and the time data identifies the time when the marker is dispensed.

Claims

1. A marking apparatus to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area, comprising:

a housing configured to enable dispensing of a marker onto the ground for marking the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area;

a marking dispenser holder affixed to the housing to hold a replaceable marking dispenser;

an actuator, responsive to a control input, to cause dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in the dig area;

a user interface to receive user inputs;

a local memory to store information relating to a marking operation; and

a processing device to control dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground in the dig area based on a user input and on selected information relating to the marking operation.

2. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a clock generator to generate a current date and time of the marking operation.

3. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a tag reader to read tag information from a tag associated with the marking dispenser, wherein the processing device controls dispensing of the marker based at least in part on the tag information.

4. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a location tracking system to determine geographical coordinates of the marker dispensed during the marking operation.

5. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication system to transmit selected information from the marking apparatus to a remote device.

6. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication system to communicate with a remote device.

7. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising an I/O port to transfer information to and from a host device.

8. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a touch screen to receive user inputs and to display information associated with marking apparatus operation.

9. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a display device to display information associated with marking apparatus operation and a keypad to receive user inputs.

10. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a microphone to receive audible inputs from the user.

11. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a triggering system to enable the user to cause dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser.

12. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the triggering system is configured for mechanical activation of the marking dispenser.

13. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the triggering system is configured for electronic activation of the marking dispenser.

14. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to permit dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser only if selected information is verified.

15. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the selected information is verified in response to user confirmation of the selected information.

16. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the selected information is verified by comparison of the selected information with information from a ticket.

17. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the processing device is configured to initiate reading of the tag information upon mounting of the marking dispenser in the marking dispenser holder.

18. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the marking dispenser holder comprises a paint can holder.

19. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the tag reader comprises one of a bar code reader, a radio frequency identification reader and a near field communication reader.

20. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the location tracking system comprises one of a global positioning system device, a global navigation satellite system device and a triangularization device.

21. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to estimate an amount of marker dispensed in response to user activation of the marking dispenser.

22. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a device configured to provide audible information associated with marking apparatus operation.

23. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, farther comprising a device worn or carried by the user to provide information associated with marking apparatus operation.

24. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive marker information entered by the user.

25. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to display marker information and types of underground facilities for selection by the user.

26. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a weight sensor to sense a weight of the marking dispenser, wherein the processing device determines from the sensed weight a remaining amount of marker in the marking dispenser.

27. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive user confirmation of information from a ticket.

28. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive user confirmation of marker information.

29. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to display an amount of marker dispensed onto the ground in the dig area and/or an amount of marker remaining in the marking dispenser.

30. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface includes at least one status indicator to indicate a status of the marking apparatus.

31. A method for marking the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area using a marking apparatus that holds a marking dispenser, comprising:

receiving user inputs through a user interface of the marking apparatus;

storing information relating to a marking operation in a local memory of the marking apparatus; and

controlling, using a processing device, dispensing of a marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground in a dig area based on a user input and on selected information relating to the marking operation.

32. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising generating a current date and time of the marking operation.

33. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising reading tag information from a tag associated with the marking dispenser and controlling dispensing of the marker based at least in part on the tag information.

34. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, flier comprising determining geographical coordinates of the marker dispensed during the marking operation.

35. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, comprising receiving user inputs through a touch screen.

36. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, comprising receiving user inputs through a keypad.

37. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein receiving user inputs comprises receiving a user input to activate the marking dispenser.

38. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 37, wherein activating the marking dispenser comprises mechanical activation of the marking dispenser.

39. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 37, wherein activating the marking dispenser comprises electronic activation of the marking dispenser.

40. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein receiving user inputs includes receiving audible inputs through a microphone.

41. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising enabling dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser only if selected information is verified.

42. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 41, wherein the selected information is verified in response to user confirmation of the selected information.

43. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 41, wherein the selected information is verified by comparison of the selected information with information from a ticket.

44. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 46, fixer comprising sensing a weight of the marking dispenser and determining from the sensed weight a remaining amount of marker in the marking dispenser.

45. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 33, wherein reading the tag information is performed upon mounting the marking dispenser in the marking apparatus.

46. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising estimating an amount of marker dispensed in response to user activation of the marking dispenser.

47. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 33, wherein reading tag information from a tag comprises reading tag information from one of a bar code, a radio frequency identification device and a near field communication device.

48. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 34, wherein determining geographical coordinates of the marker comprises determining geographical coordinates with one of a global positioning system device, a global navigation satellite system device and a triangularization device.

49. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising providing audible information associated with marking apparatus operation.

50. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising providing information associated with marking apparatus operation to an indicator device worn or carried by a user.

51. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising displaying marker information and corresponding types of underground facilities.

52. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein receiving user inputs comprises receiving marker information entered by the user.

53. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein receiving user inputs comprises receiving information from a ticket.

54. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein receiving user inputs comprises receiving user confirmation of information from a ticket.

55. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, wherein receiving user inputs comprises receiving user confirmation of marker information.

56. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising displaying an amount of marker dispensed from the marking dispenser onto the ground in a dig area and/or the amount of marker remaining in the marking dispenser.

57. A method for operating a marking apparatus as defined in claim 31, further comprising indicating at least one status of the marking apparatus.

58. A method for marking the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area using a marking apparatus that holds a marking dispenser, comprising:

verifying marker information associated with the marking dispenser; and

dispensing a marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground in the dig area in response to user activation of the marking dispenser, only if the marker information is verified.

59. A method as defined in claim 58, when verifying the marker information includes receiving a user confirmation of the marker information.

60. A method as defined in claim 58, wherein verifying the marker information includes comparing the marker information with information from a ticket.