MARKING APPARATUS AND MARKING METHODS USING MARKING DISPENSER WITH MACHINE-READABLE ID MECHANISM

• US 20090324815A1
• Filed: 04/24/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 8,473,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/137
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• 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: B65D 83/38 Details of the container body pressure relief devices B65D83/70
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/75 Aerosol containers not provided for in groups B65D83/16 - B65D83/74
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/16 Devices for marking-out, applying, or forming traffic or like markings on finished paving E01C23/14 takes precedence; inserting or forming in not-yet hardened paving E01C23/02, in recesses formed in fully-set paving E01C23/09; marking-out playing courts or playgrounds A63C19/06; applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05; road surface markings per se E01F9/50; Protecting fresh markings

Abstract

Marking devices for dispensing markers on the ground and marking methods are provided. The marking devices and marking methods use a marking dispenser having a machine-readable ID mechanism. The ID mechanism has data storage capability. In one embodiment, the marking dispenser may be provided with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. In another embodiment, the marking dispenser may be provided with a barcode. The type of information that may be encoded in the ID mechanism may include, but is not limited to, product-specific information, user-specific information, other predetermined information of interest, and any combination thereof. The ID information encoded in the ID mechanism may be collected and used for various purposes, such as, but not limited to, real-time product verification, tracking which user location received a batch of marking paint, tracking marking paint inventory, tracking marking paint problems, and tracking marking paint usage.

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 at least one marking dispenser;

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

at least one reader device to read ID information from an ID mechanism affixed to the marking dispenser; and

a processing device to generate marker information in response to the ID information received from the reader device, the marker information representing at least one characteristic of the marker.

2. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device comprises a radio frequency identification reader.

3. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device comprises a barcode reader.

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

5. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device is configured to read at least a product code from the ID mechanism.

6. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to automatically control at least one operation of the marking apparatus in response to the ID information.

7. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a communication system, wherein the processing device is configured to transmit at least part of the marker information to a remote device using the communication system.

8. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a local memory, wherein the processing device is configured to store at least part of the marker information in the local memory.

9. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the processing device is configured to provide at least part of the marker information to the user interface.

10. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a display device, wherein the processing device is configured to display at least part of the marker information on the display device.

11. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising one or more indicators, wherein the processing device is configured to activate at least one of the indicators in response to the marker information.

12. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device is activated to read the ID information from the ID mechanism in response to dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser.

13. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device is activated to read the ID information from the ID mechanism in response to a user input.

14. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device is activated to read the ID information from the ID mechanism in response to power up of the marking apparatus.

15. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device is activated to read the ID information from the ID mechanism at periodic intervals.

16. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reader device is activated to read the ID information from the ID mechanism in response to installation of a marking dispenser in the marking dispenser holder.

17. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to compare information based on the ID information with reference information and to automatically inhibit dispensing of the marker in the absence of a match.

18. A marking apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a communication system, wherein the processing device is configured to transmit at least part of the marker information to a remote device for inventory analysis.

19. A method for performing a marking operation for marking the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area using a marking apparatus that holds at least one marking dispenser, comprising:

dispensing a marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground in the dig area, in a marking operation, to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility, in response to activation of the marking dispenser;

reading ID information from an ID mechanism affixed to the marking dispenser; and

generating marker information in response to the ID information read from the ID mechanism.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein reading ID information comprises reading a radio frequency identification tag.

21. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein reading ID information comprises reading a barcode.

22. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein dispensing a marker comprises dispensing paint from a spray paint can holder.

23. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein reading ID information comprises reading at least a product code from the ID mechanism.

24. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising automatically controlling at least one operation of the marking apparatus in response to the ID information.

25. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising transmitting at least part of the marker information to a remote device using a communication system.

26. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising storing at least part of the marker information in a local memory.

27. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising providing at least part of the marker information to a user interface.

28. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising displaying at least part of the marker information on a display device.

29. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising activating at least one indicator in response to the marker information.

30. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the ID information is read from the ID mechanism in response to dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser.

31. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the ID information is read from the ID mechanism in response to a user input.

32. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the ID information is read from the ID mechanism in response to power up of the marking apparatus.

33. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the ID information is read from the ID mechanism at periodic intervals.

34. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the ID information is read from the ID mechanism in response to installation of a marking dispenser in the marking dispenser holder.

35. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising comparing information based on the ID information with reference information and automatically inhibiting dispensing of the marker in the absence of a match.

36. A method as defined in claim 19, further comprising transmitting at least part of the marker information to a remote device for inventory analysis.