METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AN ELECTRONIC RECORD OF A MARKING OPERATION INCLUDING SERVICE-RELATED INFORMATION AND/OR TICKET INFORMATION

• US 20100086671A1
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• 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 8,457,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/8
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/06 Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for generating electronic records of marking operations for underground facilities/utilities. Electronic records of marking information may be logged/stored in local memory of a marking device, formatted in various manners, processed and/or analyzed at the marking device itself, and/or transmitted in whole or in part to another device (e.g., a remote computer/server) for storage, processing and/or analysis. In one example, service-related information and/or ticket information is collected and logged into an electronic record of a marking operation. Such information may in some cases be logged together with actuation data based on one or more actuations of a marking device (e.g., a trigger-pull to dispense marking material).

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation, wherein the marking information includes at least one of service-related information and ticket information;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record at least some of the service-related information and/or at least some of the ticket information provided by the at least one input device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor logs in the electronic record actuation data for at least one actuation of the actuator.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor logs in the electronic record the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information in at least one first data element of the electronic record, and wherein the processor logs in the electronic record the actuation data in at least one second data element of the electronic record different from the at least one first data element.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor logs in the electronic record at least some of the ticket information, and wherein the ticket information includes at least one of:

a ticket number identifying the ticket;

at least one party identifier representing a party requesting the marking operation;

at least one facility identifier representing a type and/or number of one or more facilities to be marked in the marking operation;

at least one geographic location identifier for a work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed; and

a description of the work site and/or dig area.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ticket information includes the ticket number, and wherein the ticket number includes a one-call center ticket number.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ticket information includes the at least one geographic location identifier, and wherein the at least one geographic location identifier includes a street address for the work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ticket information includes the at least one geographic location identifier, and wherein the at least one geographic location identifier includes geographic coordinates for the work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ticket information includes the at least one facility identifier, and wherein the at least one facility identifier includes at least one facility owner member code.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor logs in the electronic record at least some of the service-related information, and wherein the service-related information includes at least one of:

at least one service provider identifier representing a service provider for the marking operation;

at least one technician identifier representing a technician that performs the marking operation;

at least one device identifier representing the apparatus and/or other equipment used by the technician; and

at least one status identifier representing an operating status of at least one aspect of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the service-related information includes the at least one service provider identifier, and wherein the at least one service provider identifier includes a locate contractor identifier for a locate contractor dispatching the technician to perform the marking operation.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the service-related information includes the at least one device identifier, and wherein the at least one device identifier includes a serial number for the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises at least one power source to provide power to the apparatus;

the service-related information includes the at least one status identifier; and

the at least one status identifier includes power information regarding operation of the at least one power source.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises at least one communication interface;

the service-related information includes the at least one status identifier; and

the at least one status identifier includes communication interface status information regarding operation of the at least one communication interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one user interface to provide the at least one of the service-related information and the ticket information.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one communication interface to provide the at least one of the service-related information and the ticket information.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor logs in the electronic record the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information upon the at least one actuation of the actuator.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor logs in the electronic record the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information, together with at least some actuation data for at least one actuation of the actuator, in at least one actuation data set.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor receives the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information from the at least one input device prior to the marking operation, and wherein the apparatus stores the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information in the memory prior to logging in the electronic record.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor polls the at least one input device to acquire and log into the electronic record the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device includes a plurality of input devices including:

a location tracking system to provide geographic information; and

a marking material detection mechanism to provide marking material information,

wherein the processor polls the location tracking system and the marking material detection mechanism, and wherein the actuation data includes the geographic information provided by the location tracking system and the marking material information provided by the marking material detection mechanism.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor generates the electronic record as an ASCII file or an XML file.

22. A method for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) effecting at least one actuation of an actuator of a marking apparatus to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

B) receiving marking information regarding the marking operation, wherein the marking information includes at least one of service-related information and ticket information; and

C) logging into an electronic record at least some of the service-related information and/or at least some of the ticket information received in B).

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

D) logging into the electronic record actuation data for the at least one actuation of the actuator in A).

24. The method of claim 23, wherein C) comprises logging in the electronic record the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information in at least one first data element of the electronic record, and wherein D) comprises logging in the electronic record the actuation data in at least one second data element of the electronic record different from the at least one first data element.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein C) comprises logging in the electronic record at least some of the ticket information, and wherein the ticket information includes at least one of:

a ticket number identifying the ticket;

at least one party identifier representing a party requesting the marking operation;

at least one facility identifier representing a type and/or number of one or more facilities to be marked in the marking operation;

at least one geographic location identifier for a work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed; and

a description of the work site and/or dig area.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the ticket information includes the ticket number, and wherein the ticket number includes a one-call center ticket number.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the ticket information includes the at least one geographic location identifier, and wherein the at least one geographic location identifier includes a street address for the work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the ticket information includes the at least one geographic location identifier, and wherein the at least one geographic location identifier includes geographic coordinates for the work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the ticket information includes the at least one facility identifier, and wherein the at least one facility identifier includes at least one facility owner member code.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein C) comprises logging in the electronic record at least some of the service-related information, and wherein the service-related information includes at least one of:

at least one service provider identifier representing a service provider for the marking operation;

at least one technician identifier representing a technician that performs the marking operation;

at least one device identifier representing the apparatus and/or other equipment used by the technician; and

at least one status identifier representing an operating status of at least one aspect of the apparatus.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the service-related information includes the at least one service provider identifier, and wherein the at least one service provider identifier includes a locate contractor identifier for a locate contractor dispatching the technician to perform the marking operation.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the service-related information includes the at least one device identifier, and wherein the at least one device identifier includes a serial number for the apparatus.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the service-related information includes the at least one status identifier; and

the at least one status identifier includes power information.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein:

the service-related information includes the at least one status identifier; and

the at least one status identifier includes communication interface status information.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein B) comprises receiving the at least one of the service-related information and the ticket information via at least one user interface.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein B) comprises receiving the at least one of the service-related information and the ticket information via at least one communication interface.

37. The method of claim 22, wherein C) comprises logging in the electronic record the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information upon the at least one actuation of the actuator in A).

38. The method of claim 37, wherein C) comprises logging in the electronic record the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information, together with at least some actuation data for at least one actuation of the actuator, in at least one actuation data set.

39. The method of claim 22, wherein B) comprises receiving the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information prior to A), and wherein the method further comprises storing the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information in the memory prior to C).

40. The method of claim 22, wherein B) comprises polling at least one input device to acquire the at least some of the service-related information and/or the at least some of the ticket information.

41. At least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one program that, when executed by at least one processor, performs a method for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) logging into an electronic record actuation data for at least one actuation of a marking apparatus to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility; and

B) logging into the electronic record service-related information and/or ticket information relating to the marking operation.

42. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation, wherein the marking information includes at least one of service-related information and ticket information;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record actuation data for at least one actuation of the actuator, and wherein the processor further logs in the electronic record at least some of the service-related information and at least some of the ticket information provided by the at least one input device,

wherein the ticket information includes at least one of;

a ticket number identifying the ticket;

at least one party identifier representing a party requesting the marking operation;

at least one facility identifier representing a type and/or number of one or more facilities to be marked in the marking operation;

at least one geographic location identifier for a work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed; and

a description of the work site and/or dig area,

and wherein the service-related information includes at least one of;

at least one service provider identifier representing a service provider for the marking operation;

at least one technician identifier representing a technician that performs the marking operation;

at least one device identifier representing the apparatus and/or other equipment used by the technician; and

at least one status identifier representing an operating status of at least one aspect of the apparatus.