METHODS, APPARATUS AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING SEARCHABLE ELECTRONIC RECORDS OF UNDERGROUND FACILITY LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS

• US 20110007076A1
• Filed: 07/07/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Steven, Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey, Block, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 8,907,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/441
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

Manual, semi-automated or automated image-based electronic manifests of locate operations. Multiple image layers may be selectively enabled or disabled for display to facilitate comparative viewing of different base images and/or categories of information overlaid on the base image(s) relating to the locate operation. Accuracy indicators and/or calibration factors may be employed to ensure geographic integrity and appropriate registration of displayed information. In one example, revision layers are employed so that “raw” data, modified data, and/or annotated images may be maintained and locked to prevent unauthorized modifications. Limited access files also may be employed to prevent unauthorized edits to or use of manifests. If a digital base image is not available or of poor quality, base images may be sketched manually (e.g., on a displayed grid) with a drawing tool, and/or edge-detection and other image processing algorithms may be employed to improve feature recognition and/or remove undesirable features. Safeguards are employed to ensure that manifests are created at or near the work site, and information in the manifests may be analyzed to assess labor/material costs.

Claims

1. A method for managing and displaying information relating to a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) electronically storing first information relating to a first electronic rendering of the locate and/or marking operation;

B) accepting from at least one user interface at least one user input relating to a modification of the first electronic rendering;

C) electronically storing second information relating to a second electronic rendering of the locate and/or marking operation, wherein the second electronic rendering is based at least in part on the at least one user input relating to the modification of the first electronic rendering; and

D) providing for independent enabling or disabling for display, via the at least one user interface, of (i) at least one first layer constituting at least part of the first electronic rendering, and/or (ii) at least one second layer constituting at least part of the second electronic rendering.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer comprises a plurality of layers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first electronic rendering includes a plurality of first layers;

the second electronic rendering includes a plurality of second layers respectively corresponding to the plurality of first layers; and

the at least one second layer is a revised version of at least one corresponding first layer of the plurality of first layers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first electronic rendering includes a plurality of first layers; and

the second electronic rendering includes a plurality of second layers respectively corresponding to only some of the plurality of first layers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one second layer is a revised version of at least one corresponding first layer of the plurality of first layers.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of first layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility type; and

the plurality of second layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first facility type.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of first layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility owner; and

the plurality of second layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first facility owner.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the plurality of first layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first landmark type; and

the plurality of second layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first landmark type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first electronic rendering includes a plurality of first layers;

the second electronic rendering includes a plurality of second layers; and

the at least one second layer does not correspond to any first layer of the plurality of first layers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

all of the plurality of first layers are included in the plurality of second layers; and

the plurality of second layers includes at least one additional layer not found in the plurality of first layers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first information is write-protected to prevent unauthorized modifications thereto.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first information is copy-protected information to prevent unauthorized copying, and wherein the second information does not include the copy-protected information.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein D) comprises:

providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of only the at least one second layer such that the at least one first layer is unavailable for selective display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein D) comprises:

providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of both the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer to facilitate comparative viewing of the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

E) rendering for display on a display device only enabled layers of the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

E) rendering for display on a display device a layer legend indicating the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer;

wherein D) comprises selecting for enabling or disabling for display at least one layer of the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer indicated in the layer legend.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein B) comprises:

limiting the scope and/or type of at least one user input relating to the modification of the first electronic rendering based at least in part on an identity or a class of a user and editing privileges associated with the identity or the class or the user.

18. An apparatus for managing and displaying information relating to a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

a memory to store processor-executable instructions;

at least one user interface; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the at least one user interface, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor;

A) controls the memory to electronically store first information relating to a first electronic rendering of the locate and/or marking operation;

B) accepts from the at least one user interface at least one user input relating to a modification of the first electronic rendering;

C) controls the memory to electronically store second information relating to a second electronic rendering of the locate and/or marking operation, wherein the second electronic rendering is based at least in part based on the at least one user input; and

D) provides for independent enabling or disabling for display, via the at least one user interface, of (i) at least one first layer constituting at least part of the first electronic rendering, and/or (ii) at least one second layer constituting at least part of the second electronic rendering.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer comprises a plurality of layers.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the first electronic rendering includes a plurality of first layers;

the second electronic rendering includes a plurality of second layers respectively corresponding to the plurality of first layers; and

the at least one second layer is a revised version of at least one corresponding first layer of the plurality of first layers.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the first electronic rendering includes a plurality of first layers; and

the second electronic rendering includes a plurality of second layers respectively corresponding to only some of the plurality of first layers.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one second layer is a revised version of at least one corresponding first layer of the plurality of first layers.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the plurality of first layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility type; and

the plurality of second layers does not include any layers corresponding to the first facility type.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein:

the plurality of first layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility owner; and

the plurality of second layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first facility owner.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

the first electronic rendering includes a plurality of first layers;

the second electronic rendering includes a plurality of second layers; and

the at least one second layer does not correspond to any first layer of the plurality of first layers.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein:

all of the plurality of first layers are included in the plurality of second layers; and

the plurality of second layers includes at least one additional layer not found in the plurality of first layers.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the first information is write-protected to prevent unauthorized modifications thereto.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the first information is copy-protected information to prevent unauthorized copying, and wherein the second information does not include the copy-protected information.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein in D), the processor:

provides for independent enabling or disabling for display of only the at least one second layer such that the at least one first layer is unavailable for selective display.

30. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein in D), the processor:

provides for independent enabling or disabling for display of both the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer to facilitate comparative viewing of first and second electronic renderings.

31. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor:

renders for display on a display device only enabled layers of the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer.

32. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor:

renders for display on a display device a layer legend indicating the at least one first layer and the at least one second layer; and

selects for enabling or disabling for display at least one layer of the at least one first layer and/or the at least one second layer indicated in the layer legend.

33. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor:

limits the scope and/or type of at least one user input relating to the modification of the first electronic rendering based at least in part on an identity or a class of a user and editing privileges associated with the identity or the class or the user.

34. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one program including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for managing and displaying information relating to a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) electronically storing first information relating to a first electronic rendering of the locate and/or marking operation;

B) accepting at least one user input relating to a modification of the first electronic rendering;

C) electronically storing second information relating to a second electronic rendering of the locate and/or marking operation, wherein the second electronic rendering is based at least in part on the at least one user input relating to the modification of the first electronic rendering; and

D) providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of (i) at least one first layer comprising the first electronic rendering, and/or (ii) at least one second layer comprising the second electronic rendering.

35. A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) electronically categorizing information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation into a plurality of display layers of the electronic rendering, the plurality of display layers including;

at least one first display layer comprising original information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation; and

at least one second display layer comprising modified information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation, wherein the modified information is based at least in part on one or more revisions to the original information;

B) providing for independent enabling or disabling for display, via at least one user interface, of the at least one first display layer and the at least one second display layer; and

C) displaying in a display field of the display device only enabled display layers of the plurality of display layers so as to provide the electronic rendering of the locate operation and/or the marking operation.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein:

the at least one first display layer includes a plurality of first display layers;

the at least one second display layer includes a plurality of second display layers respectively corresponding to the plurality of first display layers; and

the at least one second display layer is a revised version of a corresponding first display layer of the plurality of first display layers.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein:

the one or more revisions to the original information comprise excluding some of the original information, such that the modified information is less than the original information;

the at least one first display layer includes a plurality of first display layers; and

the at least one second display layer includes a plurality of second display layers respectively corresponding to only some of the plurality of first display layers.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the at least one second display layer is a revised version of a corresponding first display layer of the plurality of first display layers.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein:

the plurality of first display layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility type; and

the plurality of second display layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first facility type.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein:

the plurality of first display layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility owner; and

the plurality of second display layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first facility owner.

41. The method of claim 37, wherein:

the plurality of first display layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first landmark type; and

the plurality of second display layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first landmark type.

42. The method of claim 35, wherein:

the at least one first display layer includes a plurality of first display layers;

the at least one second display layer includes a plurality of second display layers; and

the at least one second display layer does not correspond to any first display layer of the plurality of first display layers.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein:

all of the plurality of first display layers are included in the plurality of second display layers; and

the plurality of second display layers includes at least one additional layer not found in the plurality of first display layers.

44. The method of claim 35, wherein at least a portion of the original information is write-protected to prevent unauthorized modifications thereto.

45. The method of claim 35, wherein at least a portion of the original information is copy-protected information to prevent unauthorized copying, and wherein the modified information does not include the copy-protected information.

46. An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

a memory to store processor-executable instructions;

at least one user interface;

a display device; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one user interface, and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor;

A) electronically categorizes information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation into a plurality of display layers of the electronic rendering, the plurality of display layers including;

at least one first display layer comprising original information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation; and

at least one second display layer comprising modified information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation, wherein the modified information is based at least in part on one or more revisions to the original information;

B) provides for independent enabling or disabling for display, via at least one user interface, of the at least one first display layer and the at least one second display layer; and

C) controls the display device so as to display only enabled display layers of the plurality of display layers so as to provide the electronic rendering of the locate operation and/or the marking operation.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the at least one first display layer includes a plurality of first display layers;

the at least one second display layer includes a plurality of second display layers respectively corresponding to the plurality of first display layers; and

the at least one second display layer is a revised version of a corresponding first display layer of the plurality of first display layers.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the one or more revisions to the original information comprise excluding some of the original information, such that the modified information is less than the original information;

the at least one first display layer includes a plurality of first display layers; and

the at least one second display layer includes a plurality of second display layers respectively corresponding to only some of the plurality of first display layers.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the at least one second display layer is a revised version of a corresponding first display layer of the plurality of first display layers.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein:

the plurality of first display layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility type; and

the plurality of second display layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first facility type.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein:

the plurality of first display layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first facility owner; and

the plurality of second display layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first facility owner.

52. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein:

the plurality of first display layers includes at least one first facility layer corresponding to a first landmark type; and

the plurality of second display layers does not include any layer corresponding to the first landmark type.

53. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein:

the at least one first display layer includes a plurality of first display layers;

the at least one second display layer includes a plurality of second display layers; and

the at least one second display layer does not correspond to any first display layer of the plurality of first display layers.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein:

all of the plurality of first display layers are included in the plurality of second display layers; and

the plurality of second display layers includes at least one additional layer not found in the plurality of first display layers.

55. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein at least a portion of the original information is write-protected to prevent unauthorized modifications thereto.

56. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein at least a portion of the original information is copy-protected information to prevent unauthorized copying, and wherein the modified information does not include the copy-protected information.

57. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with at least one program including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation and/or a marking operation to detect and/or mark a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) electronically categorizing information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation into a plurality of display layers of the electronic rendering, the plurality of display layers including;

at least one first display layer comprising original information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation; and

at least one second display layer comprising modified information relating to the locate operation and/or the marking operation, wherein the modified information is based at least in part on one or more revisions to the original information;

B) providing for independent enabling or disabling for display of the at least one first display layer and the at least one second display layer; and

C) displaying in a display field only enabled display layers of the plurality of display layers so as to provide the electronic rendering of the locate operation and/or the marking operation.