METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING TECHNICIAN CHECKLISTS FOR LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS

• US 20110035252A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Steven, Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US12/837,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20110035252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/08 responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material to be discharged, of ambient medium or of target ; responsive to condition of spray devices or of supply means, e.g. pipes, pumps or their drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/12 responsive to conditions of ambient medium or target, e.g. humidity, temperature position or movement of the target relative to the spray apparatus B05B12/082, B05B12/084 take precedence
• 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: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

Processing a checklist for a locate and/or marking operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, wherein the checklist comprises a plurality of checklist items to be processed pursuant to the locate and/or marking operation. The checklist is displayed to a locate technician performing the locate and/or marking operation, and a status of at least one of the checklist items is determined based at least in part on at least one input received in connection with the locate and/or marking operation. An updated checklist is generated based on the status of the at least one of the checklist items.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed by at least one processor for processing a checklist for a locate and/or marking operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) displaying the checklist to a locate technician performing the locate and/or marking operation, the checklist comprising a plurality of checklist items to be processed pursuant to the locate and/or marking operation;

B) determining a status of at least one of the checklist items based at least in part on at least one input received in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; and

C) generating an updated checklist based on the status of the at least one of the checklist items.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein B) comprises:

receiving the at least one input from a piece of locating equipment used by the locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation, the at least one input comprising locating equipment data collected using at least one input device associated with the piece of locating equipment.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the locating equipment data comprises locate signal information provided by detection electronics of the piece of locating equipment.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the locating equipment data comprises marking material information provided by a marking material detection mechanism of the piece of locating equipment.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the locating equipment data comprises landmark information indicating a location of a selected landmark, the landmark information provided by a location tracking system of the piece of locating equipment.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the locating equipment data comprises timing information provided by a timing system of the piece of locating equipment.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the locating equipment data comprises environmental information provided by at least one environmental sensor of the piece of locating equipment.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the locating equipment data comprises operational information provided by at least one operational sensor of the piece of locating equipment.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

modifying the checklist based at least in part on the received locating equipment data

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein modifying the checklist comprises:

adding to the checklist an additional check list item; and

/or

modifying an existing checklist item in the check list.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the checklist items corresponds to a task to be performed by the locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation, and wherein B) comprises:

receiving the at least one input from the locate technician, the at least one input indicating the locate technician has completed the task or is unable to complete the task.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein B) further comprises:

when the at least one input indicates that the locate technician is unable to complete the task, prompting the locate technician to provide an explanation as to why the locate technician is unable to complete the task.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein A) comprises:

displaying, on a display device, at least one popup window corresponding to one or more checklist items in the checklist.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to completion of the locate and/or marking operation, providing, via at least one user interface, at least one indication to the locate technician with regard to the at least one of checklist items.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the at least one user interface comprises a visual indicator, and wherein providing the at least one indication comprises providing the at least one indication as a visual indication via the visual indicator.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the at least one user interface comprises an audible indicator, and wherein providing the at least one indication comprises providing the at least one indication as an audible indication via the audible indicator.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the at least one user interface comprises a tactile indicator, and wherein providing the at least one indication comprises providing the at least one indication as a tactile indication via the tactile indicator.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the checklist items relates to a type of underground facilities, and wherein B) comprises determining whether at least one facility of the type of underground facilities has been detected and/or marked in connection with the locate and/or marking operation.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the input comprises marking device data collected based on an actuation of a marking dispenser of a marking device used by the locate technician, and wherein B) further comprises:

using the marking device data to determine whether at least one facility of the type of underground facilities has been marked.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein C) comprises:

including in the updated checklist a timestamp indicating a time at which the status of at least one of the checklist items is determined and/or geographic location information indicating a location at which the status of at least one of the checklist items is determined.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

E) generating, based on the updated checklist, a summary report of tasks performed in connection with the locate and/or marking operation.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

E) generating, based on the updated checklist, an invoice or receipt for the locate and/or marking operation.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

D) providing information relating to the updated checklist to at least one business application of at least one party associated with the locate and/or marking operation, wherein the information is analyzed and/or used by the at least one business application.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the at least one business application is implemented on a remote computer, and wherein D) comprises:

transmitting the information relating to the updated checklist to the remote computer.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the at least one business application includes at least one of:

a technician scheduling and dispatch application;

an employee evaluation application;

a quality assessment application;

a data analysis application;

an excavator notification application;

a risk assessment application;

a ticket approval application; and

a billing application.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

E) analyzing the updated checklist to determine whether there is a discrepancy between expected and actual outcomes of the locate and/or marking operation; and

F) when it is determined that there is a discrepancy, notifying the locate technician of the discrepancy.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising:

G) logging information regarding the discrepancy in a summary report associated with the checklist.

28. At least one computer-readable medium encoded with processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for processing a checklist for a locate and/or marking operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) displaying the checklist to a locate technician performing the locate and/or marking operation, the checklist comprising a plurality of checklist items to be processed pursuant to the locate and/or marking operation;

B) determining a status of at least one of the checklist items based at least in part on at least one input received in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; and

C) generating an updated checklist based on the status of the at least one of the checklist items.

29. A system for processing a checklist for a locate and/or marking operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the system comprising:

at least one communication interface;

at least one memory to store processor-executable instructions;

a display device; and

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

A) controls the display device so as to display the checklist to a locate technician performing the locate and/or marking operation, the checklist comprising a plurality of checklist items to be processed pursuant to the locate and/or marking operation;

B) determines a status of at least one of the checklist items based at least in part on at least one input received in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; and

C) generates an updated checklist based on the status of the at least one of the checklist items.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a piece of locating equipment used by the locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation, wherein the piece of locating equipment comprises the at least one processor and the display device.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the piece of locating equipment includes one of a locate device, a marking device, and a combined locate and marking device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein in B), the processor receives the at least one input from at least one input device of a piece of locating equipment, wherein the at least one input comprises locating equipment data collected using the at least one input device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the locate equipment data comprises locate signal information provided by detection electronics of the piece of locating equipment.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the locating equipment data comprises marking material information provided by a marking material detection mechanism of the piece of locating equipment.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the locating equipment data comprises landmark information indicating a location of a selected landmark, the landmark information provided by a location tracking system of the piece of locating equipment.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the locating equipment data comprises timing information provided by a timing system of the piece of locating equipment.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the locating equipment data comprises environmental information provided by at least one environmental sensor of the piece of locating equipment.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the locating equipment data comprises operational information provided by at least one operational sensor of the piece of locating equipment.

39. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor further:

D) modifies the checklist based at least in part on the received locating equipment data.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein in D), the processor:

adds to the checklist an additional check list item; and

/or

modifies an existing checklist item in the check list.

41. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one of the checklist items corresponds to a task to be performed by the locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation, and wherein in B), the processor:

receives the at least one input from the locate technician, the at least one input indicating the locate technician has completed the task or is unable to complete the task.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein in B), when the at least one input indicates that the locate technician is unable to complete the task, the processor:

prompts the locate technician to provide an explanation as to why the locate technician is unable to complete the task.

43. The system of claim 29, wherein in A), the processor:

displays on the display device at least one popup window corresponding to one or more checklist items in the checklist.

44. The system of claim 29, further comprising at least one user interface communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein prior to completion of the locate and/or marking operation, the processor:

controls the at least one user interface so as to provide at least one indication to the locate technician with regard to the at least one of checklist items.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the at least one user interface comprises a visual indicator, and wherein the processor controls the visual indicator so as to provide the at least one indication as a visual indication via the visual indicator.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the at least one user interface comprises an audible indicator, and wherein the processor controls the audible indicator so as to provide the at least one indication as an audible indication via the audible indicator.

47. The system of claim 44, wherein the at least one user interface comprises a tactile indicator, and wherein the processor controls the tactile indicator so as to provide the at least one indication as a tactile indication via the tactile indicator.

48. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one of the checklist items relates to a type of underground facilities, and wherein in B), the processor determines whether at least one facility of the type of underground facilities has been detected and/or marked in connection with the locate and/or marking operation.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the at least one input comprises marking device data collected based on an actuation of a marking dispenser of a marking device used by the locate technician, and wherein in B), the processor using the marking device data to determine whether at least one facility of the type of underground facilities has been marked.

50. The system of claim 29, wherein in C), the processor includes in the updated checklist a timestamp indicating a time at which the status of at least one of the checklist items is determined and/or geographic location information indicating a location at which the status of at least one of the checklist items is determined.

51. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor further generates, based on the updated checklist, a summary report of tasks performed in connection with the locate and/or marking operation.

52. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor further generates, based on the updated checklist, an invoice or receipt for the locate and/or marking operation.

53. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor further:

provides information relating to the updated checklist to at least one business application of at least one party associated with the locate and/or marking operation, wherein the information is analyzed and/or used by the at least one business application.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the at least one business application is implemented on a remote computer, and wherein the processor controls the at least one communication interface so as to transmit to the remote computer the information relating to the updated checklist.

55. The system of claim 54, further including the remote computer, wherein the at least one business application includes at least one of:

a technician scheduling and dispatch application;

an employee evaluation application;

a quality assessment application;

a data analysis application;

an excavator notification application;

a risk assessment application;

a ticket approval application; and

a billing application.

56. The system of claim 29, wherein the processor further:

E) analyzes the updated checklist to determine whether there is a discrepancy between expected and actual outcomes of the locate and/or marking operation; and

F) when it is determined that there is a discrepancy, notifies the locate technician of the discrepancy.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the processor further logs information regarding the discrepancy in a summary report associated with the checklist.