METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS BASED ON PROCESS GUIDES
First Claim
1. A system for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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;
at least one input device; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one communication device, the at least one memory, and the at least one input device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processor;
A) controls the at least one communication interface and/or the at least one memory so as to acquire process guide information from a process guide associated with the locate and/or marking operation, the process guide comprising at least one task to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation;
B) receives performance information from the at least one input device, the performance information relating to at least one aspect of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by a locate technician; and
C) prior to completion of the locate and/or marking operation, generates at least one indication of at least one aspect of a quality assessment of the locate and/or marking operation based at least in part on the process guide information acquired from the process guide and the performance information received in B).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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. Electronic process guide information is acquired from a process guide associated with the locate and/or marking operation, wherein the process guide comprises at least one task to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation. Performance information relating to at least one aspect of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by a locate technician is received, and prior to completion of the locate and/or marking operation, at least one indication of at least one aspect of a quality assessment of the locate and/or marking operation is generated based at least in part on the process guide information acquired from the process guide and the received performance information.
326 Citations
72 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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:
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at least one communication interface; at least one memory to store processor-executable instructions; at least one input device; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one communication device, the at least one memory, and the at least one input device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processor; A) controls the at least one communication interface and/or the at least one memory so as to acquire process guide information from a process guide associated with the locate and/or marking operation, the process guide comprising at least one task to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; B) receives performance information from the at least one input device, the performance information relating to at least one aspect of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by a locate technician; and C) prior to completion of the locate and/or marking operation, generates at least one indication of at least one aspect of a quality assessment of the locate and/or marking operation based at least in part on the process guide information acquired from the process guide and the performance information received in B). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A computer-implemented method, performed at least in part by at least one processor, for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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:
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A) acquiring electronic process guide information from a process guide associated with the locate and/or marking operation, the process guide comprising at least one task to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; B) receiving performance information relating to at least one aspect of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by a locate technician; and C) prior to completion of the locate and/or marking operation, generating at least one indication of at least one aspect of a quality assessment of the locate and/or marking operation based at least in part on the process guide information acquired from the process guide and the performance information received in B). - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. At least one computer readable storage medium encoded with processor-executable instruction that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for facilitating a quality assessment of a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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:
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A) acquiring electronic process guide information from a process guide associated with the locate and/or marking operation, the process guide comprising at least one task to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; B) receiving performance information relating to at least one aspect of the locate and/or marking operation as performed by a locate technician; and C) prior to completion of the locate and/or marking operation, generating at least one indication of a quality assessment of the locate and/or marking operation based at least in part on the process guide information acquired from the process guide and the performance information received in B).
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Specification