METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ALERTS ON A LOCATE DEVICE, BASED ON COMPARING ELECTRONIC LOCATE INFORMATION TO FACILITIES MAP INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER IMAGE INFORMATION

• US 20130162431A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 06/27/2013
• 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: Nielsen, Steven, Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/00 Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F

Abstract

A locate receiver to detect an underground facility includes an RF antenna to receive a magnetic field and provide an output signal based on the received magnetic field, and a processing circuit for determining a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field based on the output signal. The locate receiver also includes a display device, a memory and a processor. A map image based on facilities map data is displayed on the display device. The processor compares a first location at which an indication of detection of the underground facility is generated to a second location of a facility line as indicated by the first map data, and generates an alert based on a disagreement between the first location and the second location.

Claims

1. A locate receiver to detect a presence or an absence of an underground facility, the locate receiver comprising:

a housing;

an RF antenna for receiving a magnetic field and outputting an output signal;

a processing circuit, for receiving the output signal from the RF antenna and determining a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field;

a display device coupled to the housing;

at least one memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the processing circuit, the display device and the at least one memory, configured to;

display on the display device a map image that is generated based on first map data that comprises facilities map data and is selected by the at least one processor; and

compare a first location at which an indication of detection of the underground facility is generated to a second location of a facility line as indicated by the first map data and generate an alert based on a disagreement between the first location and the second location.

2. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the locate receiver comprises at least one actuation mechanism, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the indication of detection of the underground facility in response to an actuation of the actuation mechanism.

3. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the indication of detection of the underground facility when the magnetic field strength exceeds a predefined threshold.

4. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to provide the alert to a remote device.

5. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the alert when the first location is within a threshold distance of the second location.

6. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the alert when the first location is not within a threshold distance of the second location.

7. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises an instruction to guide a user through an aspect of a locate operation, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the instruction responsive to the disagreement.

8. The locate receiver of claim 7, wherein the instruction indicates either to proceed or not to proceed with the aspect of the locate operation.

9. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate an instruction to re-perform an aspect of a locate operation when the first location is not within a threshold distance of the second location.

10. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the locate receiver further comprises at least one speaker, wherein the alert is an audible alert, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the audible alert via the at least one speaker.

11. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the alert is a visual alert, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the visual alert via the at least one display device.

12. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the locate receiver further comprises a vibrating device configured to, upon actuation, cause at least a portion of the locate receiver to vibrate, wherein the alert is a tactile alert, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the tactile alert by causing the vibrating device to be actuated.

13. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare the first location to the second location and log the disagreement.

14. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the map image comprises a facilities map, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to provide a user interface on the display device via which a user may input information related to the disagreement between the first location and the second location.

15. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the displayed map image includes an overlay of the first location at which the indication of detection of the underground facility is generated.

16. A method for displaying information on a locate receiver having a housing, an RF antenna for receiving a magnetic field and outputting an output signal, a processing circuit for receiving the output signal from the RF antenna and determining a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field, a display device coupled to the housing, at least one memory;

and at least one processor coupled to the processing circuit, the display device and the at least one memory, the method comprising;

displaying on the display device a map image that is generated based on first map data that comprises facilities map data and is selected by the at least one processor; and

comparing a first location at which an indication of detection of an underground facility is generated to a second location of a facility line as indicated by the first map data and generating an alert based on a disagreement between the first location and the second location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the locate receiver comprises at least one actuation mechanism, and the method further comprises:

generating the indication of detection of the underground facility in response to an actuation of the actuation mechanism.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating the indication of detection of the underground facility when the magnetic field strength exceeds a predefined threshold.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing the alert to a remote device.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating the alert when the first location is within a threshold distance of the second location.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating the alert when the first location is not within a threshold distance of the second location.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the alert comprises an instruction to guide a user through an aspect of a locate operation, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating the instruction responsive to the disagreement.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the instruction indicates either to proceed or not to proceed with the aspect of the locate operation.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

generating an instruction to re-perform an aspect of a locate operation when the first location is not within a threshold distance of the second location.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the locate receiver further comprises at least one speaker, wherein the alert is an audible alert, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating the audible alert via the at least one speaker.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the alert is a visual alert, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating the alert via the at least one display device.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the locate receiver further comprises a vibrating device configured to, upon actuation, cause at least a portion of the locate receiver to vibrate, wherein the alert is a tactile alert, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating the tactile alert by causing the vibrating device to be actuated.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

logging the disagreement between the first location and the second location.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

providing a user interface on the display device via which a user may input information related to the disagreement between the first location and the second location.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein the displayed map image includes an overlay of the first location at which the indication of detection of the underground facility is generated.

31. At least one computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processor in a locate receiver having a housing, an RF antenna for receiving a magnetic field and outputting an output signal, a processing circuit, for receiving the output signal from the RF antenna and determining a magnetic field strength of the magnetic field, a display device coupled to the housing, at least one memory;

and at least one processor, coupled to the processing circuit, the display device and the at least one memory, causes the at least one processor to perform a method comprising;

displaying on the display device a map image that is generated based on first map data that comprises facilities map data and is selected by the at least one processor; and

comparing a first location at which an indication of detection of an underground facility is generated to a second location of a facility line as indicated by the first map data and generating an alert based on a disagreement between the first location and the second location.

32. The at least one computer-readable storage device of claim 31, wherein the locate receiver further comprises at least one actuation mechanism, and the method further comprises:

generating the indication of detection of the underground facility in response to an actuation of the actuation mechanism.

33. The at least one computer-readable storage device of claim 31, further comprising:

generating the indication of detection of the underground facility when the magnetic field strength exceeds a predefined threshold.

34. The at least one computer-readable storage device of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

providing the alert to a remote device.

35. The at least one computer-readable storage device of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises:

generating the alert when the first location is within a threshold distance of the second location.

36. The at least one computer-readable storage device of claim 31, wherein the locate receiver further comprises a vibrating device configured to, upon actuation, cause at least a portion of the locate receiver to vibrate, wherein the alert is a tactile alert, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating the tactile alert by causing the vibrating device to be actuated.