METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR OVERLAYING ELECTRONIC MARKING INFORMATION ON FACILITIES MAP INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER IMAGE INFORMATION DISPLAYED ON A MARKING DEVICE

• US 20130186333A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• 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 9,177,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/712
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points
• 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 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods

Abstract

A marking device for a marking operation to mark a presence or an absence of one or more underground facilities is configured to access and display facilities map information, and/or other image information, as a visual aid to facilitate the marking operation. In various aspects, methods and apparatus relate to: selection of a “base” facilities map, or information from a database of facilities map data, relating to a given work site/dig area; selection of a pan and/or zoom (resolution) for displaying facilities map information; updating displayed facilities map information while a marking device is used during a marking operation (e.g. changing pan, zoom and/or orientation); overlaying on the displayed facilities map information marking information and/or landmark information relating to the marking operation; and storing locally on the marking device, and/or transmitting from the marking device, facilities map information and/or overlaid marking/landmark information (e.g., for further processing, analysis and/or subsequent display).

Claims

1. A marking apparatus to mark a presence or an absence of an underground facility, the marking apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a marking dispenser holder coupled to the housing to hold a replaceable marking material;

an actuator that, when actuated, causes dispensing of the marking material;

at least one sensor, coupled to the housing, to output geographic information indicative of a geographic location of the marking apparatus;

a display device coupled to the housing;

at least one memory; and

at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the display device, the at least one sensor, and the at least one memory, the at least one processor configured to;

obtain ticket information from a ticket associated with a marking operation for which the marking apparatus is used to mark the presence or the absence of the underground facility, wherein the ticket information is indicative of a facility type of the underground facility;

select digital image data for display on the display device, the digital image data being selected based at least in part on;

the ticket information indicative of the facility type to be located;

and

the geographic information output by the at least one sensor and indicative of the geographic location of the marking apparatus;

display on the display device a digital image, wherein the digital image is generated based on the selected digital image data, and wherein the selected digital image data includes at least one of facilities map data, survey map data, land survey data, photographic image data, construction drawings, and engineering drawings; and

overlay on the displayed digital image, an electronic representation of the marking material representing a location at which the marking material was dispensed.

2. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the marking apparatus comprises at least one communication interface, coupled to the at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

control the at least one communication interface to receive the ticket information.

3. The marking apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

select from the at least one memory or control the at least one communication interface to receive the digital image data for display on the display device.

4. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

select the digital image data in response to a user input.

5. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selected digital image data includes photographic image data.

6. The marking apparatus of claim 5, wherein the photographic image data includes street level image data.

7. The marking apparatus of claim 5, wherein the photographic image data includes satellite image data.

8. The marking apparatus of claim 5, wherein the photographic image data includes aerial image data.

9. The marking apparatus of claim 8, wherein the aerial image data is updated periodically to capture changes in a given geographic area over time.

10. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that is coupled to the housing.

11. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one sensor comprises an electronic compass;

the information provided by the at least one sensor comprises information indicative of a heading of the marking apparatus; and

the at least one processor is configured to select the digital image data based at least in part on the heading of the marking apparatus.

12. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to select an orientation at which to display, on the display device, the digital image, based at least in part on heading information indicative of a direction in which the marking apparatus is moving.

13. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to select the digital image data based, at least in part, on a virtual white line image that indicates a location at which excavation is planned.

14. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the digital image data comprises first facilities map data, wherein the at least one memory stores the facilities map data including the first facilities map data, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to select the first facilities map data from the facilities map data stored in the at least one memory.

15. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the marking apparatus comprises at least one communication interface, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

store in the at least one memory, or transmit from the marking apparatus via the at least one communication interface, information relating to the overlaid electronic representation of the marking material.

16. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the marking apparatus comprises at least one communication interface, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

store in the at least one memory, or transmit from the marking apparatus via the at least one communication interface;

at least one of the displayed digital image and the selected digital image data; and

information relating to the overlaid electronic representation of the marking material.

17. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to obtain at least a portion of the digital image data from a remote device.

18. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to store the at least the portion of the digital image data in the at least one memory.

19. The marking apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least the portion of the digital image data comprises at least one map image.

20. The marking apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the digital image based on the at least the portion of the digital image data.

21. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital image comprises a map that includes a geographic location of the marking apparatus, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the geographic location of the marking apparatus to be indicated on the digital image when displayed on the display device.

22. The marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital image comprises a first image layer, wherein the electronic representation of the marking material comprises a second image layer, and wherein the processor is configured to cause at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device.

23. The marking apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device in response to user input.

24. The marking apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second image layer comprises at least two sub-layers, and wherein the processor is configured to cause at least one of a first sub-layer of the second image layer and a second sub-layer of the second image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device.

25. The marking apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a timing sub-layer that includes an electronic representation of the marking material that was dispensed during a defined time window.

26. The marking apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a ticket sub-layer that includes displayed information relating to at least one aspect of a ticket for a locate operation or the marking operation for which the marking material was dispensed.

27. The marking apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one aspect of the ticket for the locate operation or the marking operation is at least one of:

a ticket number identifying the ticket;

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

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

at least one ground type identifier representing a ground type for a work site or dig area at which at least one of the locate operation and the marking operation is performed; and

the first sub-layer of the second image layer includes one or more of;

a ticket number sub-layer;

a requesting party sub-layer;

a facility type sub-layer; and

a ground type sub-layer.

28. The marking apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a service-related sub-layer that includes service-related information relating to at least one aspect of a locate operation or the marking operation for which the marking material was dispensed.

29. The marking apparatus claim 28, wherein:

the service-related information includes one or more of;

at least one service provider identifier representing a service provider overseeing performance of the locate operation or the marking operation;

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

at least one device identifier representing at least one device used by the technician during the locate operation or the marking operation; and

at least one status identifier representing an operating status of at least one aspect of the at least one device; and

the first sub-layer of the second image layer includes one or more of;

a service provider sub-layer;

a technician sub-layer;

a device sub-layer; and

an operating status sub-layer.

30. The marking apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a geographic sub-layer comprising an electronic representation of the marking material dispensed in a particular geographic region.

31. The marking apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least two sub-layers of the second image layer comprise a first sub-layer of the second image layer that includes an electronic representation of the marking material corresponding to a first facility type, and a second sub-layer of the second image layer that includes an electronic representation of the marking material corresponding to the second facility type.

32. The marking apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured to cause the first sub-layer of the second image layer or the second sub-layer of the second image layer to be displayed on the display device in response to user input or is configured to cause the first sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers or the second sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers to not be displayed on the display device in response to user input.

33. The marking apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured to automatically select either the first sub-layer of the second image layer or the second sub-layer of the second image layer to be displayed on the display device.

34. The marking apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured to automatically select either the first sub-layer of the second image layer or the second sub-layer of the second image layer to be displayed on the display device based, at least in part, on a color of the marking material in the marking dispenser holder.

35. The marking apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first image layer comprises at least two sub-layers, wherein a first sub-layer of the first image layer comprises a first portion of the digital image, and wherein a second sub-layer of the first image layer comprises a second portion of the digital image, and wherein the processor is configured to cause the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be displayed on the display device or to cause the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to not be displayed on the display device.

36. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to cause the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be displayed on the display device in response to user input or is configured to cause the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to not be displayed on the display device in response to user input.

37. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to automatically select either the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be displayed on the display device.

38. The marking apparatus of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to automatically select either the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be displayed on the display device based, at least in part, on a color of the marking material in the marking dispenser holder.

39. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to landmarks.

40. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to a type of landmark.

41. The marking apparatus of claim 25, wherein the type of landmark is one of:

telephone poles;

fire hydrants;

termination boxes;

curbs; and

manhole covers.

42. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines.

43. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines of a particular facility type.

44. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to a dig area indicator indicative a geographic area in which excavation is planned.

45. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines owned by a particular entity.

46. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines in a particular geographic region.

47. The marking apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that originally generated during a particular time window.

48. A method for displaying information on a marking wand having a housing, a marking dispenser holder coupled to the housing to hold a replaceable marking material, an actuator that, when actuated, causes dispensing of the marking material, at least one sensor coupled to the housing to output geographic information indicative of a geographic location of the marking apparatus, a display device coupled to the housing, at least one memory, and at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the display device, the at least one sensor, and the at least one memory, the method comprising:

obtaining ticket information from a ticket associated with a marking operation for which the marking apparatus is used to mark the presence or the absence of the underground facility, wherein the ticket information is indicative of a facility type of the underground facility;

selecting digital image data for display on the display device, the digital image data being selected based at least in part on;

the ticket information indicative of the facility type to be located; and

the geographic information output by the at least one sensor and indicative of the geographic location of the marking apparatus;

displaying on the display device a digital image, wherein the digital image is generated based on the selected digital image data, and wherein the selected digital image data includes at least one of facilities map data, survey map data, land survey data, photographic image data, construction drawings, and engineering drawings; and

overlaying on the displayed digital image, an electronic representation of the marking material representing a location at which the marking material was dispensed.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the marking apparatus comprises at least one communication interface, coupled to the at least one processor, and wherein the method further comprises:

controlling the at least one communication interface to receive the ticket information.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

selecting from the at least one memory or controlling the at least one communication interface to receive the digital image data for display on the display device.

51. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

selecting the digital image data in response to a user input.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the selected digital image data includes photographic image data.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the photographic image data includes street level image data.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the photographic image data includes satellite image data.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein the photographic image data includes aerial image data.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising

periodically updating the aerial image data to capture changes in a given geographic area over time.

57. The method of claim 48, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that is coupled to the housing.

58. The method of claim 48, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an electronic compass and wherein the method further comprises:

providing, by the at least one sensor, information indicative of a heading of the marking apparatus; and

selecting the digital image data based at least in part on the heading of the marking apparatus.

59. The method of claim 48, further comprising selecting an orientation at which to display, on the display device, the digital image based at least in part on heading information indicative of a direction in which the marking apparatus is moving.

60. The method of claim 48, further comprising selecting the digital image data based, at least in part, on a virtual white line image that indicates a location at which excavation is planned.

61. The method of claim 48, wherein:

the digital image data comprises first facilities map data, wherein the at least one memory stores the facilities map data including the first facilities map data, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to select the first facilities map data from the facilities map data stored in the at least one memory.

62. The method of claim 48, wherein the marking apparatus comprises at least one communication interface, and further comprising:

storing, in the at least one memory, or transmitting from the marking apparatus via the at least one communication interface, information relating to the overlaid electronic representation of the marking material.

63. The method of claim 48, wherein the marking apparatus comprises at least one communication interface, and further comprising:

storing, in the at least one memory, or transmitting from the marking apparatus, via the at least one communication interface;

at least one of the displayed digital image and the selected digital image data; and

information relating to the overlaid electronic representation of the marking material.

64. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

obtaining at least a portion of the digital image data from a remote device.

65. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

storing at least a portion of the digital image data in the at least one memory.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the at least the portion of the digital image data comprises at least one map image.

67. The method of claim 48, further comprising:

generating the digital image based on the at least the portion of the digital image data.

68. The method of claim 48, wherein the digital image comprises a map that includes a geographic location of the marking apparatus, and wherein the method further comprises:

causing the geographic location of the marking apparatus to be indicated on the map when displayed on the display device.

69. The method of claim 48, wherein the digital image comprises a first image layer, wherein the electronic representation of the marking material comprises a second image layer, and wherein the method further comprises:

causing at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein causing at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device is performed in response to a user input.

71. The method of claim 69, wherein the second image layer comprises at least two sub-layers, and wherein the method further comprises:

causing at least one of the first sub-layer of the second image layer and the second sub-layer of the second image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a timing sub-layer that includes an electronic representation of the marking material that was dispensed during a defined time window.

73. The method of claim 71, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a ticket sub-layer that includes displayed information relating to at least one aspect of a ticket for a locate operation or the marking operation for which the marking material was dispensed.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the at least one aspect of the ticket for the locate operation or the marking operation is at least one of:

a ticket number identifying the ticket;

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

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

at least one ground type identifier representing a ground type for a work site or dig area at which at least one of the locate operation and the marking operation is performed; and

the first sub-layer of the second image layer includes one or more of;

a ticket number sub-layer;

a requesting party sub-layer;

a facility type sub-layer; and

a ground type sub-layer.

75. The method of claim 71, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a service-related sub-layer that includes service-related information relating to at least one aspect of a locate operation or the marking operation for which the marking material was dispensed.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein:

the service-related information includes one or more of;

at least one service provider identifier representing a service provider overseeing performance of the locate operation or the marking operation;

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

at least one device identifier representing at least one device used by the technician during the locate operation or the marking operation; and

at least one status identifier representing an operating status of at least one aspect of the at least one device; and

the first sub-layer of the second image layer includes one or more of;

a service provider sub-layer;

a technician sub-layer;

a device sub-layer; and

an operating status sub-layer.

77. The method of claim 71, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a geographic sub-layer comprising an electronic representation of marking material dispensed in a particular geographic region.

78. The method of claim 71, wherein the at least two sub-layers of the second image layer comprise a first sub-layer of the second image layer that includes an electronic representation of the marking material corresponding to a first facility type, and a second sub-layer of the second image layer that includes an electronic representation of the marking material corresponding to the second facility type.

79. The method of claim 71, wherein causing the first sub-layer of the second image layer or the second sub-layer of the second image layer to be displayed on the display device or causing the first sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers or the second sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers to not be displayed on the display device is performed in response to user input.

80. The method of claim 71, further comprising:

automatically selecting either the first sub-layer of the second image layer or the second sub-layer of the second image layer to be displayed on the display device.

81. The method of claim 80, wherein either the first sub-layer of the second image layer or the second sub-layer of the second image layer is automatically selected to be displayed on the display device based, at least in part, on a color of the marking material in the marking dispenser holder.

82. The method of claim 69, wherein the first image layer comprises at least two sub-layers, wherein a first sub-layer of the first image layer comprises a first portion of the digital image, and wherein a second sub-layer of the first image layer comprises a second portion of the digital image, and wherein the method further comprises:

causing the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be displayed on the display device or causing the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to not be displayed on the display device.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein causing the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be displayed on the display device in response to user input or causing the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to not be displayed on the display device is performed in response to user input.

84. The method of claim 82, further comprising:

automatically selecting either the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be displayed on the display device.

85. The method claim 84, wherein either the first sub-layer of the first image layer or the second sub-layer of the first image layer is automatically selected to be displayed on the display device based, at least in part, on a color of the marking material in the marking dispenser holder.

86. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to landmarks.

87. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to a type of landmark.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein the type of landmark is one of:

telephone poles;

fire hydrants;

termination boxes;

curbs; and

manhole covers.

89. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines.

90. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines of a particular facility type.

91. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to a dig area indicator indicative a geographic area in which excavation is planned.

92. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines owned by a particular entity.

93. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes images relating to facility lines in a particular geographic region.

94. The method of claim 82, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that originally generated during a particular time window.

95. At least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processor in a marking apparatus having a housing, a marking dispenser holder coupled to the housing to hold a replaceable marking material, an actuator that, when actuated, causes dispensing of the marking material, at least one sensor coupled to the housing to output geographic information indicative of a geographic location of the marking apparatus;

a display device coupled to the housing, at least one memory, and at least one processor, communicatively coupled to the display device, the at least one sensor, and the at least one memory, the method comprising;

obtaining ticket information from a ticket associated with a marking operation for which the marking apparatus is used to mark the presence or the absence of the underground facility, wherein the ticket information is indicative of a facility type of the underground facility;

selecting digital image data for display on the display device, the digital image data being selected based at least in part on;

the ticket information indicative of the facility type to be located; and

the geographic information output by the at least one sensor and indicative of the geographic location of the marking apparatus;

displaying on the display device a digital image, wherein the digital image is generated based on the selected digital image data, and wherein the selected digital image data includes at least one of facilities map data, survey map data, land survey data, photographic image data, construction drawings, and engineering drawings; and

overlaying on the displayed digital image, an electronic representation of the marking material representing a location at which the marking material was dispensed.