Methods and apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation based on marking device actuations

• US 8,280,631 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• 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 E., Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/539,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20100086677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 701/521, 342/357.52, 427/136, 118/75
• US Class Current: 701/521
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/06 Surveyors' staffs; Movable markers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/003 Maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for generating electronic records of marking operations for underground facilities/utilities. Electronic records of marking information may be logged/stored in local memory of a marking device, formatted in various manners, processed and/or analyzed at the marking device itself, and/or transmitted to another device (e.g., a remote computer/server) for storage, processing and/or analysis. In one example, multiple pieces of geo-location data (e.g., from a GPS receiver) are collected and logged per actuation of a marking device (e.g., a trigger-pull to dispense marking material). A computer-generated image or other visual representation of the marking operation may be electronically rendered in a display field based on logged marking information, essentially in real time as the marking operation is conducted, and/or recreated thereafter based on one or more stored electronic records.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for at least one actuation of the actuator, wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes:

a start actuation event entry including a start time for the at least one actuation; and

at least one additional actuation event entry representing an event occurring after the start time and associated with the at least one actuation, the at least one additional actuation event entry including the at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes a unique time stamp.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor logs into the electronic record one actuation data set for each actuation of the actuator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein upon the at least one actuation of the actuator, the processor polls the at least one input device during the at least one actuation to acquire and log into the actuation data set the at least one actuation event entry.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one input device includes a timing system to provide timing information, wherein the processor polls the timing system, and wherein the marking information includes the timing information provided by the timing system.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one input device includes a location tracking system to provide geographic information;

the marking information includes the geographic information provided by the location tracking system; and

the at least one actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes at least one geo-location data event entry including at least some of the geographic information.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the geographic information provided by the location tracking system includes at least one longitude coordinate, at least one latitude coordinate, and a corresponding geo-location data time stamp at which the at least one longitude coordinate and the at least one latitude coordinate are obtained by the location tracking system; and

the at least one geo-location data event entry includes the at least one longitude coordinate, the at least one latitude coordinate and the corresponding geo-location data time stamp.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one geo-location data event entry includes a plurality of geo-location data event entries having respective different geo-location data time stamps.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an elongated housing having a proximal end including a handle for a user and a distal end proximate to the ground, pavement or other surface, wherein the location tracking system is coupled to the housing nearer to the proximal end than the distal end.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one input device includes a timing system to provide timing information;

the marking information includes the timing information provided by the timing system; and

the at least one actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes at least one timing event entry including at least some of the timing information.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the timing information includes a start time of the at least one actuation, and wherein the at least one timing event entry includes a start actuation event entry including the start time of the at least one actuation.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the timing information includes an end time of the at least one actuation, and wherein the at least one timing event entry includes an end actuation event entry including the end time of the at least one actuation.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor further logs into the electronic record at least one other event entry having a corresponding time stamp.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising at least one power source, wherein the at least one other event entry includes at least one power status event entry including power information associated with the power source.

36. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one input device includes at least one communication interface, wherein the processor receives status information regarding operation of the communication interface, and wherein the at least one other event entry includes at least one communication interface event entry including the status information.

37. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor logs each actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set and the at least one other event entry on a different line in the electronic record.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein for each different line in the electronic record that includes multiple values, the multiple values are separated by commas.

39. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the processor generates the electronic record as an ASCII file or an XML file.

7. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for at least one actuation of the actuator,

wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device,

wherein upon the at least one actuation of the actuator, the processor polls the at least one input device during the at least one actuation to acquire and log into the actuation data set the at least one actuation event entry, and

wherein the at least one input device includes a plurality of input devices including;

a location tracking system to provide geographic information; and

a marking material detection mechanism to provide marking material information, wherein the processor polls the location tracking system and the marking material detection mechanism, and wherein the marking information includes the geographic information provided by the location tracking system and the marking material information provided by the marking material detection mechanism.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the location tracking system provides both the geographic information and timing information, and wherein the marking information includes the geographic information and the timing information provided by the location tracking system.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes:

at least one geo-location data event entry including at least some of the geographic information;

at least one timing event entry including at least some of the timing information; and

at least one marking material detection event entry including at least some of the marking material information.

17. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for at least one actuation of the actuator,

wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device, and wherein;

the at least one input device includes a marking material detection mechanism to provide marking material information;

the marking information includes the marking material information provided by the marking material detection mechanism; and

the at least one actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes at least one marking material detection event entry including at least some of the marking material information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the marking material detection mechanism includes at least one of:

a barcode reader;

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag reader;

an optical sensor;

an olfactory sensor;

an auditory sensor;

a weight sensor; and

a switch device.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the marking material information provided by the marking material detection mechanism and included in the at least one marking material detection event entry includes at least one of:

at least one signal indicating a presence or absence of the marking material to be dispensed by the apparatus;

a serial number associated with the marking material;

a universal product code associated with the marking material;

color information associated with the marking material;

brand information associated with the marking material;

type information associated with the marking material;

weight information associated with the marking material; and

inventory information associated with the marking material.

20. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for at least one actuation of the actuator, wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device; and

at least one user interface to provide at least one job initiation signal to the processor to initiate generation of the electronic record, wherein, in response to the at least one job initiation signal, the processor;

opens a file in the memory in which to store the electronic record;

assigns a file identification to the opened file;

monitors at least one actuation signal indicative of a state of the actuator; and

in response to the at least one actuation signal, logs into the electronic record stored in the opened file the actuation data set for the at least one actuation of the actuator.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein, via at least one of the at least one user interface and the at least one input device, the apparatus receives the file identification as a job number or ticket number associated with the marking operation, and wherein the processor assigns the job number or the ticket number to the opened file.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein, in response to the at least one job initiation signal, the processor further logs into the electronic record at least one other event entry having a corresponding time stamp.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one other event entry is included in the actuation data set for the at least one actuation.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the electronic record includes at least one first data element that does not correspond to any actuation of the actuator, and wherein the processor logs the at least one other event entry in the at least one first data element.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the at least one other event entry includes a start job event entry including a job initiation time stamp associated with the at least one job initiation signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least one pause signal is provided via the at least one user interface to the processor to pause generation of the electronic record, and wherein the at least one other event entry includes a pause job event entry including a pause job time stamp associated with the at least one pause signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least one stop signal is provided via the at least one user interface to the processor to indicate completion of the marking operation, and wherein the at least one other event entry includes a stop job event entry including a stop job time stamp associated with the at least one stop signal.

29. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for at least one actuation of the actuator,

wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device,

wherein the processor further logs into the electronic record at least one other event entry having a corresponding time stamp, and wherein;

the at least one input device includes a marking material detection mechanism to provide at least one indication of a presence or an absence of the marking material to be dispensed by the apparatus; and

the at least one other event entry includes at least one marking material detection event entry including the at least one indication of the presence or the absence of the marking material to be dispensed by the apparatus.

31. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for at least one actuation of the actuator,

wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device,

wherein the processor further logs into the electronic record at least one other event entry having a corresponding time stamp,

wherein, via at least one of the at least one user interface and the at least one input device, the apparatus receives ticket information relating to the marking operation, and wherein the at least one other event entry includes at least one ticket information event entry including the ticket information.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the ticket information includes at least one of:

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

at least one facility identifier representing a type of facility to be marked in the marking operation; and

at least one address of a work site and/or dig area at which the marking operation is performed.

33. An apparatus for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:

an actuator to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

at least one input device to provide marking information regarding the marking operation;

a memory to store processor-executable instructions and the electronic record of the marking operation; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the at least one input device, and the actuator, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processor, the processor logs in the electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for at least one actuation of the actuator, wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided by the at least one input device, wherein the processor further logs into the electronic record at least one other event entry having a corresponding time stamp, wherein, via at least one of the at least one user interface and the at least one input device, the apparatus receives service-related information relating to the marking operation, and wherein the at least one other event entry includes at least one service-related information event entry including the service-related information.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the service-related information includes at least one of:

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

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

at least one device identifier representing the apparatus.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one device identifier includes a serial number for the apparatus.

40. A method for generating an electronic record of a marking operation to mark on ground, pavement, or other surface a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:

A) effecting at least one actuation of an actuator of a marking apparatus to dispense a marking material so as to form at least one locate mark on the ground, pavement or other surface to mark the presence or the absence of the at least one underground facility;

B) providing marking information regarding the marking operation; and

C) logging into an electronic record an actuation data set including a plurality of actuation event entries for the at least one actuation of the actuator in A), wherein at least one actuation event entry includes at least some of the marking information provided in B).

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes:

a start actuation event entry including a start time for the at least one actuation; and

at least one additional actuation event entry representing an event occurring after the start time and associated with the at least one actuation, the at least one additional actuation event entry including the at least some of the marking information provided in B).

42. The method of claim 40, wherein each actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes a unique time stamp.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein C) comprises logging into the electronic record one actuation data set for each actuation of the actuator.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the marking apparatus includes at least one input device, and wherein the method further comprises:

D) upon the at least one actuation of the actuator in A), polling the at least one input device during the at least one actuation to acquire and log into the actuation data set the at least one actuation event entry.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the at least one input device includes a timing system to provide timing information, and wherein D) comprises polling the timing system, and wherein the marking information includes the timing information provided by the timing system.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the at least one input device includes a plurality of input devices including:

a location tracking system to provide geographic information; and

a marking material detection mechanism to provide marking material information, and wherein D) comprises;

polling the location tracking system and the marking material detection mechanism, and wherein the marking information includes the geographic information provided by the location tracking system and the marking material information provided by the marking material detection mechanism.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the location tracking system provides both the geographic information and timing information, and wherein the marking information includes the geographic information and the timing information provided by the location tracking system.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one actuation event entry of the plurality of actuation event entries in the actuation data set includes:

at least one geo-location data event entry including at least some of the geographic information;

at least one timing event entry including at least some of the timing information; and

at least one marking material detection event entry including at least some of the marking material information.