Methods for evaluating operation of marking apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for operating a marking apparatus that holds a marking dispenser formarking the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area, comprising:
- operating the marking apparatus in association with dispensing a marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground in the dig area to mark the presence or absence of the underground facility;
logging one or more data elements associated with operation of the marking apparatus in an electronic record of marking apparatus operation; and
analyzing at least part of the electronic record to provide an analysis result that is usable in evaluation of marking apparatus operation, wherein analyzing the electronic record is based on one or more of a type of marker dispensed, an amount of marker dispensed, a time of dispensing the marker and geographic coordinates where the marker was dispensed.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A marking system may hold a container from which markers are dispensed to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area. The container may identify a marker characteristic regarding the markers in the container. The marking system may receive activation of a trigger, dispense a marker from the container when the trigger is activated, and store the marker characteristic and time data when the trigger is activated. In other embodiments, the marking system may dispense a marker, determine location data and/or time data, and substantially simultaneously trigger the dispensing of the marker and logging of the location data and/or the time data. The location data identifies a geographic location where the marker is dispensed and the time data identifies the time when the marker is dispensed.
523 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for operating a marking apparatus that holds a marking dispenser for
marking the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area, comprising: -
operating the marking apparatus in association with dispensing a marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground in the dig area to mark the presence or absence of the underground facility; logging one or more data elements associated with operation of the marking apparatus in an electronic record of marking apparatus operation; and analyzing at least part of the electronic record to provide an analysis result that is usable in evaluation of marking apparatus operation, wherein analyzing the electronic record is based on one or more of a type of marker dispensed, an amount of marker dispensed, a time of dispensing the marker and geographic coordinates where the marker was dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A marking apparatus to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area, comprising:
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a housing configured to enable dispensing of a marker onto the ground for marking the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area; a marking dispenser holder affixed to the housing to hold a replaceable marking dispenser; an actuator to enable a user to cause dispensing of the marker from the marking dispenser onto the ground to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area; and a processing device to log one or more data elements associated with operation of the marking apparatus in an electronic record of marking apparatus operation and to analyze at least a part of the electronic record to provide an analysis result that is usable in evaluation of the marking apparatus operation, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the electronic record based on one or more of a type of marker dispensed, an amount of marker dispensed, a time of dispensing the marker and geographic coordinates where the marker was dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification