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 8,478,617 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Certusview Technologies LLC (Dycom Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Steven, Chambers, Curtis, Farr, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): FEENEY, BRETT A
• Application Number:
  US12/701,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• 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 device for a locate operation to detect 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 locate operation. In various aspects, methods and apparatus relate to: selection of an appropriate “base” facilities map, or information from a database of facilities map data, relating to a given work site/dig area; selection of an appropriate pan and/or zoom (resolution) for displaying facilities map information; appropriately updating displayed facilities map information while a locate device is used during a locate operation (e.g. changing pan, zoom and/or orientation); overlaying on the displayed facilities map information locate information and/or landmark information relating to the locate operation; and storing locally on the locate device, and/or transmitting from the locate device, facilities map information and/or overlaid locate/landmark information (e.g., for further processing, analysis and/or subsequent display). In one aspect, a location at which an indication of detection of a facility is generated is compared to a location of a facility line as indicated by the facilities map information/image information, and an alert is generated based on the comparison.

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

compare a location at which an indication of detection of the absence of a facility was generated to a location of a facility line as indicated by the first digital image data and generate an alert based on the comparison.

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 absence of the 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 absence of the facility when the magnetic field strength is below 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 location at which an indication of detection of the absence of a facility was generated is within a threshold distance of the location of the facility line as indicated by the first digital image data.

6. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the alert when the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated is not within a threshold distance of the location of the facility line as indicated by the first digital image data.

7. 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 alert via the at least one speaker.

8. 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 alert via the at least one display device.

9. 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 alert by causing the vibrating device to be actuated.

10. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to compare the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated to the location of the facility line as indicated in the facilities map data and log any discrepancy between the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated and the location of the facility line as indicated by the facilities map data.

11. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the digital 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 a discrepancy between the location at which the indication of detection of the facility was generated and the location of the facility line as indicated on the facilities map.

12. 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 digital image that is generated based on first digital image data that comprises facilities map data and is selected by the at least one processor; and

comparing a location at which an indication of detection of an absence of a facility was generated to a location of a facility line as indicated by the first digital image data and generating an alert based on the comparison.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the locate receiver comprises at least one actuation mechanism, and the method further comprises:

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

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating the indication of detection of the absence of the facility when the magnetic field strength is below a predefined threshold.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing the alert to a remote device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating the alert when the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated is within a threshold distance of the location of the facility line as indicated by the first digital image data.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating the alert when the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated is not within a threshold distance of the location of the facility line as indicated by the first digital image data.

18. The method of claim 12, 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 alert via the at least one speaker.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the alert is a visual alert, and wherein the method further comprises:

generating the alert via the at least one display device.

20. The method of claim 12, 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 alert by causing the vibrating device to be actuated.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated to the location of the facility line as indicated in the facilities map data; and

logging any discrepancy between the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated and the location of the facility line as indicated by the facilities map data.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

providing a user interface on the display device via which a user may input information related to a discrepancy between the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated and the location of the facility line as indicated on a facilities map.

23. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium 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 digital image that is generated based on first digital image data that comprises facilities map data and is selected by the at least one processor; and

comparing a location at which an indication of detection of the absence of a facility was generated to a location of a facility line as indicated by the first digital image data and generating an alert based on the comparison.

24. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the locate receiver further comprises at least one actuation mechanism, and the method further comprises:

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

25. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, further comprising:

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

26. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

providing the alert to a remote device.

27. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises:

generating the alert when the location at which the indication of detection of the absence of the facility was generated is within a threshold distance of the location of the facility line as indicated by the first digital image data.

28. The at least non-transitory one computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, 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 alert by causing the vibrating device to be actuated.