Locate apparatus configured to detect out-of-tolerance conditions in connection with underground facility locate operations, and associated methods and systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A locate receiver for performing a locate operation to detect a presence or absence of an underground facility, the locate receiver comprising:
- at least one receiver antenna configured to detect a magnetic field from the underground facility;
an input device to provide an output signal indicative of at least one environmental condition of an environment in which the locate receiver is located;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions, and a target value or range of values; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the input device to receive the output signal from the input device wherein, upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor;
(A) compares the output signal to the target value or the range of values to determine if an out-of-tolerance condition exists,wherein, if the processor determines that the out-of-tolerance condition exists, the processor does at least one of;
(B) logs an out-of-tolerance indication into an electronic record stored in the memory;
(C) controls at least one output device of the locate receiver to generate an alert; and
(D) disables the at least one receiver antenna.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In connection with a locate operation to detect a presence or absence of an underground facility, a magnetic field from an underground facility is detected, and one or more signals also are obtained that are indicative of one or more environmental conditions in an environment in which the underground facility is detected. The signal(s) indicative of the environmental condition(s) are compared to a target value or range of values to determine if an out-of-tolerance condition exists.
351 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A locate receiver for performing a locate operation to detect a presence or absence of an underground facility, the locate receiver comprising:
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at least one receiver antenna configured to detect a magnetic field from the underground facility; an input device to provide an output signal indicative of at least one environmental condition of an environment in which the locate receiver is located; a memory to store processor-executable instructions, and a target value or range of values; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the input device to receive the output signal from the input device wherein, upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor; (A) compares the output signal to the target value or the range of values to determine if an out-of-tolerance condition exists, wherein, if the processor determines that the out-of-tolerance condition exists, the processor does at least one of; (B) logs an out-of-tolerance indication into an electronic record stored in the memory; (C) controls at least one output device of the locate receiver to generate an alert; and (D) disables the at least one receiver antenna. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for facilitating a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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(A) electronically receiving locate information including environmental information representative of at least one environmental condition of an environment in which the locate operation is located; and (B) comparing, using at least one processor, the locate information to a target value or a range of values for the environmental information representative of the at least one environmental condition of the environment in which the locate operation is located to determine if an out-of-tolerance condition exists, wherein, if it is determined in B) that the out-of-tolerance condition exists, the method further comprises at least one of; (C) logging an out-of-tolerance indication into an electronic record; (D) generating an alert; (E) inhibiting operation of a receiver antenna of a locate receiver used to perform the locate operation; and (F) inhibiting operation of transmitter circuitry of a locate transmitter used to perform the locate operation. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for facilitating a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
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(A) electronically receiving locate information including environmental information representative of at least one environmental condition of an environment in which the locate operation is located; and (B) comparing, via the at least one processor, the locate information to a target value or a range of values to determine if an out-of-tolerance condition exists, wherein, if it is determined in B) that the out-of-tolerance condition exists, the method further comprises at least one of; (C) logging an out-of-tolerance indication into an electronic record; (D) generating an alert; (E) inhibiting operation of a receiver antenna of a locate receiver used to perform the locate operation; and (F) inhibiting operation of transmitter circuitry of a locate transmitter used to perform the locate operation. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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Specification