IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0792686
(2013-03-11)
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등록번호 |
US-8577707
(2013-11-05)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Nielsen, Steven
- Chambers, Curtis
- Farr, Jeffrey
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출원인 / 주소 |
- CertusView Technologies, LLC
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
49 인용 특허 :
122 |
초록
▼
A digital image (e.g., a facility map, an aerial/satellite image, an engineering drawing) is displayed on a display device of a locate receiver used to detect a presence or absence of an underground facility. Image data used to generate the image is selected based on information obtained from a tick
A digital image (e.g., a facility map, an aerial/satellite image, an engineering drawing) is displayed on a display device of a locate receiver used to detect a presence or absence of an underground facility. Image data used to generate the image is selected based on information obtained from a ticket associated with a locate operation for which the locate receiver is used, and geographic information indicative of a location of the locate receiver. Based on a strength of a magnetic field received by an RF antenna of the locate receiver, one or more electronic markings representing a detected presence of the underground facility are overlaid on the displayed digital image.
대표청구항
▼
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 magne
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 indicative of the presence or the absence of the underground facility;at least one sensor, coupled to the housing, to output geographic information indicative of a geographic location of the locate receiver;a display device coupled to the housing;at least one memory; andat least one processor, coupled to the processing circuit, the at least one sensor, the display device, and the at least one memory, the at least one processor configured to: obtain ticket information from a ticket associated with a locate operation for which the locate receiver is used to detect 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; andthe geographic information output by the at least one sensor and indicative of the geographic location of the locate receiver;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; andoverlay on the displayed digital image, based at least in part on the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field, at least one electronic marking representing a detected presence of the underground facility. 2. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the locate receiver 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 locate receiver 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 locate receiver 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 locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the selected digital image data includes photographic image data. 6. The locate receiver of claim 5, wherein the photographic image data includes street level image data. 7. The locate receiver of claim 5, wherein the photographic image data includes satellite image data. 8. The locate receiver of claim 5, wherein the photographic image data includes aerial image data. 9. The locate receiver of claim 8, wherein the aerial image data is updated periodically to capture changes in a given geographic area over time. 10. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that is coupled to the housing. 11. The locate receiver 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 locate receiver; andthe at least one processor is configured to select the digital image data based at least in part on the heading of the locate receiver. 12. The locate receiver 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 locate receiver is moving. 13. The locate receiver 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 locate receiver of claim 1, wherein: the digital image data comprises first facilities map data, wherein the at least one memory stores 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 locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: overlay the at least one electronic marking at a position on the displayed digital image corresponding to a location at which the presence of the underground facility is detected by the locate receiver. 16. The locate receiver of claim 15, wherein the locate receiver 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 locate receiver via the at least one communication interface, information relating to the at least one overlaid electronic marking. 17. The locate receiver of claim 15, wherein the locate receiver 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 locate receiver via the at least one communication interface: at least one of the displayed digital image and the selected digital image data; andinformation relating to the at least one overlaid electronic marking. 18. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: overlay at least one additional electronic marking at a position on the displayed digital image corresponding to a location at which the absence of the underground facility is detected by the locate receiver. 19. 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 at least one electronic marking representing the detected presence of the underground facility in response to an actuation of the actuation mechanism. 20. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate an indication of detection of the underground facility when the magnetic field strength exceeds a predefined threshold. 21. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to obtain at least a portion of the digital image data from a remote device and store at least the portion of the digital image data in the at least one memory. 22. The locate receiver of claim 21, wherein at least the portion of the digital image data comprises data relating to at least one map image. 23. The locate receiver of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate the digital image based on the portion of the digital image data. 24. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein the digital image comprises a map that includes the geographic location of the locate receiver, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the geographic location of the locate receiver to be indicated on the digital image when displayed on the display device. 25. The locate receiver of claim 1, wherein: the digital image comprises a first image layer;the at least one electronic marking comprises a second image layer; andthe 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. 26. The locate receiver of claim 25, 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 in response to user input. 27. The locate receiver of claim 25, wherein: the second image layer comprises at least two sub-layers; andthe processor is configured to cause 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. 28. The locate receiver of claim 27, wherein: the first sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers comprises a first electronic marking corresponding to a first location at which a first indication of detection of a first facility line of a first facility type is generated; andthe second sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers comprises a second electronic marking corresponding to a second location at which a second indication of detection of a second facility line of a second facility type is generated. 29. The locate receiver of claim 27, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a timing sub-layer that includes an electronic representation of multiple locations at which facility lines are detected during a defined time window. 30. The locate receiver of claim 27, 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 the ticket. 31. The locate receiver of claim 30, wherein the at least one aspect of the ticket is at least one of: a ticket number identifying the ticket;at least one party identifier representing a party requesting at least one of the locate operation and 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; andat least one ground type identifier representing a ground type for at least one of a work site and dig area at which at least one of the locate operation the marking operation is performed; andthe 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; anda ground type sub-layer. 32. The locate receiver of claim 27, 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 the locate operation. 33. The locate receiver of claim 32, 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;at least one technician identifier representing a technician that performs the locate operation;at least one device identifier representing the locate receiver; andat least one status identifier representing an operating status of at least one aspect of the locate receiver; andthe 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; andan operating status sub-layer. 34. The locate receiver of claim 27, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a geographic sub-layer comprising an electronic representation of facility lines detected in a particular geographic region. 35. The locate receiver 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. 36. The locate receiver 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 the facility type that a user is attempting to detect using the locate receiver. 37. The locate receiver of claim 25, 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 at least one of the first image layer and the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device. 38. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the processor is configured to cause at least one of the first sub-layer of the first image layer and the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device in response to user input. 39. The locate receiver of claim 37, 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. 40. The locate receiver of claim 39, 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 the facility type that a user is attempting to detect using the locate receiver. 41. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to landmarks. 42. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to a type of landmark. 43. The locate receiver of claim 42, wherein the type of landmark is one of: telephone poles;fire hydrants;termination boxes;curbs; andmanhole covers. 44. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines. 45. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines of a particular facility type. 46. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes a dig area indicator indicative of a geographic area in which excavation is planned. 47. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines owned by a particular entity. 48. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines in a particular geographic region. 49. The locate receiver of claim 37, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that was originally generated during a particular time window. 50. 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 indicative of a presence or an absence of an underground facility, at least one sensor to output geographic information indicative of a geographic location of the locate receiver, a display device coupled to the housing, at least one memory, and at least one processor coupled to the processing circuit, the at least one sensor, the display device and the at least one memory, the method comprising: obtaining ticket information from a ticket associated with a locate operation for which the locate receiver is used to detect 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; andthe geographic information output by the at least one sensor and indicative of the geographic location of the locate receiver;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; andoverlaying on the displayed digital image, based at least in part on the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field, at least one electronic marking representing a detected presence of the underground facility. 51. The method of claim 50, wherein the locate receiver 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. 52. The method of claim 51, 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. 53. The method of claim 50, further comprising: selecting the digital image data in response to a user input. 54. The method of claim 50, wherein the selected digital image data includes photographic image data. 55. The method of claim 54, wherein the photographic image data includes street level image data. 56. The method of claim 54, wherein the photographic image data includes satellite image data. 57. The method of claim 54, wherein the photographic image data includes aerial image data. 58. The method of claim 57, wherein the aerial image data is updated periodically to capture changes in a given geographic area over time. 59. The method of claim 50, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the housing, and wherein the method further comprises outputting, by the GPS receiver, the geographic information. 60. The method of claim 50, 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 locate receiver;selecting the digital image data based at least in part on the heading of the locate receiver. 61. The method of claim 50, 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 locate receiver is moving. 62. The method of claim 50, 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. 63. The method of claim 50, wherein the digital image data comprises first facilities map data, wherein the at least one memory stores facilities map data including the first facilities map data, and wherein the method further comprises: selecting the first facilities map data from the facilities map data stored in the at least one memory. 64. The method of claim 50, further comprising: overlaying the at least one electronic marking at a position on the displayed digital image corresponding to a location at which the presence of the underground facility is detected by the locate receiver. 65. The method of claim 64 further comprising: storing in the at least one memory, or transmitting from the locate receiver via a communication interface, information relating to the at least one overlaid electronic marking. 66. The method of claim 64, further comprising: storing in the at least one memory, or transmitting from the locate receiver via a communication interface: at least one of the displayed digital image and the selected digital image data; andinformation relating to the at least one overlaid electronic marking. 67. The method of claim 50, further comprising: overlaying at least one additional electronic marking at a position on the displayed digital image corresponding to a location at which the absence of the underground facility is detected by the locate receiver. 68. The method of claim 50, wherein the locate receiver comprises at least one actuation mechanism, and wherein the method further comprises: generating the electronic marking representing a detected presence of the underground facility in response to an actuation of the actuation mechanism. 69. The method of claim 50, further comprising: generating an indication of detection of the underground facility when the magnetic field strength exceeds a predefined threshold. 70. The method of claim 50, further comprising: obtaining at least a portion of the digital image data from a remote device; andstoring at least the portion of the digital image data in the at least one memory. 71. The method of claim 70, wherein the at least the portion of the digital image data comprises data relating to at least one map image. 72. The method of claim 71, further comprising: generating the digital image based on the portion of the digital image data. 73. The method of claim 50, wherein the digital image comprises a map that includes the geographic location of the locate receiver, and wherein the method further comprises: causing the location of the locate receiver to be indicated on the digital image when displayed on the display device. 74. The method of claim 50, wherein: the digital image comprises a first image layer;the at least one electronic marking comprises a second image layer; andthe 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. 75. The method of claim 74, wherein the act of 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 user input. 76. The method of claim 74, wherein the second image layer comprises at least two sub-layers including a first sub-layer of the second image layer and a second sub-layer of the second image layer, and wherein the method further comprises: in response to user input, causing at least one of the first sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers and the second sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers to be displayed on the display device and, in response to user input, causing at least one of the first sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers and the second sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers to not be displayed on the display device. 77. The method of claim 76, wherein the first sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers comprises a first electronic marking corresponding to a first location at which a first indication of detection of a first facility line of a first facility type is generated, and wherein the second sub-layer of the at least two sub-layers comprises a second electronic marking corresponding to a second location at which a second indication of detection of a second facility line of a second facility type is generated. 78. The method of claim 76, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a timing sub-layer that includes an electronic representation of multiple locations at which facility lines are detected during a defined time window. 79. The method of claim 76, 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 the ticket. 80. The method of claim 79, wherein the at least one aspect of the ticket is at least one of: a ticket number identifying the ticket;at least one party identifier representing a party requesting the locate operation;at least one facility identifier representing at least one of a type and number of one or more facilities to be detected in the locate operation; andat least one ground type identifier representing a ground type for at least one of a work site and dig area at which the locate operation is performed; andthe 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; anda ground type sub-layer. 81. The method of claim 76, 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 the locate operation. 82. The method of claim 81, 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;at least one technician identifier representing a technician that performs the locate operation;at least one device identifier representing the locate receiver; andat least one status identifier representing an operating status of at least one aspect of the locate receiver; andthe 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; andan operating status sub-layer. 83. The method of claim 76, wherein the first sub-layer of the second image layer is a geographic sub-layer comprising an electronic representation of a location at which facility lines were detected in a particular geographic region. 84. The method of claim 76, 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. 85. The method of claim 76, 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 the facility type that a user of the locate receiver is attempting to locate using the locate receiver. 86. The method of claim 74, 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 at least one of the first image layer and the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device. 87. The method of claim 86, wherein causing at least one of the first sub-layer of the first image layer and the second sub-layer of the first image layer to be selectively displayed on the display device is done in response to user input. 88. The method of claim 86, 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. 89. The method claim 88, 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 type of facility line that a user of the locate receiver is attempting to locate using the locate receiver. 90. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to landmarks. 91. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to a type of landmark. 92. The method of claim 91, wherein the type of landmark is one of: telephone poles;fire hydrants;termination boxes;curbs; andmanhole covers. 93. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines. 94. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines of a particular facility type. 95. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that includes a dig area indicator indicative a geographic area in which excavation is planned. 96. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines owned by a particular entity. 97. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image relating to facility lines in a particular geographic region. 98. The method of claim 86, wherein the first portion of the digital image is a portion of the digital image that was originally generated during a particular time window. 99. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage device 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 indicative of a presence or an absence of an underground facility, at least one sensor to output geographic information indicative of a geographic location of the locate receiver, a display device coupled to the housing, at least one memory, and at least one processor coupled to the processing circuit, the at least one sensor, the display device and the at least one memory, causes the at least one processor to perform a method comprising: obtaining ticket information from a ticket associated with a locate operation for which the locate receiver is used to detect 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; andthe geographic information output by the at least one sensor and indicative of the geographic location of the locate receiver;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; andoverlaying on the displayed digital image, based at least in part on the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field, at least one electronic marking representing a detected presence of the underground facility.
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