Methods and apparatus for generating electronic records of locate operations

Abstract

Exemplary apparatus include locate devices that generate, store and/or transmit electronic records of locate information relating to detection of underground facilities. An exemplary method for analyzing and processing locate information includes a computer-implemented method for visually rendering (e.g., in a display field of a display device) various aspects of locate operations. In one implementation, an output stream of data packets may be provided, wherein each data packet includes one or more flag fields that are set or reset upon at least one actuation of an actuation system of a locate device, and wherein at least some of the data packets include locate information relating to a locate operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
 a memory to store processor-executable instructions and locate information, the locate information including:
 magnetic field information based on a magnetic field detected by at least one receiver antenna of at least one locate device used for the locate operation; and 
 geographic information indicating at least one location of the at least one locate device during the locate operation; and 
   a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor:
 A) displays in a display field of the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the locate information stored in the memory, wherein at least one characteristic of the at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information, and wherein at least one position in the display field at which the at least one electronic detection mark is displayed is based on the geographic information; and 
 B) displays, on the display device, a digital image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, the digital image generated based on at least one of an aerial image, photographic image, facility map, architectural drawings, construction drawings, engineering drawings, and land survey data; 
   wherein the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the digital image, based at least in part on the geographic information.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , in combination with the display device. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein the display device, the memory, and the processor are components of the at least one locate device. 
     
     
         5 . A method for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the method comprising:
 A) accessing an electronic record of the locate operation, the electronic record comprising a first data set associated with detection of the at least one underground facility by a locate receiver, wherein the first data set comprises a first piece of geographic information corresponding to a location at which the at least one underground facility was detected;   B) for at least the first data set of the electronic record, displaying on the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; and   C) displaying, on the display device, a digital image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, the digital image generated based on at least one of an aerial image, photographic image, facility map, architectural drawings, construction drawings, engineering drawings, and land survey data;   wherein:
 the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the digital image, based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; 
 the locate receiver includes at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility so as to provide magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; and 
 at least one characteristic of the displayed at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the displayed at least one electronic detection mark comprises at least one of at least one indicator of a magnetic field strength and a depth of the at least one underground facility based on the magnetic field information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the displayed at least one electronic detection mark includes one or more of a color, a shade, a line-type, a line-style, a symbol, or a graphic icon used for the displayed at least one electronic detection mark based on at least one of the magnetic field strength and the depth of the at least one underground facility. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein displaying on the display device the at least one electronic detection mark comprises displaying at least one of textual, numeric, and graphic elements based on at least one of the magnetic field information and the geographic information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the displayed at least one electronic detection mark comprises a dot or a line at the at least one appropriate position in on the display device based on the geographic information. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the geographic information comprises at least one longitude coordinate and at least one latitude coordinate, and wherein displaying on the display device the at least one electronic detection mark comprises displaying the at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the at least one longitude coordinate and the at least one latitude coordinate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein displaying on the display device the at least one electronic detection mark comprises displaying the at least one electronic detection mark on the display device during the locate operation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the display device is coupled to or included in the locate receiver, and wherein displaying on the display device the at least one electronic detection mark comprises providing essentially real-time feedback during the locate operation, via the displayed at least one electronic detection mark, to a user of the locate receiver. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the display device is disposed at a location remote from the locate operation, and wherein displaying on the display device the at least one electronic detection mark comprises providing essentially real-time feedback, via the displayed at least one electronic detection mark, to a supervisor monitoring the locate operation from the remote location. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising, prior to displaying on the display device the at least one electronic detection mark:
 receiving at least one event entry from the locate receiver, wherein the at least one event entry includes the geographic information and the magnetic field information.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein receiving the at least one event entry comprises:
 receiving the at least one event entry as at least one actuation data set collected in response to actuation of the locate receiver, wherein the at least one actuation data set includes the geographic information and the magnetic field information.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the at least one event entry includes a plurality of event entries;   each event entry of the plurality of event entries includes at least some of the geographic information and at least some of the magnetic field information; and   displaying on the display device the at least one electronic detection mark comprises displaying the at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the plurality of event entries.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein accessing the electronic record comprises receiving the electronic record from an archive of previously-completed locate operations. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for providing on a display device an electronic rendering of a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility, the apparatus comprising:
 a memory to store processor-executable instructions and an electronic record; and   a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor:
 A) accesses the electronic record of the locate operation, the electronic record comprising a first data set associated with detection of the at least one underground facility by a locate receiver, wherein the first data set comprises a first piece of geographic information corresponding to a location at which the at least one underground facility was detected; 
 B) for at least the first data set of the electronic record, displays on the display device at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; and 
 C) displays, on the display device, a digital image representative of at least a portion of an area in which the locate operation is performed, the digital image generated based on at least one of an aerial image, photographic image, facility map, architectural drawings, construction drawings, engineering drawings, and land survey data; 
   wherein:
 the at least one electronic detection mark appears in an appropriate position overlaid on the digital image, based at least in part on the first piece of geographic information; 
 the locate receiver includes at least one receiver antenna to detect a magnetic field from the at least one underground facility so as to provide magnetic field information based on the detected magnetic field; and 
 at least one characteristic of the displayed at least one electronic detection mark is based on the magnetic field information. 
   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the displayed at least one electronic detection mark comprises at least one of at least one indicator of a magnetic field strength and a depth of the at least one underground facility based on the magnetic field information. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the processor further, prior to displaying on the display device at least one electronic detection mark:
 receives at least one event entry from at least one locate device, wherein the at least one event entry includes the geographic information and the magnetic field information.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the at least one event entry includes a plurality of event entries;   each event entry of the plurality of event entries includes at least some of the geographic information and at least some of the magnetic field information; and   displaying on the display device comprises displaying the at least one electronic detection mark based at least in part on the plurality of event entries.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one electronic detection mark includes a single electronic detection mark based on at least two event entries of the plurality of event entries.