Pipe mapping systems and methods

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for mapping pipes under inspection includes receiving, at a locator, magnetic field signals from a sonde deployed in a pipe or cavity, generating, in the locator, positional information associated with the pipe or cavity from the received sonde signals, and storing the positional information in a non-transitory memory of the locator. Depth information may be further determined for the pipe or cavity and the positional and/or depth information may be provided on a display device of the locator as an overlaid map display.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for mapping pipes under inspection, comprising:
 receiving, at a locator, magnetic field signals from a sonde deployed in a pipe or cavity;   generating, in the locator, positional information associated with the pipe or cavity from the received sonde signals; and   storing the positional information in a non-transitory memory of the locator.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining depth information of the buried pipe or cavity based at least in part on a magnetic field signal emitted from the pipe or cavity and storing the depth information in the non-transitory memory. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the magnetic field signal emitted from the pipe or cavity is generated from the sonde. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the magnetic field signal emitted from the pipe or cavity is generated from a current flowing in the pipe or cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a display of the positional information on a display device of the locator. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the positional information is overlaid on a graphical map display provided on the locator. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the positional information and the depth information is overlaid on a graphical map display provided on the locator. 
     
     
         8 . A system for mapping pipes under inspection, comprising:
 a sonde for insertion into a pipe during inspection;   a locator for receiving signals from the sonde and generating position information associated with the pipe from the received sonde signals;   a processing element programmed to receive the position information from the utility locator and generate mapping information associated with the pipe; and   a non-transitory memory for storing the generated mapping information.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a display device for providing a display of the mapping information. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processing element further determines depth information of the buried pipe or cavity based at least in part on a magnetic field signal emitted from the pipe or cavity and wherein the depth information is stored in the non-transitory memory. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a display device for displaying the mapping information and/or the depth information overlaid on a map.