Haptic directional feedback handles for locating devices

Abstract

Locating devices and systems providing haptic tactile feedback are disclosed. In one embodiment, a locator includes a haptic handle configured to provide directional signals through an operator's sense of touch to aid in locating and tracing a buried conductor or other object such as a pipe or cable.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for providing tactile feedback in a utility locator, comprising:
 Providing, on or in a handle element of the utility locator, tactile feedback based at least in part on position information determined in the utility locator relating to a location of a buried object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the buried object is an underground pipe or conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the buried object is an underground wire or cable. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback indicates a position of the utility locator buried with respect to a location of the buried object. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing the tactile feedback from two or more feedback components disposed within the handle element.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback indicates one or more of a direction towards a location of the buried object, an amount of distance to the buried object, and a depth of the buried object below a surface. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback is modulated in one or more of time, frequency, and amplitude. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the position information based at least in part on magnetic field signals emitted from the buried object.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 generating, based on the position information, one or more control signals, wherein a feedback component provides the tactile feedback based on the one or more control signals.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the providing tactile feedback includes:
 providing a first tactile feedback output from a first tactile feedback component while providing no tactile feedback output from a second tactile feedback component to indicate a direction towards the location of the buried object.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first feedback component is disposed on a first side of the handle element and a second feedback component is disposed on a second side of the handle element. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for providing tactile feedback in a utility locator, the method comprising:
 providing one or more tactile feedback outputs based at least in part on position information relating to a location of a buried object.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the tactile feedback indicates a relative position of the utility locator with respect to a location of the buried object. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of claim  42 , the method further comprising:
 providing the tactile feedback from two or more feedback components disposed within a handle of the utility locator, wherein a first feedback component is disposed on a first side of the handle and a second feedback component is disposed on a second side of the handle.   
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the tactile feedback provides an indication of one or more of a direction towards location of the buried object, an amount of distance to the buried object, and a depth of the buried object below a surface. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the tactile feedback is modulated in one or more of time, frequency, and amplitude. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining the position information based on magnetic field signals emitted from the buried object;   generating, based on the position information, one or more control signals; and   providing, based on the one or more control signals, a first tactile feedback output from a first tactile feedback component while providing no tactile feedback output from a second tactile feedback component to indicate a direction towards the location of the buried object.