Searchable electronic records of underground facility locate marking operations
US8290204B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 11, 2009 |
| Grant date | Oct 16, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 19, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06V10/245
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation in which a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area may be identified using one or more physical locate marks. Source data representing one or more input images of a geographic area comprising the dig area is received and processed so as to display at least a portion of the input image(s) on a display device. One or more digital representations of the physical locate mark(s) applied to the dig area during the locate operation are added to the displayed input image(s) as “locate mark indicators” so as to generate a marked-up image. Information relating to the marked-up image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.