Methods for evaluating operation of marking apparatus

US8401791B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CertusView Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• Steven Nielsen · North Palm Beach, US
• Curtis Chambers · North Palm Beach, US
• Jeffrey Farr · North Palm Beach, US
• Mark A. Conner · Bradenton, US
• Rene A. Vazquez · Herndon, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 2, 2009
• Grant date: Mar 19, 2013
• Expiry date: Feb 11, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S5/0294
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A marking system may hold a container from which markers are dispensed to mark the presence or absence of an underground facility in a dig area. The container may identify a marker characteristic regarding the markers in the container. The marking system may receive activation of a trigger, dispense a marker from the container when the trigger is activated, and store the marker characteristic and time data when the trigger is activated. In other embodiments, the marking system may dispense a marker, determine location data and/or time data, and substantially simultaneously trigger the dispensing of the marker and logging of the location data and/or the time data. The location data identifies a geographic location where the marker is dispensed and the time data identifies the time when the marker is dispensed.