公开(公告)号：US09189821B2

公开(公告)日：2015-11-17

申请号：US13194121

申请日：2011-07-29

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr ,  Greg Block

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr ,  Greg Block

IPC分类号： G09G5/00 ,  G06Q50/06 ,  G06F17/30

CPC分类号： G06F17/30371 ,  G06F3/0482 ,  G06F17/30241 ,  G06Q50/06 ,  G09G5/00

摘要： Generating a digital-media-enhanced electronic record of a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician. The locate and/or marking operation comprises locating and/or identifying, using at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. A location of the at least one underground facility and/or the at least one physical locate mark is electronically rendered on a display device so as to generate an electronic visual representation of the locate and/or marking operation. At least one digital media file representation of a corresponding digital media file relating to at least one aspect of the locate and/or marking operation or an environment of the dig area is also electronically rendered on the display device, so as to generate a digital-media-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation. Information relating to the digital-media-annotated representation of the locate and/or marking operation is electronically transmitted and/or stored so as to generate the digital-media-enhanced electronic record of the locate and/or marking operation.

摘要翻译： 生成由定位技术人员执行的定位和/或标记操作的数字媒体增强型电子记录。 定位和/或标记操作包括使用至少一个物理定位标记来定位和/或识别挖掘区域内的至少一个地下设施的存在或不存在，其中挖掘区域的至少一部分可以被挖掘 或在开挖活动期间受到干扰。 至少一个地下设施的位置和/或至少一个物理定位标记被电子地呈现在显示设备上，以便产生定位和/或标记操作的电子视觉表示。 与定位和/或标记操作的至少一个方面或挖掘区域的环境有关的对应数字媒体文件的至少一个数字媒体文件表示也被电子地呈现在显示设备上，以便生成数字 - 媒体注释表示的定位和/或标记操作。 与定位和/或标记操作的数字媒体注释表示有关的信息被电子传输和/或存储，以便产生定位和/或标记操作的数字媒体增强型电子记录。

公开(公告)号：US09185176B2

公开(公告)日：2015-11-10

申请号：US12833121

申请日：2010-07-09

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

IPC分类号： G06Q10/10 ,  G06Q50/16 ,  G01C15/00 ,  H04L29/08 ,  G06Q10/06 ,  G06Q50/10

CPC分类号： G06Q10/06311 ,  G01C15/00 ,  G06Q10/06 ,  G06Q10/063 ,  G06Q10/06393 ,  G06Q10/06395 ,  G06Q10/06398 ,  G06Q10/1097 ,  G06Q50/10 ,  G06Q50/165 ,  H04L67/24

摘要： First ticket information describing a locate operation to be performed is electronically received, including image information and/or geospatial metadata relating to a dig area and/or a work site. Field information relating to the locate operation as at least partially performed and/or environmental information relating to the dig area and/or the work site is electronically received and processed to provide a quality assessment of the locate operation.

摘要翻译： 电子地接收描述要执行的定位操作的第一票信息，包括与挖掘区域和/或工作现场相关的图像信息和/或地理空间元数据。 电子地接收和处理与定位操作相关的至少部分执行的和/或与挖掘区域和/或工作现场相关的环境信息的场信息，以提供定位操作的质量评估。

公开(公告)号：US09019306B2

公开(公告)日：2015-04-28

申请号：US13191048

申请日：2011-07-26

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

IPC分类号： G09G5/00 ,  G06Q50/06 ,  G06F17/30

摘要： A method is disclosed for assessing an aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the operation. The operation includes locating and/or identifying, using a physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of an underground facility within a dig area. A portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. The method includes digitally representing, on a display device, the facility and/or the physical locate mark to generate an electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes determining a length associated with a portion of the digitally represented facility and/or physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes, based on the determined length, automatically assessing the aspect relating to the operation.

公开(公告)号：US08982152B2

公开(公告)日：2015-03-17

申请号：US13191048

申请日：2011-07-26

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

IPC分类号： G09G5/00 ,  G06Q50/06 ,  G06F17/30

摘要： A method is disclosed for assessing an aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the operation. The operation includes locating and/or identifying, using a physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of an underground facility within a dig area. A portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. The method includes digitally representing, on a display device, the facility and/or the physical locate mark to generate an electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes determining a length associated with a portion of the digitally represented facility and/or physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes, based on the determined length, automatically assessing the aspect relating to the operation.

公开(公告)号：US08977558B2

公开(公告)日：2015-03-10

申请号：US13208191

申请日：2011-08-11

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

IPC分类号： G06Q50/06 ,  G06Q50/08 ,  G06Q10/10 ,  G01V3/38 ,  G06F17/30

CPC分类号： G06Q50/06 ,  G01V3/38 ,  G06F17/30241 ,  G06Q10/103 ,  G06Q50/08

摘要： Electronically generating an engineering plan for installation of equipment, such as cable system equipment, at a work site. First geographic information relating to a first location of the work site is compared with second geographic information representing a second location of an engineer generating the engineering plan (or of a plan generating tool being used by the engineer to generate the plan) to verify that the engineer/tool is sufficiently near to the work site. A digital image of a geographic area including the work site is displayed on the plan generating tool, and user input is acquired from the engineer (e.g., via a user input device associated with the plan generating tool) relating to at least one first position, relative to the displayed digital image, representing a first equipment location of at least a first piece of the equipment to be installed at the work site. A marked-up digital image including at least one first digital representation of the first piece of the equipment placed on the displayed digital image is generated, based at least in part on the user input, and information relating to the marked-up digital image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to generate the engineering plan.

摘要翻译： 在工作现场电子产生安装设备（如电缆系统设备）的工程计划。 将与工作现场的第一位置相关的第一地理信息与表示生成工程计划（或由工程师用于生成计划的计划生成工具）的工程师的第二位置的第二地理信息进行比较，以验证 工程师/工具足够靠近工地。 在计划生成工具上显示包括工作现场的地理区域的数字图像，并且从至少一个第一位置的工程师（例如，经由与计划生成工具相关联的用户输入设备）获取用户输入， 相对于所显示的数字图像，表示要安装在工作现场的至少第一件设备的第一设备位置。 至少部分地基于用户输入生成包括放置在所显示的数字图像上的设备的第一部分的至少一个第一数字表示的标记数字图像，并且与所标记的数字图像相关的信息是 电子传输和/或电子存储，以便产生工程计划。

公开(公告)号：US08948596B2

公开(公告)日：2015-02-03

申请号：US13539383

申请日：2012-06-30

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Ronald Totten ,  Travis Halky

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Ronald Totten ,  Travis Halky

IPC分类号： H04B10/00 ,  H04J14/00 ,  H04B3/02 ,  H04B3/50 ,  H04B3/46 ,  H04J3/00 ,  H04J3/16 ,  H04W52/22 ,  H04L12/26 ,  H04B10/2575 ,  H04Q11/00 ,  H04B10/114 ,  H04N17/00 ,  H04N21/61

CPC分类号： H04B10/0773 ,  H04B3/02 ,  H04B3/46 ,  H04B3/50 ,  H04B10/03 ,  H04B10/1143 ,  H04B10/2575 ,  H04B10/25751 ,  H04J3/00 ,  H04J3/1694 ,  H04L43/08 ,  H04L43/0823 ,  H04N17/00 ,  H04N17/004 ,  H04N21/6118 ,  H04N21/6168 ,  H04N21/6175 ,  H04Q11/0067 ,  H04W52/225

摘要： A mobile transmitter traverses a drive path in a neighborhood node of a cable communication system and broadcasts a test signal at frequencies falling within an upstream path bandwidth. A navigational device generates a first record of positions of the transmitter along the drive path, and an analyzer monitors the upstream path bandwidth and generates a second record of received signal amplitudes of the transmitted test signal as a function of time. An ingress map is generated showing the drive path and potential points of ingress in the node, and employed to remediate faults particularly in the hardline coaxial cable plant. Iterative generation of maps and corresponding remediation in the node enable improved cable communication systems with reduced noise profiles between 5 MHz and 20 MHz and employing higher modulation order QAM communication channels (e.g., 256-QAM and higher) throughout the upstream path bandwidth to increase upstream capacity.

摘要翻译： 移动发射机穿过有线通信系统的邻居节点中的驱动路径，并以落在上游路径带宽内的频率广播测试信号。 导航设备沿着驱动路径产生发射机的位置的第一记录，并且分析器监视上游路径带宽，并且生成作为时间的函数的发送的测试信号的接收信号幅度的第二记录。 生成入口图，显示节点中的入口的驱动路径和潜在点，并用于修复特定于硬线同轴电缆设备的故障。 节点迭代生成和相应的修复使得改进的有线通信系统具有降低的5MHz和20MHz之间的噪声分布，并且在整个上游路径带宽中采用更高调制阶QAM通信信道（例如，256-QAM和更高）来增加上游 容量。

公开(公告)号：US08941684B2

公开(公告)日：2015-01-27

申请号：US13191048

申请日：2011-07-26

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

IPC分类号： G09G5/00 ,  G06Q50/06 ,  G06F17/30

摘要： A method is disclosed for assessing an aspect relating to a locate and/or marking operation performed by a locate technician based on an electronic representation of the operation. The operation includes locating and/or identifying, using a physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of an underground facility within a dig area. A portion of the dig area may be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. The method includes digitally representing, on a display device, the facility and/or the physical locate mark to generate an electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes determining a length associated with a portion of the digitally represented facility and/or physical locate mark in the electronic visual representation of the operation. The method further includes, based on the determined length, automatically assessing the aspect relating to the operation.

公开(公告)号：US08861795B2

公开(公告)日：2014-10-14

申请号：US13543359

申请日：2012-07-06

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers

IPC分类号： G06K9/00 ,  G06T17/05 ,  G01V8/10

CPC分类号： G01V8/10 ,  G06T17/05

摘要： Method and apparatus for facilitating detection of a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. At least one marked-up digital image of a geographic area including the dig area, the image including at least one indicator to delimit the dig area, is electronically processed by converting the at least one indicator to a plurality of geographic coordinates representing the delimited dig area. Information relating to a locate request ticket identifying the dig area to be excavated is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored, wherein the locate request ticket includes image data and non-image data associated with the dig area. The image data includes the at least one marked-up digital image of the geographic area surrounding the dig area, and the non-image data includes the plurality of geographic coordinates representing the delimited dig area.

摘要翻译： 用于便于检测挖掘区域内至少一个地下设施的存在或不存在的方法和装置。 通过将至少一个指示符转换成代表定界挖掘的多个地理坐标，电子地处理包括挖掘区域的地理区域的至少一个标记数字图像，该图像包括至少一个用于限定挖掘区域的指示符 区。 与识别要挖掘的挖掘区域的定位请求单相关的信息被电子传送和/或电子存储，其中定位请求单包括与挖掘区域相关联的图像数据和非图像数据。 图像数据包括围绕挖掘区域的地理区域的至少一个被标记的数字图像，并且非图像数据包括表示划定的挖掘区域的多个地理坐标。

公开(公告)号：US08770140B2

公开(公告)日：2014-07-08

申请号：US12797262

申请日：2010-06-09

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

IPC分类号： B05C11/00 ,  G05B11/01 ,  G05D7/00 ,  G01V3/00

CPC分类号： G01C15/04 ,  B05B12/0026 ,  B05B12/004 ,  B05B12/08 ,  B05B12/12 ,  B05B12/124 ,  B05B12/126 ,  B05D1/02 ,  B65D83/203 ,  E01C23/20 ,  E01C23/22 ,  E01C23/227 ,  G01C15/06 ,  G06Q10/06 ,  G06Q50/06 ,  G06Q50/08

摘要： Marking information relating to use of a marking device to perform a marking operation may be acquired from one or more input devices, logged/stored in local memory of a marking device, formatted in various manners, processed and/or analyzed at the marking device itself, and/or transmitted to another device (e.g., a remote computer/server) for storage, processing and/or analysis. In one example, a marking device may include one or more environmental sensors and/or operational sensors, and the marking information may include environmental information and operational information derived from such sensors. Environmental and/or operational information may be used to control operation of the marking device, assess out-of-tolerance conditions in connection with use of the marking device, and/or provide alerts or other feedback. Additional enhancements are disclosed relating to improving the determination of a location (e.g., GPS coordinates) of a dispensing tip of the marking device during use, a group/solo mode, and tactile functionality of a user interface.

摘要翻译： 可以从记录/存储在标记设备的本地存储器中的一个或多个输入设备获取与使用标记设备执行标记操作的标记信息，其以各种方式被格式化，在标记设备本身处理和/或分析 ，和/或被发送到另一个设备（例如，远程计算机/服务器）用于存储，处理和/或分析。 在一个示例中，标记装置可以包括一个或多个环境传感器和/或操作传感器，并且标记信息可以包括从这样的传感器得到的环境信息和操作信息。 可以使用环境和/或操作信息来控制标记装置的操作，评估与使用标记装置有关的超出公差状况，和/或提供警报或其他反馈。 公开了关于改善在使用期间标记装置的分配尖端，用户界面的组/独奏模式和触觉功能的位置（例如，GPS坐标）的确定的附加增强。

公开(公告)号：US08731999B2

公开(公告)日：2014-05-20

申请号：US12704485

申请日：2010-02-11

申请人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

发明人： Steven Nielsen ,  Curtis Chambers ,  Jeffrey Farr

IPC分类号： G06Q10/00 ,  G01V3/38 ,  G01V3/08

CPC分类号： G06Q10/06311 ,  G01C15/00 ,  G06Q10/06 ,  G06Q10/063 ,  G06Q10/06393 ,  G06Q10/06395 ,  G06Q10/06398 ,  G06Q10/1097 ,  G06Q50/10 ,  G06Q50/165 ,  H04L67/24

摘要： A holistic approach to management and oversight of locate and marking operations is provided. Initial requests to perform such operations are improved, and such requests are intelligently assessed to appropriately allocate resources to perform operations. Technicians are effectively dispatched and may be provided with process guides to facilitate performance. A host of information regarding the performance of locate operations and their environs is acquired (e.g., via improved intelligent instrumentation employed by technicians). A quality of operations (e.g., completeness, accuracy, efficiency) is assessed, corrective actions may be taken in essentially real-time as necessary, and information regarding operations and their quality assessments is archived for auditing purposes. Relevant information is communicated to one or more parties associated with the operations; in particular, requesting parties are apprised of the status of ongoing operations, and given confirmation that operations have been performed and are completed. Requesting parties and/or other interested parties (e.g., excavators, facility owners, locate contractors, municipalities, regulators, auditors, damage investigators, insurance companies, etc.) also may be provided with detailed information regarding the performance of operations and quality assessment of same.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种管理和监督定位和标记操作的整体方法。 改进执行此类操作的初始请求，并且智能地评估这些请求以适当地分配资源以执行操作。 技术人员得到有效的派遣，并可能会提供流程指南以促进绩效。 获取关于定位操作及其环境的性能的大量信息（例如，通过技术人员采用的改进的智能仪器）。 评估操作质量（例如，完整性，准确性，效率），必要时可以基本上实时地采取纠正措施，并将有关操作及其质量评估的信息存档以进行审计。 相关信息传达给与运营有关的一方或多方; 特别是请求方了解正在进行的操作的状态，并确认操作已经执行并完成。 请求方和/或其他有关方面（例如，挖掘机，设施所有者，定位承包商，市政当局，监管机构，审计员，损害调查员，保险公司等）也可以提供有关运营绩效和质量评估的详细信息 相同。