# US 2014/0195956 A1 · Electronic manifest of underground facility locate marks

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- Number: US 2014/0195956 A1
- Document ID: US20140195956A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/194,718
- Filed: 2014-03-01
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2008-02-12
- Assignees: CertusView Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: CertusView Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Steven E. Nielsen; Curtis Chambers
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195956A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
- G06K 7/10821: {further details of bar or optical code scanning devices}
- G06K 7/1096: {the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally placed scanning windows for integration into a check-out counter of a super-market}
- G06K 7/1098: {the scanning arrangement having a modular construction}
- G07G 1/0045: {with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- G07G: REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS

## Abstract

Methods and apparatus for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation in which one or more physical locate marks are applied by a technician to indentify a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area. A digital image of a geographic area comprising the dig area is electronically received, and at least a portion of the received digital image is displayed on a display device. One or more digital representations of the physical locate mark(s) applied by the locate technician are added to the displayed digital image so as to generate a marked-up digital image. Information relating to the marked-up digital image is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for generating an electronic manifest of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the method comprising:
A) electronically receiving a digital image of a geographic area comprising a dig area, at least a portion of the received digital image being displayed on a display device;
B) generating a marked-up digital image by adding to the displayed digital image at least one digital representation of at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation, the locate operation comprising identifying, using the at the least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities;
B1) converting the at least one digital representation to GPS coordinates; and
C) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image so as to generate the electronic manifest of the locate operation, wherein the information includes:
a timestamp indicative of when the locate operation occurred; and
at least one of i) the marked-up digital image and ii) the GPS coordinates.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein B) comprises:
adding, via a user input device associated with the display device, the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark to the displayed digital image, so as to generate the marked-up image.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the user input device comprises a stylus.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the user input device comprises a touch screen.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein prior to B), the method comprises:
displaying a palette on the display device; and
selecting a type of underground facility locate mark from the palette;
and wherein B) further comprises:
adding the at least one digital representation based on the selected type, such that the at least one digital representation includes at least one attribute representing the selected type of underground facility locate mark.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a color of the at least one digital representation.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein A) comprises:
electronically receiving the digital image and at least one electronic marking tool application to facilitate B).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
D) electronically receiving geographic location information; and
E) associating address information with the geographic location information,
wherein the information electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored in C) comprises the address information.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the address information includes at least one of a street address, a zip code, a street name, and a city.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the geographic location information corresponds to the dig area.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the geographic location information corresponds to a location of a user of the display device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein D) comprises:
electronically receiving the geographic location information as geographic coordinates from a GPS-enabled device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the information electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored in C) comprises time data to establish when the at least one physical locate mark was applied by the locate technician.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the information electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored in C) comprises a name of the locate technician.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the information electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored in C) comprises a name of a company responsible for performing the locate operation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the information electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored in C) comprises a set of geographic points corresponding to the at least one physical locate mark.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed digital image comprises an identification of an environmental landmark location, and wherein the information electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored in C) comprises time data that indicates the day and/or time that the environmental landmark location was identified by the locate technician.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed digital image comprises an identification of an environmental landmark, the method further comprising:
D) automatically calculating a physical distance between the environmental landmark and the at least one physical locate mark based on a representative distance between the identification of an environmental landmark and the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark in the displayed digital image.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein prior to D), the method comprises:
adding to the displayed digital image the identification of the environmental landmark.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the digital image received in A) comprises an identification of an environmental landmark.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving an input indicative of a condition of a user of the display device.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein the input indicative of a condition of a user includes information concerning one or more of: brain activity of the user, a heart rate of the user, and eye movement of the user.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein C) comprises:
electronically transmitting the information relating to the marked-up digital image to a central server.

### Claim 24

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed on at least one processing unit, perform a method of generating an electronic manifest of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the method comprising:
A) electronically receiving a digital image of a geographic area comprising a dig area;
B) receiving user input regarding a geographic location of at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation, the locate operation comprising identifying, using the at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities;
C) rendering a screen display of a marked-up digital image comprising at least a portion of the received digital image and at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark, wherein the at least one digital representation is positioned with respect to the at least a portion of the received digital image based at least in part on the user input received in B);
D) converting the at least one digital representation to GPS coordinates; and
E) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up digital image so as to generate the electronic manifest of the locate operation, wherein the information includes:
a timestamp indicative of when the locate operation occurred; and
at least one of i) the marked-up digital image and ii) the GPS coordinates.

### Claim 25

An apparatus for facilitating generation of an electronic manifest of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the apparatus comprising:
a communication interface;
a display device;
a user input device;
a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and
a processing unit coupled to the communication interface, the display device, the user input device, and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit:
controls the communication interface to electronically receive a digital image of a geographic area including a dig area;
controls the display device to display at least a portion of the received digital image;
acquires user input from the user input device, the user input relating to a geographic location of at least one physical locate mark applied by the locate technician during the locate operation, the locate operation comprising identifying, using the at least one physical locate mark, a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within the dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities;
generates a marked-up digital image including at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark based at least in part on the user input;
converts the at least one digital representation to GPS coordinates; and
further controls the communication interface and/or the memory to electronically transmit and/or electronically store information relating to the marked-up digital image so as to generate the electronic manifest of the locate operation, wherein the information includes:
a timestamp indicative of when the locate operation occurred; and
at least one of i) the marked-up digital image and ii) the GPS coordinates.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a location identification unit to determine a geographic location of the apparatus.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user input device includes one of a stylus and a mouse.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user input device includes one of a keyboard, a keypad, a touchpad, and a touch screen.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user input device includes one of a microphone to capture audible commands, and a camera.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising a sensor to monitor a condition of a user using the apparatus.

### Claim 31 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the digital image comprises an identification of an environmental landmark.

### Claim 32 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing unit controls the communication interface to electronically receive the digital image and at least one electronic marking tool application to facilitate acquisition of the user input from the user input device.

### Claim 33 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark added to the displayed digital image includes at least one of:
at least one line;
at least one freehand form;
at least one drawing shape; and
shading.

### Claim 34 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the user input comprises drawing the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark on the displayed digital image.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark drawn on the displayed digital image includes at least one of:
at least one line;
at least one freehand form;
at least one drawing shape; and
shading.

### Claim 36 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein:
the processing unit controls the display device so as to display a palette on the display device;
the user input device facilitates selection of a type of underground facility locate mark from the palette; and
the processing unit further controls the display device so as to add the at least one digital representation based on the selected type, such that the at least one digital representation includes at least one attribute representing the selected type of underground facility locate mark.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one attribute comprises a color of the at least one digital representation.

### Claim 38 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing unit:
controls the communication interface so as to receive geographic location information;
associates address information with the geographic location information; and
controls the communication interface and/or the memory to electronically transmit and/or electronically store the address information.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the address information includes at least one of a street address, a zip code, a street name, and a city.

### Claim 40 (depends on 38)

The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the geographic location information corresponds to the dig area.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the geographic location information corresponds to a location of a user of the display device.

### Claim 42 (depends on 38)

The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the processing unit controls the communication interface so as to receive the geographic location information as geographic coordinates from a GPS-enabled device.

### Claim 43 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the transmitted and/or stored information relating to the marked-up digital image comprises time data to establish when the at least one physical locate mark was applied by the locate technician.

### Claim 44 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the transmitted and/or stored information relating to the marked-up digital image comprises a name of the locate technician.

### Claim 45 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the transmitted and/or stored information relating to the marked-up digital image comprises a name of a company responsible for performing the locate operation.

### Claim 46 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the transmitted and/or stored information relating to the marked-up digital image comprises a set of geographic points corresponding to the at least one physical locate mark.

### Claim 47 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the displayed digital image comprises an identification of an environmental landmark location, and wherein the transmitted and/or stored information relating to the marked-up digital image comprises time data that indicates the day and/or time that the environmental landmark location was identified by the locate technician.

### Claim 48 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the displayed digital image comprises an identification of an environmental landmark, and wherein the processing unit:
calculates a physical distance between the environmental landmark and the at least one physical locate mark based on a representative distance between the identification of an environmental landmark and the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark in the displayed digital image.

### Claim 49 (depends on 48)

The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the processing units controls the display device so as to add to the displayed digital image the identification of the environmental landmark.

### Claim 50 (depends on 25)

The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the digital image comprises an identification of an environmental landmark.

### Claim 51 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark added to the displayed digital image includes at least one of:
at least one line;
at least one freehand form;
at least one drawing shape; and
shading.

### Claim 52 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein B) comprises:
drawing the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark on the displayed digital image so as to generate the marked-up image.

### Claim 53 (depends on 52)

The method of claim 52, wherein the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark drawn on the displayed digital image includes at least one of:
at least one line;
at least one freehand form;
at least one drawing shape; and
shading.