Method of locating and mapping a utility with rtk gps
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsCarlos Finocchiaro, Quinton Tetik, Rodolfo Cabello, JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for accurately locating and logging locations of an underground utility. The system has access to a map layer which may be simultaneously displayed on a device with a point layer and/or a line layer associated with the underground utility. Information related to the map layer, line layer, and point layer may all be stored on a remote database, such as a cloud database, and accessed and edited both at a device incorporated into, or proximate, the locator, and a device at a remote location, such as a remote computer. When changes are made to data features, the display is updated in real time to show these edits.
Claims19
A method of locating and mapping an underground utility line, the method comprising:
- transmitting a signal through the underground utility line;
- receiving, at a utility locator comprising one or more antennas, the transmitted signal from the underground utility line;
- identifying a plurality of above-ground locations overlying the underground utility line;
- transmitting a location data set representing the plurality of above-ground locations from the utility locator to a first device utilizing peer-to-peer communication;
- transmitting the location data set from the first device to a cloud file system through a cellular network;
- and
- transmitting the location data set from the cloud file system to the first device through the cellular network and displaying, on the first device, a map file having a graphical representation of the plurality of above-ground locations.
A method of locating and mapping an underground utility line, the method comprising:
- transmitting a signal through the underground utility line;
- receiving, at a utility locator, the transmitted signal from the underground utility line via one or more antennas of the utility locator;
- receiving, at the utility locator, a geographic position of the locator, and logging a first above-ground point associated with the underground utility line;
- moving the utility locator and logging a second above-ground point associated with the underground utility line;
- transmitting the first and second above-ground points from the utility locator to a first device utilizing peer-to-peer communication;
- displaying, on the first device, a map showing the first and second above-ground points in real time;
- thereafter, selecting the first point on the first device and displaying an icon to direct a user to the geographic position associated with the first point with a GNSS antenna in the first device.
A method of creating a real-time map of an underground utility line, comprising:
- detecting, at a utility locator comprising an antenna at a first above-ground location, a signal transmitted from the underground utility line;
- detecting the absolute position of the first above-ground location;
- detecting, at the utility locator at a second above-ground location, a signal transmitted from the underground utility line;
- detecting the absolute position of the second above-ground location;
- transmitting a first location data set from the utility locator to a first device utilizing peer-to-peer communication;
- transmitting the first location data set from the first device to a cloud file system through a cellular network;
- and
- transmitting the first location data set and a map layer file from the cloud file system to the first device;
- and
- displaying the first above-ground location, the second above-ground location and the map layer simultaneously.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.