Systems and methods for identifying and mapping conduit location
AssigneeVerizon Corporate Services Group Inc.
InventorsBrig Barnum Elliott, Jerry Burchfiel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system (100) for mapping an underground object (145) includes a conduit location recording device 105 and a server (115). The conduit location recording device (105) senses an underground object (145), a unique identifier being associated with the sensed underground object (145), and determines a location of the underground object (145). The conduit location recording device (105) transmits, via a communications network (125), the unique identifier and determined location to the server (115) for storage in a database.
Claims22
A method of notifying an entity of a request for data relating to an underground object, comprising:
- sensing the underground object, a unique identifier being associated with the sensed underground object;
- transmitting to a data storage facility, via a communications network, a request for data related to the sensed underground object, the request comprising the unique identifier;
- and
- notifying the entity of the request for data, the notification comprising the unique identifier,
- wherein the notification comprises at least one of a facsimile, an e-mail, a phone message, and a page.
A method of accessing data associated with underground objects, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of messages, each message transmitted from a different one of a plurality of remote devices and comprising at least one underground object identifier;
- retrieving data associated with the at least one underground object identifier of each of the plurality of messages;
- and
- sending the data to corresponding devices of the plurality of remote devices, wherein the data comprises at least one of owner identification data, geo-location data, and use status data associated with a respective underground object identifier,
- wherein the plurality of remote devices comprise underground object locating devices.
A server, comprising:
- a memory;
- a communication interface coupled to a packet-switched network and configured to receive a plurality of messages, each message transmitted from a different one of a plurality of remote devices and comprising at least one underground object identifier;
- a processing unit configured to:
- retrieve data associated with the at least one underground object identifier of each of the plurality of messages from the memory, and
- send the data, via the communication interface, to corresponding devices of the plurality of remote devices,
- wherein the data comprises at least one of owner identification data, geo-location data, and use status data associated with a respective underground object identifier and wherein the plurality of remote devices comprise underground object locating devices.
A method of maintaining a database related to a plurality of underground objects, comprising:
- receiving, via a communications network, a plurality of messages, each message transmitted from a different one of a plurality of remote devices and comprising data associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of underground objects;
- and
- storing the data in the database,
- wherein the data comprises at least one of an underground object identification data, owner identification data, geo-location data and a time stamp and wherein the plurality of remote devices comprise underground object locating devices.
A server, comprising:
- a database;
- a communication interface coupled to a packet-switched network and configured to receive a plurality of messages, each message transmitted from a different one of a plurality of remote devices and comprising data associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of underground objects;
- and
- a processing unit configured to store the data in the database,
- wherein the data comprises at least one of an underground object identification data, owner identification data, geo-location data and a time stamp and wherein the plurality of remote devices comprise underground object locating devices.
A method of accessing data associated with underground conduits, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of messages, each message transmitted from a different one of a plurality of remote devices and comprising at least one underground conduit identifier;
- retrieving data associated with the at least one underground conduit identifier of each of the plurality of messages;
- and
- sending the data to corresponding devices of the plurality of remote devices, wherein the data comprises at least one of owner identification data, geo-location data, and use status data associated with a respective underground conduit identifier, wherein the plurality of remote devices comprise hosts.
A method of maintaining a database related to a plurality of underground objects, comprising:
- receiving, via a communications network, a plurality of messages, each message transmitted from a different one of a plurality of remote devices and comprising data associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of underground objects;
- and
- storing the data in the database,
- wherein the data comprises at least one of underground object identification data, owner identification data, geo-location data and a time stamp and wherein the plurality of remote devices comprises hosts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.