Method and apparatus for managing dig alerts in a network system

Abstract

The present invention provides a most efficient, automated, fast and least expensive method and apparatus for processing the dig ticket alerts to prevent damage of underground facilities. All the functions required to process the ticket alerts are handled by one system called the geolink (geographical link to data) fiber integrity, i.e. GFI. The processing includes checking the ticket alerts for a dig location, automatically closing the ticket alerts if the dig location is not touching a cable buffer and forwarding the ticket alerts to the technician responsible for the ticket alert if the dig location is touching the cable buffer. The GFI system will receive and process thousands of dig ticket alerts on a daily basis without depending on any other system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.