Buried asset locator device that takes orientation of device into account during sensing process

A locator device for generating buried asset data comprising:

• a central unit, a first arm pivotally attached to the central unit and a second arm pivotally attached to the central unit;
• each of the first and second arms having at least two sensors, wherein each sensor is for reading a plurality of analog radio frequency (RF) signals from a buried asset, wherein the at least two sensors having a known distance between them, and wherein each arm is oriented either horizontally or vertically such that the sensors are oriented vertically in a first position for reading analog RF signals, and the sensors are oriented horizontally in a second position for reading analog RF signals;
• a sensing device for sensing an orientation of the sensors;
• and
• a processor communicatively coupled to the sensing device and to each sensor, the processor configured for:
• determining the orientation of the sensors;
• reading, via the sensors, a plurality of analog RF signals from the buried asset;
• applying an orientation filtering process to the analog RF signals based on the orientation, such that the orientation filtering process takes the orientation into account;
• converting the analog RF signals into a plurality of digital signals comprising buried asset data corresponding to the buried asset, wherein the buried asset data includes depth data, position data and electrical current data for a buried asset;
• and,
• a display unit for displaying the buried asset data in a graphical user interface, wherein the buried asset data corresponds to the plurality of analog RF signals that were read.