Methods, apparatus, and systems for generating technician checklists ...
US 20110035328Al
(19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2011/0035328 A1 (43) Pub. Date:
Nielsen et al.
6l/l72,843, ?led on Apr. 27, 2009, provisional appli
(54) METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING TECHNICIAN CHECKLISTS FOR LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS
(75) Inventors:
cation No. 6l/l74,08l, ?led on Apr. 30, 2009.
(30)
Foreign Application Priority Data
Feb. 10,2010
Steven Nielsen, North Palm Beach, FL (US); Curtis Chambers, Palm
Beach Gardens, FL (U S); Jeffrey Farr, Jupiter, FL (U S)
Feb. 10, 2011
(CA) .................................... .. 2692110
Publication Classi?cation
(51)
Int. Cl.
Correspondence Address:
(52)
us. c1. ...................................................... .. 705/342
WOLF GREENFIELD & SACKS, RC. 600 ATLANTIC AVENUE
(57)
BOSTON, MA 02210-2206 (US)
(73) Assignee:
G06Q 10/00
(2006.01) ABSTRACT
A checklist is generated for a locate and/or marking operation
CertusVieW Technologies, LLC,
to detect and/ or mark a presence or an absence of at least one
Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
underground facility Within a dig area, Wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. Ticket information that is
(21) Appl. No.:
12/837,343
derived from a ticket and/ or a Work order associated With the
(22) Filed:
Jul. 15, 2010
locate and/or marking operation is acquired and, based at
Related US. Application Data
(63)
Continuation of application No. 12/703,809, ?led on Feb. 11,2010.
(60)
Provisional application No. 61/151,760, ?led on Feb.
11, 2009, provisional application No. 61/ 151,778, ?led on Feb. 11, 2009, provisional application No.
least in part on the acquired ticket information, at least one task to be performed by a locate technician in connection With the locate and/ or marking operation is determined. The checklist for the locate and/ or marking operation is then gen erated, Wherein the checklist comprises a plurality of check list items to be processed pursuant to the locate and/or mark ing operation, and Wherein at least one of the checklist items corresponds to the at least one task to be performed by the locate technician.
1305"\@
Checklist Process
f 1300
Receive Checklist Items and Present Checklist
Analyze Locating Equipment Data 1320 ll
Receive Manual
Update Checklist Items
Status Update
Based on Locating
Equipment Data
1330
Update Checklist Items Based on
Manual Status Update
1335
Analyze Updated Checklist Items
Notify Technician
Transmit Summary Report
@
ll Receive Feedback from Technician
Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 1 0f 28
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US 2011/0035328 A1
Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 2 0f 28
Remote computer 1i
Processor
r -----------------------------------------------------------
117 Comm Int. 125
: : 5
Memory 123 Electronic tickets @
i
Ticket Pmcessmg Software m
T h ec nlcian activity ‘09 137
I
,;
I
_
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-
-
-
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Markmg record E
-
-
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electronics l
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|ndicators 115
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Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 6 0f 28
Remote computer 1Q
US 2011/0035328 A1
Data acqgiggign system
Marking data
/
algorithm m
,1
Combination
,7 ,' I :-
| :
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
Locate and Marking device 2810 _
_
_
_
_
_
Communication interface 123
_
_
_
-
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
-
_
_ User interface
121
Actuation system
,
E
&
m
|
n
I
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T. . 'mm9
:
system Q
=
:
system Q Error correctlon
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component m
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mechanism 1_2
: ‘ Marking . ' dispenser
:
m A
Control
|
electronics 112
, |
Ticket roc p
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: Detection Electronics 1620 I
|
Software m
p
-
irociesslng
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I
-l
Marking material I detection
m
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/
= processo?s) =
:
_
T
I
I
Power source
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FIG. 3C
Detection
circuit
1626
:
A
:
RF antenna 1624
Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 7 0f 28
Remote
150
Computer M ar k.mg D a t a
Algorlthm
/ 134 /
/
User Interface 126
1.38
146
\\\_b
system 2800
/
130
@Found 1.33 Plane
‘A >
(19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2011/0035328 A1 (43) Pub. Date:
Nielsen et al.
6l/l72,843, ?led on Apr. 27, 2009, provisional appli
(54) METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING TECHNICIAN CHECKLISTS FOR LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS
(75) Inventors:
cation No. 6l/l74,08l, ?led on Apr. 30, 2009.
(30)
Foreign Application Priority Data
Feb. 10,2010
Steven Nielsen, North Palm Beach, FL (US); Curtis Chambers, Palm
Beach Gardens, FL (U S); Jeffrey Farr, Jupiter, FL (U S)
Feb. 10, 2011
(CA) .................................... .. 2692110
Publication Classi?cation
(51)
Int. Cl.
Correspondence Address:
(52)
us. c1. ...................................................... .. 705/342
WOLF GREENFIELD & SACKS, RC. 600 ATLANTIC AVENUE
(57)
BOSTON, MA 02210-2206 (US)
(73) Assignee:
G06Q 10/00
(2006.01) ABSTRACT
A checklist is generated for a locate and/or marking operation
CertusVieW Technologies, LLC,
to detect and/ or mark a presence or an absence of at least one
Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US)
underground facility Within a dig area, Wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities. Ticket information that is
(21) Appl. No.:
12/837,343
derived from a ticket and/ or a Work order associated With the
(22) Filed:
Jul. 15, 2010
locate and/or marking operation is acquired and, based at
Related US. Application Data
(63)
Continuation of application No. 12/703,809, ?led on Feb. 11,2010.
(60)
Provisional application No. 61/151,760, ?led on Feb.
11, 2009, provisional application No. 61/ 151,778, ?led on Feb. 11, 2009, provisional application No.
least in part on the acquired ticket information, at least one task to be performed by a locate technician in connection With the locate and/ or marking operation is determined. The checklist for the locate and/ or marking operation is then gen erated, Wherein the checklist comprises a plurality of check list items to be processed pursuant to the locate and/or mark ing operation, and Wherein at least one of the checklist items corresponds to the at least one task to be performed by the locate technician.
1305"\@
Checklist Process
f 1300
Receive Checklist Items and Present Checklist
Analyze Locating Equipment Data 1320 ll
Receive Manual
Update Checklist Items
Status Update
Based on Locating
Equipment Data
1330
Update Checklist Items Based on
Manual Status Update
1335
Analyze Updated Checklist Items
Notify Technician
Transmit Summary Report
@
ll Receive Feedback from Technician
Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 1 0f 28
56.20 Tl. Qm.
32:863 3c2: .0?
L30 4 o$y2cm5o30 4
9.‘.9‘
QAI
an ow.
veaEFouzD
“96F
=co3Io0.6w 6
_
n
n#20:.
u
_
_
@
_
coz>xm 8:02 Tln 35 0
2
US 2011/0035328 A1
Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 2 0f 28
Remote computer 1i
Processor
r -----------------------------------------------------------
117 Comm Int. 125
: : 5
Memory 123 Electronic tickets @
i
Ticket Pmcessmg Software m
T h ec nlcian activity ‘09 137
I
,;
I
_
'
-
-
-
-
-
-
Markmg record E
-
-
-
_
_
_
_
'
_
_
-
-
-
-
-
-
_
'
-
-
_
_
_
I
|
|
|
|
User
'
Control
: |
electronics l
'
.
:
.
.
‘
Interface l'2-6‘ Display
' system Q I II
.
m
I
interface m
‘
|ndicators 115
:
Timing
:
"_
| | '
system Q
I
:
tracking system @
ro?egsor
>l ___
5
_ _
:9” ., __H F EE
lI ».L
l__iTIlTi: J: 4 _ z.I.
Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 6 0f 28
Remote computer 1Q
US 2011/0035328 A1
Data acqgiggign system
Marking data
/
algorithm m
,1
Combination
,7 ,' I :-
| :
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
Locate and Marking device 2810 _
_
_
_
_
_
Communication interface 123
_
_
_
-
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
-
_
_ User interface
121
Actuation system
,
E
&
m
|
n
I
\
: |
T. . 'mm9
:
system Q
=
:
system Q Error correctlon
:
component m
|
mechanism 1_2
: ‘ Marking . ' dispenser
:
m A
Control
|
electronics 112
, |
Ticket roc p
_
‘
: Detection Electronics 1620 I
|
Software m
p
-
irociesslng
I clrcult 1628 _
I
-l
Marking material I detection
m
|
_
/
= processo?s) =
:
_
T
I
I
Power source
£1
FIG. 3C
Detection
circuit
1626
:
A
:
RF antenna 1624
Patent Application Publication
Feb. 10, 2011 Sheet 7 0f 28
Remote
150
Computer M ar k.mg D a t a
Algorlthm
/ 134 /
/
User Interface 126
1.38
146
\\\_b
system 2800
/
130
@Found 1.33 Plane
‘A >
