Digital Locate Management System for Underground Facility Oversight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current locate and marking operations for underground facilities lack effective oversight and quality control, leading to potential damage, safety risks, and compliance issues due to inadequate data tracking and management systems.
Innovation Solution
A management system and associated methods that utilize improved instrumentation and computer-implemented processes for acquiring, analyzing, and communicating data related to locate operations, including image-based requests, intelligent resource allocation, real-time quality assessment, and electronic manifests to enhance visibility and compliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional locate and marking operations are performed without digital tracking systems, then operational simplicity is maintained, but oversight and quality control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual, paper-based tracking systems with electronic devices and software applications. Locate personnel use smartphones or tablets to capture images, record data, and communicate with the central server, substituting mechanical/paper processes with electronic ones to improve reliability while managing complexity through user-friendly interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a central server as an intermediary between locate personnel and facility owners. The server receives image data and operation records from field personnel, processes quality control checks, and manages communication, thereby improving oversight without requiring direct complex interactions between all system participants
2Loss of information
If manual tracking methods are used for locate operations, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but data visibility and audit capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual data collection and tracking with electronic image capture and digital record-keeping. Smartphones capture images of locate marks and work areas, automatically timestamping and geolocating data, eliminating manual paperwork and improving data visibility without requiring complex manual tracking processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies of physical locate operations through photographs and electronic records. These digital copies are transmitted to the central server and stored for audit purposes, providing comprehensive data visibility while maintaining operational simplicity in the field through straightforward capture and upload processes
3Manufacturing precision
If locate operations are performed without real-time quality assessment, then operational speed is maintained, but compliance and accuracy are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary quality assessment checks automatically through the electronic system. Image recognition algorithms and predefined quality criteria are applied in real-time as data is uploaded, identifying compliance issues before final submission, thereby improving accuracy without significant time loss through automated rather than manual review processes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback loops where the central server provides quality control decisions and compliance status back to locate personnel in real-time. This immediate feedback allows operators to correct issues during the same workday, improving overall accuracy while minimizing time loss through efficient iterative correction rather than delayed review
Data Source
AI summary
First ticket information describing a locate operation to be performed is electronically received, including image information and/or geospatial metadata relating to a dig area and/or a work site. Field information relating to the locate operation as at least partially performed and/or environmental information relating to the dig area and/or the work site is electronically received and processed to provide a quality assessment of the locate operation.