GIS Data Transaction Record for Utility Location Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data collection systems for utilities and infrastructure lack a comprehensive record of who collected the data, when, and how, making it difficult to track changes and maintain accurate maps, especially in scenarios like utility line damage prevention.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating a GIS data transaction record that includes information about the topography, utilities, user data, time, location, data collection methods, and revisions, integrated into a precision integrated grid for real-time display and utility location identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a comprehensive transaction record system is implemented to track who collected data, when, and how, then data integrity and traceability are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the transaction record into multiple distinct fields: user identification, timestamp, location data, data collection method, revision history, and approval status. This segmentation allows comprehensive tracking while organizing complexity into manageable, standardized components that can be processed systematically.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary transaction record system that mediates between field operators and central databases. This intermediary layer captures, standardizes, and validates all data transactions before they reach the central system, ensuring data integrity while shielding the core system from direct complexity of individual transactions.
2Loss of information
If multiple data fields are collected for each transaction (user, time, location, method, revisions), then completeness of record is improved, but data collection time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service data capture where available information is automatically recorded without requiring manual input from operators. GPS location, timestamp, and user identification are captured automatically by the device, while only essential data points require operator input, significantly reducing collection time while maintaining completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring data collection templates and automatic field population based on context. Before field operations begin, data structures are prepared and linked to specific utilities and locations, allowing rapid data entry during actual collection without requiring operators to build records from scratch.
3Measurement precision
If real-time display and integration of GIS data is implemented, then utility location accuracy is improved, but processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by displaying and processing GIS data at the specific location and scale where it is needed, rather than maintaining and processing complete global datasets. The precision integrated grid is generated and displayed locally at each project site, reducing processing requirements while maintaining utility location accuracy for the specific area of interest.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for generating a geographical data transaction including information about a topography of a region and utilities within the region. The method and system include providing information about the topography of the region; receiving information from a user collecting data related to one or more utilities in the region; receiving information about time and date of the collected data; receiving information about each of the utilities; and receiving information about location of each of the utilities. The system and method further include receiving information about revisions made to the information about the map; and integrating the received information with the information about the topography of the region into a geographical data transaction.