Underground Locate Notification System for Excavation Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current field service operations, particularly in the construction industry, face inefficiencies due to limited notification and information exchange between excavators and locate service providers, leading to delays and risks of damage to underground facilities during excavation, as excavators often lack timely confirmation of completed locate and marking operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with computing devices and graphical user interfaces that allow for the submission of locate requests and customization of notification preferences, providing real-time status updates through enhanced positive responses, including electronic manifests and virtual white line images, to ensure timely and accurate communication of locate and marking operation status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional field service operations are used with limited notification and information exchange, then the system complexity is low, but the productivity is reduced due to delays and uncertainty in locate operation completion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the locate service provider sends notifications to the excavator about the status of locate operations. The system receives status information from the locate service provider and provides feedback to the excavator, enabling the excavator to know when locate operations are complete and when excavation can proceed. This feedback loop eliminates delays and uncertainty, directly improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a communication system as an intermediary between the locate service provider and the excavator. This intermediary system receives information from the locate service provider, processes it, and transmits it to the excavator. The intermediary enables structured information exchange and coordination without requiring direct complex interactions between the parties, resolving the productivity-complexity contradiction.
2Reliability
If real-time status updates and enhanced positive responses are implemented, then the reliability of locate operation completion confirmation is improved, but the loss of time for system implementation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes notification preferences and communication protocols in advance, before the locate operation begins. The excavator specifies how they want to be notified (email, text message, etc.), and the system is pre-configured to send appropriate confirmations. This preliminary setup ensures reliable confirmation without requiring time-consuming arrangements during the actual locate operation, reducing implementation time while maintaining high reliability.
3Loss of information
If electronic manifests and virtual white line images are provided, then the loss of information is reduced, but the quantity of data transmitted increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital copies of locate marks and facility locations in the form of electronic manifests and virtual white line images. Instead of relying on physical marks alone, the system captures images and generates electronic representations that can be transmitted and stored. These copies provide complete information about locate operations without requiring the physical presence of markers, reducing information loss while managing data volume through efficient digital representation.
Data Source
AI summary
Multiple elements of information relating to a locate and marking operation are integrated so as to provide an enhanced positive response to one or more entities associated with requesting the locate and marking operation (e.g., an excavator, a home owner or property owner, other contractor). The locate and marking operation is performed by a locate technician in response to at least one locate request ticket by applying at least one physical locate mark on ground, pavement, or other surface to indicate a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed by an excavator during excavation activities.