Haptic directional feedback handles for locating devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017200352-A1
Application number	US-201514797760-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Aug 8, 2011
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Locating devices and systems providing haptic tactile feedback are disclosed. In one embodiment, a locator includes a haptic handle configured to provide directional signals through an operator's sense of touch to aid in locating and tracing a buried conductor or other object such as a pipe or cable.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method for providing tactile feedback in a utility locator, comprising:
Providing, on or in a handle element of the utility locator, tactile feedback based at least in part on position information determined in the utility locator relating to a location of a buried object.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the buried object is an underground pipe or conduit.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the buried object is an underground wire or cable.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback indicates a position of the utility locator buried with respect to a location of the buried object.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the tactile feedback from two or more feedback components disposed within the handle element.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback indicates one or more of a direction towards a location of the buried object, an amount of distance to the buried object, and a depth of the buried object below a surface.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback is modulated in one or more of time, frequency, and amplitude.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the position information based at least in part on magnetic field signals emitted from the buried object.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
generating, based on the position information, one or more control signals, wherein a feedback component provides the tactile feedback based on the one or more control signals.

10 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the providing tactile feedback includes:
providing a first tactile feedback output from a first tactile feedback component while providing no tactile feedback output from a second tactile feedback component to indicate a direction towards the location of the buried object.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a first feedback component is disposed on a first side of the handle element and a second feedback component is disposed on a second side of the handle element.

12 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for providing tactile feedback in a utility locator, the method comprising:
providing one or more tactile feedback outputs based at least in part on position information relating to a location of a buried object.

13 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the tactile feedback indicates a relative position of the utility locator with respect to a location of the buried object.

14 . The computer program product of claim 42 , the method further comprising:
providing the tactile feedback from two or more feedback components disposed within a handle of the utility locator, wherein a first feedback component is disposed on a first side of the handle and a second feedback component is disposed on a second side of the handle.

15 . The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the tactile feedback provides an indication of one or more of a direction towards location of the buried object, an amount of distance to the buried object, and a depth of the buried object below a surface.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the tactile feedback is modulated in one or more of time, frequency, and amplitude.

17 . The computer program product of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining the position information based on magnetic field signals emitted from the buried object; generating, based on the position information, one or more control signals; and providing, based on the one or more control signals, a first tactile feedback output from a first tactile feedback component while providing no tactile feedback output from a second tactile feedback component to indicate a direction towards the location of the buried object.

Assignees

• Olsson Mark S
• Newby Garrett A
• Warren Alexander L
• Cox David A
• Seescan Inc

Inventors

• Olsson Mark S
• Newby Garrett A
• Warren Alexander L
• Cox David A

Classifications

• G01V3/165

  operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by the object or by the detecting device (with electromagnetic waves G01V3/17) · CPC title

• G01V3/081

  the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures (characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00) · CPC title

• G08B6/00 Primary

  Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems · CPC title

• G01V3/12 Primary

  operating with electromagnetic waves {(operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005)} · CPC title