Locate apparatus configured to detect out-of-tolerance conditions in connection with underground facility locate operations, and associated methods and systems

摘要

In connection with a locate operation to detect a presence or absence of an underground facility, a magnetic field from an underground facility is detected, and one or more signals also are obtained that are indicative of one or more environmental conditions in an environment in which the underground facility is detected. The signal(s) indicative of the environmental condition(s) are compared to a target value or range of values to determine if an out-of-tolerance condition exists.

主权项

1. A locate receiver for performing a locate operation to detect a presence or absence of an underground facility, the locate receiver comprising:
at least one receiver antenna configured to detect a magnetic field from the underground facility; an input device to provide an output signal indicative of at least one environmental condition of an environment in which the locate receiver is located;a memory to store processor-executable instructions, and a target value or range of values; andat least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the input device to receive the output signal from the input device wherein, upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the processor:
(A) compares the output signal to the target value or the range of values to determine if an out-of-tolerance condition exists, wherein, if the processor determines that the out-of-tolerance condition exists, the processor does at least one of: (B) logs an out-of-tolerance indication into an electronic record stored in the memory; (C) controls at least one output device of the locate receiver to generate an alert; and (D) disables the at least one receiver antenna.