Abstract: A buried object locator which may include at least one antenna array including three orthogonal antennas, each antenna sharing a common center point, is disclosed. An electronic circuit may be connected to the array and used to determine location information of the buried objects by measuring signal strength and magnetic field angular data in three dimensions.

Abstract: A high-Q human-portable, battery-powered self-correcting tunable transmitter apparatus for inducing alternating currents in buried conductors to facilitate their location is disclosed.

Abstract: A high-Q human-portable, battery-powered self-correcting tunable transmitter apparatus for inducing alternating currents in buried conductors to facilitate their location is disclosed.

Abstract: Magnetic field cancelling audio speakers and associated devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a utility locator includes an audio speaker device with two loudspeaker drivers positioned and electrically connected to reduce emitted magnetic fields over a range of frequencies corresponding with locator sensing frequencies.

Abstract: A high pressure resistant flotation sphere includes a brittle fracture material macro-sphere of high elastic modulus and a shell of a low shear strength elastomeric material surrounding the macro-sphere. A high pressure resistant flotation material may be made of a plurality of macro-spheres embedded in syntactic foam or other matrix material, with each macro-sphere being encased in a shell of a low shear strength material that isolates each macro-sphere hydrostatically from the surrounding matrix.

Abstract: Camera heads configured to provide digitally articulated images or video, at adjustable resolutions and/or offsets and orientations, to a camera control unit (CCU) or other electronic computing system for display, storage, and/or transmission to other systems are disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for electronically marking, locating, and virtually displaying buried utilities are disclosed. According to one embodiment, one or more electronic marker devices may be placed below a ground surface in proximity to a buried utility, and marker device data indicative of position and/or identity of such electronic marker devices may be obtained. The obtained marker device data may be associated to the utility data and stored in a database. The stored data may thereafter be retrieved based in part on the marker device data for use in subsequent locate operations and/or for other purposes.

Abstract: Methods for processing signals from a magnetic user interface device having a manual actuator are disclosed. Movements of the actuator may cause relative movement between one or more magnets and one or more corresponding sensors that may each generate signals representing independent magnetic field components detected within each sensor. A field model may be used in the magnetic user interface device to translate magnetic sensor readings during operation to position information, which may then be converted to output signals for transmission to an electronic computing system representing displacement and/or deformation of the actuator. The output signals may be generated in a predetermined format, such as USB format or other computer-interface formats, that can be interpreted by the electronic computing system.

Abstract: Magnetic locators for detection of buried objects, such as buried utilities of conductive materials, are disclosed. Outputs provided from two or more magnetic sensors, such as three three-axis magnetic sensors, as well as optionally from other sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopic sensors, may be used to determine magnetic field distortion and provide output information corresponding to the detected objects based on the sensor outputs.

Abstract: Portable locators for detecting a buried object based on sensing electromagnetic emissions therefrom is disclosed. A portable locator may include a magnetic field sensor array and associated processing circuitry as well as a camera and image or video processing circuitry to process images or video received from the camera.

Abstract: Systems for locating hidden utilities including a portable locator with a dodecahedral antenna node are disclosed.

Abstract: Utility locating systems using keyed magnetic field signaling are disclosed. the systems include a utility locating transmitter for generating and outputting one or more different keyed current output signals, where the keyed signals include data defining a utility type or designator a locator sub-system, and corresponding utility locators for receiving keyed magnetic field signals resulting from flow of the keyed output current signals in the utilities and determining locate information and utility type information from the received magnetic field signals.

Abstract: Systems for locating buried or hidden utilities including a portable locator and associated portable transmitter are disclosed. The portable locator may include a magnetic field measurement module for determining a current signal in the buried utility based on a received magnetic field, and a receiver module for receiving data from the portable transmitter. The portable transmitter may include a data transmitter module for sending information associated with a current signal provided to the buried utility to the portable receiver module.

Abstract: User interface devices using magnetic sensing to provide output signals associated with motion and/or deformation of an actuator element of the interface devices are described. The output signals may be provided to an electronic computing system to provide commands, controls, and/or other data or information. In one embodiment, a user interface device may include a plurality of permanent magnets and a plurality of multi-axis magnetic sensors to generate motion and/or deformation signals to be provided to a processing element to generate the output signals.

Abstract: Omnidirectional electromagnetic signal inducer (omni-inducer) devices are disclosed. The omni-inducer device may include a housing, which may include a conductive base for coupling signals to ground, and an omnidirectional antenna node including a plurality of antenna coil assemblies, where the node may be disposed on or within the housing. The omni-inducer device may further include one or more transmitter modules for generating ones of a plurality of output signals, which may be generated at ones of a plurality of different frequencies, and one or more control circuits configured to control the transmitters and/or other circuits to selectively switch the ones of the plurality of output signals between ones of the plurality of antenna coil assemblies.

Abstract: Buried object locators including an omnidirectional antenna array and a gradient array are disclosed. A locator display may include information associated with a buried object based on both omnidirectional antenna array signals and gradient antenna array signals.

Abstract: Self-leveling inspection system methods and devices for use in inspecting buried pipes or other cavities are disclosed. A camera head may include an image sensor, an orientation sensing module, and an image processing module with programming to adjust an image or video provided from the image sensor, based at least in part on information provided from the orientation sensor.

Abstract: A buried object locator which may include at least one antenna array including three mutually orthogonal antennas each sharing a common center point senses electromagnetic signals emitted by two or more buried objects such as utility lines, pipes or sondes. A circuit at least partially mounted in a housing of the locator may be connected to the array and used to determine location information of the buried objects by measuring signal strength and field angles in three dimensions.

Abstract: Buried utility locator systems, including a locator including an integrated marker device excitation transmitter for generating and sending a marker device excitation signal to one or more marker devices, are disclosed. In operation, the marker device excitation signal is sent from the locator at least partially simultaneously to receiving and processing a buried utility signal.

Abstract: Man-portable locator systems for locating buried or otherwise inaccessible pipes, conduits, cables, wires and inserted transmitters using detector arrays and stochastic signal processing and similar techniques to analyze and display multiple target objects at differing frequencies in a layered user interface (UI) are disclosed.