METHOD FOR PREVENTING DAMAGE TO UNDERGROUND CONDUITS, PIPES, CABLES AND THE LIKE CAUSED BY EARTH MOVING ACTIVITIES

The invention relates to a method for preventing damage to underground conduits, pipes, cables and the like caused by earth moving activities, wherein use is made of detectors for detecting at least the position of underground conduits, pipes, cables and the like that are locally present at earth moving locations, and wherein the earth moving activities are subsequently carried out at the earth moving locations on the basis of detection results generated by the detectors, and wherein the detectors comprise transfer means by which detection information is transferred to a database remote from the earth moving locations and stored therein. It is noted that within the framework of the invention the term earth moving is understood to mean any activity in which earth is moved, as is in particular the case with excavation activities, dredging, uprooting trees and the like, etc.

Within the framework of the invention conduits, pipes, cables and the like are in particular understood to include so- called utility lines, such as in particular electricity, water and gas pipes, telephone and TV cables, without intending to limit the invention in anyway thereto, so that also all kinds of other pipes/tubes may be considered.

Such a method is known from International patent WO02/033443 (Vermeer) . Detectors of the kind as described in, for example, US patents Nos . 5,194,812 (Yokoi) and 2005/0156776 (Waite) and British patent publication No. 2,220,071 (Flowerdew) are used for gaining an insight into the local underground infrastructure, i.e. into the locations of underground conduits, pipes, cables and the like. By marking

the locations above the ground, for example by means of pickets, before starting the excavation work, for example, the presence of the aforesaid local underground infrastructure can be taken into account when carrying out the excavation work. In this way damage to underground conduits, pipes, cables and the like caused by the excavation work can be prevented as much as possible.

A drawback of the known method is that the aforesaid detectors are by no means used as standard in practice. The fact is that the use of the detectors takes time and thus costs money, while the purchase of the detectors requires an investment. In addition, most earth moving contractors are insured against any damage that may be caused to underground conduits, pipes, cables and the like by their earth moving activities. In case of damage, the earth moving contractor only has to pay a comparatively low amount (the so-called "own risk") . It stands to reason that the decision not to use detectors may lead to significant material damage and may even involve loss of human life, for example when a natural gas pipe is damaged during excavation work and released natural gas explodes.

It is the object of the invention to improve the known method, in particular in the sense that earth moving contractors are stimulated to use the aforesaid detectors as standard in practice.

In order to accomplish that object, a method of the kind referred to in the introductory paragraph is according to the invention characterised in that the detection information is first stored in memory means of the transfer means and subsequently automatically transmitted to the database by

transmission means of the transfer means, wherein the detection information comprises at least one of the data from the group of: (a) detection date, (b) detection time, (c) detection location, (d) earth moving location, (e) earth moving contractor, (f) detector lessor, and wherein the detection information stored in the database is used by or on behalf of a user for drawing up an earth moving history and/or a risk profile of an earth moving contractor. Such a detection information therefore comprises information from which it can deduced that the detectors were actually used, for example detection information which shows that the detectors were switched on and/or off (so-called "on/off information") . Such "on/off information" can be obtained by using clock means. This makes it possible, for example in case of damage to underground conduits, pipes, cables and the like caused by earth moving activities carried out by an earth moving contractor, to verify afterwards on the basis of the database whether the earth moving contractor in question actually did use the detector (s). The database shows whether earth moving contractors made "precautionary" use of the aforesaid detectors before starting the work. Only if the database shows that the precautionary use of the detector (s) indeed did take place can the earth moving contractor claim compensation of the damage from his insurance company. Preferably, a central database is used, so that all the information in an area, a district or a country is transferred to the central database and stored therein. As already said before, the detection information is automatically generated and transferred, i.e. no separates manual operations are required. The automatic generation and transfer of the detection information implies that this information is objective, so that an overall insight into the aforesaid precautionary measures is gained without there

being a possibility of the information being manipulated. Important is that an insight into the detection information relating to any earth moving activity can be easily gained from the database, for example on the basis of a limited number of parameters.

It is noted that the database is located (far) remote from the detection locations and the earth moving locations.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the transfer means transmit the detection information wirelessly from the detectors to the database. Preferably, the transfer means transmit the detection information to the database by using GSM ("Global System for Mobile Communication"), GPRS ("General Back Radio Services") or UMTS ("Universal Mobile telephone System"). GPS {" Global Positioning System") or DGPS ("Differential Global Positioning System") is used for determining a detection location in the detection information, which detection location is subsequently transmitted to the database by using one of the above transmission techniques.

In another preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention, the transfer means transmit the detection information from the detectors that the database via the Internet or the cable television network.

In another preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention, the database is managed by or on behalf of a user. More in particular, the database is electronically consulted by or on behalf of the user from a remote location. Such a user is an insurance company, for example, or an insurance agent or an earth moving contractor.

The invention also relates to a detector for use in a method according to the invention for detecting at least the position of underground conduits, pipes, cables and the like at an earth moving location so as to prevent damage thereto caused by earth moving activities, which is characterised in that the detector comprises transfer means provided with memory means and transmission means, by means of which detection information can be automatically transferred to a database for storage therein.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures illustrated in a drawing, in which

Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective view of a detector that may be used in a method according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic printout from a database according to the invention; and

- Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of several steps of a method according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a detector 1 for detecting the presence of underground utility lines and the like at an excavation location. As usual, the detector comprises an internal receiver (not shown) for receiving signals reflected from underground utility lines and the like. Such signals were originally in part emitted in the direction of the ground by a separate source (not shown) . With the detection results being available, the excavation work can be carried out more carefully. Detection information is transmitted wirelessly from the detector 1 to a database, using GPRS {"General Packet Radio Services") . To that end the detector 1 is

provided with an integrated GPRS module 2. The detection information is recorded in a memory of the GPRS module 2 before transmission thereof.

As already said before, Figure 2 shows a schematic printout 3 from the aforesaid database. Said printout forms a "precaution survey" of an insurance company, which shows the aforesaid detection information. The information in particular indicates what contractor of the excavation work, viz. the insured firm of De Groot B.V. of Zeist, used the detectors in advance at what location (for example Leersum) , in what street (for example England), at what date and at what time (for example 3 January 2004 from 00.07 h until 08.23 h, and with what result (for example quality code "good") . The quality code "good" may in this connection indicate that a minimum scanning time was observed in proportion to the area of the detection location. As already said before, the detection information was automatically generated and transmitted to the database by means of GPRS.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram which shows the generation and transmission of detection information by a module that is internally or externally connected to the detector of figure 1.

The invention is not restricted to the embodiment as shown herein, but it also extends to other preferred variants that fall within the scope of the appended claims.