METHODS, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEMS FOR GENERATING TECHNICIAN WORKFLOWS FOR LOCATE AND/OR MARKING OPERATIONS

1 . A computer-implemented method executed by at least one processor for generating a workflow for a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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 during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) acquiring ticket information that is derived from a ticket and/or a work order associated with the locate and/or marking operation;

B) based at least in part on the acquired ticket information, generating the workflow for the locate and/or marking operation, the workflow comprising a series of tasks to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; and

C) transmitting the workflow via a communication interface and/or storing the workflow in a memory.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a first task to detect and/or mark at least one first underground facility of a first type and a second task to detect and/or mark at least one second underground facility of a second type.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to verify that an actual performance location at which the locate and/or marking operation is performed is consistent with a designated work site and/or dig area location indicated by the acquired ticket information.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to:

select, prepare, test, and/or operate a piece of locating equipment.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to:

physically proceed to a selected location.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to identify a location of a landmark.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein B) further comprises:

using at least one facilities map associated with the locate and/or marking operation to determine at least one of the series of tasks to be performed by the locate technician.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the series of tasks comprises locating and/or marking at least one facility of a facilities type, and wherein B) further comprises:

acquiring metadata associated with the facilities map, the metadata mapping one or more locations on the facilities map to the facilities types; and

selecting the at least one facility from a dig area delimited on the facilities map based at least in part on the metadata.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein C) further comprises:

transmitting the workflow via the communication interface to a device physically accessible to the locate technician.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the device physically accessible to the locate technician is a piece of locating equipment used by the locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

D) displaying, via a display device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, one or more workflow outputs generated based at least in part on at least one of the series of tasks.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

D) acquiring a workflow template comprising information applicable to a plurality of locate and/or marking operations; and

E) augmenting the workflow template using the acquired ticket information to generate the workflow.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the workflow template comprises a series of task templates, at least one of which comprises a placeholder, and wherein the method further comprises:

F) populating the placeholder with information derived from the acquired ticket information.

14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein D) comprises:

selecting the workflow template from a plurality of workflow templates based, at least in part, on a region, state and/or municipality of the locate and/or marking operation.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein D) comprises:

generating the workflow based, at least in part, on one or more standard operating procedures of a locate service provider that dispatches the locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation.

16 . At least one computer-readable medium encoded with processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method for generating a workflow for a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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 during excavation activities, the method comprising:

A) acquiring ticket information that is derived from a ticket and/or a work order associated with a locate and/or marking operation;

B) based at least in part on the acquired ticket information, generating the workflow for the locate and/or marking operation, the workflow comprising a series of tasks to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; and

C) transmitting the workflow via a communication interface and/or storing the workflow in a memory.

17 . A system for generating a workflow for a locate and/or marking operation to detect and/or mark 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 during excavation activities, the system comprising:

at least one communication interface;

at least one memory to store processor-executable instructions; and

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one communication interface and the at least one memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions, the at least one processor:

A) controls the at least one communication interface and/or the at least one memory so as to acquire ticket information that is derived from a ticket and/or a work order associated with the locate and/or marking operation;

B) based at least in part on the acquired ticket information, generates the workflow for the locate and/or marking operation, the workflow comprising a series of tasks to be performed by a locate technician in connection with the locate and/or marking operation; and

C) controls the at least one communication interface and/or the at least one memory so as to transmit the workflow via the at least one communication interface and/or store the workflow in the at least one memory.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a first task to detect and/or mark at least one first underground facility of a first type and a second task to detect and/or mark at least one second underground facility of a second type.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to verify that an actual performance location at which the locate and/or marking operation is performed is consistent with a designated work site and/or dig area location indicated by the acquired ticket information.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to:

select, prepare, test, and/or operate a piece of locating equipment.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to:

physically proceed to a selected location.

22 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the series of tasks of the workflow comprises a task to identify a location of a landmark.

23 . The system of claim 17 , wherein in B), the at least one processor further:

uses at least one facilities map associated with the locate and/or marking operation to determine at least one of the series of tasks to be performed by the locate technician.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the at least one of the series of tasks comprises locating and/or marking at least one facility of a facilities type, and wherein in B), the at least one processor further:

acquires metadata associated with the facilities map, the metadata mapping one or more locations on the facilities map to the facilities types; and

selects the at least one facility from a dig area delimited on the facilities map based at least in part on the metadata.

25 . The system of claim 17 , wherein in C), the at least one processor further:

transmits the workflow via the at least one communication interface to a device physically accessible to the locate technician.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the device physically accessible to the locate technician is a piece of locating equipment used by the locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation.

27 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising a display device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor further:

D) controls the at least one display device so as to display one or more workflow outputs generated based at least in part on at least one of the series of tasks.

28 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor further:

D) acquires a workflow template comprising information applicable to a plurality of locate and/or marking operations; and

E) augments the workflow template using the acquired ticket information to generate the workflow.

29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the workflow template comprises a series of task templates, at least one of which comprises a placeholder, and wherein in B), the at least one processor further:

F) populates the placeholder with information derived from the acquired ticket information.

30 . The system of claim 28 , wherein in D), the at least one processor further:

selects the workflow template from a plurality of workflow templates based, at least in part, on a region, state and/or municipality of the locate and/or marking operation.

31 . The system of claim 17 , wherein in B), the at least one processor further:

generates the workflow based, at least in part, on one or more standard operating procedures of a locate service provider that dispatches the locate technician to perform the locate and/or marking operation.