{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8478617","patent":{"patent_number":"US-8478617","title":"Methods and apparatus for generating alerts on a locate device, based on comparing electronic locate information to facilities map information and/or other image information","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2010-02-05T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2013-07-02T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G09B","G06Q"],"num_claims":28,"abstract":"A locate device for a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of one or more underground facilities is configured to access and display facilities map information, and/or other image information, as a visual aid to facilitate the locate operation. In various aspects, methods and apparatus relate to: selection of an appropriate “base” facilities map, or information from a database of facilities map data, relating to a given work site/dig area; selection of an appropriate pan and/or zoom (resolution) for displaying facilities map information; appropriately updating displayed facilities map information while a locate device is used during a locate operation (e.g. changing pan, zoom and/or orientation); overlaying on the displayed facilities map information locate information and/or landmark information relating to the locate operation; and storing locally on the locate device, and/or transmitting from the locate device, facilities map information and/or overlaid locate/landmark information (e.g., for further processing, analysis and/or subsequent display). In one aspect, a location at which an indication of detection of a facility is generated is compared to a location of a facility line as indicated by the facilities map information/image information, and an alert is generated based on the comparison."},"analysis":{"summary":null,"layman_explanation":null,"technical_analysis":null,"business_analysis":null,"faqs":null,"topics":[],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Methods and apparatus for generating alerts on a locate device, based on comparing electronic locate information to facilities map information and/or other image information","description":"A locate device for a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of one or more underground facilities is configured to access and display facilities map information, and/or other image infor","keywords":[]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8478617","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8478617","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Methods and apparatus for generating alerts on a locate device, based on comparing electronic locate information to facilities map information and/or other image information\" (US-8478617). https://patentable.app/patents/US-8478617","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-8478617","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-8478617","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-05-30T17:37:59.190Z"}