An apparatus for use in a locate operation to detect a presence or an absence of an underground facility, the apparatus comprising:nat least one receiver antenna configured to detect a magnetic field from the underground facility;at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one receiver antenna to receive first information about the magnetic field from the at least one receiver antenna;at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense at least one environmental condition of an environment in which the apparatus is located and provide an output signal to the at least one processor indicative of the sensed at least one environmental condition; anda memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to store the first information about the magnetic field and second information relating to the output signal of the at least one input device, wherein the at least one processor is configured to log into the memory the first information and the second information so as to generate an archival electronic record of the locate operation.
›2.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator, wherein the at least one processor is configured to log into the memory the information rela…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator, wherein the at least one processor is configured to log into the memory the information relating to the output signal of the at least one input device upon actuation of the actuator.
›3.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a temperature sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a temperature sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is an ambient temperature of the environment.
›4.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a temperature sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a temperature sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is a surface temperature of a target surface toward which the apparatus is pointed.
›5.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a humidity sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is a …d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a humidity sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is a humidity of the environment.
›6.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a light sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is an am…d2+2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a light sensor and wherein the at least one environmental condition is an amount of ambient light in the environment.
›7.↳ 6The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a light source.d3+1
The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a light source.
›8.↳ 7The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light source is configured to be automatically activated in response to the output signal of the at least one in…d4
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the light source is configured to be automatically activated in response to the output signal of the at least one input device indicating the amount of ambient light is below a threshold value.
›9.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an image capture device configured to provide an output signal to the at least one processor.d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an image capture device configured to provide an output signal to the at least one processor.
›10.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises an audio recorder configured to acquire acoustic signals from the environmen…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises an audio recorder configured to acquire acoustic signals from the environment, and wherein the output signal represents at least part of an acquired acoustic signal.
›11.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed with processor-executable instructions which, when executed, cause the at l…d2+2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is programmed with processor-executable instructions which, when executed, cause the at least one processor to compare the output signal of the at least one input device to at least one target value.
›12.↳ 11The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an actuator, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to disable the at least one actuat…d3
The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an actuator, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to disable the at least one actuator in response to the comparison of the output signal of the at least one input device to the at least one target value.
›13.↳ 11The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to store the at least one …d3
The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to store the at least one target value.
›14.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a location tracking system communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to determ…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a location tracking system communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to determine a location of the apparatus.
›15.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a first input device configured to sense a first environmental condition of …d2
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one input device comprises a first input device configured to sense a first environmental condition of the environment in which the apparatus is located and a second input device configured to sense a second environmental condition of the environment in which the apparatus is located, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to process an output signal of the first input device in combination with an output signal of the second input device to assess a state of the environment in which the apparatus is located.
›16.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense a…d2+10
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an operating condition of the apparatus and provide an output signal to the at least one processor indicative of the sensed operating condition.
›17.↳ 16The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an oper…d3+2
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an operating condition of the apparatus is an accelerometer, and wherein the operating condition is an acceleration of the apparatus.
›18.↳ 17The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the accelerometer is a first accelerometer located at a first position of the apparatus, and wherein the apparatus …d4+1
The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the accelerometer is a first accelerometer located at a first position of the apparatus, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a second accelerometer located at a second position of the apparatus.
›19.↳ 18The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the first and second accelerometers is a three-axis accelerometer.d5
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein each of the first and second accelerometers is a three-axis accelerometer.
›20.↳ 16The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an oper…d3
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an operating condition of the apparatus is an accelerometer configured to sense an inclination of the apparatus.
›21.↳ 16The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an oper…d3
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an operating condition of the apparatus is an inclinometer and wherein the operating condition is an inclination of the apparatus.
›22.↳ 16The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an oper…d3+2
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an operating condition of the apparatus is a proximity sensor and wherein the operating condition is a distance.
›23.↳ 22The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the operating condition is a distance of the apparatus to a target surface.d4+1
The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the operating condition is a distance of the apparatus to a target surface.
›24.↳ 23The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the proximity sensor is configured proximate to a tip of the apparatus and wherein the operating condition is a dis…d5
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the proximity sensor is configured proximate to a tip of the apparatus and wherein the operating condition is a distance of the tip of the apparatus to the target surface.
›25.↳ 16The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an oper…d3
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to sense an operating condition of the apparatus is a yaw rate sensor and wherein the operating condition is a yaw rate of the apparatus.
›26.↳ 16The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a location tracking system communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to deter…d3
The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a location tracking system communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and configured to determine a location of the apparatus.
›27.↳ 1The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tactile indicator configured to generate a tactile indication in response to the output signal being pr…d2
The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tactile indicator configured to generate a tactile indication in response to the output signal being provided to the at least one processor by the at least one input device.
