Cable plow installation monitor method and apparatus

(54) CABLE PLOW INSTALLATION MONITOR METHOD AND APPARATUS

(75) Inventors: Hossein Eslambolchi, Los Altos Hills, CA (US); John Sinclair Huffman,

Conyers, GA (US)

(73) Assignee: AT&T Corp., New York, NY (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 235 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(21) Appl. No.: 10/910,024

(22) Filed: Aug. 3, 2004

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation of application No. 10/158,237, filed on May 29, 2002, now Pat. No. 6,882,283.

4,821,192 A 4/1989 Taivalkoski et al 701/25

4,835,691 A 5/1989 Rotem et al 701/23

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5,116,654 A 5/1992 Cosman et al 428/77

5,198,800 A 3/1993 Tozawa et al 340/573.1

5,557,258 A 9/1996 Eslambolchi 340/540

5,592,092 A 1/1997 Mechler 324/326

5,684,476 A 11/1997 Anderson 340/988

5,711,022 A 1/1998 Steenwyk 701/50

5,720,354 A 2/1998 Stump et al 175/26

5,734,167 A 3/1998 Skelly 250/458.1

5,742,069 A * 4/1998 Steenwyk et al 250/559.29

5,920,194 A 7/1999 Lewis et al 324/326

6,014,815 A * 1/2000 Jager 33/287

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6,049,279 A 4/2000 Minarovic 340/572.8

6.204.772 Bl 3/2001 DeMay et al 340/686.1

6,271,667 Bl 8/2001 Minarovic 324/326

(51) Int. CI.

G08B 21/00 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. CI 340/686.5; 340/686.2;

340/686.6; 340/988; 701/50; 701/200; 701/300;

37/381

(58) Field of Classification Search None

See application file for complete search history.

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,754,247 A 8/1973 Hansford 342/23

3,907,136 A 9/1975 Christides et al 414/694

4,006,481 A 2/1977 Young et al 343/770

4,231,093 A 10/1980 LaVance et al 701/300

4,334,217 A 6/1982 Nield et al 340/685

4,807,131 A * 2/1989 Clegg 701/50

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for installing a utility conveyance. A tractor which includes sensors, a plow locator and a monitor system is presented. The sensors are used to locate markers, which identify the boundaries of a right of way or a preexisting utility conveyance. The plow locator is used to determine the location of a plow relative to a preexisting utility conveyance. Sensing information produced by the sensors and plow location information produced by the plow locator are communicated to the monitor system. A visual representation of the markers and the position of the plow relative to the markers, is displayed on a screen associated with the monitor system. As such, a tractor operator may navigate an engineered path and install a utility conveyance.

14 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets

100

Page 2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

6,300,737 Bl 10/2001 Bergvall et al 318/580

6,407,674 Bl 6/2002 Gallagher 340/905

6,487,481 B2 11/2002 Tanaka et al 701/41

3/2003 Fujishima et al 701/50

2/2004 Ziolkowski et al 340/572.1

4/2005 Eslambolchi et al 340/686.5