US 11,747,505 B1
Magnetic utility locator devices and methods
Mark S. Olsson, La Jolla, CA (US); and Ray Merewether, La Jolla, CA (US)
Assigned to SEESCAN, INC., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by SeeScan, Inc., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/228,661.
Application 17/228,661 is a continuation of application No. 16/133,642, filed on Sep. 17, 2018, granted, now 10,983,240.
Application 16/133,642 is a continuation of application No. 15/485,082, filed on Apr. 11, 2017, granted, now 10,082,591, issued on Sep. 25, 2018.
Application 15/485,082 is a continuation of application No. 14/733,810, filed on Jun. 8, 2015, granted, now 9,632,202, issued on Apr. 25, 2017.
Application 14/733,810 is a continuation of application No. 13/041,320, filed on Mar. 4, 2011, granted, now 9,057,754, issued on Jun. 16, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/310,680, filed on Mar. 4, 2010.
Int. Cl. G01V 3/165 (2006.01); G01V 3/38 (2006.01); G01R 33/10 (2006.01); G01V 3/08 (2006.01); G01R 33/09 (2006.01); G01B 7/00 (2006.01); G01B 7/26 (2006.01)
CPC G01V 3/165 (2013.01) [G01B 7/003 (2013.01); G01B 7/26 (2013.01); G01R 33/10 (2013.01); G01V 3/08 (2013.01); G01V 3/38 (2013.01); G01R 33/096 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic utility locator, comprising:
a first three-axis magnetic sensor disposed on the locator for sensing magnetic fields in three dimensions at a single point in space;
a second three-axis magnetic sensor for sensing magnetic fields in three dimensions at a single point in space positioned above the first three-axis magnetic sensor when the locator is positioned in a vertical orientation;
electronics coupled to an output of the first three-axis magnetic sensor and the output of the second three-axis magnetic sensor for subtracting corresponding output signals from one of the three-axis magnetic sensors from output signals of the other of the three-axis magnetic sensor to determine information about a hidden or buried utility; and
a non-transitory memory for storing the determined information about the hidden or buried utility.