Patent ID: 8676522
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A locator for locating a concealed conductor, comprising: a first field detector operable to detect an alternating magnetic field along a first axis parallel to a primary axis of the locator; a second field detector, displaced from the first field detector and operable to detect an alternating magnetic field along a second axis parallel to the primary axis of the locator; a processor operable to calculate a difference between a field detected by the first detector and a field detected by the second detector, and to calculate an indication of the lateral displacement of the axis of the concealed conductor from the primary axis of the locator using the difference; at least one of the first field detector and the second field detector being configured to detect a reference alternating magnetic field along a reference axis orthogonal to the primary axis; and the processor further configured to compare a phase of the reference magnetic field with a phase of the difference between the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field and determine a lateral direction to the concealed conductor from a result of the comparison, wherein the first axis and the second axis are coaxial with the primary axis.