Patent ID: 8280969

Claim:
An apparatus for providing information regarding a locate and/or marking operation comprising detecting and/or marking a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area, wherein at least a portion of the dig area is planned to be excavated or disturbed during excavation activities, the apparatus comprising: a communication interface; a memory to store processor-executable instructions; and a processing unit communicatively coupled to the communication interface and the memory, wherein upon execution of the processor-executable instructions by the processing unit, the processing unit: electronically receives locate request information via the communication interface; based at least in part on the locate request information, generates a locate request ticket; controls the communication interface to receive input regarding a notification type and/or a notification communication method for at least one notification indicating a status and/or providing information relating to the performance of the locate and/or marking operation; generates the at least one notification based at least in part on the notification type and/or the notification communication method; and further controls the communication interface and/or the memory to electronically transmit and/or electronically store the at least one notification so as to inform at least one party associated with providing the locate request information of the status and/or performance of the locate and/or marking operation.