Software Development Projects

UGL has been involved with field inventory and data conversion since the mid 1980's. This involvement led to the development of expertise and skills in designing and building systems and tools for mobile computing. We have been part of the evolution from paper maps in the field combined with office data entry to the present where the most of the work can be done in the field leaving only quality control and data transfer tasks for the office.

UGL's mobile computing solution is based on pen computers with MicroSoft Windows (PenWindows) operating system. The software has been developed in-house. UGL has written streetlighting/sign inventory and sewer applications in addition to electrical distribution software.

As part of the data conversion/field inventory process, data translation between different systems is a necessity. UGL has implemented systems for projects using a variety of GIS including AutoCAD based systems, Microstation, IBM GFIS, Smallworld, ArcInfo, and CARIS.

Often, integrating GPS receivers or other electronic instruments with computer systems is required. UGL has developed such systems and can tailor a GPS solution for your positional accuracy requirements. UGL has been involved with GPS technology since 1986.

Field Data Services, Inc.

1996-1999 Electrical Distribution Field Inventory Software

Underhill and Field Data Services, Inc (FDSI) first worked together on the Florida Power & Light project in 1992-1993. A portion of the project involved the development of a field data collection system to be used in the inventory work done by FDSI. This system was based around the Corvalis MicroTechnology MC-V data collector, and dBase type software. The system proved that the concepts of digital attribute collection and field database reconciliation for electrical distribution systems was feasible. Unfortunately the hardware technology of the day lacked the necessary power to make it cost effective.

With advances in computing technologies we can now efficiently collect attribute and graphic information, in the field, and reconcile it with client data bases. Starting in 1996 UGL developed a custom, Pen Windows based, data collection system for FDSI. The system is based around UGL's core Distribution Circuit Builder (DCB) technology. FDSI's 14+ years of field inventory experience was drawn on to codify their Integrated System for Data capture in the Field (ISDF). UGL has worked with FDSI to continually improve the efficiency of the system, and adapt it to their clients data standards. The system has be successfully utilized by FDSI on the following field inventory projects:

MidAmerica Energy Company - A full primary and secondary electrical distribution system field inventory project. The target system of this project is Intergraph NewCOM - Cable television system, and pole contact data capture pilot project.

Eugene Water & Electric Board - Secondary distribution field inventory and linking customers to services. The target system was Smallworld GIS.

Northern Indiana Public Service Company - Primary distribution field inventory project. Target system is AutoCAD. FDSI's system includes UGL's primary and secondary trace features, and on-the-fly QC, as-well-as proprietary(Š1996-1999 FDSI) phasing, productivity, and quality control features.

Software developed for FDSI's NIPSCo project.

BC Hydro

1998-1999 Electrical Distribution Field Inventory S/W & H/W (including GPS) for GIS/CIS Address Reconciliation & Secondary Updates

BC Hydro required an automated means of linking their Customer Information System(CIS) database to their GIS database. UGL provided a complete H/W S/W solution including:

DCB Software running in FieldNotes - Highly customized to allow import and export of clients CIS and GIS data (IBM DB2 ASCII & GFIS IFF), note taking, and update of overhead electrical secondary information
Fujitsu Pen Computers - Fujitsu 1200's: 120 Mhz Pentium, 32Mbyte RAM, 2.1Gbyte FD. Able to load entire CIS and GIS data for a given region. Integrated with GPS unit.
Garmin 12 Channel L1 GPS Receiver - Garmin GPS-35. 12 Channel L1 OEM receiver. Integrated with Pen Computer for geographic selection of map files, and positioning of facilities in GIS database.

Software displaying BC Hydro map.

BC Hydro pole record shown.

BC Hydro function menu.

1991 System for Inventory of Joint Use (Pole) Information

Underhill developed a system based around the Corvalis MicroTechnology MC-V hand-held data field data collector. The system provided for:

Customer Database Import/Export - Allowed date loading from IBM DB2 to MC-V via custom PC-based file management S/W.
Field Editing of Records - Add/Delete/Change records and attribute information for power poles, in the field using the MC-V.
Quality Control - Field verification of data integrity.

ASI/Intelligraphics International

1997 Electrical Utility Conversion S/W

Supplied consultant with PC-based S/W (DCB in FieldNotes) to migrate FDSI's ISDF data to their clients Intergraph system.

City of Coquitlam

Streetlight and Sign Field Inventory System

The City required an automated means of collecting attribute and location information for streetlight poles and structures, and locations and attributes of attached signs on poles. UGL provided a complete H/W S/W solution including:

SLI Software running in FieldNotes - Highly customized to allow import and export to the clients GIS system (CARIS), and field realization of their data model. Features were placed utilizing the city's GIS landbase. Fujitsu Pen Computers - Fujitsu 1200's: 120 Mhz Pentium, 32Mbyte RAM, 2.1Gbyte FD.

In addition to the above projects UGL has developed S/W for its own data conversion and field inventory needs. These systems are detailed under our AM/FM GIS Conversion Experience.

Pole attribute entry dialog in Coquitlam Streetlight Inventory software.