Add live transmitter position (status) alongside logged points

devices/<serial>/log messages now carry a "type": "log" or "status".
"log" persists a LocatePoint as before; "status" carries the same
position + telemetry shape but is broadcast live over the job's
realtime channel without touching locate_points — it's a current-
position update, not a recorded point.

The job map renders the latest status as a blue "you are here" marker
(with a soft accuracy-radius halo) that moves in place as new updates
arrive, separate from the colored polyline of logged points. Clicking
it shows the same detail readout as a logged point.

The simulator gained a message-type toggle (Log point / Status
update) so both paths can be exercised from /sim.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

backend/src/ingest/dto/mqtt-messages.dto.ts

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   IsArray,
   IsDateString,
   IsEnum,
+  IsIn,
   IsInt,
   IsNotEmpty,
   IsNumber,
@@ -139,10 +140,18 @@ export class MqttPointsMessageDto {
   points: MqttPointDto[];
 }
 
-// Single-reading log entry for a locator that publishes directly (or is
+export const MQTT_LOG_MESSAGE_TYPES = ['log', 'status'] as const;
-// relayed) to devices/<serial>/log — the serial comes from the topic itself,
+export type MqttLogMessageType = (typeof MQTT_LOG_MESSAGE_TYPES)[number];
-// so identity is job-anchored rather than publisher-credential-anchored.
+
+// Single reading for a locator that publishes directly (or is relayed) to
+// devices/<serial>/log — the serial comes from the topic itself, so identity
+// is job-anchored rather than publisher-credential-anchored. `type` decides
+// what happens to it: "log" persists a LocatePoint; "status" is an ephemeral
+// current-position update, broadcast live but never written to the DB.
 export class MqttLogMessageDto extends MqttPointDto {
+  @IsIn(MQTT_LOG_MESSAGE_TYPES)
+  type: MqttLogMessageType;
+
   @IsString()
   @IsNotEmpty()
   jobId: string;

backend/src/ingest/log-ingest.service.ts

@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ export class LogIngestService {
   // devices/<serial>/log carries the locator's identity in the topic itself
   // (no publisher device needs to be pre-registered); the job named in the
   // payload supplies the org, since the topic alone doesn't identify one.
+  // `type` decides what happens to the reading: "log" persists a LocatePoint;
+  // "status" is an ephemeral current-position update, broadcast live but
+  // never written to locate_points.
   async handle(serial: string, rawPayload: string) {
     const msg = plainToInstance(MqttLogMessageDto, JSON.parse(rawPayload) as object);
     const errors = await validate(msg, { whitelist: true });
@@ -36,6 +39,35 @@ export class LogIngestService {
 
     const locator = await this.locatorRegistry.resolve(job.orgId, serial);
 
+    if (msg.type === 'status') {
+      this.realtime.publish(`job:${job.id}`, {
+        type: 'status',
+        jobId: job.id,
+        deviceId: locator.id,
+        serial,
+        lat: msg.lat,
+        lng: msg.lng,
+        altitude: msg.alt ?? null,
+        fixType: msg.fix ?? 'NONE',
+        utilityType: msg.utility ?? 'UNKNOWN',
+        hAccuracy: msg.hAcc ?? null,
+        vAccuracy: msg.vAcc ?? null,
+        satellites: msg.sats ?? null,
+        hdop: msg.hdop ?? null,
+        depth: msg.depth ?? null,
+        frequencyHz: msg.freqHz ?? null,
+        currentMa: msg.currentMa ?? null,
+        signalDb: msg.signalDb ?? null,
+        gainDb: msg.gainDb ?? null,
+        locateMode: msg.mode ?? null,
+        phaseDeg: msg.phaseDeg ?? null,
+        compassDeg: msg.compassDeg ?? null,
+        distortionPct: msg.distortionPct ?? null,
+        recordedAt: msg.ts,
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
     const point = await this.prisma.locatePoint.create({
       data: {
         jobId: job.id,

backend/src/sim/dto/sim.dto.ts

@@ -1,17 +1,12 @@
 import { IsNotEmpty, IsString, MaxLength } from 'class-validator';
-import { MqttPointDto } from '../../ingest/dto/mqtt-messages.dto';
+import { MqttLogMessageDto } from '../../ingest/dto/mqtt-messages.dto';
 
-// What the simulator UI sends the backend. Mirrors a devices/<serial>/log
+// What the simulator UI sends the backend: a devices/<serial>/log payload
-// payload plus the two fields that live in the topic/routing rather than the
+// (type: "log" persists a point, "status" is a live-only position update)
-// wire payload itself (serial, jobId) so this DTO doubles as validation for
+// plus "serial", which lives in the topic rather than the wire payload.
-// both the REST call and the outgoing MQTT message.
+export class SimPublishPointDto extends MqttLogMessageDto {
-export class SimPublishPointDto extends MqttPointDto {
   @IsString()
   @IsNotEmpty()
   @MaxLength(64)
   serial: string;
-
-  @IsString()
-  @IsNotEmpty()
-  jobId: string;
 }

web/components/map/google/GoogleJobMap.tsx

@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 /// <reference types="google.maps" />
 import { APIProvider, InfoWindow, Map as GoogleMap, useMap } from '@vis.gl/react-google-maps';
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
-import { JobMapProps, MapPoint, pointDetailRows, UTILITY_COLORS } from '../types';
+import { JobMapProps, LiveStatus, liveStatusToMapPoint, MapPoint, pointDetailRows, UTILITY_COLORS } from '../types';
 
 const API_KEY = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY || '';
+const LIVE_COLOR = '#1a73e8';
 
 const DEFAULT_CENTER = { lat: 39.5, lng: -98.35 }; // continental US
 const DEFAULT_ZOOM = 4;
@@ -95,6 +96,80 @@ function PointsLayer({
   return null;
 }
 
+// Renders the transmitter's current position as a "blue dot" (marker + soft
+// accuracy halo), updated in place as new status messages arrive.
+function LiveMarker({ status, onSelect }: { status: LiveStatus | null; onSelect: (point: MapPoint) => void }) {
+  const map = useMap();
+  const markerRef = useRef<google.maps.Marker | null>(null);
+  const haloRef = useRef<google.maps.Circle | null>(null);
+  const statusRef = useRef(status);
+  statusRef.current = status;
+  const onSelectRef = useRef(onSelect);
+  onSelectRef.current = onSelect;
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!map) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (!status) {
+      markerRef.current?.setMap(null);
+      haloRef.current?.setMap(null);
+      markerRef.current = null;
+      haloRef.current = null;
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const position = { lat: status.lat, lng: status.lng };
+
+    if (!markerRef.current) {
+      markerRef.current = new google.maps.Marker({
+        map,
+        position,
+        zIndex: 999,
+        cursor: 'pointer',
+        icon: {
+          path: google.maps.SymbolPath.CIRCLE,
+          scale: 8,
+          fillColor: LIVE_COLOR,
+          fillOpacity: 1,
+          strokeColor: '#ffffff',
+          strokeWeight: 2,
+        },
+      });
+      markerRef.current.addListener('click', () => {
+        if (statusRef.current) {
+          onSelectRef.current(liveStatusToMapPoint(statusRef.current));
+        }
+      });
+      haloRef.current = new google.maps.Circle({
+        map,
+        center: position,
+        radius: status.hAccuracy ?? 5,
+        fillColor: LIVE_COLOR,
+        fillOpacity: 0.15,
+        strokeColor: LIVE_COLOR,
+        strokeOpacity: 0.3,
+        strokeWeight: 1,
+        clickable: false,
+      });
+    } else {
+      markerRef.current.setPosition(position);
+      haloRef.current?.setCenter(position);
+      haloRef.current?.setRadius(status.hAccuracy ?? 5);
+    }
+  }, [map, status]);
+
+  useEffect(
+    () => () => {
+      markerRef.current?.setMap(null);
+      haloRef.current?.setMap(null);
+    },
+    [],
+  );
+
+  return null;
+}
+
 function PointDetails({ point, onClose }: { point: MapPoint; onClose: () => void }) {
   return (
     <InfoWindow position={{ lat: point.lat, lng: point.lng }} onCloseClick={onClose}>
@@ -114,7 +189,7 @@ function PointDetails({ point, onClose }: { point: MapPoint; onClose: () => void
   );
 }
 
-export default function GoogleJobMap({ points, fitBounds = true, heightPx = 480 }: JobMapProps) {
+export default function GoogleJobMap({ points, liveStatus = null, fitBounds = true, heightPx = 480 }: JobMapProps) {
   const [selected, setSelected] = useState<MapPoint | null>(null);
 
   if (!API_KEY) {
@@ -136,8 +211,17 @@ export default function GoogleJobMap({ points, fitBounds = true, heightPx = 480
   }
 
   // A point can be re-fetched (new object identity) between renders; keep the
-  // InfoWindow anchored to the latest copy of the same point by id.
+  // InfoWindow anchored to the latest copy of the same point by id. The live
-  const selectedCurrent = selected ? (points.find((p) => p.id === selected.id) ?? selected) : null;
+  // marker's "point" is synthesized fresh from liveStatus each time.
+  const selectedCurrent = (() => {
+    if (!selected) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    if (selected.id.startsWith('live-')) {
+      return liveStatus ? liveStatusToMapPoint(liveStatus) : null;
+    }
+    return points.find((p) => p.id === selected.id) ?? selected;
+  })();
 
   return (
     <div style={{ height: heightPx, borderRadius: 8, overflow: 'hidden' }}>
@@ -150,6 +234,7 @@ export default function GoogleJobMap({ points, fitBounds = true, heightPx = 480
           onClick={() => setSelected(null)}
         >
           <PointsLayer points={points} fitBounds={fitBounds} onSelect={setSelected} />
+          <LiveMarker status={liveStatus} onSelect={setSelected} />
           {selectedCurrent && <PointDetails point={selectedCurrent} onClose={() => setSelected(null)} />}
         </GoogleMap>
       </APIProvider>

web/components/map/types.ts

@@ -67,8 +67,41 @@ export function pointDetailRows(p: MapPoint): Array<[string, string]> {
   return rows;
 }
 
+// A transmitter's current position, pushed live over the job's realtime
+// channel. Never persisted as a LocatePoint — just the latest "where is it
+// right now," replaced in place as new status updates arrive.
+export interface LiveStatus {
+  deviceId: string;
+  serial: string;
+  lat: number;
+  lng: number;
+  altitude: number | null;
+  utilityType: string;
+  fixType: string;
+  hAccuracy: number | null;
+  vAccuracy: number | null;
+  satellites: number | null;
+  hdop: number | null;
+  depth: number | null;
+  frequencyHz: number | null;
+  currentMa: number | null;
+  signalDb: number | null;
+  gainDb: number | null;
+  locateMode: string | null;
+  phaseDeg: number | null;
+  compassDeg: number | null;
+  distortionPct: number | null;
+  recordedAt: string;
+}
+
+export function liveStatusToMapPoint(s: LiveStatus): MapPoint {
+  return { ...s, id: `live-${s.serial}`, sequence: null };
+}
+
 export interface JobMapProps {
   points: MapPoint[];
+  // Live current position of a transmitter, shown as a distinct marker
+  liveStatus?: LiveStatus | null;
   // Pan/zoom to fit all points whenever their count changes
   fitBounds?: boolean;
   heightPx?: number;

web/lib/use-job-stream.ts

@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
-import type { MapPoint } from '../components/map/types';
+import type { LiveStatus, MapPoint } from '../components/map/types';
 
-// Subscribes to live points for a job over the backend WebSocket.
+// Subscribes to live points + live position status for a job over the
-// Reconnects with capped exponential backoff; resubscribes on reconnect.
+// backend WebSocket. Reconnects with capped exponential backoff; resubscribes
-export function useJobStream(jobId: string | null, onPoints: (points: MapPoint[]) => void) {
+// on reconnect.
-  const handlerRef = useRef(onPoints);
+export function useJobStream(
-  handlerRef.current = onPoints;
+  jobId: string | null,
+  onPoints: (points: MapPoint[]) => void,
+  onStatus?: (status: LiveStatus) => void,
+) {
+  const pointsRef = useRef(onPoints);
+  pointsRef.current = onPoints;
+  const statusRef = useRef(onStatus);
+  statusRef.current = onStatus;
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!jobId) {
@@ -29,8 +36,13 @@ export function useJobStream(jobId: string | null, onPoints: (points: MapPoint[]
       socket.onmessage = (event) => {
         try {
           const msg = JSON.parse(event.data);
-          if (msg.type === 'points' && msg.jobId === jobId) {
+          if (msg.jobId !== jobId) {
-            handlerRef.current(msg.points);
+            return;
+          }
+          if (msg.type === 'points') {
+            pointsRef.current(msg.points);
+          } else if (msg.type === 'status') {
+            statusRef.current?.(msg as LiveStatus);
           }
         } catch {
           // ignore malformed frames

web/pages/jobs/[jobId].tsx

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { useRouter } from 'next/router';
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import Layout from '../../components/Layout';
 import JobMap from '../../components/map/JobMap';
-import { pointSummary, type MapPoint } from '../../components/map/types';
+import { pointSummary, type LiveStatus, type MapPoint } from '../../components/map/types';
 import { api } from '../../lib/api';
 import { useRequireAuth } from '../../lib/auth-context';
 import { useJobStream } from '../../lib/use-job-stream';
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export default function JobDetailPage() {
   const [job, setJob] = useState<JobDetail | null>(null);
   const [points, setPoints] = useState<MapPoint[]>([]);
   const [live, setLive] = useState(0);
+  const [liveStatus, setLiveStatus] = useState<LiveStatus | null>(null);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -57,7 +58,9 @@ export default function JobDetailPage() {
     setLive((n) => n + incoming.length);
   }, []);
 
-  useJobStream(jobId, onLivePoints);
+  const onStatus = useCallback((status: LiveStatus) => setLiveStatus(status), []);
+
+  useJobStream(jobId, onLivePoints, onStatus);
 
   const updateStatus = async (status: string) => {
     if (!orgId || !jobId) {
@@ -108,9 +111,14 @@ export default function JobDetailPage() {
             {points.length > 0 && (
               <span style={{ color: '#777' }}>latest: {pointSummary(points[points.length - 1])}</span>
             )}
+            {liveStatus && (
+              <span style={{ color: '#1a73e8' }}>
+                ● transmitter {liveStatus.serial} live ({new Date(liveStatus.recordedAt).toLocaleTimeString()})
+              </span>
+            )}
           </div>
 
-          <JobMap points={points} heightPx={520} />
+          <JobMap points={points} liveStatus={liveStatus} heightPx={520} />
         </>
       )}
     </Layout>

web/pages/sim/index.tsx

@@ -14,11 +14,14 @@ interface JobOption {
 interface SentEntry {
   at: string;
   seq: number;
+  type: MessageType;
   lat: number;
   lng: number;
   depth: number;
 }
 
+type MessageType = 'log' | 'status';
+
 const UTILITIES = ['GAS', 'WATER', 'ELECTRIC', 'SEWER', 'TELECOM', 'CATV', 'FIBER', 'STEAM', 'UNKNOWN'];
 const FIX_TYPES = ['FIXED_RTK', 'FLOAT_RTK', 'DGPS', 'AUTONOMOUS', 'NONE'];
 const LOCATE_MODES = ['PEAK', 'NULL', 'BROAD_PEAK', 'SONDE'];
@@ -47,6 +50,7 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
   const [newTicket, setNewTicket] = useState('');
   const [newTitle, setNewTitle] = useState('');
 
+  const [messageType, setMessageType] = useState<MessageType>('log');
   const [serial, setSerial] = useState('');
   const [utility, setUtility] = useState('GAS');
   const [fixType, setFixType] = useState('FIXED_RTK');
@@ -131,6 +135,7 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
     const pointDepth = Math.max(0.1, jitter(depth, 0.15));
     try {
       await api.post(`/api/orgs/${orgId}/sim/publish`, {
+        type: messageType,
         serial,
         jobId,
         lat: pos.lat,
@@ -153,7 +158,12 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
         ts: new Date().toISOString(),
       });
       setCount(seq);
-      setSent((prev) => [{ at: new Date().toLocaleTimeString(), seq, lat: pos.lat, lng: pos.lng, depth: pointDepth }, ...prev].slice(0, 25));
+      setSent((prev) =>
+        [
+          { at: new Date().toLocaleTimeString(), seq, type: messageType, lat: pos.lat, lng: pos.lng, depth: pointDepth },
+          ...prev,
+        ].slice(0, 25),
+      );
       setError(null);
     } catch (err: any) {
       setError(err.message);
@@ -210,6 +220,18 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
         </p>
         {error && <p style={{ color: '#c62828' }}>{error}</p>}
 
+        <fieldset style={{ marginBottom: '1rem', border: '1px solid #ddd', borderRadius: 8, padding: '1rem' }}>
+          <legend>Message type</legend>
+          <label style={{ marginRight: '1.5rem' }}>
+            <input type="radio" checked={messageType === 'log'} onChange={() => setMessageType('log')} /> Log point{' '}
+            <span style={{ color: '#888' }}>— persisted, appears on the utility line</span>
+          </label>
+          <label>
+            <input type="radio" checked={messageType === 'status'} onChange={() => setMessageType('status')} /> Status
+            update <span style={{ color: '#888' }}>— live position only, not saved</span>
+          </label>
+        </fieldset>
+
         <fieldset style={{ marginBottom: '1rem', border: '1px solid #ddd', borderRadius: 8, padding: '1rem' }}>
           <legend>Job</legend>
           {!creatingJob ? (
@@ -371,10 +393,10 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
 
         <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: '0.75rem', marginBottom: '1rem' }}>
           <button onClick={sendPoint} disabled={!jobId || autoSending} style={{ padding: '0.6rem 1rem' }}>
-            Send point
+            Send {messageType === 'log' ? 'log point' : 'status update'}
           </button>
           <button onClick={toggleAutoSend} disabled={!jobId} style={{ padding: '0.6rem 1rem' }}>
-            {autoSending ? 'Stop auto-send' : 'Start auto-send'}
+            {autoSending ? 'Stop auto-send' : `Start auto-send (${messageType})`}
           </button>
           <label>
             every{' '}
@@ -398,6 +420,7 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
             <tr style={{ textAlign: 'left', borderBottom: '2px solid #ddd' }}>
               <th style={{ padding: '0.4rem' }}>Time</th>
               <th>Seq</th>
+              <th>Type</th>
               <th>Lat</th>
               <th>Lng</th>
               <th>Depth</th>
@@ -408,6 +431,7 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
               <tr key={s.seq} style={{ borderBottom: '1px solid #eee' }}>
                 <td style={{ padding: '0.4rem' }}>{s.at}</td>
                 <td>{s.seq}</td>
+                <td style={{ color: s.type === 'log' ? '#333' : '#1a73e8' }}>{s.type}</td>
                 <td>{s.lat.toFixed(7)}</td>
                 <td>{s.lng.toFixed(7)}</td>
                 <td>{s.depth} m</td>
@@ -415,7 +439,7 @@ export default function SimulatorPage() {
             ))}
             {sent.length === 0 && (
               <tr>
-                <td colSpan={5} style={{ padding: '1.5rem', textAlign: 'center', color: '#888' }}>
+                <td colSpan={6} style={{ padding: '1.5rem', textAlign: 'center', color: '#888' }}>
                   No points sent yet.
                 </td>
               </tr>