Method and apparatus for broadcast communication via guided waves

• US 10,020,844 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: T&T Intellectual Property I LP
• Inventors: Bogdan, Pamela A. M., Blandino, George, Liu, Ken, Lubranski, Leon, Myburgh, Eric, Van Brakle, Tracy
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US15/370,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20180159593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 340 343
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/52 Systems for transmission between fixed stations via waveguides
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/54 Systems for transmission via power distribution lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a broadcast communication system that is operable to detect a first power outage. A first plurality of electromagnetic waves is generated for transmission to a plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system via a guided wave transceiver, where the first plurality of electromagnetic waves includes an outage status signal generated in response to detecting the first power outage, and where the first plurality of electromagnetic waves is guided by at least one transmission medium and propagates without utilizing an electrical return path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A broadcast communication system, comprising:

a processing system that includes a processor;

a guided wave transceiver that transmits and receives communications by electromagnetic waves at a physical interface of a transmission medium, wherein the electromagnetic waves are guided by the transmission medium and propagate without utilizing an electrical return path;

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising;

detecting a first power outage;

generating a first plurality of the electromagnetic waves for transmission to a plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system via the guided wave transceiver, wherein the first plurality of the electromagnetic waves includes an outage status signal generated in response to detecting the first power outage;

predicting a second power outage by;

determining a first power outage likelihood value; and

comparing the first power outage likelihood value to a power outage likelihood threshold; and

generating a second plurality of the electromagnetic waves for transmission to the plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system via the guided wave transceiver, wherein the second plurality of the electromagnetic waves includes power outage warning data, and wherein the second plurality of the electromagnetic waves is generated in response to the first power outage likelihood value comparing unfavorably to the power outage likelihood threshold.

2. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast communication system is physically attached to a first one of a plurality of power line phases of a power pole, and wherein the first power outage corresponds to a failure of a second one of the plurality of power line phases of the power pole.

3. The broadcast communication system of claim 2, wherein the broadcast communication system further comprises a wireless transmitter and at least one of:

a disturbance detection sensor, a loss of energy sensor, or a vibration sensor, wherein the second power outage corresponds to a failure of the first one of the plurality of power line phases, and wherein the second power outage is predicted based on a sensor input to the at least one of;

the disturbance detection sensor, the loss of energy sensor, or the vibration sensor, and wherein the operations further comprise;

generating a notification of the second power outage for transmission via the wireless transmitter.

4. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast communication system further comprises a wireless transceiver, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a power outage notification via the wireless transceiver;

wherein the first power outage is detected in response to receiving the power outage notification.

5. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast communication system further comprises a wireless receiver, and wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving at least one wireless transmission that includes utility status data from at least one utility provider via the wireless receiver;

wherein the outage status signal is generated based on the utility status data.

6. The broadcast communication system of claim 5, wherein the broadcast communication system further comprises a wireless transmitter, and wherein the operations further comprise:

generating at least one status request for transmission via the wireless transmitter to the at least one utility provider in response to detecting the first power outage;

wherein the at least one wireless transmission is received in response to the at least one status request.

7. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving via the guided wave transceiver a third plurality of the electromagnetic waves that includes a power outage notification signal;

wherein the first power outage is detected in response to receiving the power outage notification signal.

8. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving at least one third plurality of the electromagnetic waves from at least one utility provider via the guided wave transceiver, wherein the at least one third plurality of electromagnetic waves includes utility status data, and wherein the outage status signal is generated based on the utility status data.

9. The broadcast communication system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating at least one fourth plurality of the electromagnetic waves that includes a status request signal for transmission via the guided wave transceiver to the at least one utility provider in response to detecting the first power outage;

wherein the at least one third plurality of the electromagnetic waves is received in response to the status request signal.

10. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the outage status signal includes message data for display by a subset of the plurality of user devices.

11. The broadcast communication system of claim 10, wherein the message data corresponds to a message from a utility provider, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third plurality of the electromagnetic waves via the guided wave transceiver that includes a message response signal from one of the subset of the plurality of user devices corresponding to a user input to the one of the subset of the plurality of user devices; and

transmitting the third plurality of the electromagnetic waves via the guided wave transceiver to the utility provider.

12. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of user devices includes a home automation controller, and wherein the outage status signal includes at least one instruction for execution by the home automation controller.

13. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the outage status signal includes at least one electric vehicle charging station location.

14. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third plurality of the electromagnetic waves from a utility provider via the guided wave transceiver that includes planned maintenance data; and

generating a fourth plurality of the electromagnetic waves for transmission to the plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system via the guided wave transceiver, wherein the third plurality of the electromagnetic waves includes the planned maintenance data.

15. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast communication system includes an environmental sensor, and wherein the first power outage likelihood value is based on a sensor input to the environmental sensor.

16. The broadcast communication system of claim 1, wherein the first power outage likelihood value is determined at a first time;

and wherein the operations further comprise;

determining a second power outage likelihood value at a second time that is later than the first time;

comparing the second power outage likelihood value to the power outage likelihood threshold; and

generating a third plurality of the electromagnetic waves for transmission to the plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system via the guided wave transceiver, wherein the third plurality of the electromagnetic waves indicates that a power outage warning has passed, and wherein the third plurality of the electromagnetic waves is generated in response to the second power outage likelihood value comparing favorably to the power outage likelihood threshold.

17. A method for use by a broadcast communication system that includes a processor and a guided wave transceiver, the method comprising:

detecting a first power outage;

generating a plurality of first electromagnetic waves for transmission to a plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system via the guided wave transceiver, wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic waves includes an outage status signal generated in response to detecting the power outage, and wherein the plurality of first electromagnetic waves is guided by at least one transmission medium and propagates without utilizing an electrical return path;

predicting a second power outage by;

determining a first power outage likelihood value; and

comparing the first power outage likelihood value to a power outage likelihood threshold; and

generating a second plurality of the electromagnetic waves for transmission to the plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system via the guided wave transceiver, wherein the second plurality of the electromagnetic waves includes power outage warning data, and wherein the second plurality of the electromagnetic waves is generated in response to the first power outage likelihood value comparing unfavorably to the power outage likelihood threshold.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the broadcast communication system is physically attached to a first one of a plurality of power line phases of a power pole, and wherein the first power outage corresponds to a failure of a second one of the plurality of power line phases of the power pole.

19. A broadcast communication system, comprising:

means for detecting a first power outage;

means for generating a first plurality of electromagnetic waves for transmission to a plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system, wherein the plurality of electromagnetic waves includes an outage status signal generated in response to detecting the power outage, and wherein the plurality of electromagnetic waves is guided by at least one transmission medium and propagates without utilizing an electrical return path;

means for predicting a second power outage by;

determining a first power outage likelihood value; and

comparing the first power outage likelihood value to a power outage likelihood threshold; and

means for generating a second plurality of the electromagnetic waves for transmission to the plurality of user devices of the broadcast communication system, wherein the second plurality of the electromagnetic waves includes power outage warning data, and wherein the second plurality of the electromagnetic waves is generated in response to the first power outage likelihood value comparing unfavorably to the power outage likelihood threshold.