Systems and methods for satellite data capture for telecommunications site modeling

• US 10,255,719 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2018
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: Priest, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A
• Application Number:
  US15/877,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20180158236A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 345427
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/16 for measuring distance of clearance between spaced objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/52 Combining or merging partially overlapping images to an overall image
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2210/54 Revolving an optical measuring instrument around a body
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/08 involving all processing steps from image acquisition to 3D model generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/176 Urban or other man-made structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating a three dimensional (3D) model of a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment utilizing one or more satellites for data capture include providing a location of a cell site to one or more satellites; receiving data capture from the one or more satellites with the data capture comprising photos or videos of a cell tower and cell site components at the cell site; and processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture.

Claims

1. A method for creating a three dimensional (3D) model of a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment utilizing one or more satellites for data capture, the method comprising:

providing a location of a telecommunications site to one or more satellites;

receiving data capture from the one or more satellites with the data capture comprising photos or videos of a cell tower and cell site components at the telecommunications site;

processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture; and

remotely performing a site survey of the telecommunications site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof,

wherein the site survey comprises a determination of a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar using the 3D model, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location in the 3D model, dimensions of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lightning rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remotely performing the site survey comprises:

determining equipment location on the cell tower;

measuring distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and

determining connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more satellites comprise a plurality of satellites each with a different angle or orientation for the associated photos or videos.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the processing comprises stitching the associated photos or videos together to create a 3D point cloud for the 3D model.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

remotely performing one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site utilizing the 3D model.

6. An apparatus configured to create a three dimensional (3D) model of a telecommunications site for planning, engineering, and installing equipment utilizing one or more satellites for data capture, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

provide a location of a telecommunications site to one or more satellites;

receive data capture from the one or more satellites with the data capture comprising photos or videos of a cell tower and cell site components at the telecommunications site,

process the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the telecommunications site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture, and

remotely perform a site survey of the telecommunications site utilizing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the 3D model to collect and obtain information about the cell site, the cell tower, one or more buildings, and interiors thereof,

wherein the site survey comprises a determination of a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar using the 3D model, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location in the 3D model, dimensions of the telecommunications site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lightning rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the remotely performing the site survey comprises:

determining equipment location on the cell tower;

measuring distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and

determining connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more satellites comprise a plurality of satellites each with a different angle or orientation for the associated photos or videos.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processing comprises stitching the associated photos or videos together to create a 3D point cloud for the 3D model.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, further cause the processor to

remotely performing one or more of planning, engineering, and installation associated with the telecommunications site utilizing the 3D model.