Cell site audit and survey via photo stitching

• US 10,534,499 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• 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): Poon, King Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peren, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US15/469,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20170199646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 80/70 in containers B64U80/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30184 Infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 Network planning tools

Abstract

Systems and method for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI) include, subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site; receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey; and updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands include one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view.

Claims

1. A method for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI), the method comprising:

subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, wherein the linking the plurality of photos is performed automatically based on at least two location identifiers associated with each photo, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site, and wherein a currently displayed photo in the UI includes navigation icons;

receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey from the navigation icons;

updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site to another photo based on the linking and the navigation commands and zoom of a current view;

determining a down tilt angle of an antenna relative to a support bar of the cell site components, whereby determining the down tilt angle is based on measuring a first point near the top of the antenna, measuring a second point near the bottom of the antenna, and measuring a third point on the support bar; and

determining an azimuth of the antenna using a location determination from the photos.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the capturing the plurality of photos is performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method for performing the cell site audit or survey further comprises:

determining plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas;

determining length and width dimensions of the cell site components;

determining equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and

determining connections between the cell site components.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of photos are captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating the displaying comprises providing a new photo based on the navigation commands.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating the displaying comprises seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of comparing the down tilt angle with predetermined specifications of a Radio Frequency (RF) data sheet to ensure the down tilt angle is within range of the predetermined specifications.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of verifying that the antenna azimuth is within a predetermined range of angles as defined by a Radio Frequency (RF) data sheet.

9. An apparatus adapted to perform a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI), the apparatus comprising:

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

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

subsequent to capture of a plurality of photos of a cell site and linkage of the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, wherein the linkage of the plurality of photos is performed automatically based on at least two location identifiers associated with each photo, display the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site, and wherein a currently displayed photo in the UI includes navigation icons;

receive navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey from the navigation icons; and

update the displaying of the UI based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site to another photo based on the linking and the navigation commands and zoom of a current view;

determine a down tilt angle of an antenna of the cell site components relative to a support bar configured for supporting the antenna, whereby determining the down tilt angle is based on measuring a first point near the top of the antenna, measuring a second point near the bottom of the antenna, and measuring a third point on the support bar; and

determining an azimuth of the antenna using a location determination from the photos.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the capturing the plurality of photos is performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas;

determine length and width dimensions of the cell site components;

determine equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and

determine connections between the cell site components.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the plurality of photos are captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the update of the display comprises providing a new photo based on the navigation commands.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the update of the display comprises seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

compare the down tilt angle with predetermined specifications of a Radio Frequency (RF) data sheet to ensure the down tilt angle is within range of the predetermined specifications; and

verify that the antenna azimuth is within a predetermined range of angles as defined by the RF data sheet.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of:

subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, wherein the linking the plurality of photos is performed automatically based on at least two location identifiers associated with each photo, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site, and wherein a currently displayed photo in the UI includes navigation icons;

receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey from the navigation icons;

updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site to another photo based on the linking and the navigation commands and zoom of a current view;

determining a down tilt angle of an antenna of the cell site components, the down tilt angle determine with respect to a support bar configured for supporting the antenna, whereby determining the down tilt angle is based on measuring a first point near the top of the antenna, measuring a second point near the bottom of the antenna, and measuring a third point on the support bar; and

determining an azimuth of the antenna using a location determination from the photos.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the capturing the plurality of photos is performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

determining plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas;

determining dimensions of the cell site components;

determining equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and

determining connections between the cell site components.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the plurality of photos are captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the updating the displaying comprises one of providing a new photo based on the navigation commands and seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands.