Method and Apparatus for Monitoring a Material Medium

• US 20120089367A1
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Coty, Constance, Ji, Lusheng, Miller, Robert, Worstell, Harry
• Granted Patent: US 9,506,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/08 Locating faults in cables, transmission lines, or networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/085 in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/079 using measurements of the data signal

Abstract

A material medium, such as an optical fiber or electrical cable, is used to carry services. The material medium is monitored with at least one diagnostic sensor. The diagnostic sensor may measure the operational health of the material medium, or may measure local environmental conditions around the material medium.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method comprising:

monitoring the operational status of a material medium;

generating first data corresponding to the operational status of the material medium, based on the monitoring;

receiving second data originating from a remote sensor, the second data corresponding to the operational status of the material medium and based on the remote sensor monitoring the material medium;

detecting a roaming unit; and

transmitting the first and second data to the roaming unit.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising powering the remote sensor using energy induced by electromagnetic energy transmitted by the material medium.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising powering the remote sensor using energy induced by electromagnetic energy transmitted by a conduit adjacent to the material medium.

26. The method of claim 23, where the remote sensor is a reduced function device.

27. The method of claim 23, where the second data is received via a waveguide.

28. The method of claim 27, where the waveguide is the material medium.

29. The method of claim 27, where the waveguide is a conduit adjacent to the material medium.

30. The method of claim 23, where the second data comprises an IP address of the remote sensor.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising issuing a test tone along the material medium.

32. The method of claim 23, where the material medium comprises a body of water.

33. A system comprising:

a first sensor configured to monitor the operational status of a material medium and to generate first data based on the monitoring by the first sensor;

a second sensor configured to;

monitor the operational status of the material medium;

generate second data based on the monitoring by the second sensor;

receive the first data;

transmit the first data and the second data; and

a roaming unit configured to receive the first data and the second data.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the first sensor is further configured to generate power using energy induced by electromagnetic energy transmitted by the material medium.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the first sensor is further configured to generate power using energy induced by electromagnetic energy transmitted by a conduit adjacent to the material medium.

36. The system of claim 33, where the first sensor is a reduced function device.

37. The system of claim 33, where the second sensor is configured to receive the first data via a waveguide.

38. The system of claim 37, where the waveguide is the material medium.

39. The system of claim 37, where the waveguide is a conduit adjacent to the material medium.

40. The system of claim 33, where the first data comprises an IP address of the first sensor.

41. The system of claim 33, further comprising a test tone generator configured to issue a test tone along the material medium.

42. The system of claim 33, where the material medium comprises a body of water.