RAPID HIGH-RESOLUTION MAGNETIC FIELD MEASUREMENTS FOR POWER LINE INSPECTION

• US 20160216304A1
• Filed: 01/21/2016
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: SEKELSKY, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US15/003,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20160216304A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/10 Air crafts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/19 using electrically powered motors
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 50/34 In-flight charging photovoltaics B64U50/31
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06705 Apparatus for holding or moving single probes for moving multiple probe heads or ICs under test G01R31/2886
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/085 in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/032 using magneto-optic devices, e.g. Faraday or Cotton-Mouton effect
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0265 using buried wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

Methods and configurations are disclosed for DNV application in rapid and cost-effective inspection of power transmission and power distribution lines.

Claims

1. A system for inspecting electric power lines comprising:

one or more diamond nitrogen vacancy (DNV) components mounted on a movable object relative to a power line, such DNV components being included as part of a magnetometer configured to detect a magnetic vector of a magnetic field generated as electric power flows along a power line, said magnetometer determining a magnetic vector being generated at intervals along the power line;

one or more electronic processors configured to receive the magnetic vector of the magnetic field from the magnetometer, compare the magnetic vector to a predetermined magnetic vector of a power line, and determine a presence of an anomaly related to the power line based upon the comparison.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more electronic processors are further configured to determine a presence of the power line based upon the magnetic vector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more electronic processors are further configured to identify a type of power line based upon the magnetic vector.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more electronic processors are further configured to determine the predetermined magnetic vector of the power line based upon the type of power line.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a navigation control configured to navigate the vehicle based upon the presence of the power line and the magnetic vector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the navigation control is further configured to navigate to an initial position.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the navigation control is further configured to navigate the vehicle in a pattern over an area.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more electronic processors are further configured to:

receive a plurality of real-time magnetic vectors from the magnetometer;

determine a course correction for the vehicle based upon the plurality of magnetic vectors.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the course correction follows a curve of the power line.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a flying vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a ground vehicle.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a submersible vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of magnetometers configured to detect a plurality of magnetic vectors of the magnetic field.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine a presence of the power line based upon the magnetic vector and the plurality of magnetic vectors.

15. A method for inspecting power lines comprising:

detecting, using a magnetometer, a magnetic vector of a magnetic field;

receiving the magnetic vector of the magnetic field from the magnetometer;

comparing the magnetic vector to a predetermined magnetic vector of a power line; and

determining a presence of an anomaly related to the power line based upon the comparison.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining a presence of the power line based upon the magnetic vector.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising identifying a type of power line based upon the magnetic vector.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the predetermined magnetic vector of the power line based upon the type of power line.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising navigating, using a navigation control, the vehicle based upon the presence of the power line and the magnetic vector.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising navigating, using the navigation control, to an initial position.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising navigating, using the navigation control, the vehicle in a pattern over an area.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle is a flying vehicle.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle is a ground vehicle.

26. The method of claim 15, wherein the vehicle is a submersible vehicle.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting, using a plurality of magnetometers, a plurality of magnetic vectors of the magnetic field.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising determining a presence of the power line based upon the magnetic vector and the plurality of magnetic vectors.

22. A method comprising:

detecting, using a magnetometer, a magnetic vector of a magnetic field;

receiving a plurality of real-time magnetic vectors from the magnetometer;

comparing the magnetic vector to a predetermined magnetic vector of a power line;

determining a course correction for the vehicle based upon the plurality of magnetic vectors; and

determining a presence of an anomaly related to the power line based upon the comparison.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the course correction follows a curve of the power line.

29. A system for inspecting electric power lines comprising:

one or more magnetic sensor means mounted on a movable object relative to a power line, the one or more magnetic sensor means configured to detect a magnetic vector of a magnetic field generated as electric power flows along a power line, said magnetic sensor means determining a magnetic vector being generated at intervals along the power line;

one or more processor means configured to receive the magnetic vector of the magnetic field from the magnetometer, compare the magnetic vector to a predetermined magnetic vector of a power line, and determine a presence of an anomaly related to the power line based upon the comparison.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to detect using a magnetometer, a magnetic vector of a magnetic field;

instructions to receive the magnetic vector of the magnetic field from the magnetometer;

instructions to compare the magnetic vector to a predetermined magnetic vector of a power line; and

instructions to determine a presence of an anomaly related to the power line based upon the comparison.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising instructions to determine a presence of the power line based upon the magnetic vector.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions to identify a type of power line based upon the magnetic vector.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising instructions to determine the predetermined magnetic vector of the power line based upon the type of power line.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 33, further comprising instructions to navigate the vehicle based upon the presence of the power line and the magnetic vector.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, further comprising instructions to navigate to an initial position.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions to navigate the vehicle in a pattern over an area.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 36, further comprising:

instructions to receive a plurality of real-time magnetic vectors from the magnetometer;

instructions to determine a course correction for the vehicle based upon the plurality of magnetic vectors.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the course correction follows a curve of the power line.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the vehicle is a flying vehicle.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the vehicle is a ground vehicle.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the vehicle is a submersible vehicle.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising instructions to detect, using a plurality of magnetometers, a plurality of magnetic vectors of the magnetic field.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 42, further comprising instructions to determine a presence of the power line based upon the magnetic vector and the plurality of magnetic vectors.