DETECTING CHANGES AT CELL SITES AND SURROUNDING AREAS USING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES

• US 20170318477A1
• Filed: 07/07/2017
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: PRIEST, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 10,397,802 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/26 for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• 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 30/20 Rotors; Rotor supports
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0866 specially adapted to captive aircraft
• 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 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30184 Infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/56 Particle system, point based geometry or rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/16 Using real world measurements to influence rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• 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: H04N 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/18 : Network planning tools
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/22 : Traffic simulation tools or models
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Systems and method for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a processing device include creating an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography; providing the initial computer model to one or more of the UAV and the processing device; capturing current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV; comparing the current data to the initial computer model by the processing device; and identifying variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time.

Claims

1. A method for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a processing device, the method comprising:

creating an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography;

providing the initial computer model to one or more of the UAV and the processing device;

capturing current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV;

comparing the current data to the initial computer model by the processing device; and

identifying variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifically describing the variances based on comparing the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise any of changes to a cell tower, changes to cell site components on the cell tower, ground hazards, state of an access road, and landscape changes in the surrounding geography.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial computer model is a three-dimensional (3D) model describing by a point cloud, and where the comparing comprises comparison of the current datat to the point cloud.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial computer model is determined as part of one of a close-out audit and a site inspection where it is determined the initial computer model represents the known good state.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the UAV is utilized to capture data for the initial computer model and the UAV is utilized in the capturing the current data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a flight plan of the UAV around a cell tower is based on a type of the cell tower comprising any of a self-support tower, a monopole tower, and a guyed tower.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial computer model is a three-dimensional (3D) model viewed in a Graphical User Interface, and wherein the method further comprises:

creating a second 3D model based on the current data and utilizing the second 3D model if it is determined the cell site is in the known good state based on the current data.

8. A processing device for cell site inspection by a cell site operator using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the processing device comprising:

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

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

responsive to creation of an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography, receive the initial computer model;

receive captured current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV;

compare the current data to the initial computer model; and

identify variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time.

9. The processing device of claim 8, wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

specifically describe the variances based on comparing the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise any of changes to a cell tower, changes to cell site components on the cell tower, ground hazards, state of an access road, and landscape changes in the surrounding geography.

10. The processing device of claim 8, wherein the initial computer model is a three-dimensional (3D) model describing by a point cloud, and where the comparing comprises comparison of the current datat to the point cloud.

11. The processing device of claim 8, wherein the initial computer model is determined as part of one of a close-out audit and a site inspection where it is determined the initial computer model represents the known good state.

12. The processing device of claim 8, wherein the UAV is utilized to capture data for the initial computer model and the UAV is utilized in the capturing the current data.

13. The processing device of claim 8, wherein a flight plan of the UAV around a cell tower is based on a type of the cell tower comprising any of a self-support tower, a monopole tower, and a guyed tower.

14. The processing device of claim 8, wherein the initial computer model is a three-dimensional (3D) model viewed in a Graphical User Interface, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

create a second 3D model based on the current data and use the second 3D model if it is determined the cell site is in the known good state based on the current data.

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

creating an initial computer model of a cell site and surrounding geography at a first point in time, wherein the initial computer model represents a known good state of the cell site and the surrounding geography;

providing the initial computer model to one or more of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and a processing device;

capturing current data of the cell site and the surrounding geography at a second point in time using the UAV;

comparing the current data to the initial computer model by the processing device; and

identifying variances between the current data and the initial computer model, wherein the variances comprise differences at the cell site and the surrounding geography between the first point in time and the second point in time.