Method and apparatus for monitoring inside a manhole

• US 5,583,492 A
• Filed: 09/22/1994
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kansai Electric Power Company Incorporated, Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kansai Electric Power Company Incorporated, Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Shinichi, Matsubara, Ryoji, Nakanishi, Yutaka, Hishida, Yasuyuki, Nakatsuru, Yoshiaki, Kanemaru, Kimiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US08/310,678
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 340/870.3, 340/870.31, 340/870.02, 340/870.01, 343/719, 343/720, 343/845, 73/592
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/04 Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2233 used in consumption-meter devices, e.g. electricity, gas or water meters
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/44 using equipment having another main function to serve additionally as an antenna , e.g. means for giving an antenna an aesthetic aspectH01Q1/27 - H01Q1/34 take precedence

Abstract

Maintenance information is collected by a sensor on an electric power cable installed in a manhole. The information is transmitted to a radio transmitter which is positioned in a vicinity of a bottom plane of an inner lid in an opening of the manhole. The information is transmitted by the radio transmitter, and received by a receiving antenna mounted on a bottom plane of the inner lid. On a top plane of the inner lid, an electrode, a connecting lead or a transmitting antenna is provided to be connected to the receiving antenna by an impedance matching circuit. The information is supplied to an outer lid in the opening of the manhole by the opening of the manhole by the electrode using a spatial coupling capacitance relative to the outer lid, or the connecting lead directly connected to the outer lid. Thus, the information is transmitted as a radio signal by the outer lid functioning as an antenna. Otherwise, the information is radiated below the outer lid by the transmitting antenna. Thus, the radiated information is leaked via the outer lid to the exterior of the manhole.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, the method comprising the steps of:

collecting information about the equipment in said manhole;

transmitting said information to a radio transmitter, said radio transmitter being positioned in a vicinity of a bottom surface of an inner lid positioned in an opening of said manhole;

transmitting said information as a radio signal from said radio transmitter to a receiving antenna provided on said bottom surface of said inner lid;

coupling said information from said receiving antenna to an outer lid positioned in said opening of said manhole; and

transmitting said information as a radio signal from said outer lid to an exterior of said manhole.

2. A method for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of coupling said information comprises the steps of;

supplying said information to an electrode provided on a top surface of said inner lid, said electrode being matched in impedance with said receiving antenna; and

coupling said information from said electrode to said outer lid by a spatial capacitance.

3. A method for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of coupling said information comprises the step of;

supplying said information to a lead provided on a top surface of said inner lid, said lead resiliently contacting with said outer lid and being matched in impedance with said receiving antenna.

4. A method for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, comprising the steps of:

collecting information about the equipment in said manhole;

transmitting said information to a radio transmitter, said radio transmitter being positioned in a vicinity of a bottom surface of an inner lid positioned in an opening of said manhole;

transmitting said information as a radio signal from said radio transmitter to a receiving antenna provided on said bottom surface of said inner lid;

supplying said information to a transmitting antenna provided on a top surface of said inner lid, said transmitting antenna being matched in impedance with said receiving antenna; and

transmitting said information as a radio signal from said transmitting antenna to a space below an outer lid positioned in said opening of said manhole, said information being leaked through said outer lid to an exterior of said manhole.

5. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, comprising:

a sensor for collecting information about the equipment in said manhole;

a signal processing circuit for processing said information to generate processed information;

a radio transmitter for transmitting said processed information, said radio transmitter being positioned in a vicinity of a bottom surface of an inner lid positioned in an opening of said manhole;

a receiving antenna for receiving said processed information transmitted from said radio transmitter, said receiving antenna being provided on said bottom surface of said inner lid;

means for coupling said processed information received from said receiving antenna to an outer lid positioned in said opening of said manhole, said means for coupling being provided on a top surface of said inner lid, and said processed information being transmitted as a radio signal from said outer lid to an exterior of said manhole.

6. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 5, wherein:

said coupling means is an electrode, said electrode being coupled to said outer lid by a spatial coupling capacitance and being connected to said receiving antenna by an impedance matching circuit.

7. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 5, wherein:

said coupling means is a lead, said lead being in contact resiliently with said outer lid and being connected to said receiving antenna by an impedance matching circuit.

8. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 5, wherein:

a length of said receiving antenna is half wavelength of said radio signal.

9. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 5, wherein:

a distance between said radio transmitter and said receiving antenna is less than one wavelength of said radio signal.

10. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 5, wherein:

a distance between said radio transmitter and said bottom surface of said inner lid is 75 to 135 mm.

11. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 6, wherein:

said impedance matching circuit is fixed in a window formed in said inner lid.

12. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, comprising:

a sensor for collecting information about equipment in said manhole;

a signal processing circuit for processing said information to generate processed information;

a radio transmitter for transmitting said processed information, said radio transmitter being positioned in a vicinity of a bottom surface of an inner lid positioned in an opening of said manhole;

a receiving antenna for receiving said processed information transmitted from said radio transmitter, said receiving antenna being provided on said bottom surface of said inner lid; and

a transmitting antenna for receiving said processed information and transmitting said processed information as a radio signal into a space below an outer lid positioned in said opening of said manhole, said transmitting antenna being provided on a top surface of said inner lid to be electrically connected with said receiving antenna, and said processed information being leaked through said outer lid to be radiated to an exterior of said manhole.

13. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 12, further comprising:

an impedance matching circuit for connecting said receiving antenna to said transmitting antenna, said impedance matching circuit being fixed in a window formed in said inner lead.

14. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 13, wherein;

a length of said receiving antenna is half wavelength of said radio signal.

15. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 13, wherein:

a distance between said radio transmitter and said receiving antenna is less than one wavelength of said radio signal.

16. An apparatus for monitoring equipment inside of a manhole, according to claim 13, wherein:

a distance between said radio transmitter and said bottom plane of said inner lid is 75 to 135 mm.