Power line communication vegetation management system and method
First Claim
1. A method, implemented at least in part by a computer system, of detecting contact of an object with a power line that does not sever the power line, comprising:
- measuring a voltage of the power line;
detecting a voltage dip of the voltage of the power line that comprises a voltage decrease below a threshold value for a predetermined time followed by a voltage increase to a voltage above the threshold value; and
determining whether the voltage dip of the power line substantially matches a signature of an object contacting the power line without severing the power line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting the contact of vegetation or other objects with a power line conductor and that may provide an automated notification thereof is provided. In one embodiment, the system may assess one or more power line communication links to determine baseline performance parameters thereof and set associated communication thresholds. The system may also include sensors for measuring wind speed, power line voltages, and/or other data. In one embodiment, the measured data may continuously be time stamped and stored in memory. Sensed data such as voltage and/or wind speed is analyzed during the time of a degradation of a communication link. If there is a correlation in the occurrence of increased wind speed or decrease in voltage and one or more degradations of a communication channel, a notification may be transmitted. In addition, the system may determine location information of the contacting vegetation by determining that surrounding communication links were not degraded during the same time interval.
69 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method, implemented at least in part by a computer system, of detecting contact of an object with a power line that does not sever the power line, comprising:
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measuring a voltage of the power line; detecting a voltage dip of the voltage of the power line that comprises a voltage decrease below a threshold value for a predetermined time followed by a voltage increase to a voltage above the threshold value; and determining whether the voltage dip of the power line substantially matches a signature of an object contacting the power line without severing the power line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, implemented at least in part by a computer system, of detecting contact of an object with a power line that does not sever the power line, comprising:
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measuring a voltage of the power line; detecting a voltage dip in the voltage of the power line that comprises a voltage decrease below a threshold value for a predetermined time followed by a voltage increase to a voltage above the threshold value; and determining location information of the object contacting the power line. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method, implemented at least in part by a computer system, of detecting contact of an object with a power line that does not sever the power line, comprising:
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establishing a power line communication link over the power line; detecting a degradation in the power line communication link; detecting a voltage dip of a voltage of the power line during said degradation that comprises a voltage decrease below a threshold value for a predetermined time followed by a voltage increase to a voltage above the threshold value; and transmitting a notification. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification