Detection of component fault at cell towers

• US 9,439,092 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Patrick J., Chukka, Chaitanya, Wurtenberger, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sivji, Nizar
• Application Number:
  US14/809,654
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for detecting cell site component faults are provided. An unmanned aerial vehicle may be utilized to collect heat signature information about remotely located cell towers. The heat signature information is analyzed to detect any anomalies at the remote cell site that may indicate an antenna, radio, or cable connector are malfunctioning or need repair, for example. When an anomaly is detected, an indication of the anomaly and information to identify one or more components that correspond to the anomaly are communicated.

Claims

1. A method for remotely detecting cell site component faults, the method comprising:

receiving heat signature information of a remote cell site collected via an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the heat signature information indicates an amount of heat emitted by one or more components at the remote cell site;

referencing a heat map specific to the remote cell site, wherein the heat map describes historical heat signature information for the remote cell site;

analyzing the heat signature information to detect an anomaly indicative of a component fault at the remote cell site based on the heat map, wherein the component fault indicates an increased likelihood of impaired functioning of a corresponding component;

upon detecting the anomaly, communicating an indication of the anomaly, an identification of the corresponding component, and an indication of a maintenance action, wherein the maintenance action includes one or more of activating a component, inactivating a component, and reactivating a component.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the historical heat signature information describes heat emitted by the for one or more components of the remote cell site including at least one of an antenna, a radio, or a cable connector, and wherein the historical heat signature information indicates a previously detected amount of heat emitted at the remote cell site.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

updating the heat map specific to the remote cell site to reflect the analysis of the heat signature information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more anomalies include a heat measurement indicating one or more of a degraded antenna signal, a heat measurement indicating a radio impairment, and a heat measurement indicating heat escape that is physically located proximate to a cable connector.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the indication of the anomaly and the identification of a corresponding component in a database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the heat signature information to detect an anomaly indicative of a component fault at the remote cell site further comprises:

mapping the heat signature information to at least one heat map specific to the remote cell site.

7. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for detecting cell site component faults, the method comprising:

initiating inspection of a cell site by sending instructions for an unmanned aerial vehicle to collect real-time heat signature information that indicates an operating temperature of one or more components at the cell site;

receiving the heat signature information of the one or more components at the cell site;

reference a heat map, wherein the heat map describes operating temperatures of the one or more components;

analyzing the heat signature information to detect one or more anomalies indicative of a component fault of the one or more components at the cell site;

identifying at least one component of the one or more components that corresponds to at least one of the one or more anomalies; and

communicating, to a service provider, an alert of an increased likelihood of the component fault of the at least one component identified that corresponds to the at least one of the one or more anomalies.

8. The media of claim 7, wherein analyzing the heat signature information further includes:

referencing at least one heat map stored in a database, the at least one heat map including predefined heat signature information describing an operating temperature of one or more components.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein analyzing the heat signature information further includes:

identifying a first anomaly corresponding to a first component having a heat measurement outside of a first predefined operating temperature, wherein the first component is an antenna, a radio, or a cable connector.

10. The media of claim 7, further comprising:

storing the heat signature information collected in a database.

11. The media of claim 7, wherein the one or more anomalies include one or more of a heat measurement indicating a degraded antenna signal, a heat measurement indicating a radio impairment, and a heat measurement indicating heat escape located proximate to a cable connector.

12. The media of claim 7, wherein analyzing the heat signature information includes one or more of:

determining an amount of signal degradation of an antenna;

determining an amount of heat retention of a radio; and

determining an amount of heat emission of a cable connector.

13. The media of claim 7, wherein initiating inspection of a cell site is performed on demand, periodically, in response to an indication of reduced cellular service performance, or based on an estimated component lifespan.

14. A system for detecting a component fault at a remote cell site, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a controller configured to;

receive heat signature information of a remote cell site collected using an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the heat signature information indicates an amount of heat emitted by one or more components at the remote cell site;

reference a heat map stored in a database, wherein the heat map describes operating temperatures of the one or more components;

analyze the heat signature information to detect an anomaly indicative of a component fault of the one or more components at the remote cell site based on the heat map; and

when an anomaly is detected, communicate one or more of an indication of the anomaly or an indication of a maintenance action to a service provider.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a database configured to store a plurality of heat maps that describe heat emitted at a plurality of cell sites.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to:

identify a first anomaly corresponding to a first component having a heat measurement outside of a defined operating temperature, wherein the first component is an antenna, a radio, or a cable connector physically located at the cell site.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the maintenance action communicated identifies a component fault corresponding to at least one component having a likelihood of impaired function which the maintenance action rectifies.