Apparatus and system for scheduling mobile device operations on a power transmission system

• US 9,742,165 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao Long T
• Application Number:
  US13/436,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20130261828A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 700245, 700248, 700250, 700258-259, 700292, 901 1, 901 41, 901 44, 901 46- 47, 31856812, 31856816, 702 33, 702 59, 701 25
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/532 Conductor

Abstract

Described embodiments include a system, apparatus, method, and computer program product. A described apparatus includes a receiver circuit configured to receive data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system configured to transport electric power from one place to another. The apparatus includes an analysis circuit configured to assess a potential operational risk to a portion of the power transmission system at least partially based on the received data. The apparatus includes a planning circuit configured to schedule a traverse by a mobile device over a transmission line of the power transmission system at least partially based upon the assessed potential operational risk.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a) a receiver circuit configured to receive data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system configured to transport electric power from one place to another;

b) an analysis circuit configured to assess a potential operational risk to a portion of the power transmission system at least partially based on the received data; and

c) a planning circuit configured to schedule a traverse by a mobile device over a transmission line of the power transmission system at least partially based upon the assessed potential operational risk,

d) wherein the planning circuit is configured to prioritize (i) a first assessed potential operational risk to a first portion of the of the power transmission system with respect to (ii) a second assessed potential operational risk to a second portion of the power transmission system, the prioritization at least partially based upon the first assessed potential operational risk and the second assessed potential operational risk, and to schedule a traverse of the first portion of the power transmission system in response to the prioritization.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power transmission system includes a high-voltage power transmission system.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power transmission system includes a power distribution system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system includes at least one of an operating voltage, current, phase, configuration, age, or capacity parameter of a component of the power transmission system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system includes at least one of a current, phase, configuration, age, cable size, cable material or metal composition, or single or bundled conductor status parameter of a transmission line of the power transmission system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system includes at least one of a location or a map of the power transmission system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data indicative of at least one physical parameter of a power transmission system includes at least one of safety and/or fault tolerance margins, or peak loads of the power transmission system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power transmission system includes an overhead power transmission system configured to transport electric power from one place to another.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power transmission system includes a particular power transmission system configured to transport electric power from one place to another.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver circuit is further to receive data indicative of at least one event experienced or predicted to be experienced by the power transmission system.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver circuit is further to receive data indicative of an existing condition affecting the power transmission system.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the potential operational risk includes a potential inspection requirement.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the potential operational risk includes a potential maintenance requirement.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the potential operational risk includes a potential repair requirement.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analysis circuit is configured to assess a potential operational risk to a portion of the power transmission system or a structure associated with the portion, the assessment at least partially based on the received data.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmission line is a live transmission line.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the planning circuit is configured to schedule in response to the assessed potential operational risk a traverse over a transmission line by at least two mobile devices configured to act in cooperation with each other.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver circuit is further configured to receive data indicative of a first available mobile device having a first capability to respond to the assessed potential operational risk and a second available mobile device having a second capability to respond to the assessed potential operational risk.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a mobile device selector circuit configured to select an available mobile device to perform the scheduled traverse of the transmission line from among a first available mobile device and a second available mobile device.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a travel controller circuit configured to control the scheduled traverse by the mobile device.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the travel controller circuit is configured to control the route and the speed of the scheduled traverse by the mobile device.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the travel controller circuit is configured to control spacing between the mobile device and another mobile device while they are both traversing the power transmission system.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the travel controller circuit is configured to determine a travel route to be taken by the mobile device based upon one or more factors including the mobile device'"'"'s starting location, the number and type of obstacles along the routes, and the desired space/time of sites to be reached by the mobile device.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the travel controller circuit is configured to dispatch the mobile device to a location on the transmission line for measurement or activity based upon consideration of one or more factors including line conditions, phase, voltage or current values, loads, sources, weather and/or environmental conditions.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the travel controller circuit is configured to dispatch the mobile device to different portions of the power transmission system based upon consideration of the relative needs for inspection and activity at the different portions and availability of the mobile device and another mobile device.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computer-readable medium configured to store the scheduled traverse of the portion of the power transmission system by the mobile device.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to traverse the portion of the power transmission system and to inspect for the assessed potential operational risk.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to traverse the portion of the power transmission system and to address the assessed potential operational risk.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to traverse the portion of the power transmission system and to initiate an activity with respect to the assessed potential operational risk.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to traverse the portion of the power transmission system and to autonomously address the assessed potential operational risk.

31. A system comprising:

a transmission line management tool configured to assess a potential inspection and/or repair need of a structure associated with a power transmission system and accordingly schedule a traverse by a mobile device of a transmission line of the power transmission system in response to the potential inspection and/or repair need;

the mobile device configured to traverse the transmission line, and perform an action in response to the potential inspection and/or repair need; and

the power transmission system transporting electric power from one place to another, and the transmission line providing access to the structure,

wherein the transmission line management tool is configured to prioritize a first potential inspection and/or repair need to a first portion of the of the power transmission system with respect to a second potential inspection and/or repair need to a second portion of the power transmission system, the prioritization at least partially based upon the first potential inspection and/or repair need and the second potential inspection and/or repair need, and to schedule a traverse of the first portion of the power transmission system in response to the prioritization.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the transmission line management tool is configured to accordingly schedule and dispatch a traverse of a transmission line of the system by a mobile device.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the mobile device is configured to measure physical parameters of the transmission line including one or more of temperature, cleanliness, stress/strain, and/or sag.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the mobile device includes a camera or radar configured to address vegetation clearances of the transmission line.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the mobile device is configured to automatically respond to the potential inspection and/or repair need.