Close-out audit systems and methods for cell site installation and maintenance

• US 9,947,135 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Original Assignee: Etak Systems, Llc
• Inventors: Priest, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A
• Application Number:
  US15/211,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 345427
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/13 Flying platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/60 Tethered aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/17 taken from planes or by drones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A close-out audit method performed at a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work includes, subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtaining video capture of cell site components associated with the work; subsequent to the video capture, processing the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work; and creating a close-out audit package based on the processed video capture, wherein the close-out audit package provides verification of the maintenance or installation work and outlines that the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner'"'"'s guidelines.

Claims

1. A close-out audit method performed at a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work, the close-out audit method comprising:

subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtaining video capture of cell site components associated with the work;

subsequent to the video capture, processing the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work;

determining information from the obtained data for the close out audit comprising a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location in the obtained video capture, dimensions of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lightning rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates;

providing a close-out audit package based on the determined information; and

verifying the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner'"'"'s guidelines using the close-out audit package.

2. The close-out audit method of claim 1, wherein the video capture is performed by a mobile device.

3. The close-out audit method of claim 1, wherein the video capture is performed by a mobile device which wirelessly transmits a live video feed and the video capture is remotely stored from the cell site.

4. The close-out audit method of claim 1, wherein the video capture is performed by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flown at the cell site.

5. The close-out audit method of claim 1, wherein the video capture is a live video feed with two-way communication between an installer associated with the maintenance or installation work and personnel associated with the operator or owner to verify the maintenance or installation work.

6. The close-out audit method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a three-dimensional (3D) model from the video capture;

determining equipment location from the 3D model;

measuring distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and

determining connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling from the 3D model.

7. The close-out audit method of claim 1, further comprising:

uniquely identifying the cell site components from the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package.

8. The close-out audit method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining antenna height, azimuth, and down tilt angles for antennas in the cell site components from the video capture; and

checking the antenna height, azimuth, and down tilt angles against predetermined specifications.

9. The close-out audit method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying cabling and connectivity between the cell site components from the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package.

10. The close-out audit method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking a plurality of factors in the close-out audit from the video capture compared to the operator or owner'"'"'s guidelines.

11. The close-out audit method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking grounding of the cell site components from the video capture, comparing the checked grounding to the operator or owner'"'"'s guidelines and distinguishing in the close-out audit package.

12. The close-out audit method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking mechanical connectivity of the cell site components to a cell tower based on the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package.

13. A system adapted for a close-out audit of a cell site subsequent to maintenance or installation work, the system comprising:

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

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

subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtain video capture of cell site components associated with the work;

subsequent to the video capture, process the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work;

determine information from the obtained data for the close out audit comprising a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location in the obtained video capture, dimensions of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lightning rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates;

provide a close-out audit package based on the determined information; and

verify the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner'"'"'s guidelines using the close-out audit package.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the video capture is performed by a mobile device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the video capture is performed by a mobile device which wirelessly transmits a live video feed and the video capture is remotely stored from the cell site.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the video capture is performed by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flown at the cell site.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the video capture is a live video feed with two-way communication between an installer associated with the maintenance or installation work and personnel associated with the operator or owner to verify the maintenance or installation work.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions that, when executed, further cause the processor to

create a three-dimensional (3D) model from the video capture;

determine equipment location from the 3D model;

measure distances between the equipment and within the equipment to determine actual spatial location; and

determine connectivity between the equipment based on associated cabling from the 3D model.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions that, when executed, further cause the processor to

uniquely identify the cell site components from the video capture and distinguishing in the close-out audit package.

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

subsequent to the maintenance or installation work, obtaining video capture of cell site components associated with the work;

subsequent to the video capture, processing the video capture to obtain data for the close-out audit, wherein the processing comprises identifying the cell site components associated with the work;

determining information from the obtained data for the close out audit comprising a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location in the obtained video capture, dimensions of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, a status of a lightning rod and warning light on the cell tower, and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates;

providing a close-out audit package based on the determined information; and

verifying the maintenance or installation work was performed in a manner consistent with an operator or owner'"'"'s guidelines using the close-out audit package.