Augmentation, expansion and self-healing of a geographically distributed mesh network using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology

• US 9,961,572 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Energy & Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: Delta Energy & Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Foster, Scott, Teichmann, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US15/332,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20170134974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 34087002
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/006 Remote reading of utility meters to a non-fixed location, i.e. mobile location
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18504 Aircraft used as relay or high altitude atmospheric platform
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/25 using a mesh network, e.g. a public urban network such as public lighting, bus stops or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/50 using a mobile data collecting device, e.g. walk by or drive by
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An apparatus is provided including an unmanned aerial vehicle and a transformer monitoring device, particularly for use in a smart grid network system to support a wireless mesh network in the smart grid network and to collect metering data relating to electricity usage in the smart grid network. The transformer monitoring device is configured to receive signaling containing data from one or more network devices in a smart grid network and transmit signaling containing data to the one or more network devices in the smart grid network, and also to receive signaling containing metered usage data from at least one electric meter associated with a building receiving electricity from a transformer in the smart grid network.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a transformer monitoring device comprising a signal processor configured to;

receive signaling containing data from one or more network devices in a smart grid network;

transmit signaling containing data to the one or more network devices in the smart grid network; and

receive further signaling containing metered usage data from at least one electric meter associated with a building receiving electricity from a transformer in the smart grid network;

wherein the transformer monitoring device is configured to enable a mesh network in the smart grid network to exchange data and content between network devices;

wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a signal processor and a memory, and the memory is stored with data relating to geographic locations of the one or more network devices in the smart grid network;

wherein the signal processor of the unmanned aerial vehicle and/or the signal processor of the transformer monitoring device is configured to determine geographic positioning of the apparatus;

wherein the signal processor of the unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to receive signaling from a user device instructing the apparatus to deploy to a stored geographic location of a disabled or malfunctioning network device in the smart grid network; and

wherein the apparatus is configured to repair the mesh network of the smart grid network by replacing the disabled or malfunctioning network device at the stored geographic location and serving as a communications relay in the mesh network in place of the disabled or malfunctioning network device at the stored geographic location.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the smart grid network further comprises a cloud-based server;

and

wherein the transformer monitoring device is configured to serve as a relay for data transmitted between the cloud-based server and one or more network devices, or between two or more network devices.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the one or more network devices in the smart grid network comprise a second apparatus comprising a second unmanned aerial vehicle and a second transformer monitoring device;

and

wherein the transformer monitoring device is configured to serve as a relay for data transmitted to or from the second apparatus in the smart grid network.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the one or more network devices in the smart grid network comprise a second transformer monitoring device in the smart grid network mounted to a utility pole;

and

wherein the transformer monitoring device is configured to serve as a relay for data transmitted to or from the second transformer monitoring device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the one or more network devices comprise one or more of a mobile communications device, a personal computer or a digital set-top box;

and

wherein the transformer monitoring device is configured to receive signaling containing a request for digital content from the one or more network devices, transmit signaling containing the request for digital content to the cloud-based server, receive signaling containing the requested digital content from the cloud-based server, and transmit signaling containing the requested digital content to the one or more network devices.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processor of the unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to receive signaling from the user device comprising instructions for manually operating flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle to a location in the smart grid network by the user device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the signal processor of the transformer monitoring device is configured to receive further signaling containing metered usage data from a plurality of electric meters, each associated with one of a plurality of buildings receiving electricity from the transformer in the smart grid network, and

wherein the signal processor of the transformer monitoring device is configured to transmit signaling containing data relating to the metered usage data from the plurality of electric meters to the cloud-based server.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the received and transmitted signaling containing data and the signaling containing metered usage data are optical signals.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transformer monitoring device signal processor is further configured to receive further signaling containing data from a smart infrastructure device in the smart grid network, including one or more of a street light, road sign, traffic light or asset tracking module.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transformer monitoring device is built into or affixed to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

10. A smart grid network comprising:

a first transformer monitoring device affixed to a utility pole or transformer at a first location;

one or more network devices, including at least one electric meter associated with a building receiving electricity from a transformer in the smart grid network;

a first apparatus comprising;

an unmanned aerial vehicle; and

a second transformer monitoring device comprising a signal processor configured to;

receive signaling containing data from the one or more network devices in the smart grid network;

transmit signaling containing data to the one or more network devices in the smart grid network; and

receive further signaling containing metered usage data from the at least one electric meter associated with the building receiving electricity from the transformer in the smart grid network; and

a mesh network enabled by the second transformer monitoring device and configured to exchange data and content between the one or more network devices;

wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a signal processor and a memory, and the memory is stored with data relating to geographic locations of the one or more network devices in the smart grid network;

wherein the signal processor of the unmanned aerial vehicle and/or the signal processor of the second transformer monitoring device is configured to determine geographic positioning of the apparatus;

wherein the signal processor of the unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to receive signaling from a user device instructing the first apparatus to deploy to a stored geographic location of a disabled or malfunctioning network device in the smart grid network; and

wherein the first apparatus is configured to repair the mesh network of the smart grid network by replacing the disabled or malfunctioning network device at the stored geographic location and serving as a communications relay in the mesh network in place of the disabled or malfunctioning network device at the stored geographic location.

11. The smart grid network according to claim 10, further comprising a cloud-based server, wherein the second transformer monitoring device is configured to serve as a relay for data transmitted between the cloud-based server and one or more network devices, or between two or more network devices.

12. The smart grid network according to claim 10, wherein the second transformer monitoring device is configured to serve as a relay for data transmitted to or from the first transformer monitoring device.

13. The smart grid network according to claim 10, further comprising a second apparatus comprising a second unmanned aerial vehicle and a third transformer monitoring device;

and

wherein the second transformer monitoring device is configured to serve as a relay for data transmitted to or from the second apparatus in the smart grid network.

14. The smart grid network of claim 10, wherein the first apparatus is positioned at a second location different from the first location, and is configured to extend a geographic range of the mesh network.