SYSTEM, DEVICE AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC DETECTION AND REPORTING OF LOCATION AND EXTENT OF SERVICE FAILURE IN UTILITY AND TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORKS

• US 20110288777A1
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gridsensor, LLC
• Original Assignee: Gridsensor, LLC
• Inventors: GUPTA, VARUN
• Application Number:
  US13/110,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20110288777A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

System, device and method for automatic detection and reporting of location and extent of service failure in utility and/or telecommunication networks are disclosed. In one embodiment, operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower is obtained by using a pole/tower sensing device disposed to monitor operational conditions at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the respective utility or telecommunication networks. Further, the obtained operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower is sent to a remote monitoring server via a communication network by the associated pole/tower sensing device. Furthermore, the operational condition information received from each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower is processed by the remote monitoring server. Based on the outcome of processing the operational condition information by the remote monitoring server, location and extent of service failure in the utility or telecommunication networks is reported.

Claims

1. A method for automatic detection and reporting of location and extent of service failure in utility and telecommunication networks, comprising:

obtaining operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower by using a pole/tower sensing device disposed to monitor operational conditions at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the respective utility or telecommunication networks;

sending the obtained operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower to a remote monitoring server via a communication network by the associated pole/tower sensing device;

processing the operational condition information received from each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower by the remote monitoring server; and

reporting location and extent of service failure in the utility or telecommunication networks based on the outcome of processing the operational condition information by the remote monitoring server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deploying utility or telecommunication network crew to the reported location to restore the service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower by using the pole/tower sensing device disposed to monitor the operational conditions at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the respective utility or telecommunication networks comprises:

obtaining a temperature substantially in and around each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower using a temperature sensor in the pole/tower sensing device;

obtaining location information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower using a global positioning system (GPS) tracker in the pole/tower sensing device;

obtaining position information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower using an accelerometer in the pole/tower sensing device;

sensing any vibration of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower using the accelerometer in the pole/tower sensing device; and

sensing electromagnetic field (EMF) substantially around each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower to sense the presence or absence of current flow using an EMF sensor in the pole/tower sensing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein obtaining the location information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower using the GPS tracker in the pole/tower sensing device comprises:

obtaining the location information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower using the GPS tracker in the pole/tower sensing device;

ensuring accuracy of the location information obtained from the GPS tracker using a geographic information system (GIS) system; and

displaying the obtained location information in a map using the GIS system.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein sending the obtained operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower to the remote monitoring server via the communication network by the associated pole/tower sensing device comprises:

sending the operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower based on associated monitored operational conditions to the remote monitoring server via the communication network selected from the group consisting of a wireless communication network, a satellite communication network, a cellular communication network, a radio communication network, a 2 way pager communication network, a cell/satellite modem and an Ethernet network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending the operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower based on associated monitored operational conditions to the remote monitoring server via the communication network comprises:

determining whether each of the sensed temperature, position, vibration, and EMF values are substantially above, equal to or below an associated threshold value for each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower by the pole/tower sensing device; and

sending the operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the utility or telecommunication networks to the remote monitoring server via the communication network by the pole/tower sensing device based on the outcome of the determination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower based on associated monitored operational conditions to the remote monitoring server by the pole/tower sensing device comprises:

sending the operational condition information along with a unique identification (ID) associated with each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower based on associated monitored operational conditions to the remote monitoring server by the pole/tower sensing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operational conditions of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower using the pole/tower sensing device disposed at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the respective utility or telecommunication networks, comprises:

waking up and gathering operational condition information by the pole/tower sensing device located at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower upon detecting a change in the operational condition.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending acknowledgement of receipt of the received operational condition information from a respective pole/tower sensing device by the remote monitoring server upon receiving the operational condition information from each associated pole/tower sensing device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing power to the pole/tower sensing device by scavenging energy from sources selected from the group consisting of solar energy, wind energy and EMF.

11. A system for automatic detection and reporting of location and extent of service failure in utility and telecommunication networks, comprising:

a plurality of utility poles/towers and/or telecommunication poles/towers;

a pole/tower sensing device disposed on each of the plurality of utility poles/towers and/or telecommunication poles/towers to monitor operational conditions at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the respective utility or telecommunication networks; and

a remote monitoring server coupled to each pole/tower sensing device via a communication network, wherein the pole/tower sensing device obtains operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower, wherein the pole/tower sensing device sends the obtained operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower to the remote monitoring server via the communication network, wherein the remote monitoring server processes the operational condition information received from each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower, and wherein the remote monitoring server reports location and extent of service failure in the utility or telecommunication networks based on the outcome of processing the operational condition information for deploying utility and/or telecommunication network crews to the reported location to restore the service.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the pole/tower sensing devices comprises:

a power source and an associated power conditioning device;

a processor coupled to the power source via the power conditioning device;

a communication device coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with the remote monitoring server via the communication network;

a temperature sensor coupled to the processor via an interface card for obtaining a temperature substantially in and around each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower;

a GPS tracker coupled to the processor via the interface card for obtaining location information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower;

an accelerometer coupled to the processor via the interface card for obtaining position information and for sensing any vibration of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower; and

an electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor coupled to the processor via the interface card to sense the presence or absence of current flow in and around each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the remote monitoring server comprises:

a utility and network management module, wherein the utility and network management module ensures accuracy of the location information obtained from the GPS tracker using a geographic information system (GIS) system, and wherein the utility and network management module displays the obtained location information in a map using the GIS system on a display device coupled to the remote monitoring server.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication network is selected from the group consisting of a wireless communication network, a satellite communication network, a cellular communication network, a radio communication network, a 2 way pager communication network, a cell/satellite modem and an Ethernet network.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the pole/tower sensing device disposed at each utility and telecommunication network determines whether each of the sensed temperature, position, vibration, and EMF values are substantially above, equal to or below an associated threshold value for each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower by the pole/tower sensing device, and wherein the pole/tower sensing device sends the operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the utility or telecommunication networks to the remote monitoring server via the communication network based on the outcome of the determination.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each pole/tower sensing device sends the operational condition information along with a unique identification (ID) associated with each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower based on the outcome of the determination to the remote monitoring server.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the pole/tower sensing device disposed at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower wakes up and gathers operational condition information upon detecting a change in the operational condition.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the utility and network management module residing in the remote monitoring server sends an acknowledgement of receipt of the received operational condition information from a respective pole/tower sensing device upon receiving the operational condition information from each associated pole/tower sensing device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the pole/tower sensing device disposed on each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower is configured to scavenge energy from surrounding environment from sources selected from the group consisting of solar energy, wind energy and EMF.

20. A pole/tower sensing device for automatic detection and reporting of location and extent of service failure in utility and telecommunication networks, wherein the pole/tower sensing device is configured to couple to each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the utility and telecommunication networks via a communication network, and wherein each pole/tower sensing device is further configured to monitor operational conditions at each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the respective utility or telecommunication networks, comprising:

a power source and an associated power conditioning device;

a processor coupled to the power source via the power conditioning device;

a communication device coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with a remote monitoring server via a communication network; and

a plurality of sensors coupled to the processor via an interface card for obtaining operational condition information of the associated utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower, wherein the pole/tower sensing device sends the obtained operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower to the remote monitoring server via the communication network for processing the operational condition information received from each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower and reporting location and extent of service failure in the utility or telecommunication networks based on the outcome of processing the operational condition information for deploying utility and/or telecommunication network crews to the reported location to restore the service.

21. The pole/tower sensing device of claim 20, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise:

a temperature sensor coupled to the processor via the interface card for obtaining a temperature substantially in and around each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower;

a global positioning system (GPS) tracker coupled to the processor via the interface card for obtaining location information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower;

an accelerometer coupled to the processor via the interface card for obtaining position information and for sensing any vibration of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication; and

an electromagnetic field (EMF) sensor coupled to the processor via the interface card to sense the presence or absence of current flow in and around each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower.

22. The pole/tower sensing device of claim 21, wherein the processor determines whether each of the sensed temperature, position, vibration, and EMF values are substantially above, equal to or below an associated threshold value for each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower, and wherein the processor sends the operational condition information of each utility pole/tower or telecommunication pole/tower in the utility or telecommunication networks to the remote monitoring server via the communication network based on the outcome of the determination via the communication device.

23. The pole/tower sensing device of claim 22, wherein the processor wakes up and gathers operational condition information upon detecting a change in the operational condition and sends the gathered operational condition information to the remote monitoring server.

24. The pole/tower sensing device of claim 23, wherein the processor via the communication device is configured to receive an acknowledgement of receipt of the received operational condition information by the remote monitoring server.