Non-live wire-mounted sensor module and mounting method thereof

Abstract

A non-live wire mounted sensor module in the form of a ground wire mounted sensor module is provided that includes a housing including a mounting member adapted to mount the module to a ground power line wire. The sensor module includes a processing unit and a physical sensor unit in the form of a microprocessor, both supported by the housing. The sensor module includes a power source coupled to the microprocessor and the physical sensor unit to power the microprocessor and the physical sensor unit. The microprocessor is housed within the housing and also coupled to a communication unit also housed within the housing to facilitate external communication of the output of the physical sensor unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to mounted sensor devices.The present disclosure finds application in the field of power line mounted sensor devices and methods for mounting sensor devices to non-energized power line conductors.

[0002] Although some embodiments will be described herein with particular reference to this application, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to such field of use and is applicable in a wider range of situations. Background Art

[0003] Any discussion of the background art throughout the specification should not be considered as an admission that such technology is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the art.

[0004] It is common to install sensors for monitoring various conditions in outdoor locations. Power line towers and lines are used as supports for installing such sensors because they are existing structural supports that generally provide reasonably desirable locations for sensors to provide meaningful data.

[0005] Additionally, sensors mounted to power lines are often in place to sense conditions related to the functioning of the power lines, looking at measurable values ​​such as dynamic line rating (DLR), line sag and line clearance from objects and the ground, and weather conditions. However, particularly for sensors used to calculate DLR, it is highly desirable to install these sensors to active lines, which requires downtime because the power to the active lines must be shut off in order to safely install the DLR sensors on the active lines. Since these power lines provide power supply to various infrastructure, this downtime is undesirable for both power suppliers and consumers.

[0006] With regard to sensors for line sag and line clearance from an object and the ground, the measurement samples acquired by known sensors are taken at certain times. Thus, if the line moves due to windy weather conditions, a clearance measurement may not be taken at the point where the line is closest to the object, thus failing to provide accurate information about the actual proximity of the line to the object.

[0007] Other common sensors for measuring wire sag and gaps involve the use of video cameras. Such sensors record video, and an object detection process is applied to the raw footage to identify and measure distances to objects and the ground. However, object identification is problematic, especially when it comes to reliably and accurately identifying the ground. Furthermore, accuracy depends heavily on the quality of the camera used, especially the pixel density, i.e., the field divided by the number of pixels.

[0008] Other known technologies for measuring line sag and gaps include sonar, radar, microwave and infrared sensors. However, the accuracy of these technologies is hampered by the relatively wide beam widths, with even narrower width beams resulting in significant potential error margins.

[0009] Existing sensors for mounting to power lines also require manual installation, which can not only be inefficient, but also presents potential safety issues for the installer given the mounting height and the fact that the sensor is mounted to a high voltage power line. Furthermore, manual installation typically occurs at a location lower on the power line or at a relatively low location on a supporting power line tower. Mounting sensors at a lower point for monitoring weather conditions will adversely affect the accuracy of the readings obtained. Summary of the invention

[0010] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one disadvantage of the prior art or to provide a useful alternative.

[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a non-live wire installation sensor module, comprising:

[0012] a housing including mounting means adapted to mount the module to a non-energized power line conductor;

[0013] a power source, a physical sensor unit supported by the housing, wherein the physical sensor unit comprises at least one of a group comprising:

[0014] Conductor temperature sensor;

[0015] Weather stations;

[0016] Line sag detection sensor;

[0017] Object proximity sensors; and

[0018] Line motion sensors; and

[0019] A communication unit, housed within the housing, is configured to facilitate external communication of an output of at least one physical sensor unit.

[0020] In an embodiment, the physical sensor unit comprises a plurality of a group, the group comprising:

[0021] The conductor temperature sensor;

[0022] said weather station;

[0023] the line sag detection sensor;

[0024] the object being in proximity to a sensor; and

[0025] The line moves the sensor.

[0026] In an embodiment, the power source comprises a solar panel mounted on the exterior of the housing.

[0027] In an embodiment, the power source comprises at least one battery disposed within the housing. In an embodiment, the at least one battery is rechargeable.

[0028] In an embodiment, the weather station includes one or more of: a temperature sensor; a solar radiation sensor; a wind speed sensor; and a wind direction sensor.

[0029] In an embodiment, the conductor temperature sensor comprises an infrared sensor. In another embodiment, the physical sensor unit comprises a ground wire temperature sensor.

[0030] In an embodiment, the wire sag detection sensor comprises a lidar sensor.

[0031] In an embodiment, the object proximity sensor comprises a lidar sensor.

[0032] In an embodiment, the linear motion sensor includes one or more of: a gyroscope; an accelerometer; a global positioning system (GPS) sensor; and a lidar sensor.

[0033] In an embodiment, the physical sensor unit comprises an integrated sensor including the functions of both the wire sag detection sensor and the object proximity sensor.

[0034] In an embodiment, the physical sensor unit is mounted outside the housing.

[0035] In an embodiment, the physical sensor unit is mounted within the housing.

[0036] In an embodiment, the physical sensor unit is mounted both outside and inside the housing.

[0037] In an embodiment, the mounting means comprises at least one clamping mechanism.

[0038] In an embodiment, the mounting member comprises a pair of clamping mechanisms.

[0039] In an embodiment, the clamping mechanism comprises a raptor clamp.

[0040] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for installing a sensor module on a non-energized power line conductor using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising the following steps:

[0041] Providing a non-live wire mount sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims;

[0042] releasably attaching the sensor module to the UAV;

[0043] From a launch point, controlling the UAV to move the UAV to a sensor release point such that the mounting member is positioned for mounting to the non-energized conductor;

[0044] controlling the UAV to initiate installation to the non-powered wire; and

[0045] Once mounted to the non-powered wire, the UAV is controlled to release the sensor module.

[0046] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for sensing one or more physical measurements, the system comprising:

[0047] at least one non-powered wire mounted sensor module according to the third aspect;

[0048] a communications arrangement for facilitating digital communications with a server; and

[0049] A communication gateway node for facilitating digital communications between at least one sensor module and the communication arrangement.

[0050] In an embodiment, the system for sensing one or more physical measurements comprises a plurality of sensor modules, and respective communication units of the plurality of sensor modules form a mesh network for communicating the plurality of sensor modules with the communication gateway node.

[0051] Other aspects of the disclosure are also provided.

[0052] References throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "some embodiments," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," or "in an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that, in one or more embodiments, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner.

[0053] As used herein, unless otherwise specified, ordinal adjectives "first," "second," "third," etc., used to describe common objects merely indicate that different instances of the same object are being referred to and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must be in a given sequence in time, space, order, or in any other manner.

[0054] In the attached claims and the description herein, any of the terms comprising, including or which comprises is an open term, meaning at least the elements / features that follow, but not excluding other elements / features. Therefore, when used in the claims, the term including should not be interpreted as being limited to the components or elements or steps listed thereafter. For example, the scope of the expression that the device includes A and B should not be limited to the device consisting of only elements A and B. As used herein, the term including or any of which includes or that includes is also an open term, which also means at least the elements / features that follow the term, but not excluding other elements / features. Therefore, including is synonymous with including and means including. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way of specific examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0056] Figure 1A is a schematic block diagram representation of a ground wire mounted sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 1B is a schematic block diagram representation of a ground wire mounted sensor module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figures 2 to 6 and Figure 8 Each is Figure 1A or Figure 1B perspective views of various embodiments of ground wire mounted sensor modules of any of;

[0059] Fig. 7A yes Figure 1A or Figure 1B A top perspective view of an embodiment of a ground wire mounted sensor module of any of;

[0060] Figure 7B yes Figure 8 Bottom perspective view of ground wire mounted sensor module of A;

[0061] Fig. 9 yes Figure 1A or Figure 1B A side view of an embodiment of a ground wire mounted sensor module of any of the foregoing, the sensor module being shown mounted to a ground wire in use;

[0062] Fig.10 is used to promote Figure 1A or Figure 1BA schematic representation of an example of a communication system for ground wire mounted sensor module communications of any of the above;

[0063] Fig.11 Is used to promote Figure 1A or Figure 1B A schematic block diagram representation of a gateway communication node for external communications of any of the ground wire mounted sensor modules; and

[0064] Fig.12 and Fig.13 Each is Fig.11 Perspective views of different embodiments of a gateway communication node. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] Where applicable, steps or features with the same drawing reference numerals in the drawings should be considered to have the same function or operation, unless a contrary intention is expressly or implied.

[0066] First reference Figure 1A and Figure 1B , a non-live wire mounted sensor module in the form of a grounded wire mounted sensor module 100 is provided, comprising a housing 101, the housing comprising a mounting member 102 suitable for mounting the module to a grounded power line conductor. The sensor module 100 comprises a processing unit in the form of a microprocessor 103 and a physical sensor unit 104 supported by the housing 101, the physical sensor unit being mounted on the outside of the housing 101 or mounted within the housing 101. The physical sensor unit 104 is a term used to collectively describe one or more of the following:

[0067] ● a conductor temperature sensor including an infrared conductor sensor 121;

[0068] A weather station 122 comprising one or more of: a temperature sensor (which in some embodiments comprises an infrared conductor sensor 121); a solar radiation sensor; a humidity sensor; a wind speed sensor; a wind direction sensor; a smoke detector; and a fire detector;

[0069] ●Wire sag detection sensors, which include lidar sensors;

[0070] ● Object proximity sensors, which include lidar sensors; and

[0071] ●A linear motion sensor comprising one or more of: a gyroscope; an accelerometer; a global positioning system (GPS) sensor; and a lidar sensor.

[0072] The sensors of the physical sensor unit 104 will vary between embodiments, but may include at least one of the above sensors. Figure 1AIn the embodiment, the physical sensor unit 104 includes a conductor sensor 121, a weather station 122, and a lidar sensor 123; and Figure 1B In the embodiment, the physical sensor unit 104 includes a weather station 122, which may be in the form of a known suitable weather station, and a lidar sensor 123, which may be in the form of a known suitable lidar sensor. It should be appreciated that in other embodiments, sensors other than those described above are used. For example, in other embodiments, the lidar sensor 123 is one of the following: Jenoptik LDM71, Lightware SF30D, AllInBest.com 25IQ-NDTT-W DRL, or WorldSensing LS-G6-LAS-TI L90. In some embodiments, the physical sensor unit 104 includes a ground wire temperature sensor for providing an understanding of the sag of the ground wire.

[0073] The sensor module 100 includes a power supply 105 coupled to the microprocessor 103 and the physical sensor unit 104 to supply power to the microprocessor 103 and the physical sensor unit 104. The microprocessor 103 is housed in a housing 101 and is also coupled to a communication unit 106 also housed in the housing 101 to facilitate external communication of the output of the physical sensor unit 104. Figure 1B In the embodiment of the present invention, the microprocessor 103 is in the form of a STM32H7 processor.

[0074] The power source 105 includes a rechargeable battery in the form of a lithium-ion battery assembly 111 mounted within the housing 101 and a solar panel assembly 112 mounted on the exterior of the housing 101. It should be understood that the solar panel assembly 112 is used to recharge the battery assembly 111. Figure 1B , the battery assembly 111 includes: a battery 113; a first DC-DC converter 114 upstream of the battery 113 and downstream of the solar panel assembly 112; and a second DC-DC converter 115 downstream of the battery 113. It should be understood that the power supply 105 enables the solar panel assembly 112 and the battery assembly 111 to power the microprocessor 103 and the physical sensor unit 104 under changing weather conditions, that is, weather conditions that are not conducive to providing a large amount of solar energy and therefore cannot be mainly relied on the solar panel assembly 112 to provide electricity.

[0075] The housing 101 is formed of a rigid weatherproof plastic polymer configured to house at least some of the electronic components of the sensor module 100 so as to protect those components from weather effects such as precipitation and dust. In some embodiments, the housing 101 is completely waterproof. The housing 101 is preferably of as small a size and light a material as possible to house and support the relevant components of the sensor module 100 so as not to affect the dynamic response or increase excessive fatigue of the grounding wire on which the sensor module 100 is mounted. The specific physical form of the housing 101 will vary in various embodiments, several of which will be further described below.

[0076] Specific reference Figure 1A And as noted above, infrared conductor sensor 121 measures at least conductor temperature, weather station 122 measures weather conditions (including air temperature, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, humidity, smoke and fire), and lidar sensor 123 is used to provide sag detection and object proximity sensing.

[0077] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the infrared conductor sensor 121 for measuring conductor temperature comprises an infrared beam laser for emitting an infrared energy beam that is aimed at a conductor to sense the temperature of the conductor.It will be appreciated that there are typically multiple conductors that may be measured.

[0078] As noted above, the weather station 122 includes one or more sensor components for measuring various aspects of local weather conditions. In a preferred embodiment, the weather station 122 includes a wind direction and speed sensor and a temperature sensor. Wind speed, in particular, is a major component of the calculation of DLR (approximately 55% of DLR is based on wind speed). This is because for the same droop profile, more wind provides more cooling for the conductor and lower ambient temperatures cause more current to flow in the conductor than if the conductor were at a higher ambient temperature. This in turn affects the droop profile of the conductor, where lower temperatures will reduce droop. For lower wind volumes, the opposite is true. The weather station 122 is typically mounted to the exterior of the housing 101, or mounted within the housing 101 so that the weather station has external access to properly measure weather conditions. The weather station 122 also provides data related to risk management of transmission line easements and wildfire detection. This includes sensors that detect the presence of smoke and heat associated with bushfires, such as smoke detectors and infrared cameras.

[0079] The use of infrared conductor sensor 121 and weather station 122 also allows real-time measurement of the temperature of the nearest conductor. It will be appreciated that the conductor temperature is inferred from the line sag (measured by lidar sensor 123) taking into account the ambient temperature and wind speed (measured by weather station 122), which provide information on the environmental conditions that are taken into account to form the conductor temperature measurement.

[0080] The LiDAR sensor used to measure the wire sag is also typically mounted to the exterior of the housing 101, or mounted within the housing 101 so that the LiDAR sensor has external access to properly measure weather conditions. This LiDAR sensor will be aimed at the ground, and will periodically initiate a range scan to measure the distance from the LiDAR sensor to the ground. The distance measurement to the ground will also be used as part of monitoring the movement of the ground wire.

[0081] A lidar sensor for measuring the proximity of objects is also typically mounted to the exterior of housing 101, or mounted within housing 101 so that the lidar sensor has external access to properly measure weather conditions. This lidar sensor will aim at a known object, such as vegetation, and will periodically initiate a range scan to measure the distance from the lidar sensor to the object.

[0082] exist Figure 1A and Figure 1B In the embodiment of the present invention, the lidar sensor for measuring line sag and the lidar sensor for measuring object proximity are actually a single integrated lidar sensor for measuring line sag and object proximity, namely lidar sensor 123. In other embodiments, lidar sensor 123 is able to adjust the position of its aiming, which is controlled by microprocessor 103. This aiming adjustment will be based on whether the current range scan is for distance measurement to the ground, the nearest object (such as a wire), or to vegetation.

[0083] The LiDAR sensor 123 will contain lenses that may require cleaning due to environmental conditions. Such cleaning may come from one or more of the following:

[0084] ● Use passive lens covers to minimize rain and subsequent dust accumulation on the lens;

[0085] ● using an active cleaning system that includes a cleaning fluid applied to the lens and a wiper mechanism that wipes the fluid from the lens;

[0086] • Using active ultrasonic cleaning, possibly in combination with solvents and ultrasonic vibrations; and

[0087] ●Use a hydrophobic lens coating.

[0088] The movement of the ground wire, including wire burst (horizontal movement) and wire gallop (vertical movement), will be monitored by gyroscopes, accelerometers, and GPS sensors collectively referred to as an inertial measurement unit (IMU). All components of the IMU are preferably housed within the housing 101 and are capable of providing constant feedback on the movement of the ground wire. The measurements of each of the lidar sensor 123, gyroscope, accelerometer, and GPS sensor are collectively input into the microprocessor 103 to quantitatively measure the displacement of the ground wire.

[0089] In addition to the distance to the ground and objects such as vegetation, in some embodiments, the lidar sensor 123 is also configured to measure the distance from the ground wire to the conductor, and the distance between the conductors by providing three-dimensional coordinate measurements (i.e., x, y, and z) from the ground wire to the conductor.

[0090] As noted above, some of the individual sensors of the physical sensor unit 104 (e.g., the conductor sensor 121, the weather station 122, and the lidar sensor 123) require external access in order to accurately obtain measurements, and are typically mounted on the exterior of the housing 101. In some of these embodiments, the housing 101 will have an access plate that allows for external access to the physical sensor unit 104. For example, for the lidar sensor 123, the housing 101 includes a translucent window through which the lidar sensor 123 is accessible from the exterior. However, some other individual components of the physical sensor unit 104 (e.g., the gyroscope, accelerometer, and GPS) are housed within the housing 101 because these components are able to function properly within the housing.

[0091] The microprocessor 103 is housed in the housing 101 and receives sensor information from the physical sensor unit 104. In addition, the microprocessor also provides instructions to some components of the physical sensor unit 104 (such as the conductor sensor 121 and the laser radar sensor 123) so as to activate the components to initiate corresponding scanning measurements. The received sensor information is processed by the microprocessor 103 into packet data that can be transmitted more efficiently, and the packet data is transmitted to the outside via the communication unit 106.

[0092] The communication unit 106 includes a mesh network communication unit (such as a DigiMesh unit, etc.) to form a mesh network, wherein within the mesh network, a plurality of sensor modules 100 (in Figure 1B In some embodiments, the communication unit 106 may include a plurality of sensor modules (collectively shown as reference numeral 125) that communicate directly or indirectly with each other. In some embodiments, the communication unit 106 additionally or alternatively includes satellite and / or 4G communication capabilities for facilitating digital communication with an external server via the cloud. More specifically, the communication unit 106 enables the microprocessor 103 to transmit sensor information to one or more neighboring sensor modules via a mesh network, or to transmit sensor information to the cloud via communication satellites and / or 4G communications (which will be further explained below).

[0093] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 , shows an embodiment of the sensor module 100 , in which the physical sensor unit 104 includes only the weather station 122 .

[0094] refer to Figure 2 , the housing 101 is in the form of a rectangular prism, wherein the weather station 122 is mounted on the outside of the bottom surface 201 of the housing 101. The solar panel assembly 112 includes a pair of solar panels 202 and 203 mounted on the top surface 204 of the housing 101 by a bracket (not shown). In addition, the mounting member 102 includes a vertical mounting shaft 205, one end of which is mounted to the top surface 204, and the other end is mounted to a clamping mechanism in the form of a retaining clip 206 suitable for attachment to a ground wire. The communication unit 106 includes a mesh network antenna 207.

[0095] refer to Figure 3 , the housing 101 is in the form of a rectangular prism, wherein the weather station 122 is mounted on the outside of the bottom surface 301 of the housing 101. The solar panel assembly 112 includes four solar panels 302, 303, 304 and 305, each solar panel is mounted on a different side of the housing 101. In addition, the mounting member 102 includes a clamping mechanism in the form of a raptor clip 306, one end of which is mounted to the top surface 307 of the housing 101 and is suitable for attachment to a ground wire 308. The communication unit 106 includes a mesh network antenna 309.

[0096] refer to Figure 4 , the housing 101 is in the form of a rectangular prism, wherein the weather station 122 is mounted on the outside of the bottom surface 401 of the housing 101. The solar panel assembly 112 includes a pair of solar panels 402 and 403 mounted on the top surface 404 of the housing 101 by a bracket (not shown). In addition, the mounting member 102 includes a vertical mounting shaft 405, one end of which is mounted to the top surface 404 and the other end is mounted to a clamping mechanism in the form of a retaining clip 406 suitable for attachment to a ground wire. The communication unit 106 includes a mesh network antenna 407 and an additional satellite antenna 408.

[0097] refer to Figure 5 , shows an embodiment of the sensor module 100, wherein the physical sensor unit 104 includes a weather station 122 and a lidar sensor 123. The housing 101 is in the form of a rectangular prism, wherein the weather station 122 is mounted on the outside of the bottom surface 501 of the housing 101, and the lidar sensor 123 is mounted to the weather station 122 via a universal joint 510. The solar panel assembly 112 includes four solar panels 502, 503, 504 and 505, each solar panel being mounted on a different side of the housing 101. In addition, the mounting member 102 includes a clamping mechanism in the form of a raptor clip 506, one end of which is mounted to the top surface 507 of the housing 101 and is suitable for attachment to a ground wire 508. The communication unit 106 includes a mesh network antenna 509.

[0098] refer to Figure 6, shows an embodiment of a sensor module 100 which is devoid of a physical sensor unit 104 but is adapted to have a physical sensor unit 104 in the form of only a lidar sensor 123 mounted thereto. The housing 101 is in the form of a rectangular prism with a lidar sensor gimbal mount 601 mounted to the exterior of a bottom surface 602 of the housing 101. The solar panel assembly 112 comprises a pair of solar panels 603 and 604 mounted on a top surface 605 of the housing 101 by a bracket (not shown). In addition, the mounting member 102 comprises a vertical mounting shaft 606 which is mounted at one end to the top surface 605 and at the other end to a clamping mechanism in the form of a retaining clip 607 adapted to be attached to a ground wire. The communication unit 106 comprises a mesh network antenna 608.

[0099] refer to Fig. 7A and Figure 7B , shows an embodiment of the sensor module 100, in which the physical sensor unit 104 includes only the lidar sensor 123. The housing 101 is in the form of a power line marker ball, in which the lidar sensor 123 is housed within the housing 101. The housing 101 has a window 701, in which the lidar sensor 123 is accessible from the outside. The solar panel assembly 112 includes a pair of solar panels 702 and 703 mounted on the top surface 704 of the housing 101. In addition, the mounting member 102 includes a groove formation 706 and a pair of clamping mechanisms in the form of a pair of retaining clips 705, which are arranged on opposite sides of the housing 101 at opposite ends of the formation 706, so that the formation 706 is configured to receive the ground wire when the sensor module 100 is positioned and falls on the ground wire, and the clips 705 are each adapted to be attached to the ground wire. The communication unit 106 includes a mesh network antenna 707.

[0100] refer to Figure 8 , shows an embodiment of the sensor module 100, wherein the physical sensor unit 104 includes only a weather station 122. In addition, this embodiment is adapted to have a lidar sensor 123 mounted thereto. The housing 101 is in the form of a rectangular prism, wherein the weather station 122 is mounted on the exterior of a bottom surface 801 of the housing 101. In addition, a lidar sensor gimbal mount 802 is mounted to the bottom surface of the weather station 122. The solar panel assembly 112 includes a pair of solar panels 803 and 804 mounted on a top surface 805 of the housing 101. In addition, the mounting member 102 includes a vertical mounting shaft 806, one end of which is mounted to the top surface 805 and the other end is mounted to a clamping mechanism in the form of a retaining clip 807 suitable for attachment to a ground wire. The communication unit 106 includes a satellite antenna 808.

[0101] refer to Fig. 9, shows a sensor module 100 mounted to a ground line 901 supported by a pair of power line towers 902 and 903. The power line towers 902 and 903 also support active wires 904. The sensor module is shown having a lidar sensor 123 that, when in use, directs a beam 905 toward an object in the form of vegetation 906 and a ground area 907. The lidar sensor 123 is shown initiating a range scan to measure the distance from the lidar sensor to the vegetation 906 and the ground area 907.

[0102] The sensor module 100 is configured to be mounted on the ground wire 100 by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The sensor module 100 is first releasably attached to the UAV at the launch point, and the UAV is controlled to move the UAV to the desired sensor release point along the ground wire 100. The release point will preferably be a critical span point, which is the lowest sag point to the ground 907, usually equidistant from the supporting power line tower, or at the point closest to a known object such as vegetation 906. This is because these points are the most likely points to contact vegetation 906 or the ground 907 after the ground wire 901 is moved.

[0103] Once at the sensor release point, the mounting member 102 of the sensor module 100 is positioned for initiating installation to the ground wire 901. For embodiments where the mounting member comprises a retaining clip (ie, Figure 2 , 4 , 6 and 8 embodiments) and for embodiments in which the mounting member comprises a raptor clip (i.e., Figure 3 and 5 In an embodiment of the present invention, the UAV will move the sensor module 100 so that when the rod of the corresponding clip is moved to contact the ground wire 901, the corresponding clip will be attached to the ground wire 901 to allow the ground wire 901 to be positioned within the clip, and the clip will lock the ground wire 901 in place (actually in Figure 3 and 5 , the ground wire is shown locked in place with respect to the raptor clip, but this also applies to the embodiment with respect to the retaining clip).

[0104] for Fig. 7A and Figure 7B In an embodiment of the sensor module 100 of FIG. 1 , once at the sensor release point, the sensor module 100 is positioned by the UAV for initiating installation so that the formation 706 is above the ground wire 901. The UAV then lowers the sensor module 100 so that the formation 706 receives the ground wire 901, and the lowering motion continues until the ground wire 901 engages the retaining clips 705, so that the rod of each of the retaining clips 705 moves to contact the ground wire 901 to allow the ground wire 901 to be positioned within the retaining clips 705, which lock the ground wire 901 in place.

[0105] After the sensor module 100 is mounted to the ground wire 901, the installation is complete. Next, the UAV is controlled to release the sensor module 100 and move to a desired location, such as a launch point.

[0106] It will be appreciated that on a standard power line arrangement, the ground wire is disposed above the active conductors. Therefore, mounting the weather station on a higher ground wire above the lower active conductors (or a lower location on the supporting power line tower) provides a better means for weather detection due to the height and the presence of fewer interfering objects at that height.

[0107] Reference Fig.10 , a communication system 1000 for facilitating external communication to and from a plurality of identical sensor modules 100 is shown, each sensor module having only mesh network communication capabilities. Each sensor module 100 is mounted to a ground wire 1001 supported by a plurality of power line towers 1002. The system 1000 also includes a gateway node 1010 also mounted to the ground wire 1001. The gateway node 1010 will be described in more detail below, but in general, the gateway node 1010 is an independent node that includes a mesh network communication capability to facilitate digital communication with a plurality of sensor modules 100, and a satellite and / or 4G communication capability for communicating to a cloud 1011 via a communication arrangement such as a communication satellite 1012 and / or a long-term evolution (LTE) tower 1013, respectively. Since each of the plurality of sensor modules 100 does not include satellite or 4G communication capabilities, the sensor modules do not have the ability to communicate outside the mesh network. Thus, the gateway node 1010 acts as a gateway router for such external communications of each of the plurality of sensor modules 100.

[0108] It should be understood that although Fig.10 Each of the plurality of sensor modules 100 in the system 100 is individually identical, but in other embodiments, each of the sensor modules 100 may differ in its respective physical sensor unit 104. For example, some of the sensor modules 100 may include only a weather station, some sensor modules include only a lidar sensor, some sensor modules have both a weather station and a lidar sensor, etc. The system 100 functions in the same manner regardless of the type of sensor within each sensor module 100.

[0109] refer to Fig.11 , showing that it is equivalent to Fig.10The preferred embodiment of the gateway node 1100 of the gateway node 1010 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The gateway node 1100 comprises a gateway housing 1101 comprising mounting means suitable for mounting the gateway node 1100 to a grounded power line conductor. The gateway node 1100 comprises a processing unit in the form of a gateway microprocessor 1102 housed in the housing 1101 and further coupled to a gateway communication unit 1103, which is also housed in the housing 101 to facilitate external communications. The microprocessor 1102 is in the form of an STM32H7 processor.

[0110] The gateway node 1100 includes a gateway power supply 1104 coupled to the microprocessor 1102 and the gateway communication unit 1103 to supply power to the microprocessor 1102 and the gateway communication unit 1103. The power supply 1104 includes a rechargeable battery in the form of a lithium-ion battery assembly 1105 mounted within the housing 1101 and a solar panel assembly 1106 mounted on the exterior of the housing 1101. It should be appreciated that the solar panel assembly 1106 is used to recharge the battery assembly 1105. The battery assembly 1105 includes: a battery 1113; a first DC-DC converter 1114 upstream of the battery 1113 and downstream of the solar panel assembly 1106; and a second DC-DC converter 1115 downstream of the battery 1113. It should be appreciated that the power source 1104 enables the solar panel assembly 1106 and the battery assembly 1105 to power the microprocessor 1102 and the gateway communication unit 1103 under varying weather conditions, i.e., weather conditions that are not conducive to providing a large amount of solar energy and therefore cannot rely primarily on the solar panel assembly 1106 to provide power.

[0111] The housing 1101 is formed of a rigid weatherproof plastic polymer configured to house at least some of the electronic components of the gateway node 1100 so as to protect those components from weather effects such as precipitation and dust. In some embodiments, the housing 1101 is completely waterproof. The housing 1101 is preferably of as small a size and light a material as possible to house and support the relevant components of the sensor module 100 so as not to affect the dynamic response or increase excessive fatigue of the ground wire on which the sensor module 100 is mounted. The specific physical form of the housing 1101 will vary in various embodiments, several of which will be further described below.

[0112] The communication unit 1103 includes a mesh network communication unit 1120 (such as a DigiMesh unit, etc.) to form a mesh network, wherein the mesh network communication unit 1120 directly or indirectly communicates with multiple sensor modules 100 (in the mesh network) in the mesh network. Fig.11The communication unit 1103 also includes satellite communication modules in the form of Swarm modules 1122 and LTE communication modules 1123, which provide corresponding satellite and 4G communication capabilities for facilitating digital communication with external servers via the cloud. More specifically, the communication unit 1103 enables the microprocessor 1102 to provide a communication gateway between multiple sensor modules 100 via a mesh network, and the sensor modules are connected to the cloud via a communication arrangement, such as a communication satellite 1124 and / or a 4G communication infrastructure in the form of an LTE tower 1125.

[0113] refer to Fig.12 , showing an embodiment of a gateway node 1100. The housing 1101 takes the form of a rectangular prism. The solar panel assembly 1106 includes a pair of solar panels 1202 and 1203 mounted on a top surface 1204 of the housing 1101 by a bracket (not shown). In addition, the gateway node 1100 includes a mounting member 1205, which includes a vertical mounting shaft 1206, one end of which is mounted to the top surface 1204 and the other end is mounted to a clamping mechanism in the form of a retaining clip 1207 suitable for attachment to a ground wire. The communication unit 1103 includes a mesh network antenna 1208 and a satellite antenna 1209. It should be understood that this embodiment of the gateway node 1100 will be used in conjunction with a satellite antenna from Figure 2 , 4 , 6 and 8 are mounted to the ground wire in the same manner.

[0114] refer to Fig.13 , shows an embodiment of the gateway node 1100, wherein the housing 1101 is in the form of a power line marker ball. The solar panel assembly 1106 includes a pair of solar panels 1302 and 1303 mounted on the top surface 1304 of the housing 1101. In addition, the mounting member includes a groove configuration 1306 and a pair of clamping mechanisms in the form of a pair of retaining clips 1307, the pair of retaining clips being disposed on opposite sides of the housing 1101 at opposite ends of the configuration 1306, such that the configuration 1306 is configured to receive the ground wire when the gateway node 1100 is positioned and landed on the ground wire, and the clips 1307 are each adapted to be attached to the ground wire. The communication unit 1103 includes a mesh network antenna 1308 and a satellite antenna 1309. It will be appreciated that this embodiment of the gateway node 1100 will be used in conjunction with a network antenna from Fig. 7A and 7B The sensor module 100 of the embodiment is mounted to the ground wire in the same manner.

[0115] It should be understood that Figure 4The embodiment of the sensor module 100 in also has a gateway node function (note that the sensor module includes a satellite antenna 408), so no gateway node is required to communicate with the cloud.

[0116] It should be understood that Figure 8 The embodiment of the sensor module 100 in has cloud communication capabilities (note that the sensor module includes a satellite antenna 808), so no gateway node is required to communicate with the cloud. It should also be understood that Figure 8 The embodiment of the sensor module 100 in does not include a mesh network antenna and is therefore not part of any mesh network, thereby essentially acting as a standalone sensor module 100 node that can communicate with the cloud. Figure 8 The embodiment of the sensor module 100 in the embodiment includes the functions of both the sensor module 100 and the gateway node 1100 in one device. It should be understood that in other embodiments, Figure 8 The functions of the sensor module 100 will have Fig. 7A and 7B The sensor module 100 is in the form of a housing 101 .

[0117] In order to measure the line droop after the UAV installs the sensor module 100 on the ground wire, the microprocessor 103 instructs the lidar sensor 123 to initiate a measurement scan. The raw data measurements obtained are transmitted to the gateway node 1100 serving the mesh network via the mesh network, and the microprocessor 1102 calculates the droop results and uploads the droop results to the cloud server database via the communication arrangement (4G or satellite). In other embodiments, the droop results are calculated by the microprocessor 103. In other embodiments, the droop results are calculated at the server. The server running the custom software generates a real-time DLR using the droop results from the cloud server database. The DLR can be transmitted to a relevant third party, such as a relevant energy market operator.

[0118] To measure the line distance to an object such as a plant, after the UAV mounts the sensor module 100 on a ground wire, similar to measuring a line sag, the microprocessor 103 instructs the lidar sensor 123 to initiate a measurement scan, and the lidar sensor 123 sends pulses at a predefined frequency, which in a preferred embodiment is around 10kHz. In other embodiments, the predefined frequency is greater than or less than 10kHz. The lidar sensor 123 is swiveled (preferably using a gimbal) to collect distance data for the scanned spatial slice. The collected distance data for the slice is filtered by the microprocessor 103 to reduce the amount of distance data. Then, for each measured distance from the reduced amount of data, the IMU readings of roll, pitch and yaw are matched to the data by the microprocessor 103 via the timestamp on each raw data. The roll, pitch and yaw data are combined with the corresponding distance readings by the microprocessor 103 to produce a 3D point for each shot. Based on this, the microprocessor 103 discards any 3D points outside the specified 3D area of ​​interest, so the total number of points is less than 300 points. The remaining 3D points are transmitted by the mesh network to the gateway node 1100, where the microprocessor 1102 combines the latest 3D data points with the historical model data. The microprocessor 1102 locates the conductor with the specified 3D area of ​​interest, and then calculates the distance from the located conductor to the ground, which is identified using a 1 meter by 1 meter 2D ground plane. Next, the microprocessor 1102 calculates the line gap distance based on the distance from the ground to the conductor, and then uploads this data to the cloud server database.

[0119] In addition, gap distance data, time stamped and combined with weather station data, can be used to show the movement response of the line under certain weather conditions. Thus, based on the weather forecast, potential movement predictions of the line can be inferred.

[0120] As indicated in this embodiment, the 3D slices are transmitted to the gateway node 1100 to calculate the distance. However, in other embodiments, the final distance calculation completed at the gateway node 1100 is calculated by the microprocessor 103 at the sensor module 100, and the resulting distance is transmitted to the gateway node 1100 via the mesh network.

[0121] It should be understood that the onboard microprocessors (microprocessor 103 and microprocessor 1102) are capable of processing the raw 3D point cloud data captured by the lidar sensor 123 through onboard processing driven by the above-mentioned proprietary algorithms, which are specifically designed to compress large amounts of raw data into data packets that can be efficiently transmitted.

[0122] With regard to the measurements from weather station 122, it should be understood that such measurements are transmitted by the microprocessor at regular 15 minute intervals. In other embodiments, such measurements are transmitted at intervals other than 15 minutes.

[0123] Advantages of specific embodiments

[0124] It should be appreciated that the embodiments of the sensor module 100 and associated system 1000 described herein are superior to known devices and systems because the sensor module and associated system provide an efficient and accurate way to obtain sensing data related to a conductor. The sensor module itself includes the following advantageous features:

[0125] • Using infrared to measure conductor temperature requires only a relatively small solar power source and provides low cost components that can also be installed at low cost.

[0126] • Using LiDAR to measure line sag and clearance to objects also requires only a relatively small solar power source and provides low cost components that can also be installed at low cost. This allows the unit to be placed at multiple locations.

[0127] ● Using LiDAR, gyroscopes, accelerometers and GPS to measure line movement provides low-cost components that can also be installed at low cost.

[0128] ●Integrated weather stations provide accurate and repeatable measurements at a low cost.

[0129] • Ability to be mounted at any desired critical point on the ground line, such as the lowest sag point and / or the point closest to a known object / vegetation, so that measurements taken will be at the point on the ground line closest to the ground or object.

[0130] ●Weather-resistant housing.

[0131] - In embodiments where the housing is similar to a marker ball, utilizing an existing required component (the marker ball) with additional sensing capabilities.

[0132] ●Since the ground wire is set above the active wire on a standard power line arrangement, the sensor module will be better placed to provide more accurate weather detection, such as truer wind speed readings (due to higher altitude and less object interference compared to mounting on lower active wires) as well as easy installation using UAVs.

[0133] • Sensor modules can be customized differently in terms of what sensors are included based on custom requirements. In other words, if a unit only requires a LiDAR, then the module can be built without a weather station (at a lower cost).

[0134] ●The module is installed on the ground wire instead of the active wire, so it can be installed at any time without interrupting the power supply.

[0135] The microprocessor on the sensor module can filter out noise through onboard processing and convert the raw data into data that can be efficiently transmitted.

[0136] A system including the sensor module includes the following advantageous features:

[0137] ●The sensor modules and gateway nodes in the system can be installed in exactly the same way via the UAV on the ground wire.

[0138] ● Using a UAV to install sensor modules and gateway nodes provides a much safer process than any manual installation.

[0139] ● Real-time temperature measurements of the nearest conductors can be used to determine the real-time capacity of the conductor line.

[0140] ●Temperature measurements can be used to confirm the accuracy of existing models.

[0141] ● Provide real-time sensor measurements, or where this is not possible, provide sensor measurements at regular intervals to provide superior monitoring.

[0142] ● This solution allows message bundling, thereby reducing the cost of transmitting data over satellite.

[0143] ●Hardware costs are also reduced by using mesh networking, thereby reducing the number of more expensive satellite / LTE components.

[0144] These features allow the systems and devices herein to provide accurate sensing measurements as well as easy and safe installation without requiring any power downtime, thereby eliminating all of the problems with the conventional approaches discussed in the Background section.

[0145] Summary and explanation

[0146] Throughout this specification, when used, the term "element" is intended to mean a single integral part or a collection of parts combined to perform a specific function or purpose.

[0147] It should be understood that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, various features of the present invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the present disclosure and assisting in understanding one or more of the various inventive aspects. However, this method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting the intention that the claimed invention requires more features than those explicitly recited in each claim. In fact, as reflected in the appended claims, aspects of the present invention lie in less than all of the features of a single aforementioned disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the claims accompanying the specific embodiment are hereby expressly incorporated into this specific embodiment, with each claim independently serving as a separate embodiment of the present invention.

[0148] In addition, although some embodiments described herein include some features but do not include other features included in other embodiments, the combination of features of different embodiments is intended to be within the scope of the present invention and form different embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the appended claims, any of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

[0149] Similarly, it should be noted that the term coupling when used in the claims should not be interpreted as being limited to direct connections. The terms "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended to be synonymous with each other. Therefore, the scope of expression of device A coupled to device B should not be limited to devices or systems in which the output of device A is directly connected to the input of device B. This means that there is a path between the output of A and the input of B, which path may be a path that includes other devices or components. "Coupled" may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical, electrical or optical contact, or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0150] Unless otherwise specifically stated, it will be apparent from the following discussion that throughout the specification, discussions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "determining," "analyzing," etc. refer to the actions and / or processes of a computer or computing system or similar electronic computing device that manipulates data and / or transforms data represented as physical quantities such as electronic quantities into other data similarly represented as physical quantities.

[0151] In a similar manner, the term "processor" may refer to any device or portion of a device that processes electronic data, such as from registers and / or memory, to transform the electronic data into other electronic data, such as that which may be stored in registers and / or memory. A "computer" or "computing machine" or "computing platform" may include one or more processors.

[0152] In one embodiment, some methods or method portions described herein may be performed by one or more processors that accept computer-readable (also referred to as machine-readable) code containing an instruction set that implements at least one of the methods described herein when executed by one or more processors. The memory subsystem of the processing system includes a computer-readable carrier medium that carries a computer-readable code (e.g., software) that contains an instruction set to cause execution of one of the multiple methods described herein when executed by one or more processors. It should be noted that when the method includes several elements, such as several steps, the ordering of such elements is not implied unless otherwise specified. The software may reside in a storage medium, or may also reside completely or at least partially in RAM and / or a processor during execution of the software by a computer system. Therefore, the memory and the processor also constitute a computer-readable carrier medium that carries the computer-readable code.

[0153] Furthermore, a computer-readable carrier medium may form or be included in a computer program product.

[0154] In alternative embodiments, unless otherwise specified, one or more processors operate as standalone devices or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other processors in a networked deployment, the one or more processors may operate as a server or user machine in a server-user network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer or distributed network environment. The one or more processors may form a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, a network appliance, a server, a network router, a switch or a bridge, or any machine capable of executing (sequentially or otherwise) a set of instructions that specify actions to be taken by the machine.

[0155] It should be noted that although only a single processor and a single memory carrying computer readable code may be shown herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that many of the components described above are included but not explicitly shown or described to avoid obscuring aspects of the present invention. For example, although only a single machine is illustrated, unless otherwise specified, the term "machine" should also be construed to include any collection of machines that individually or collectively execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

[0156] Thus, one embodiment of each of the methods described herein is in the form of a computer-readable carrier medium carrying an instruction set, for example, a computer program for execution on one or more processors (e.g., one or more processors as part of a network server arrangement). Thus, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, embodiments of the present invention may be embodied as a method, a device such as a special purpose device, a device such as a data processing system, or a computer-readable carrier medium such as a computer program product. The computer-readable carrier medium carries a computer-readable code comprising an instruction set that causes the processor or processors to implement the method when executed on one or more processors. Thus, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a method, a fully hardware embodiment, a fully software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a carrier medium (e.g., a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium) carrying a computer-readable program code embodied in the medium.

[0157] Software may also be transmitted or received over a network via a network interface device. Although in an embodiment the carrier medium may be shown as a single medium, the term "carrier medium" should be understood to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) storing one or more instruction sets. The term "carrier medium" should also be understood to include any medium capable of storing, encoding, or carrying an instruction set for execution by one or more processors in the processor and causing one or more processors to execute any one or more methods in the method of the present invention. The carrier medium may be in many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, and magneto-optical disks. Volatile media include dynamic memory, such as main memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wires, and optical fibers, including wires including bus subsystems. Transmission media may also be in the form of sound waves or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications. For example, the term "carrier medium" will therefore be understood to include, but is not limited to: solid-state memories, computer products embodied in optical and magnetic media; media that carry propagated signals that are detectable by at least one of one or more processors and that represent a set of instructions that implement a method when executed; and transmission media that carry propagated signals in a network that are detectable by at least one of one or more processors and that represent a set of instructions.

[0158] It should be understood that, in one embodiment, the steps of the methods discussed are performed by an appropriate processor (or multiple processors) of a processing (ie, computer) system executing instructions (computer readable code) stored in a memory device.

Claims

1. A non-live wire mounted sensor module, comprising: a housing including mounting means adapted to mount the module to a non-energized power line conductor; power supply; a physical sensor unit supported by the housing, wherein the physical sensor unit comprises at least one of a group comprising: Conductor temperature sensor; Weather stations; Line sag detection sensor; Object proximity sensors; and Line movement sensor; as well as A communication unit, housed within the housing, is configured to facilitate external communication of an output of at least one physical sensor unit.

2. The sensor module according to claim 1, wherein the physical sensor unit comprises a plurality of the group, the group comprising: The conductor temperature sensor; said weather station; the line sag detection sensor; the object being in proximity to a sensor; and The line moves the sensor.

3. A sensor module according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the power source comprises a solar panel mounted on the exterior of the housing.

4. A sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power source comprises at least one battery arranged within the housing. The sensor module of claim 4 , wherein the at least one battery is rechargeable.

6. A sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weather station comprises one or more of: a temperature sensor; a solar radiation sensor; a wind speed sensor; and a wind direction sensor.

7. A sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conductor temperature sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

8. The sensor module of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wire sag detection sensor comprises a LiDAR sensor.

9. The sensor module of any preceding claim, wherein the object proximity sensor comprises a lidar sensor.

10. A sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the linear movement sensor comprises one or more of: a gyroscope; an accelerometer; a global positioning system (GPS) sensor; and a lidar sensor.

11. The sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the physical sensor unit comprises an integrated sensor comprising the functionality of both the wire sag detection sensor and the object proximity sensor.

12. A sensor module according to any preceding claim, wherein the physical sensor unit is mounted externally to the housing.

13. The sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, wherein the physical sensor unit is mounted within the housing.

14. The sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, wherein the physical sensor unit is mounted both outside and inside the housing.

15. A sensor module according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member comprises at least one clamping mechanism.

16. The sensor module of claim 15, wherein the mounting member comprises a pair of clamping mechanisms.

17. A sensor module according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a raptor clamp.

18. A method of installing a sensor module on a non-energized power line conductor using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising the following steps: Providing a non-live wire mount sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims; releasably attaching the sensor module to the UAV; From a launch point, controlling the UAV to move the UAV to a sensor release point such that the mounting member is positioned for mounting to the non-energized conductor; controlling the to initiate installation to the non-energized conductor; and Once mounted to the non-powered wire, the UAV is controlled to release the sensor module.

19. A system for sensing one or more physical measurements, the system comprising: at least one non-live wire mounted sensor module according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 17; a communications arrangement for facilitating digital communications with a server; and A communication gateway node for facilitating digital communications between at least one sensor module and the communication arrangement.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the system for sensing one or more physical measurements comprises a plurality of sensor modules, and respective communication units of the plurality of sensor modules form a mesh network for enabling the plurality of sensor modules to communicate with the communication gateway node.

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