Information processing device, information processing system, and information processing method

Abstract

[Problem] To determine the state of burying of various kinds of submarine cables. [Solution] This information processing device comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires temperature data from each of a plurality of temperature sensors which have been provided to a submarine cable; and a determination unit that determines the state of burying of the submarine cable at a first position on the basis of the difference between the temperature data of the submarine cable at the first position and the temperature data of the submarine cable at a second position which is within a prescribed distance from the first position.

Description

Information Processing Apparatus, Information Processing System, and Information Processing Method

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing system, and an information processing method.

[0002] In recent years, submarine cables have been laid in the seas around the world for power transmission or communication transmission. Submarine cables are buried in sediments such as mud or sand on the seabed to prevent damage caused by interaction with ship anchors, trawl nets, tidal fluctuations, ocean currents, etc., falling rocks, or earthquakes.

[0003] On the other hand, submarine cables may be partially exposed in the sea due to the movement of seabed sediments caused by tidal fluctuations or ocean currents, or the uplifting of seabed sediments by the placement of ship anchors. Therefore, a technology for detecting the buried state of submarine cables laid on the seabed is required.

[0004] For example, in Patent Document 1 below, using the heat generated during power transmission of a power cable buried in the seabed, based on the relationship between the temperature change of the power cable corresponding to the power transmission amount and the burial depth, and the temperature specific heat of the buried area, a technology for deriving the burial depth of the power cable is described.

[0005] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-117424

[0006] However, since the technology described in Patent Document 1 derives the burial depth using the heat generated during power transmission of the power cable, it has been difficult to apply it to communication submarine cables that do not generate heat.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved information processing apparatus, information processing system, and information processing method capable of determining the buried state of various types of submarine cables

[0008] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, an information processing device is provided, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors installed on a submarine cable; and a determination unit that determines the buried state of the first position of the submarine cable based on the difference between the temperature data at a first position of the submarine cable and the temperature data at a second position within a predetermined distance from the first position of the submarine cable.

[0009] The determination unit may determine the burial status of the submarine cable at the first location based on whether the difference between the temperature data at the first location and the temperature data at the second location within a predetermined time period is greater than or equal to a threshold.

[0010] The determination unit may further determine the burial depth of the submarine cable at the first location.

[0011] The temperature sensor may be a distributed temperature sensor that utilizes an optical fiber installed along the submarine cable.

[0012] The temperature data may be data obtained by sensing the temperature of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable using the temperature sensor.

[0013] The aforementioned submarine cable may be a power cable that is not transmitting power.

[0014] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, according to another aspect of the present invention, an information processing system is provided which includes an acquisition unit that acquires temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors installed on a submarine cable, and a determination unit that determines the buried state of the first position of the submarine cable based on the difference between the temperature data of the first position of the submarine cable and the temperature data of the second position within a predetermined distance from the first position of the submarine cable.

[0015] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, according to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-based information processing method is provided, which includes acquiring temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors installed on a submarine cable, and determining the burial state of the first position of the submarine cable based on the difference between the temperature data of the first position of the submarine cable and the temperature data of the second position within a predetermined distance from the first position of the submarine cable.

[0016] As described above, the present invention makes it possible to determine the buried state of various types of submarine cables.

[0017] This is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the differences due to the buried state of the submarine cable. This is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the information processing system according to the present invention. This is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the information processing system according to the present invention. This is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of an information processing device included in the information processing system according to the present invention.

[0018] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0019] <1. Overview> First, an overview of the information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the differences depending on the buried state of the submarine cable 30.

[0020] As shown in Figure 1, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment includes a first piece of equipment 10, a second piece of equipment 20, and a submarine cable 30.

[0021] The first equipment 10 and the second equipment 20 are various types of equipment installed in a body of water W at locations separated from each other. The first equipment 10 and the second equipment 20 are connected to each other by a submarine cable 30 buried underground E below the body of water W.

[0022] For example, the first equipment 10 and the second equipment 20 may be a power generation facility located offshore that uses wind, solar, or tidal power, and a power receiving and transforming facility that receives the power transmitted from the power generation facility and transforms it. As another example, each of the first equipment 10 and the second equipment 20 may be a communication facility that sends and receives data to and from each other. Furthermore, as yet another example, if the submarine cable 30 is a cable-type observation instrument or an earthquake observation instrument, each of the first equipment 10 and the second equipment 20 may be a ground station that acquires data measured by the submarine cable 30.

[0023] The submarine cable 30 is a transmission line that transmits power, communication, or data between the first equipment 10 and the second equipment 20. The submarine cable 30 is buried underground E below the water area W to avoid damage from interaction with ship anchors, trawler nets, tides, or ocean currents in the water area W. The submarine cable 30 consists of a transmission medium (conductor or optical fiber, etc.) that transmits power, communication, or data, and an outer sheath that covers the transmission medium for protection. For example, the submarine cable 30 may be a power cable, a communication cable, a cable-type observation instrument, or seismic observation instrument (seabed seismometer and seabed pressure gauge).

[0024] The information processing system 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a plurality of temperature sensors (not shown) on the submarine cable 30. Based on the temperature data acquired by the temperature sensors, the information processing system 1 can determine the buried state of the submarine cable at the location where the temperature sensors are installed. Specifically, the temperature data acquired by the temperature sensors indicates the temperature of the water body W or underground E, which is the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30. That is, if the submarine cable 30 is buried underground E, the temperature data acquired by the temperature sensors indicates the temperature of the underground E, which is the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30. On the other hand, if the submarine cable 30 is exposed in the water body W, the temperature data acquired by the temperature sensors indicates the temperature of the water body W, which is the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the submarine cable 30 buried underground E is surrounded by sediment SM. However, if the sediment SM on the seabed moves due to tides or ocean currents, or if the sediment SM is stirred up by the dropping of anchors by ships, a portion of the submarine cable 30 may be exposed in the water W.

[0026] Here, there is a difference between the specific heat of the water body W and the specific heat of the subsurface E covered by sediment SM. Therefore, there is a difference between the temperature data from the temperature sensor installed on the submarine cable 30B buried in the subsurface E and the temperature data from the temperature sensor installed on the submarine cable 30A exposed in the water body W. Specifically, the temperature of the water body W fluctuates over time, day and night and seasonally, due to heat exchange with sunlight and the atmosphere, while the temperature of the subsurface E below the water body W fluctuates more slowly and with a delay compared to the temperature of the water body W, because there is no heat exchange with sunlight and the atmosphere, only heat exchange with the water body W.

[0027] In other words, the temperature data from the temperature sensor installed on the submarine cable 30B covered with sediment SM changes more slowly and with a delay compared to the temperature data from the temperature sensor installed on the submarine cable 30A exposed to the water W. Therefore, the temperature data from the temperature sensor installed on the submarine cable 30B covered with sediment SM will show a different temperature at the same time as the temperature data from the temperature sensor installed on the submarine cable 30A exposed to the water W. On the other hand, the temperature data from the temperature sensors installed on the submarine cable 30B covered with sediment SM do not show extreme differences within a certain short distance range and within a certain short time range.

[0028] The information processing system 1 according to this embodiment acquires the temperature of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30 using a plurality of temperature sensors installed on the submarine cable 30, and compares the acquired temperature data with each other. Based on this, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can determine the buried state of the submarine cable 30 at the location where the temperature sensors are installed, based on whether or not there is a difference between the compared temperature data corresponding to the temperature difference between the ground E and the water area W.

[0029] For example, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment may determine the buried state of the submarine cable 30 at the first location based on the difference between the temperature data from a temperature sensor installed at the first location of the submarine cable 30 and the temperature data from a temperature sensor installed at a second location within a predetermined distance from the first location.

[0030] According to this, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can, for example, monitor the buried state of a submarine cable 30 that does not generate heat due to power transmission, etc. (for example, a power cable, communication cable, cable-type observation equipment, or seismic observation equipment that is not transmitting power) based on temperature data of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30.

[0031] Furthermore, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can acquire temperature data from a temperature sensor installed on the submarine cable 30, and from the acquired temperature data, it can estimate the temperature data of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30 and the temperature data of the water area W near the seabed. Therefore, the information processing system 1 can estimate the vertical temperature profile of the water area W by further referring to temperature data near the water surface of the water area W measured by artificial satellites or the like, in addition to the estimated temperature data of the water area W near the seabed.

[0032] <2. Detailed Configuration> Next, the detailed configuration of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment includes a submarine cable 30 and an information processing device 100.

[0034] As described above, the submarine cable 30 is a transmission line for transmitting power, communications, or data, and is buried underground E below the body of water W. Multiple temperature sensors 310 are provided on the submarine cable 30.

[0035] The temperature sensor 310 is a sensor that senses the temperature of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30. Between the temperature sensor 310 and the transmission medium of the submarine cable 30, an insulating material or the like may be provided to block the effects of heat generated from the transmission medium contained in the submarine cable 30.

[0036] As an example, the temperature sensor 310 may be a distributed temperature sensor (DTS) that utilizes an optical fiber installed along the submarine cable 30. The distributed temperature sensor can sense the temperature of the optical fiber by analyzing the scattered light of a laser pulse transmitted through the optical fiber, and then determining the temperature dependence of the scattered light's intensity, frequency shift, or coherence. Furthermore, the distributed temperature sensor can determine the location where the temperature was sensed from the time between the transmission of the laser pulse and the reception of the scattered light. Therefore, a distributed temperature sensor using an optical fiber installed along the submarine cable 30 can sense the temperature of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30 (water area W or underground E) at predetermined intervals (e.g., 1 m) and output the sensing results as temperature data for each location.

[0037] As another example, the temperature sensor 310 may be a plurality of contact-type or non-contact-type temperature sensors installed at predetermined intervals (e.g., 1 m) along the submarine cable 30. For example, the temperature sensor 310 may be a contact-type temperature sensor such as a thermocouple, thermistor, or resistance thermometer, or it may be a non-contact-type temperature sensor that converts thermal energy or infrared radiation emitted from an object into temperature. Each of the temperature sensors 310 can sense the temperature of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30 (water area W or underground E) at the location where each temperature sensor 310 is installed, and output the sensing result as temperature data.

[0038] The information processing device 100 comprises an acquisition unit 110, a determination unit 120, an output unit 130, a storage unit 140, and an input unit 150. The information processing device 100 may be installed, for example, in a first facility 10 or a second facility 20 connected to the submarine cable 30, or it may be installed in a server connected to the submarine cable 30 via a network or the like.

[0039] The acquisition unit 110 acquires temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors 310 installed on the submarine cable 30. The acquisition unit 110 may perform amplification processing, noise reduction processing, or filtering processing on the temperature data acquired from the temperature sensors 310.

[0040] The determination unit 120 determines the buried state of the submarine cable 30 by comparing each of the temperature data of the submarine cable 30 acquired by the acquisition unit 110 with each other.

[0041] For example, the determination unit 120 may determine the burial status of the submarine cable 30 at the first location based on whether the difference between the temperature data at the first location and the temperature data at a second location within a predetermined distance from the first location is greater than or equal to a threshold (e.g., 0.5°C). Although the temperature of the water body W fluctuates over time depending on the day and night and the season, it is considered that the temperature will be similar within a certain short-range and time range. Therefore, the determination unit 120 can determine that there is a difference in the burial status of the submarine cable 30 if the temperature data sensed within a predetermined distance differs by a threshold (e.g., 0.5°C) or more. Accordingly, the determination unit 120 can determine that the submarine cable 30 at the first location is not buried and is exposed in the water body W if the temperature data at the first location differs by a threshold or more from the temperature data at multiple other locations, including the temperature data at the second location.

[0042] The determination unit 120 may also determine that the temperature sensor 310 that sensed the temperature data with a larger rate of change over time from among multiple temperature data where a difference of more than a threshold exists is the temperature sensor 310 installed on the submarine cable 30 exposed to the water body W.

[0043] The predetermined distance from the first position may be, for example, within a radius of several tens of meters from the first position, or within a radius of 10 meters from the first position. The first position and the second position may be adjacent to each other in an array in which multiple temperature sensors 310 are arranged in a continuous line, or they may be separated from each other by other temperature sensors 310 being sandwiched in between.

[0044] However, when there are factors that cause significant changes in the geology such as active faults, the specific heat of the underground E may differ on both sides of the active fault due to the different geology, which may lead to different specific heats of the underground E. Therefore, it is desirable for the determination unit 120 to compare the temperature data sensed by the temperature sensors 310 provided on the submarine cable 30 buried in the same geology and at the same buried depth with each other.

[0045] The comparison of the temperature data by the determination unit 120 may be performed, for example, within a predetermined time. Specifically, the determination unit 120 may determine the buried state of the first position of the submarine cable 30 based on whether the difference between the temperature data of the first position and the temperature data of the second position within a predetermined time is greater than or equal to a threshold value (for example, 0.5°C). Also, the predetermined time may be, for example, within a time short enough to be regarded as the same time (for example, within a few seconds), within a time about one sampling period of the temperature sensor 310, or within about 30 minutes. Further, the determination unit 120 may determine the buried state of the first position of the submarine cable 30 based on whether the difference between the temperature data of the first position and the temperature data of the second position has continued for a certain period of time (for example, about several hours) greater than or equal to a threshold value (for example, 0.5°C).

[0046] Furthermore, the determination unit 120 may determine the buried depth of the submarine cable 30 based on the temperature data of the submarine cable 30 acquired by the acquisition unit 110. Specifically, the determination unit 120 can calibrate in advance using the temperature data sensed by the temperature sensor 310 provided on the submarine cable 30 not buried in the underground E (that is, with a buried depth of 0) and the temperature data sensed by the temperature sensor 310 provided on the submarine cable 30 with a known buried depth, and then determine the buried depth of the submarine cable 30 from the acquired temperature data. That is, the determination unit 120 can determine the buried depth of the submarine cable 30 from the acquired temperature data by performing calibration associating the degree of difference between the temperature data sensed by the temperature sensor 310 provided on the submarine cable 30 and the temperature in the water area W with the buried depth.

[0047] As the submarine cable 30 with a burial depth of 0, for example, the submarine cable 30 disposed on a rock formation with little sediment SM, or the submarine cable 30 before reaching the seabed after being thrown into the water area W from land can be exemplified. By using the temperature data of the temperature sensor 310 provided on these submarine cables 30 and the temperature data of the temperature sensor 310 provided on the submarine cable 30 with a known burial depth immediately after burial, the determination unit 120 can perform calibration of the burial depth.

[0048] The output unit 130 may be, for example, a display device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display device, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) device, a lamp, etc., or a voice output device such as a speaker, or a communication interface for performing communication to output data to an external device. The output unit 130 may output the burial state of the submarine cable 30 determined by the determination unit 120 to an external server or the like.

[0049] The storage unit 140 is a device for data storage. The storage unit 140 includes a storage medium, a recording device for recording data on the storage medium, a reading device for reading data from the storage medium, a deleting device for deleting data recorded on the storage medium, etc. The storage unit 140 may store the burial state of the submarine cable 30 determined by the determination unit 120 as a log.

[0050] The input unit 150 includes an input means such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, a button, a switch, or a microphone for a user to input information, and an input control circuit for generating an input signal based on the input by the user. The input unit 150 can receive input of various data or an instruction for a processing operation based on an input operation from the user.

[0051] With the above configuration, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can determine the buried state of the submarine cable 30 at the location where the temperature sensor 310 is installed, based on the temperature of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30 sensed by the temperature sensor 310. Therefore, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can monitor the buried state of submarine cables 30 that do not generate heat due to power transmission, etc. (for example, power cables, communication cables, cable-type observation equipment, or seismic observation equipment that are not transmitting power).

[0052] <3. Operation Example> Next, an operation example of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of operation of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0053] As shown in Figure 4, first, the information processing device 100 acquires temperature data from multiple temperature sensors 310 installed on the submarine cable 30 using the acquisition unit 110 (S101). Next, the information processing device 100 compares the temperature data of the first location with the temperature data of a second location within a predetermined distance from the first location (for example, within a radius of 1 m, within a radius of 10 m, or within a radius of several tens of meters) using the determination unit 120 (S103).

[0054] Next, the information processing device 100 determines the burial status of the submarine cable 30 at the first location based on the comparison result using the determination unit 120 (S105). For example, if the temperature data at the first location differs from the temperature data at the second location (the comparison target) by a larger rate of change and by a threshold (e.g., 0.5°C) or more, the determination unit 120 may determine that the submarine cable 30 at the first location is not buried and is exposed in the water area W. On the other hand, if the difference between the temperature data at the first location and the temperature data at the second location (the comparison target) is less than a threshold (e.g., 0.5°C), the determination unit 120 may determine that the submarine cable 30 at the first location is properly buried.

[0055] Subsequently, the information processing device 100 outputs the buried state of the submarine cable 30 at the determined first location using the output unit 130 (S107). For example, the output unit 130 may output the buried state of the submarine cable 30 at the determined first location to an external server or device, or to an output device such as a display or speaker. The information processing device 100 may also store the buried state of the submarine cable 30 at the determined first location as a log in the storage unit 140.

[0056] Based on the above operation, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can determine the buried state of the submarine cable 30 based on temperature data of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable 30 sensed by a temperature sensor 310 provided on the submarine cable 30. Therefore, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can monitor the buried state of submarine cables 30 that do not generate heat due to power transmission, etc. (for example, power cables, communication cables, cable-type observation equipment, or seismic observation equipment that are not transmitting power).

[0057] <4. Modifications> The information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can also be used for the following purposes.

[0058] For example, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can estimate temperature data near the seabed of a body of water W by using temperature data sensed by a plurality of temperature sensors 310 installed on a submarine cable 30. Therefore, the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment can estimate the vertical temperature profile of a body of water W by further referring to temperature data near the water surface of the body of water W measured by artificial satellites or the like, in addition to the estimated temperature data near the seabed of the body of water W.

[0059] <5. Hardware Configuration> Embodiments of the present invention have been described above. Various information processing operations performed by the information processing system 1 described above are realized through the cooperation of software and the hardware of the information processing device 100 described below.

[0060] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the information processing device 100 included in the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0061] As shown in Figure 5, the information processing device 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 901, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 902, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 903, a host bus 904, a bridge 905, an external bus 906, an interface 907, an input device 908, an output device 909, a storage device 910, a drive 911, and a communication device 913.

[0062] The CPU 901 functions as an arithmetic processing unit and control unit, and controls the overall operation within the information processing unit 100 according to various programs. The CPU 901 may be a microprocessor. The ROM 902 stores programs and arithmetic parameters used by the CPU 901. The RAM 903 temporarily stores programs used in the execution of the CPU 901, and parameters that change as appropriate during program execution. These CPU 901, ROM 902, and RAM 903 are interconnected by a host bus 904, which consists of a CPU bus and the like. The functions of the determination unit 120 described above are realized through the cooperation of the CPU 901, ROM 902, and RAM 903.

[0063] The host bus 904 is connected to an external bus 906, such as a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect / Interface) bus, via a bridge 905. Note that the host bus 904, bridge 905, and external bus 906 do not necessarily have to be separate; these functions may be implemented on a single bus.

[0064] The input device 908 consists of an input means for the user to input information, such as a mouse, keyboard, touch panel, buttons, switches, or microphone, and an input control circuit that generates an input signal based on the user's input and outputs it to the CPU 901. The user operating the information processing device 900 can input various types of data to the information processing device 900 or instruct it to perform processing operations by operating the input device 908. The input device 908 can, for example, implement the functions of the input unit 150.

[0065] The output device 909 includes, for example, a display device such as a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display device, a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) device, a lamp, or an audio output device such as a speaker. The output device 909 can, for example, realize the functions of the output unit 130.

[0066] The storage device 910 is a device for storing data. The storage device 910 may include a storage medium, a recording device for recording data on the storage medium, a reading device for reading data from the storage medium, and a deletion device for deleting data recorded on the storage medium. The storage device 910 can, for example, implement the functions of the storage unit 140.

[0067] The drive 911 is a reader / writer for storage media and is externally connected to the information processing device 900. The drive 911 reads information recorded on the removable storage medium 912, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, and outputs it to the RAM 903. The drive 911 can also write information to the removable storage medium 912.

[0068] The communication device 913 is a communication interface composed of communication devices and the like for performing communication. The communication device 913 may be a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) compatible communication device or a wired communication device for wired communication. The communication device 913 can, for example, implement the functions of the acquisition unit 110 or the output unit 130.

[0069] The hardware configuration of the information processing device 100 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 5. For example, the information processing device 100 does not need to include an input device 908 or an output device 909. Also, some or all of the configuration shown in Figure 5 may be implemented using one or more ICs (Integrated Circuits).

[0070] For example, the processes described using flowcharts in this specification do not necessarily have to be executed in the order shown. Some processing steps may be executed in parallel. Additional processing steps may be adopted, and some processing steps may be omitted.

[0071] Furthermore, the series of processes performed by the information processing device described herein may be implemented using software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. The programs constituting the software are pre-stored in a storage medium (non-transitory media) provided inside or outside each device. Each program is then loaded into the RAM 903 when executed by a computer and executed by a processor such as the CPU 901. The storage medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or flash memory. The computer programs may also be distributed without using a storage medium, for example, via a network.

[0072] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and these will naturally also be understood to fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0073] 1 Information Processing System 10 First Equipment 20 Second Equipment 30 Submarine Cable 100 Information Processing Device 110 Acquisition Unit 120 Judgment Unit 130 Output Unit 140 Storage Unit 150 Input Unit 310 Temperature Sensor W Water Area E Underground SM Sediment

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors installed on a submarine cable; and a determination unit that determines the buried state of the first position of the submarine cable based on the difference between the temperature data of the first position of the submarine cable and the temperature data of the second position within a predetermined distance from the first position of the submarine cable.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the burial status of the submarine cable at the first location based on whether the difference between the temperature data at the first location and the temperature data at the second location within a predetermined time period is greater than or equal to a threshold.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit further determines the burial depth of the first position of the submarine cable.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a distributed temperature sensor utilizing an optical fiber installed along the submarine cable.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature data is data obtained by sensing the temperature of the surrounding environment of the submarine cable with the temperature sensor.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the submarine cable is a power cable that is not transmitting power.

7. An information processing system comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors installed on a submarine cable; and a determination unit that determines the burial status of the first position of the submarine cable based on the difference between the temperature data at a first position of the submarine cable and the temperature data at a second position within a predetermined distance from the first position of the submarine cable.

8. A computer-based information processing method comprising: acquiring temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors installed on a submarine cable; and determining the burial status of the first position of the submarine cable based on the difference between the temperature data at a first position of the submarine cable and the temperature data at a second position within a predetermined distance from the first position of the submarine cable.

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