Optical Fiber Utility Pole State Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for detecting abnormalities in utility poles, such as breaks or nesting, rely on monitoring optical signal losses, which are ineffective for subtle stress changes and environmental monitoring, making it difficult to accurately specify the state of utility poles and their surroundings.
Innovation Solution
A state specifying system using a communication optical fiber cable with a receiving unit to receive optical signals and a specifying unit that identifies patterns in the signals to determine the state of the utility pole or environmental conditions, allowing for accurate specification of utility pole states and environmental changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical fiber is used to monitor stress on utility poles, then extreme states such as nesting or breakage can be detected, but subtle stress changes and environmental conditions cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring function by using multiple optical fibers with different sensitivities to different types of stress. Some fibers are designed to detect only extreme events like breakage, while others detect subtle environmental changes. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously monitor both extreme states and subtle conditions without cross-interference, resolving the contradiction between detection capability and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the optical fiber monitoring system universal by enabling it to detect multiple types of phenomena through a single integrated system. By configuring optical fibers with different characteristics and arranging them in specific patterns within the utility pole, the system can simultaneously detect breakage, nesting, temperature changes, and other environmental conditions, thus achieving both extreme state detection and subtle environmental monitoring with one system.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated monitoring structures are installed on utility poles, then accurate state detection is achieved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the communication function and monitoring function into a single optical fiber system. The same optical fibers that transmit communication signals also serve as sensors for detecting utility pole states and environmental conditions. This merging eliminates the need for separate dedicated monitoring structures, reducing system complexity and cost while maintaining accurate detection capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fiber is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it serves as both a communication transmission medium and a sensing element for structural and environmental monitoring. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated monitoring structures, thereby simplifying the overall system while achieving accurate state detection.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual inspection methods are used to detect utility pole abnormalities, then detection can be performed with simple equipment, but large amounts of time and cost are required
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber monitoring system enables the utility pole to self-monitor its own state continuously. The optical fibers embedded in the pole automatically detect stress, temperature, and other conditions without requiring external inspection equipment or personnel. This self-service capability transforms the passive utility pole into an active monitoring system, dramatically improving detection efficiency while maintaining simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection methods with an optical-based automated monitoring system. Instead of workers physically examining poles using visual observation or tapping, the system uses optical signal transmission and analysis to automatically detect abnormalities. This substitution eliminates the time-consuming manual process while keeping the detection method conceptually simple.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and cost-effective remote monitoring of utility pole states and environmental conditions, reducing the need for dedicated structures and power supply, and improving the detection of various phenomena around utility poles.
Implementation Method 1
a cable disposed in a utility pole, the cable containing a communication optical fiber; a receiving unit configured to receive an optical signal from at least one communication optical fiber contained in the cable
Data Source
AI summary
A state specifying system according to the present disclosure includes a cable (20) disposed in a utility pole (10), the cable (20) containing a communication optical fiber, a receiving unit (331) configured to receive an optical signal from at least one optical fiber contained in the cable (20), and a specifying unit (332) configured to specify a state of the utility pole (10) or an environmental state around the utility pole (10) corresponding to a pattern of the optical signal received by the receiving unit (331).