Manhole Cover EM Safety Controller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Interference between roadway guidance and travel sensors/systems in automobiles and environmental sensors/systems located in or about the roadway poses risks of injury and liability due to undetermined effects of electromagnetic radiation from manholes, particularly when these systems are activated by the opening or movement of manhole covers.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a remote field unit controller, sensors, and an EM transmitter under a manhole cover that detects threshold movements and suppresses, alters, or turns off electromagnetic emissions to prevent radiation from entering the roadway, utilizing a combination of sensors such as accelerometers and mechanical displacement sensors to trigger the suppression of EM emissions from lidar, infrared, or time-of-flight emitters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If EM transmitters are deployed under manhole covers for environmental monitoring, then monitoring capability is improved, but electromagnetic interference with automotive systems occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of manhole cover position and movement state before the EM transmitter activates. When the cover is detected to be in the closed position, the system pre-configures the transmitter to operate safely. This prevents harmful EM radiation from reaching the roadway before it can occur, resolving the contradiction between maintaining monitoring capability and preventing interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system comprising a sensor, remote field unit controller, and EM controller that mediates between the EM transmitter and the environment. This intermediary layer detects manhole cover position and controls transmitter operation accordingly, allowing the transmitter to function when safe (cover closed) while preventing interference when the cover is open, thus resolving the contradiction.
2Productivity
If the EM transmitter operates continuously for monitoring, then data collection is improved, but risk of interference when manhole cover moves increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by continuously monitoring manhole cover position through sensors and adjusting EM transmitter operation accordingly. The transmitter operates periodically when the cover is confirmed closed and suspends operation when movement is detected. This periodic control pattern maintains high data collection efficiency during safe periods while ensuring safety reliability when cover position changes, resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability.
3Reliability
If sensors are added to detect manhole cover movement, then safety control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the EM transmitter system to perform multiple functions: environmental monitoring, safety detection through integrated sensors, and automatic control based on cover position. The sensor system serves dual purposes of monitoring both environmental conditions and manhole cover status, while the controller integrates multiple control functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby improving safety control capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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
Effectively reduces the risk of electromagnetic interference by controlling and managing EM radiation from manholes, ensuring safe operation of real-time automotive systems by preventing unwanted radiation from entering the roadway environment.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor attached to either the manhole cover, a manhole, or the remote field unit controller, providing information of at least one of a position, acceleration, direction of the manhole cover
Implementation Method 2
the sensor configured to detect a threshold movement of the manhole cover
Implementation Method 3
an EM transmitter and transmit antenna disposed under the manhole cover... the EM transmitter is at least one of a lidar, infrared, EM, and time-of-flight emitter or sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for controlling EM radiation from an exposed manhole around roadways. A remote field unit controller is disposed under a manhole cover proximal to a roadway, with a sensor attached to either the manhole cover, a manhole, or the remote field unit controller, providing information of at least one of a position, acceleration, direction of the manhole cover. An EM transmitter/receiver and EM emitter/absorber are disposed under the manhole cover and an EM controller communicates to the EM transmitter. When the sensor detects sufficient movement of the manhole cover, a signal is sent to the remote field unit controller to at least one of suppress, alter, and turn off EM emissions from the EM transmitter so as to prevent EM radiation from entering the roadway. The EM transmitter is at least one of a lidar, infrared, EM, and time-of-flight emitter or sensor.