Networked Transit Indicators for Fast Cable Transit Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In environments with multiple sealed installations of cables, pipes, or wires, local users often face difficulties in locating the correct transit for installation, service, repair, maintenance, or inspection due to the large number of transits and lack of effective guidance systems.
Innovation Solution
A transit indicator device connected to a communication network, featuring a visual indicator unit and a controller that receives remote instructions to provide guided visual indications, such as multi-color LED lights or display screens, to assist local users in navigating the transits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple sealed installations of cables, pipes, or wires are deployed in an environment, then the sealing effectiveness and infrastructure capacity are improved, but the difficulty of locating specific transits for installation, service, repair, maintenance, or inspection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by using visual indicator units that emit different colored lights (e.g., red, yellow, green LEDs) to indicate the status of transits and guide users to specific locations. The controller receives remote instructions and activates appropriate visual signals to direct users to the correct transit for various operations such as installation, repair, or inspection.
2Productivity
If a large number of transits are installed at a site, then the infrastructure capacity and sealing coverage are improved, but the time required for users to find the correct transit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by having the controller receive remote instructions through a communication network and respond by activating visual indicator units at specific transits. This feedback mechanism allows users to quickly identify the correct transit location without manually searching through multiple installations, significantly reducing the time required to locate the appropriate transit.
3Ease of operation
If visual indicator units with communication interfaces are added to transits, then the ability to guide users to specific transits is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the controller and visual indicator units to serve multiple functions: they not only guide users to specific transits but also indicate various operational statuses (such as installation status, maintenance needs, or emergency conditions). This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall system 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
The system effectively guides local users to specific transits or groups of transits, enhancing the efficiency of installation, service, repair, maintenance, and inspection processes by providing clear visual cues, and can also alert multiple transits simultaneously in emergency situations.
Implementation Method 1
The visual indicator unit may, for instance, comprise a multi-color LED indicator being adapted to provide the visual indication for guiding the local user by generating light of a certain color among a plurality of available colors
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a user guidance system (2) for cable, pipe or wire transits (1; 1a . . . 1n; 400) of a type which has one or more transit elements (10, 20, 30, 40; 42; 400) to form a sealed installation of one or more cables (7), pipes or wires. The user guidance system (2) comprises a communication network (60; 60a-c; 61, 61a-n, 62), and a computer resource (70) which is connectable to the communication network. The user guidance system (2) also comprises a plurality of transit indicator devices (50; 50a-50n; 250; 350; 450), each being connectable to the communication network (60; 60a-c; 61, 61a-n, 62) and each being located at or within a respective transit (1a-1n). The computer resource (70) is configured to receive a command (74) from an authorized user (4), and in response send a remote instruction (76) to one or more of the plurality of transit indicator devices (50; 50a-50n; 250; 350; 450) over the communication network (60; 60a-c; 61, 61a-n, 62). This causes the receiving one or more transit indicator devices (50; 50a-50n; 250; 350; 450) to provide a visual indication for guiding a local user (3) at the respective transit(s) (1a-1n) where the one or more transit indicator devices (50; 50a-50n; 250; 350; 450) is/are located.