Street Lamp Elevated Mesh Network for Remote Field Device Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring and controlling remote field devices, such as utility meters and traffic control systems, require physical proximity and rely on unreliable communication mediums like power lines, leading to increased costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
An elevated mesh network utilizing packet transceiver modules supported by street lamps to establish wireless links with remote field devices, coupled with an asynchronous middleware communications system for periodic data transfer and control, reducing the need for constant connectivity and hardware.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If power line communication is used to control residential equipment, then existing infrastructure can be utilized, but reliability is low due to electromagnetic noise and hardware costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces power line communication (electrical signal transmission through power lines) with wireless RF communication through the smart lighting system. This substitution eliminates the electromagnetic noise issues inherent in power line carriers while reducing hardware complexity by using the existing lighting infrastructure as the communication medium.
2Productivity
If workers physically monitor remote field devices, then direct observation is possible, but labor costs increase and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The smart lighting system enables self-monitoring and self-reporting of field devices. Sensors integrated into the lighting system automatically detect equipment status, environmental conditions, and anomalies, eliminating the need for manual worker intervention. The system serves itself by continuously monitoring without human presence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an automated monitoring system as an intermediary between field devices and the operations center. This intermediary continuously collects data from sensors and transmits it wirelessly, replacing human workers as the medium for information transfer while improving efficiency and reducing labor requirements.
3Use of energy by moving object
If low power radios are used on meters, then energy consumption is reduced, but communication range is limited requiring physical proximity within 50 feet
Solution Approach 1:
The smart lighting system serves multiple functions: it provides illumination, acts as a communication relay node, and enables remote monitoring of field devices. By making the lighting system multi-functional, the patent extends communication range beyond 50 feet while the low-power radios on meters maintain their energy efficiency, as they only need to communicate with nearby lighting nodes rather than directly to the operations center.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system acts as an intermediary node in the communication chain. Low-power radios on meters transmit data to nearby lighting nodes, which then relay the information through the wireless mesh network to the operations center. This intermediary approach allows meters to maintain low power consumption while achieving extended communication range through the distributed lighting infrastructure.
4Loss of information
If constant connectivity is maintained for remote monitoring, then real-time data is available, but operational costs and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic data collection and transmission instead of continuous connectivity. Sensors on field devices and lighting nodes collect data locally and transmit it at scheduled intervals or when threshold conditions are met. This periodic action maintains adequate data availability while reducing communication system complexity and operational costs compared to constant real-time connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
An elevated mesh network supported and operably coupled to street lamps can be used to remotely monitor and control field devices. The packet transceiver modules of the mesh network can also be coupled to sensors that monitor operation of a street lamp as well as environmental conditions. The elevated mesh network supported by street lamps can use RF links to couple with one or more remote field devices that also have packet transceiver modules. The elevated mesh network can also include a communications gateway that couples the elevated mesh network to an asynchronous communications system. The communications gateway is a store and forward system that can periodically connect to the asynchronous communications system in order to upload compressed data derived from the remote field devices. The asynchronous communications system can connect the elevated mesh network to a back-end computer system that may monitor, diagnose, and control the remote field devices.