Utility Pole Support-Structure Inspection with Remote Damage Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for inspecting utility poles are costly and prone to human subjectivity, and there is a need for more efficient and automated systems to assess pole condition and respond to potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A sensing system with sensors mounted on utility poles to monitor conditions such as movement, moisture, and integrity, which communicates data to a remote device for processing and notification of irregularities or events, using power harvesting and various communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual inspection methods are used for utility poles, then inspection can be performed with simple equipment, but inspection costs are high and human subjectivity affects accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection with automated sensing systems that use electronic sensors, processors, and communication circuits to detect and report pole conditions, eliminating human subjectivity and improving measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system performs self-monitoring and self-reporting of pole conditions through automated sensors and wireless communication, eliminating the need for human inspectors and reducing operational costs
2Productivity
If automated sensing systems are deployed on utility poles, then inspection accuracy and response time improve, but device complexity and power requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing system integrates multiple sensor types (accelerometers, gyroscopes, moisture sensors, temperature sensors) into a single multi-functional platform that can detect various pole conditions simultaneously, improving inspection efficiency without proportionally increasing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses wireless communication circuits as intermediaries to transmit sensor data to remote devices, eliminating the need for complex wired connections and simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining high productivity
3Reliability
If continuous monitoring is implemented, then real-time damage detection is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing system implements periodic monitoring at configured intervals rather than continuous monitoring, and can transition to event-triggered monitoring when conditions change, maintaining detection reliability while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts monitoring parameters such as sampling frequency and transmission intervals based on pole condition and environmental factors, optimizing the balance between detection reliability and energy consumption by using more resources only when necessary
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for support structure inspection are provided. In one example implementation, a system can include one or more sensors configured to obtain data associated with a condition of a support structure, such as a utility pole. The system can include one or more processors. The system can include a communication circuit operable to communicate a data packet to a remote device. The data packet can include a payload generated based at least in part on the data associated with the condition of the utility pole. The system can include a power source operable to provide electrical power to the one or more sensors, one or more processors, and the communication circuit.