US20200256886A1 - Powerline contact monitoring and alert system - Google Patents
Powerline contact monitoring and alert system Download PDFInfo
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- US20200256886A1 US20200256886A1 US16/787,555 US202016787555A US2020256886A1 US 20200256886 A1 US20200256886 A1 US 20200256886A1 US 202016787555 A US202016787555 A US 202016787555A US 2020256886 A1 US2020256886 A1 US 2020256886A1
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- 230000002547 anomalous effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001413 cellular effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01P—MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT
- G01P1/00—Details of instruments
- G01P1/07—Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/04—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
- H01L31/042—PV modules or arrays of single PV cells
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01P—MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT
- G01P13/00—Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08B—SIGNALLING OR CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS
- G08B21/00—Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
- G08B21/18—Status alarms
- G08B21/182—Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02S—GENERATION OF ELECTRIC POWER BY CONVERSION OF INFRARED RADIATION, VISIBLE LIGHT OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, e.g. USING PHOTOVOLTAIC [PV] MODULES
- H02S20/00—Supporting structures for PV modules
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N7/00—Television systems
- H04N7/18—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
- H04N7/183—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast for receiving images from a single remote source
- H04N7/185—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast for receiving images from a single remote source from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N7/00—Television systems
- H04N7/18—Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
- H04N7/188—Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01P—MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT
- G01P15/00—Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates generally to a system for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object with lines or wires strung between upright posts, such as powerlines that are supported by and strung between upright posts.
- the electrical power supply system comprises three general areas: generation, transmission and distribution.
- Generation is generating power by, for example, power plant.
- Transmission is the movement of high voltage power (electricity) from, for example, a power plant to an electrical substation.
- Distribution is the movement of lower voltage power locally from, for example, a substation through a neighborhood to homes, businesses and the like.
- Distribution can be underground or overhead.
- conductors are suspended from arms mounted to poles.
- the conductors can be bare conductors that are suspended individually or independently from the arms by insulators, they can be covered (insulated) conductors that are suspended individually or independently from the arms, or they can be covered conductors that are suspended together on a spacing device from a non-conducting messenger wire.
- One such spacing device is a Hendrix Aerial Cable System (ACS) spacer cable system.
- ACS Hendrix Aerial Cable System
- Covered conductor systems provide a number of advantages over bare wire systems. For example, unlike bare wire systems, covered conductor systems can continue to operate when contacted b a grounded object, such as a tree limb. That is, bare wire systems will trip or shut down when a tree limb contacts the wire, whereas a covered conductor system will continue to operate. As such, covered conductor systems provide a benefit over bare wire systems.
- such a system provides an alert that the conductor has been contacted by an object prior to long-term failure of the conductor and system. More desirably still, such as system can determine whether the contact is long term or for a short duration. Still more desirably, such a system can also provide for visual inspection of the conductor and an object in contact with the conductor.
- a device monitors and alerts for contact of an object with a line, such as a power transmission line, a communication line or the like that is strung between two upright posts, such as poles.
- the device includes a housing having a body and a mounting portion extending from the body.
- a mount is positioned in the mounting portion to mount the device to a line.
- a processor and an accelerometer are positioned in the housing, the accelerometer in operable communication with the processor.
- a power supply is operably connected to the processor.
- the accelerometer When the device is positioned on the line and the accelerometer senses movement of the device, the accelerometer generates and transmits a signal to the processor.
- the processor analyzes the signal to determine whether the signal meets a threshold and, if the threshold is met, the processor generates and transmits an alarm signal to a receiving device.
- the camera captures an image when the threshold is met.
- the image can be transmitted to the receiving device.
- the device includes a mount in the mounting portion.
- the camera is positioned in the mounting portion spaced from the mount.
- the device can include a second mounting portion extending from the body having a second mount, the mounting portions being spaced from each other. Cameras can be positioned in each mounting portion.
- the mounts are positioned in their respective mounting portions between the body and the cameras. Such an arrangement allows for downward viewing of the line by the camera.
- the power supply is one or more solar cells.
- the solar cells can be positioned on the housing.
- the housing has a generally three-sided cross-section and the solar cells are positioned on two side of the housing.
- the housing includes a receiver on the body for receiving an associated installation tool or “hot stick”.
- FIG. 1 is an illustration showing one example of a space wire system for suspending multiple conductors
- FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a system for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object with powerlines
- FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a monitoring device in the system
- FIG. 4 is an example of a logic flow diagram for operation of the system for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object with powerlines;
- FIG. 5 is an example of a logic flow diagram for updating the firmware of the system.
- FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a space wire system W for suspending electrical conductors C.
- the space wire system W includes a support S or a carriage to suspend the plurality of conductors C.
- the carriage S includes a central body portion B and a plurality of arms A that extend from the body B.
- Each arm A supports a conductor C so as to space the conductors C from each other so that no conductor C contacts any other conductor C.
- the arms A may be configured to lock the conductors C in place.
- the carriage S is suspended from a wire such as a messenger wire M.
- a wire such as a messenger wire M.
- the conductors C are indirectly supported by the messenger wire M.
- the messenger wire M is a non-conducting wire.
- the messenger wire M may be a conductor of one type or another.
- the messenger wire M may be a communications and/or control wire.
- FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a system 10 for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object, such as a tree limb, with lines or wires, for example conductors C or messenger wires M, strung between upright posts.
- the system 10 includes a monitoring device 12 that includes, generally, a housing 14 having a body 15 , mounts 16 , a power source 18 , a camera 20 , a processor 22 and operating circuitry 24 .
- the monitoring device 12 includes one or more accelerometers 26 , such as one or more 3-axis accelerometers, that can be incorporated into the processor 22 and/or the operating circuitry 24 .
- the mounts 16 are formed as mounting portions 28 that are, in part, integral with the body 15 .
- the mounting portions 28 can be formed as upstanding posts 30 that extend upwardly from the body 15 .
- the posts 30 each include the mount 16 which, in the illustrated embodiment is a recess 32 , such as the C-shaped recess that defines an open side of the post 30 and a clip 34 , such as the illustrated spring clip, that is positioned in each recess 32 .
- the clips 32 permit insertion of the monitoring device 12 onto a wire, such as a messenger wire M, and removal of the device 12 from the wire M, preferably without the use of a tool.
- the clips 34 are configured such that the monitoring device 12 remains fixed relative to the wire M and, for example, will rotate with the wire M as a torque (twisting) is applied to the wire M.
- the housing 12 has an overall or generally triangular shaped cross-section. In an embodiment a bottom 36 of the housing 12 is rounded or curved.
- the monitoring device 12 is powered internally, that is the monitoring device 12 has no external power source.
- the power supply 18 can be solar cells 35 can be positioned on the sides of the body 15 . The solar cells 35 can provide power to the device 12 during daylight hours.
- the device 12 can be configured having batteries 38 to store power for use during evening hours or when the daylight is insufficient to power the device 12 .
- One or more accelerometers 26 are configured to sense movement of the device 12 .
- the one or more accelerometers 26 can communicate with the processor 22 to generate signals based on movement of the accelerometers 26 , the rate of movement, an orientation or angle of the accelerometers 26 (which correlates to an orientation of the device 12 ), and other movement and direction/orientation actions/reactions of the accelerometers 26 /device 12 .
- the device 12 includes one or more cameras 20 .
- a camera 20 can be positioned on an outer wall of the upstanding post 30 .
- Cameras 20 can be positioned on outside walls of both posts 30 .
- the cameras 30 permit visual inspection of the wire M and the conductors C suspended from the wire M (the conductors C suspended by the space wire carriage S).
- the cameras 30 are located on the upstanding posts, above (vertically) the location at which the device 12 is mounted to the wire M. This permits viewing down onto the wire M and conductors C from a vantage point that advantageously provides a large field of view of the wire M and any object or objects that are contacting the wire M or conductors C.
- the device 12 can communicate information and images.
- the device 12 communicates the information and images to a receiving device 40 via a wireless protocol, such as WIFI, WAN, LAN, long range (LoRa) communications, cellular transmission, Bluetooth or any other wireless protocol know or not yet known.
- a wireless protocol such as WIFI, WAN, LAN, long range (LoRa) communications, cellular transmission, Bluetooth or any other wireless protocol know or not yet known.
- the housing 14 includes a tool receiver 42 , such as the illustrated slot to accommodate a mounting tool, referred to as a “hot stick” (not shown).
- a tool receiver 42 such as the illustrated slot to accommodate a mounting tool, referred to as a “hot stick” (not shown).
- the present device 12 is advantageously mounted while the conductors C are “live” or “hot”. Mounting of the device 12 while the conductors C are “hot” is referred to as “hotsticking”.
- the tool receiver 42 permits mounting the device 12 to the tool and installing the device 12 on the wire M with the conductors C hot, thus eliminating the need to power down the lines or circuit to install or maintain the monitoring device 12 .
- the tool receiver 42 likewise allows for removing the device from the wire M while the conductors are “hot”.
- One example protocol for the monitoring system 10 is illustrated at 102 in FIG. 4 .
- the device 12 In a motion detect mode, the device 12 is active and in a standby state—that is, the accelerometers 26 do not sense movement of the device 12 (or the wire M), as at 104 .
- the motion is analyzed by an embedded algorithm as at 107 . If the motion is determined to be anomalous or a non-alert motion (such as a bird on the wire M or wind rocking the wire M), the device returns to the standby state as at 108 .
- a message is transmitted to the receiving device 40 at, for example, a maintenance station, a user's smart device (phone or the like), or other receiving device as at 110 .
- the message can be, for example, a text message if transmitted to a user's smart device, an alert, an alarm, or other notification.
- An image is captured by the camera 20 as at 112 .
- the image can be transmitted with the message (the alert message) or the image can be transmitted following the alert message, as at 114 . Again, the image can be transmitted to, for example, a maintenance station, a user's smart device (phone or the like), or other receiving device.
- the device returns to the standby state as qt 116 .
- the system 10 firmware can also upgrade automatically as at 150 .
- the device 12 receives an update interrupt signal as at 152 .
- the device 12 exits detection mode as at 154 and temporarily suspends the ability to detect motion.
- An update is received as at 156 and the device firmware updates or loads as at 158 . Once the update or load is complete, the device 12 returns to detect mode as at 160 .
- system 10 can be used for general maintenance, by, for example, periodically (automatically or manually) capturing and transmitting images of the line M and/or conductors C for viewing and storage.
Abstract
A device for monitoring and alerting for contact of an object with a line strung between two upright posts includes a housing having a body and a mounting portion extending from the body. A mount is positioned in the mounting portion. A camera a is positioned on the mounting portion for downward viewing of the line. A processor is positioned in the housing and an accelerometer is position in the housing in operable communication with the processor. The device includes a power supply operably connected to the processor. When the device is positioned on the line and the accelerometer senses movement of the device, the accelerometer generates and transmits a signal to the processor. The processor analyses the signal to determine whether the signal meets a threshold and, if the threshold is met, the processor generates and transmits an alarm signal to a receiving device.
Description
- The present disclosure relates generally to a system for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object with lines or wires strung between upright posts, such as powerlines that are supported by and strung between upright posts.
- The electrical power supply system comprises three general areas: generation, transmission and distribution. Generation is generating power by, for example, power plant. Transmission is the movement of high voltage power (electricity) from, for example, a power plant to an electrical substation. Distribution is the movement of lower voltage power locally from, for example, a substation through a neighborhood to homes, businesses and the like.
- Distribution can be underground or overhead. In overhead distribution, conductors are suspended from arms mounted to poles. The conductors can be bare conductors that are suspended individually or independently from the arms by insulators, they can be covered (insulated) conductors that are suspended individually or independently from the arms, or they can be covered conductors that are suspended together on a spacing device from a non-conducting messenger wire. One such spacing device is a Hendrix Aerial Cable System (ACS) spacer cable system.
- Covered conductor systems provide a number of advantages over bare wire systems. For example, unlike bare wire systems, covered conductor systems can continue to operate when contacted b a grounded object, such as a tree limb. That is, bare wire systems will trip or shut down when a tree limb contacts the wire, whereas a covered conductor system will continue to operate. As such, covered conductor systems provide a benefit over bare wire systems.
- One drawback to covered conductors is the although the system will not trip or shut down, there is no way to determine whether there is contact of an object with the conductor, that is, the conductor can tolerate short duration contact, long term contact duration will lead to insulation damage eventually resulting in the circuit or system failure.
- Accordingly, there is a need for a system to monitor contact with covered conductor systems. Desirably, such a system provides an alert that the conductor has been contacted by an object prior to long-term failure of the conductor and system. More desirably still, such as system can determine whether the contact is long term or for a short duration. Still more desirably, such a system can also provide for visual inspection of the conductor and an object in contact with the conductor.
- A device monitors and alerts for contact of an object with a line, such as a power transmission line, a communication line or the like that is strung between two upright posts, such as poles. The device includes a housing having a body and a mounting portion extending from the body. A mount is positioned in the mounting portion to mount the device to a line.
- A processor and an accelerometer are positioned in the housing, the accelerometer in operable communication with the processor. A power supply is operably connected to the processor.
- When the device is positioned on the line and the accelerometer senses movement of the device, the accelerometer generates and transmits a signal to the processor. The processor analyzes the signal to determine whether the signal meets a threshold and, if the threshold is met, the processor generates and transmits an alarm signal to a receiving device.
- In an embodiment, the further includes a camera. The camera captures an image when the threshold is met. The image can be transmitted to the receiving device.
- The device includes a mount in the mounting portion. In an embodiment, the camera is positioned in the mounting portion spaced from the mount. The device can include a second mounting portion extending from the body having a second mount, the mounting portions being spaced from each other. Cameras can be positioned in each mounting portion. In an embodiment, the mounts are positioned in their respective mounting portions between the body and the cameras. Such an arrangement allows for downward viewing of the line by the camera.
- In an embodiment, the power supply is one or more solar cells. The solar cells can be positioned on the housing. In an embodiment, the housing has a generally three-sided cross-section and the solar cells are positioned on two side of the housing. In an embodiment, the housing includes a receiver on the body for receiving an associated installation tool or “hot stick”.
-
FIG. 1 is an illustration showing one example of a space wire system for suspending multiple conductors; -
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a system for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object with powerlines; -
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a monitoring device in the system; -
FIG. 4 is an example of a logic flow diagram for operation of the system for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object with powerlines; and -
FIG. 5 is an example of a logic flow diagram for updating the firmware of the system. - While the present disclosure is susceptible of embodiments in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiment illustrated.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates one example of a space wire system W for suspending electrical conductors C. The space wire system W includes a support S or a carriage to suspend the plurality of conductors C. In the illustrated embodiment the carriage S includes a central body portion B and a plurality of arms A that extend from the body B. Each arm A supports a conductor C so as to space the conductors C from each other so that no conductor C contacts any other conductor C. The arms A may be configured to lock the conductors C in place. - The carriage S is suspended from a wire such as a messenger wire M. As such, the conductors C are indirectly supported by the messenger wire M. In a typical configuration, the messenger wire M is a non-conducting wire. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the messenger wire M may be a conductor of one type or another. For example, the messenger wire M may be a communications and/or control wire.
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FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of asystem 10 for monitoring and alerting to the contact of an object, such as a tree limb, with lines or wires, for example conductors C or messenger wires M, strung between upright posts. In an embodiment, thesystem 10 includes amonitoring device 12 that includes, generally, ahousing 14 having a body 15,mounts 16, apower source 18, acamera 20, aprocessor 22 andoperating circuitry 24. Themonitoring device 12 includes one ormore accelerometers 26, such as one or more 3-axis accelerometers, that can be incorporated into theprocessor 22 and/or theoperating circuitry 24. - In an embodiment, the
mounts 16 are formed as mountingportions 28 that are, in part, integral with the body 15. The mountingportions 28 can be formed asupstanding posts 30 that extend upwardly from the body 15. Theposts 30 each include themount 16 which, in the illustrated embodiment is arecess 32, such as the C-shaped recess that defines an open side of thepost 30 and aclip 34, such as the illustrated spring clip, that is positioned in eachrecess 32. Theclips 32 permit insertion of themonitoring device 12 onto a wire, such as a messenger wire M, and removal of thedevice 12 from the wire M, preferably without the use of a tool. In an embodiment, theclips 34 are configured such that themonitoring device 12 remains fixed relative to the wire M and, for example, will rotate with the wire M as a torque (twisting) is applied to the wire M. - In an embodiment, the
housing 12 has an overall or generally triangular shaped cross-section. In an embodiment abottom 36 of thehousing 12 is rounded or curved. In an embodiment, themonitoring device 12 is powered internally, that is themonitoring device 12 has no external power source. As seen inFIGS. 2 and 3 , thepower supply 18 can besolar cells 35 can be positioned on the sides of the body 15. Thesolar cells 35 can provide power to thedevice 12 during daylight hours. Thedevice 12 can be configured havingbatteries 38 to store power for use during evening hours or when the daylight is insufficient to power thedevice 12. - One or
more accelerometers 26 are configured to sense movement of thedevice 12. The one ormore accelerometers 26 can communicate with theprocessor 22 to generate signals based on movement of theaccelerometers 26, the rate of movement, an orientation or angle of the accelerometers 26 (which correlates to an orientation of the device 12), and other movement and direction/orientation actions/reactions of theaccelerometers 26/device 12. - In an embodiment, the
device 12 includes one ormore cameras 20. As seen inFIG. 2 , acamera 20 can be positioned on an outer wall of theupstanding post 30.Cameras 20 can be positioned on outside walls of bothposts 30. Thecameras 30 permit visual inspection of the wire M and the conductors C suspended from the wire M (the conductors C suspended by the space wire carriage S). Thecameras 30 are located on the upstanding posts, above (vertically) the location at which thedevice 12 is mounted to the wire M. This permits viewing down onto the wire M and conductors C from a vantage point that advantageously provides a large field of view of the wire M and any object or objects that are contacting the wire M or conductors C. - The
device 12 can communicate information and images. In an embodiment, thedevice 12 communicates the information and images to a receivingdevice 40 via a wireless protocol, such as WIFI, WAN, LAN, long range (LoRa) communications, cellular transmission, Bluetooth or any other wireless protocol know or not yet known. - In an embodiment the
housing 14 includes atool receiver 42, such as the illustrated slot to accommodate a mounting tool, referred to as a “hot stick” (not shown). Those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate that unlike known devices, thepresent device 12 is advantageously mounted while the conductors C are “live” or “hot”. Mounting of thedevice 12 while the conductors C are “hot” is referred to as “hotsticking”. Thetool receiver 42 permits mounting thedevice 12 to the tool and installing thedevice 12 on the wire M with the conductors C hot, thus eliminating the need to power down the lines or circuit to install or maintain themonitoring device 12. Thetool receiver 42 likewise allows for removing the device from the wire M while the conductors are “hot”. - One example protocol for the
monitoring system 10, or monitoring method, is illustrated at 102 inFIG. 4 . In a motion detect mode, thedevice 12 is active and in a standby state—that is, theaccelerometers 26 do not sense movement of the device 12 (or the wire M), as at 104. When motion is detected by the device 12 (motion on the wire M), as at 106, the motion is analyzed by an embedded algorithm as at 107. If the motion is determined to be anomalous or a non-alert motion (such as a bird on the wire M or wind rocking the wire M), the device returns to the standby state as at 108. If the motion as analyzed rises to an alert state (as at 109), such as circuit line contact, meeting or exceeding a threshold of movement, a message is transmitted to the receivingdevice 40 at, for example, a maintenance station, a user's smart device (phone or the like), or other receiving device as at 110. The message can be, for example, a text message if transmitted to a user's smart device, an alert, an alarm, or other notification. An image is captured by thecamera 20 as at 112. The image can be transmitted with the message (the alert message) or the image can be transmitted following the alert message, as at 114. Again, the image can be transmitted to, for example, a maintenance station, a user's smart device (phone or the like), or other receiving device. Once the image is transmitted, the device returns to the standby state asqt 116. - Referring to
FIG. 5 , thesystem 10 firmware can also upgrade automatically as at 150. Thedevice 12 receives an update interrupt signal as at 152. Thedevice 12 exits detection mode as at 154 and temporarily suspends the ability to detect motion. An update is received as at 156 and the device firmware updates or loads as at 158. Once the update or load is complete, thedevice 12 returns to detect mode as at 160. - It will also be appreciated that the
system 10 can be used for general maintenance, by, for example, periodically (automatically or manually) capturing and transmitting images of the line M and/or conductors C for viewing and storage. - In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular. All patents and published applications referred to herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure.
- It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any relative directional terms such as sides, upper, lower, top, bottom, rearward, forward and the like are for explanatory purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
- From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred.
Claims (11)
1. A device for monitoring and alerting for contact of an object with a line strung between two upright posts, the device comprising:
a housing, the housing having a body and a mounting portion extending from the body;
a mount positioned in the mounting portion;
a processor in the housing;
an accelerometer in the housing in operable communication with the processor; and
a power supply operably connected to the processor,
wherein when the device is positioned on the line and the accelerometer senses movement of the device, the accelerometer generates and transmits a signal to the processor, the processor analyzes the signal to determine whether the signal meets a threshold and, if the threshold is met, the processor generates and transmits an alarm signal to a receiving device.
2. The device of claim 1 , further including a camera, wherein the camera captures an image when the threshold is met, and wherein the image is transmitted to the receiving device.
3. The device of claim 1 , further including a mount in the mounting portion.
4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the camera is positioned in the mounting portion spaced from the mount.
5. The device of claim 1 including a second mounting portion extending from the body, the second mounting portion having a second mount, the mounting portions spaced from each other.
6. The device of claim 5 , further including a camera positioned in each mounting portion, each camera configured to capture an image when the threshold is met, and wherein the images are transmitted to the receiving device.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the mounts are positioned in their respective mounting portions between the body and the respective cameras.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the power supply is one or more solar cells.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more solar cells are positioned on the housing.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the housing has a generally three-sided cross-section and wherein the one or more solar cells are positioned on two side of the housing.
11. The device of claim 1 , further including a receiver on the body for receiving an associated installation tool.
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US16/787,555 US20200256886A1 (en) | 2019-02-11 | 2020-02-11 | Powerline contact monitoring and alert system |
US18/306,481 US20230366907A1 (en) | 2019-02-11 | 2023-04-25 | Powerline contact monitoring and alert system |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US201962803705P | 2019-02-11 | 2019-02-11 | |
US16/787,555 US20200256886A1 (en) | 2019-02-11 | 2020-02-11 | Powerline contact monitoring and alert system |
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US18/306,481 Pending US20230366907A1 (en) | 2019-02-11 | 2023-04-25 | Powerline contact monitoring and alert system |
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Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN113487844A (en) * | 2021-06-06 | 2021-10-08 | 李金莲 | Portable mounting type external force damage detection alarm device for power line |
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US20230366907A1 (en) | 2023-11-16 |
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