IP Library Granted Patent US 12704634
Granted Patent B2
US 12704634 · App. 17/591,988 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Systems and methods for utility pole loading and/or clearance analyses

Inventors: Mark E. Messenger (Peachtree City, GA); Randal K. More (Lafayette, NY); John Ware (Peachtree City, GA)
Assignee: Osmose Utilities Services, Inc.
G01S17/931G01S7/4972G01S17/86G06T7/80G06T2207/30252
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12704634
App. No.
17/591,988
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system includes a lidar system, a camera system, and a computing device. The computing device can receive lidar data from the lidar system, receive camera data from the camera system, execute object recognition process(es) to identify, from the camera data, a utility pole and components attached to the utility pole and to create corresponding classified camera data. The computing device can align the camera data with the lidar data and can classify the lidar data to create classified lidar data. The computing device can determine characteristics of the components based on the classified camera data and the classified lidar data. Based on the characteristics, the computing system can perform a pole loading analysis, a clearance analysis, and/or a wire sag analysis.

Claims (85)

1 . A system comprising:

a lidar system configured to obtain lidar data;

a camera system configured to obtain camera data;

a geolocation sensor configured to obtain location data; and

a computing device configured to:

receive lidar data from the lidar system;

receive camera data from the camera system;

receive location data from the geolocation sensor;

associate the lidar data and the camera data with the location data to define a capture location;

execute one or more object recognition processes with the camera data to identify recognized objects from the camera data and create classified camera data corresponding to the recognized objects, the recognized objects including a utility pole and one or more components attached to the utility pole;

align the camera data with the lidar data;

determine, based at least in part on the location data, a location of the utility pole to confirm or update a class of the utility pole in a database;

classify the lidar data to create classified lidar data, the classifying including identifying a portion of the lidar data that corresponds to the recognized objects from the camera data;

determine a component load for each of the one or more components;

determine a total load for the utility pole, the total load comprising the component load for each of the one or more components;

receive a request for a new component to be installed;

determine, based at least in part on a size of the new component, whether sufficient space is available on the utility pole for installation of the new component; and

in response to determining that sufficient space is not available, determine whether any of the one or more components attached to the utility pole can be rearranged to create sufficient space for the new component.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine that the total load for the utility pole exceeds a load rating for the utility pole; and

output a notification for a remote computing device, the notification identifying the utility pole and indicating that the total load for the utility pole exceeds the load rating for the utility pole.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the notification includes instructions for structurally reinforcing the utility pole, thereby increasing the load rating for the utility pole.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the notification includes instructions for removing at least one of the one or more components from the utility pole.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the notification further includes instructions for installing a new utility pole and installing the at least one of the one or more components on the new utility pole.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine one or more dimensions of at least one of the one or more components based at least in part on the classified camera data and the classified lidar data.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine, based at least in part on the classified camera data and the classified lidar data, a pole location for each of the one or more components, each pole location can include a location along a length of the utility pole.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein each pole location comprises a location along a circumference of the utility pole.

9 . A system comprising:

a lidar system configured to obtain lidar data;

a camera system configured to obtain camera data;

a geolocation sensor configured to obtain location data; and

a computing device configured to:

receive lidar data from a lidar system;

receive camera data from a camera system;

receive location data from the geolocation sensor;

associate the lidar data and the camera data with the location data to define a capture location;

execute one or more object recognition processes with the camera data to identify recognized objects from the camera data and create classified camera data corresponding to the recognized objects, the recognized objects including a utility pole and one or more components attached to the utility pole;

align the camera data with the lidar data;

determine, based at least in part on the location data, a location of the utility pole to confirm or update a class of the utility pole in a database;

classify the lidar data to create classified lidar data, the classifying including identifying a portion of the lidar data that corresponds to the recognized objects from the camera data;

determine, based at least in part on the classified camera data and the classified lidar data, a pole location for each of the one or more components, each pole location can include a location along a length of the utility pole;

receive a request for a new component to be installed;

determine, based at least in part on a size of the new component and the pole location for each of the one or more components, whether sufficient space is available on the utility pole for installation of the new component; and

in response to determining that sufficient space is not available, determine whether any of the one or more components attached to the utility pole can be rearranged to create sufficient space for the new component.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine, based on a component type of the new component, a required pole location for the new component,

wherein determining whether sufficient space is available on the utility pole for installation of the new component is further based on the required pole location for the new component.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

in response to determining that sufficient space is available, identify an installation location for the new component, the installation location being a location on the utility pole; and

output a notification for a remote computing device, the notification including instructions for installing the new component on the utility pole at the installation location.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

in response to determining that the one or more components attached to the utility pole can be rearranged to create sufficient space for the new component, output a notification for a remote computing device, the notification including instructions for rearranging at least one of the one or more components and installing the new component on the utility pole.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

in response to determining that the one or more components attached to the utility pole cannot be rearranged to create sufficient space for the new component, output a notification for a remote computing device, the notification indicating that sufficient space for the new component is not available.

14 . A system comprising:

a lidar system configured to obtain lidar data;

a camera system configured to obtain camera data;

a geolocation sensor configured to obtain location data; and

a computing device configured to:

receive lidar data from a lidar system;

receive camera data from a camera system;

receive location data from the geolocation sensor;

associate the lidar data and the camera data with the location data to define a capture location;

execute one or more object recognition processes with the camera data to identify recognized objects from the camera data and create classified camera data corresponding to the recognized objects, the recognized objects including a utility pole and one or more components attached to the utility pole;

determine, based at least in part on the location data, a location of the utility pole to confirm or update a class of the utility pole in a database;

align the camera data with the lidar data;

classify the lidar data to create classified lidar data, the classifying including identifying a portion of the lidar data that corresponds to the recognized objects from the camera data;

determine, based at least in part on the classified camera data and the classified lidar data, a current sag of a wire;

receive a request for a new component to be installed;

determine, based at least in part on a size of the new component, whether sufficient space is available on the utility pole for installation of the new component; and

in response to determining that sufficient space is not available, determine whether any of the one or more components attached to the utility pole can be rearranged to create sufficient space for the new component.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine current environmental conditions at a location of the wire; and

calculate an estimated maximum sag based at least in part on the current sag, the current environmental conditions, and different environmental conditions.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the computing device is further configured to:

calculate an estimated minimum wire height based at least in part on the estimated maximum sag;

determine, based at least in part on the estimated minimum wire height, that the wire should be moved to a new attachment point on the utility pole that has a greater height than a current attachment point of the wire; and

output a notification for a remote computing device, the notification including instructions for moving the wire from the current attachment point to the new attachment point.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein determining that the wire should be moved to the new attachment point on the utility pole comprises:

determining, based at least in part on the classified camera data and the classified lidar data, a height of an object near the wire; and

determining that a difference between the estimated minimum wire height and the height of the object is less than a predetermined threshold.

18 . They system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further configured to generate a map indicative of the location of the utility pole based at least in part on the camera data, the lidar data, and the location data.

19 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device automatically performs a pole loading analysis based on the pole class and/or the identified recognized objects.