Method and system for automatically analyzing and modifying cable television signal leak information
View Patent ↗Provided are a system and method for modifying detected radio frequency (RF) leak information in a cable television system. In one example, the method includes identifying a leak location and a leak magnitude in the cable television system using a detection system. A predefined range value may be automatically identified based on the leak location, where the range value is used to define an approximate distance between the cable television system and the detection system. The leak magnitude may then be modified based on the range value.
1. A computer-executable method for correcting radio frequency (RF) leak information in a cable television system, the method comprising:
identifying a leak location in the cable television system using a detection system, wherein the identifying obtains a leak magnitude;
automatically identifying at least a first range value based on the leak location, wherein the first range value is used to define an approximate distance between the cable television system and the detection system; and
modifying the leak magnitude based on the first range value.
2. The computer-executable method of claim 1 wherein modifying the leak magnitude includes scaling the leak magnitude using the first range value.
3. The computer-executable method of claim 2 further comprising determining whether the leak magnitude should be modified based on the first range value, wherein the determining evaluates a scaling value of the first range value.
4. The computer-executable method of claim 1 wherein the first range value is predefined.
5. The computer-executable method of claim 1 wherein the first range value is dynamically identified.
6. The computer-executable method of claim 1 wherein the first range value includes longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, and wherein the method further comprises using the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates to calculate the distance.
7. The computer-executable method of claim 1 wherein the first range value is a scaling factor.
8. The computer-executable method of claim 1 wherein the approximate distance is precalculated and wherein the first range value includes the approximate distance.
9. The computer-executable method of claim 1 further comprising providing an interface to enable a user to directly input the first range value into a computer system.
10. The computer-executable method of claim 1 further comprising extrapolating the first range value from a plurality of previously input distance values.
11. The computer-executable method of claim 1 further comprising importing previously obtained data as the first range value.
12. The computer-executable method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether to use the first range value or a second range value, wherein the first range value is associated with a line and wherein the second range value is used to define an approximate distance between a building containing a portion of the cable television system and the detection system.
13. The computer-executable method of claim 12 wherein determining whether to use the first or second range value includes examining historical information from the cable system to determine whether a majority of previously identified leaks were located in the line or in the building.
14. The computer-executable method of claim 1 wherein identifying the leak location includes using leak data that includes a plurality of data sets, wherein each data set includes a longitude, a latitude, and Doppler-based bearing information, the method further comprising:
analyzing the bearing information associated with the leak;
discarding erroneous bearing information that results from multi path; and
calculating the leak location using a triangulation process based on the longitude, latitude, and bearing information of at least two of the plurality of data sets.
15. The computer-executable method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a street segment associated with the first range value, wherein the street segment defines a specific portion of a street at which the detection system is located.
16. The computer-executable method of claim 15 wherein the street segment includes at least one of a street name and a range of addresses located on the street.
17. A computer system for automatically modifying a detected leak amplitude of a cable television plant leak using at least one predefined range value, the system comprising:
a processor;
a memory accessible to the processor, wherein the memory is operable to store the predefined range values; and
a plurality of instructions for processing by the processor, the instructions for:
automatically identifying a predefined first range value from the predefined range values based on a detected leak location;
using the first range value to identify a scaling factor;
determining whether the leak magnitude needs to be modified based on the scaling factor; and
modifying the leak magnitude based using the scaling factor if the leak magnitude needs to be modified.
18. The computer system of claim 17 further comprising instructions for:
identifying the detected leak location on a map; and
identifying the first range value from a first map layer associated with the map.
19. The computer system of claim 18 further comprising instructions for:
automatically identifying a predefined second range value from the predefined range values based on the detected leak location;
identifying the second range value from a second map layer associated with the map; and
determining whether to use the first or second range value.
20. The computer system of claim 19 further comprising instructions for:
determining whether to use the first or second range value by examining historical data to determine whether the first or second map layer is associated with more previously reported leaks; and
selecting the first range value if the first map layer is associated with more leaks and selecting the second range value if the second map layer is associated with more leaks.
21. The computer system of claim 19 further comprising instructions for:
executing a Doppler-based triangulation process to identify the leak location, and
selecting the first or second range value closest to the identified leak location.
22. The computer system of claim 17 further comprising instructions for generating a map based on the leak location.
23. The computer system of claim 17 further comprising instructions for identifying a street segment associated with the first range value, wherein the street segment defines a specific portion of a street at which the detection system is located.
24. A method for modifying detected radio frequency (RF) leak information of a cable television plant, the method comprising:
analyzing a location of a leak;
automatically identifying a range value based on the leak location, wherein the range value is used to determine a scaling factor for a detected magnitude of the leak; and
scaling the leak magnitude using the scaling factor.
25. The method of claim 24 further comprising determining whether the leak magnitude should be scaled based on the range value prior to scaling the leak magnitude.
26. The method of claim 24 wherein the scaling factor is based on a distance between the leak location and a leak detection system.
27. The method of claim 24 wherein the range value is predefined.
28. The method of claim 24 wherein the range value is dynamically identified.
29. The method of claim 24 further comprising identifying a street segment associated with the range value, wherein the street segment defines a street location from which the leak was detected.