Sensor networks for monitoring pipelines and power lines

1. A sensor network for monitoring utility power lines, the network comprising:

(a) first and second sensors disposed for monitoring utility power lines, each sensor being configured to acquire data related to the utility power lines and wirelessly communicate sensor data;

(b) a first remote sensor interface (RSI) configured to,

(i) receive the sensor data communicated from the sensors, and

(ii) transmit data relating to the received sensor data; and

(c) a data communications device configured to receive the data transmitted by the first RSI and transmit data related to the sensor data directly or indirectly to a network external to the sensor network;

(d) wherein the sensor network comprises a common designation network;

(e) wherein each of the first and second sensors are spatially separated from the first RSI along an extent of one or more of the power lines; and

(f) wherein each RSI transmitting data related to the sensor data such that said data propagates along the utility power lines further adds additional information to said data, the additional information comprising an identification of the respective RSI such that the pathway through the common designation network is provided to the external network together with the data related to the sensor data.

2. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the data communications device comprises a second RSI, each of the first RSI and second RSI forming a node in the common designation network.

3. The sensor network of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of spatially separated RSIs disposed along the utility power lines for monitoring utility power lines, each of the plurality of RSIs forming a node in the common designation network, wherein data related to the sensor data is transmitted and received among the plurality of RSIs such that data related to the sensor data propagates along the utility power lines.

4. The sensor network of claim 3 , wherein data related to the sensor data propagates in a particular direction along the utility power lines among the plurality of RSIs in a sequential order according to increasing distance from the first RSI.

5. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the data communications device comprises a gateway configured for at least intermittent communications with the external network.

6. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a sensor configured to detect a downed power line.

7. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a device configured to detect physical presence at the utility power lines.

8. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a device configured to detect tampering with the utility power lines.

9. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an activity monitoring or reconnaissance device such as a camera, a microphone, a motion detector, a light detector, and a broadband RF signal scanner.

10. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the sensor acquires data regarding the security, integrity, configuration, condition, disposition, orientation, location, contents, or surroundings of the utility power lines.

11. The sensor network of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect an automobile driven proximal to the utility power lines.

12. The network of claim 1 , wherein the data communications device communicates via a cabled connection extending between the data communications device and the external network.

13. A sensor network for monitoring utility power lines, the network comprising:

(a) first and second sensors disposed for monitoring utility power lines, each sensor being configured to acquire data related to the utility power lines and wirelessly communicate sensor data;

(b) a first remote sensor interface (RSI) configured to,

(i) receive the sensor data communicated from the sensors, and

(ii) transmit data relating to the received sensor data; and

(c) a data communications device configured to receive the data transmitted by the first RSI and transmit data related to the sensor data directly or indirectly to a network external to the sensor network;

(d) wherein the sensor network comprises a common designation network; and

(e) wherein each of the first and second sensors are spatially separated from the first RSI along an extent of one or more of the powerlines;

(f) wherein the common designation network is formed by a plurality of spatially separated RSIs disposed along the utility power lines for monitoring of the utility power lines, each of the plurality of RSIs forming a node in the common designation network; and further comprising a second plurality of spatially separated RSIs disposed along the utility power lines for monitoring of the utility power lines, each of the second plurality of RSIs forming a node in a second common designation network, wherein the first RSI is configured to transmit data relating to the received sensor data over one of the common designation networks to the exclusion of the other common designation network.

14. A sensor network for monitoring utility power lines, the network comprising:

(a) first and second sensors disposed for monitoring utility power lines, each sensor being configured to acquire data related to the utility power lines and wirelessly communicate sensor data;

(b) a first remote sensor interface (RSI) configured to,

(i) receive the sensor data communicated from the sensors, and

(ii) transmit data relating to the received sensor data; and

(c) a data communications device configured to receive the data transmitted by the first RSI and transmit data related to the sensor data directly or indirectly to a network external to the sensor network;

(d) wherein the sensor network comprises a common designation network; and

(e) wherein each of the first and second sensors are spatially separated from the first RSI along an extent of one or more of the powerlines;

(f) wherein the common designation network is formed by a plurality of spatially separated RSIs disposed along the utility power lines for monitoring of the utility power lines, each of the plurality of RSIs forming a node in the common designation network; and further comprising a second plurality of spatially separated RSIs disposed along the utility power lines for monitoring of the utility power lines, each of the second plurality of RSIs forming a node in a second common designation network, wherein the first RSI is configured to transmit data relating to the received sensor data over both of the common designation networks.

15. The sensor network of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of RSIs of one of the common designation networks is configured for duplex communications.

16. The sensor network of claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of RSIs of the other common designation network is not configured for duplex communications.

17. The sensor network of claim 13 , wherein the first RSI is configured to add, change, or remove one or more common designations thereof based on instructions communicated to the first RSI such that the first RSI is configured to transmit data relating to the received sensor data over one of the common designation networks to the exclusion of the other common designation network.