IP Library Granted Patent US 11,874,160
Granted Patent B2
US 11,874,160 · App. 17/088,195 · Granted Jan 16, 2024

Systems and methods for utilizing machine learning to minimize a potential of damage to fiber optic cables

Inventors: Tiejun J. Xia (Richardson, TX); Glenn A. Wellbrock (Wylie, TX); Ming-Fang Huang (Princeton, NJ); Ting Wang (West Windsor, NJ); Yoshiaki Aono (Saitama, JP)
Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.; NEC Laboratories America, Inc.; NEC Corporation
G01H9/004G01V1/001G05D1/0088G06N3/08H04W4/025H04W4/44
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,874,160
App. No.
17/088,195
Granted
Jan 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device may receive, from a fiber sensor device, sensing data associated with a fiber optic cable, the sensing data being produced by an activity that poses a threat of damage to the fiber optic cable, and the sensing data identifying: amplitudes of vibration signals, frequencies of the vibration signals, patterns of the vibration signals, times associated with the vibration signals, and locations along the fiber optic cable associated with the vibration signals. The device may process, with a machine learning model, the sensing data to determine a threat level of the activity to the fiber optic cable, the machine learning model having been trained based on historical information regarding detected vibrations, historical information regarding sources of the detected vibrations, and historical information regarding threat levels to the fiber optic cable. The device may perform one or more actions based on the threat level to the fiber optic cable.

Claims (90)

1. A method, comprising:

providing, by a device and to a fiber sensor device, a request for sensing data associated with a fiber optic cable,

the request including a schedule according to which the fiber sensor device is to transmit the sensing data;

receiving, by the device, from the fiber sensor device, and based on the schedule, the sensing data,

the sensing data being produced by an activity that poses a threat of damage to the fiber optic cable, and

the sensing data identifying:

amplitudes of vibration signals,

frequencies of the vibration signals,

patterns of the vibration signals,

times associated with the vibration signals, and

locations along the fiber optic cable associated with the vibration signals;

processing, by the device and with a machine learning model, the sensing data to determine a threat level of the activity to the fiber optic cable,

the machine learning model having been trained based on historical information regarding detected vibrations, historical information regarding sources of the detected vibrations, and historical information regarding threat levels to the fiber optic cable; and

performing, by the device, one or more actions based on the threat level to the fiber optic cable.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the historical information regarding the detected vibrations indicates amplitudes of detected vibration signals, frequencies of the detected vibration signals, patterns of the detected vibration signals, times associated with the detected vibration signals, and locations associated with the detected vibration signals;

the historical information regarding the sources of the detected vibrations indicates types of sources of the detected vibrations and locations of the sources of the detected vibrations; and

the historical information regarding the threat levels to the fiber optic cable indicates whether the sources of the detected vibrations are associated with activities that are capable of damaging the fiber optic cable and a measure of how quickly the activities are capable of damaging the fiber optic cable.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to receiving the sensing data, the method further comprises:

receiving, from the fiber sensor device, baseline sensing data associated with the fiber optic cable,

the baseline sensing data being produced by an environment encompassing the fiber optic cable; and

determining, based on the baseline sensing data, a baseline sensing profile that indicates amplitude as a function of distance along the fiber optic cable and as a function of time.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the baseline sensing profile comprises analyzing the baseline sensing data to identify a representative value of the amplitude for a plurality of times of day and for a plurality of locations along a length of the fiber optic cable.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein, prior to processing the sensing data, the method further comprises:

determining, based on the sensing data, that the sensing data satisfies a vibration deviation criteria, relative to the baseline sensing profile, for a duration threshold,

wherein the sensing data, by satisfying the vibration deviation criteria for the duration threshold, indicates that the environment includes a type of activity associated with an increased likelihood of damage to the fiber optic cable relative to the baseline sensing data; and

wherein processing the sensing data is based on the sensing data satisfying the vibration deviation criteria for the duration threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein

the vibration deviation criteria includes a deviation threshold in a range of approximately 8% to approximately 12% above and/or below the amplitude indicated by the baseline sensing profile; and

the duration threshold is greater than or equal to approximately 5 minutes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions include at least one of:

causing an autonomous vehicle to be dispatched to a location of the activity to verify that the activity poses a threat of damage to the fiber optic cable,

updating the machine learning model based on a verification that the activity poses the threat of damage to the fiber optic cable,

causing an autonomous vehicle to be dispatched to the location to provide an alert regarding a potential for damage of the fiber optic cable,

causing a technician to be dispatched to the location along the fiber optic cable to provide the alert regarding the potential for damage of the fiber optic cable,

causing the fiber optic cable to be periodically tested to verify that the fiber optic cable is properly functioning, or

sending a notification to one or more devices regarding the activity posing the threat of damage to the fiber optic cable.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions include:

causing a technician or an autonomous vehicle to be dispatched to a location along the fiber optic cable to verify that the activity poses the threat of damage to the fiber optic cable; and

updating the machine learning model based on verification that the activity poses the threat of damage to the fiber optic cable.

9. A device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

determine, based on baseline sensing data associated with a fiber optic cable, a baseline sensing profile that indicates a measure of vibration as a function of distance along the fiber optic cable and as a function of time;

provide, to a sensor device, a request for sensing data associated with the fiber optic cable,

wherein the request includes a schedule according to which the sensor device is to transmit the sensing data;

receive, from the sensor device and based on the schedule, the sensing data,

wherein the sensing data is produced by an activity that poses a threat of damage to the fiber optic cable; and

determine, based on the sensing data, that the sensing data satisfies a vibration deviation criteria relative to the baseline sensing profile;

process, with a machine learning model and based on the sensing data satisfying the vibration deviation criteria, the sensing data to determine a threat level of the activity to the fiber optic cable; and

perform, based on the threat level, one or more actions to minimize a potential of damage to the fiber optic cable.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the activity is at least one of excavation, drilling, or digging.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors, prior to determining the baseline sensing profile, are configured to:

receive the baseline sensing data, which is produced by an environment associated with the fiber optic cable over a period of time.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the measure of vibration is at least one of amplitude or frequency.

13. The device of claim 9 , wherein the sensing data identifies at least one of:

amplitudes of vibration signals,

frequencies of the vibration signals,

patterns of the vibration signals,

times associated with the vibration signals, or

locations associated with the vibration signals.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a device, cause the device to:

provide, to a fiber sensor device, a request for sensing data associated with a fiber optic cable,

the request including a schedule according to which the fiber sensor device is to transmit the sensing data;

receive, from the fiber sensor device and based on the schedule, the sensing data,

the sensing data being produced by an activity involving ground-penetration;

process, with a machine learning model, the sensing data to determine a threat level of the activity to the fiber optic cable; and

perform one or more actions based on the threat level to the fiber optic cable.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein, the one or more instructions, prior to processing the sensing data, further cause the device to:

receive, from the fiber sensor device, baseline sensing data associated with the fiber optic cable,

the baseline sensing data being produced within an environment encompassing the fiber optic cable;

determine, based on the baseline sensing data, a baseline sensing profile that indicates a measure of vibration as a function of distance along the fiber optic cable and as a function of time; and

determine, based on the sensing data, that the sensing data satisfies a vibration deviation criteria, relative to the baseline sensing profile, for a duration threshold,

the sensing data, by satisfying the vibration deviation criteria for the duration threshold, indicating that the environment includes a type of activity associated with an increased likelihood of damage to the fiber optic cable relative to the baseline sensing data.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein

the baseline sensing data and the sensing data indicate an amplitude of a vibration signal; and

the vibration deviation criteria includes a deviation threshold that is greater than the amplitude of the baseline sensing data by approximately 10% of the amplitude of the baseline sensing data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein

the baseline sensing data and the sensing data include a frequency of a vibration signal; and

the vibration deviation criteria includes a deviation threshold that deviates from the frequency of the baseline sensing data by approximately 10% of the frequency of the baseline sensing data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein, the one or more instructions, prior to processing the sensing data, further cause the device to:

train the machine learning model based on historical information regarding detected vibrations, historical information regarding sources of the detected vibrations, and historical information regarding threat levels to the fiber optic cable;

wherein the historical information regarding the detected vibrations indicates amplitudes of detected vibration signals, frequencies of the detected vibration signals, patterns of the detected vibration signals, times associated with the detected vibration signals, and locations associated with the detected vibration signals;

wherein the historical information regarding the sources of the detected vibration signals indicates types of sources of the detected vibrations and locations of the sources of the detected vibrations; and

wherein the historical information regarding the threat levels to the fiber optic cable indicates whether the sources of the detected vibrations are associated with activities that are capable of damaging the fiber optic cable and a measure of how quickly the activities are capable of damaging the fiber optic cable.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the one or more actions include updating the machine learning model based on a verification that the activity involves ground-penetration and poses a threat of damage to the fiber optic cable.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the one or more actions include:

causing an autonomous vehicle to be dispatched to a location of the activity to provide an alert regarding a potential for damage of the fiber optic cable,

causing a technician to be dispatched to the location of the activity to provide the alert regarding the potential for damage of the fiber optic cable, or

sending a notification to one or more devices regarding the potential for damage of the fiber optic cable.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2020
From: XIA, TIEJUN J.; WELLBROCK, GLENN A.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 054275/0147 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2020
From: HUANG, MING-FANG; WANG, TING
To: NEC LABORATORIES AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 054275/0190 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2020
From: AONO, YOSHIAKI
To: NEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054308/0698 →
Continuity (1)
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