Granted Patent B2

US 12,372,679 · App. 17/504,365 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Inventors: Yue Tian (Princeton, NJ); Shaobo Han (Princeton, NJ); Sarper Ozharar (Princeton, NJ); Yangmin Ding (East Brunswick, NJ); You Lu (Blacksburg, VA)

Assignee: NEC Corporation

G01V1/226G01D5/35361G06N3/04G01H1/006G01H9/00G01H9/004G01N29/2418G01N2291/0423

Abstract

Claims (20)

1. A method for determining a location of a utility pole, the method comprising:

receiving, from an aerial optical fiber suspended at least in part by the utility pole, an optical signal containing scattering effects resulting from an instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole;

identifying, based on the received optical signal containing the scattering effects resulting from the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole, a first vibration of the aerial optical fiber due to vibration of the utility pole resulting from the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole;

analyzing, based on the identified first vibration, a location along the length of the optical fiber where the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole occurred; and

determining, based on the location along the length of the optical fiber where the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole occurred, the location of the utility pole.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the received optical signal contains a time of vibrations.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

plotting, based on the received optical signal, a time the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole occurred and a location where the instant mechanical impact occurred.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the identification of the first vibration is performed using edge detection and deep learning methodologies.

5. A system for determining a location of a utility pole, the system comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions thereon;

a DFOS configured to receive from an aerial optical fiber suspended at least in part by the utility pole, an optical signal containing scattering effects resulting from an instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole, wherein the DFOS connected to the aerial optical fiber;

a processor connected to the DFOS and the non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions for:

identifying, based on the received optical signal containing the scattering effects resulting from the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole, a first vibration of the aerial optical fiber due to vibration of the utility pole resulting from the instant mechanical impact applied to the the utility pole;

analyzing, based on the identified first vibration, a location along the length of the optical fiber where the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole occurred;

determining, based on the location along the length of the optical fiber where the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole occurred, the location of the utility pole.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the received optical signal contains a time of the vibrations.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions for:

plotting, based on the received optical signal, a time the instant mechanical impact applied to the utility pole occurred and the location where the instant mechanical impact occurred.

8. The system according to claim 5 , wherein the identification of the first vibration is performed using edge detection and deep learning methodologies.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (33)