IP Library Granted Patent US 12,480,807
Granted Patent B2
US 12,480,807 · App. 18/400,700 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

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 (Wichita, KS); Ming-Fang Huang (Princeton, NJ); Ting Wang (West Windsor, NJ); Yoshiaki Aono (Saitama, JP)
Assignees: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.; NEC Corporation; NEC Laboratories America, Inc.
G01H9/004G01V1/001G05D1/0088G05D1/228G06N3/08H04W4/025H04W4/44
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,480,807
App. No.
18/400,700
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
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 (77)

1 . A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device and in batches based on a request for baseline sensing data associated with a fiber optic cable, the baseline sensing data;

determining, by the device, a baseline sensing profile based on the baseline sensing data;

receiving, by the device and in batches based on a schedule associated with a request for additional sensing data associated with the fiber optic cable, the additional sensing data,

wherein the additional 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 along the fiber optic cable associated with the vibration signals;

processing, by the device and based on comparing the additional sensing data to the baseline sensing profile, the additional sensing data to determine a measure of how quickly a detected activity is capable of damaging the fiber optic cable; and

performing, by the device and based on the measure, one or more actions.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the additional sensing data comprises:

processing the additional sensing data with a machine learning model.

3 . The method of claim 2 , 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 detected activity poses a threat of damage to the fiber optic cable; and

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

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

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

wherein the baseline sensing profile indicates amplitude as a function of distance along the fiber optic cable and as a function of time.

5 . The method of claim 1 , 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.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises, prior to processing the additional sensing data:

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

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

7 . The method of claim 6 , 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.

8 . 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 along the fiber optic cable 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, or

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

9 . A device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

receive, in batches based on a schedule associated with a request for baseline sensing data associated with a fiber optic cable, the baseline sensing data;

determine, based on the baseline sensing data, a baseline sensing profile;

receive, in batches based on a request for additional sensing data associated with the fiber optic cable, the additional sensing data;

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

process, based on the additional sensing data satisfying the vibration deviation criteria, the additional sensing data to determine a measure of how quickly a detected activity is capable of damaging the fiber optic cable; and

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

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

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein

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

12 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the baseline sensing profile indicates amplitude as a function of distance along the fiber optic cable and as a function of time.

13 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the additional 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:

receive, in batches according to a schedule associated with a request for baseline sensing data associated with a fiber optic cable, the baseline sensing data;

determine, based on the baseline sensing data, a baseline sensing profile;

receive, in batches according to a schedule associated with a request for additional sensing data associated with the fiber optic cable, the additional sensing data;

process, based on comparing the additional sensing data to the baseline sensing profile, the additional sensing data to determine a measure of how quickly a detected activity is capable of damaging the fiber optic cable; and

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

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the

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

wherein the baseline sensing profile indicates a measure of vibration as a function of distance along the fiber optic cable and as a function of time; and

wherein the one or more instructions further cause the device to, prior to processing the additional sensing data:

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

the additional 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 additional 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 additional 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 further cause the device to, prior to processing the additional sensing data:

train a 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; and

wherein the one or more instructions, when causing the device to process the additional sensing data, cause the device to:

process the additional sensing data with the machine learning model.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more actions include updating the machine learning model based on a verification that the detected 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 detected 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 detected 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 Dec 29, 2023
From: XIA, TIEJUN J.; WELLBROCK, GLENN A.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 065983/0920 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2023
From: HUANG, MING-FANG; WANG, TING
To: NEC LABORATORIES AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 065984/0025 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 29, 2023
From: AONO, YOSHIAKI
To: NEC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065984/0190 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17088195 · Nov 3, 2020
Related Publication 20240133735A1 · Apr 25, 2024
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