Systems and methods for coordinating initiation, preparing, vetting, scheduling, constructing, and implementing a small cell implementation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11930376-B2
Application number	US-202016881623-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2020
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

A method for constructing and implementing a small cell is disclosed herein. The method includes capturing data and developing a model of the small cell; obtaining and validating a bill of materials for the small cell; identifying type, quantity, and location of materials for acquisition; coordinating utilities for the small cell with utility providers; and developing a project plan for the small cell and including with the model.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for constructing and implementing a small cell, the method comprising:
capturing data and developing a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model of the small cell;
obtaining and validating a bill of materials for the small cell;
identifying type, quantity, and location of materials for acquisition;
coordinating utilities for the small cell with utility providers; and
developing a project plan for the small cell including the 3D virtual model.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bill of materials is obtained from the customer and validated against the 3D virtual model generated from the data captured by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including one or more of photos and video of infrastructure that will receive the small cell.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the type, the quantity, and the location of materials and acquiring the materials includes building a logistics plan for acquiring the materials and allocating the materials to sub-contractors.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein coordinating the utilities for the small cell with the utility providers includes validating the utility connection points and requirements against one of a 3D virtual model generated from the data captured by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including one or more of photos and video of infrastructure that will receive the small cell and construction documents validated against the 3D virtual model.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein managing and tracking implementation of the small cell includes performing one or more audits of the small cell with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each audit includes generating a 3D virtual model of a current implementation of the small cell based on data collected by the UAV, the data collected including one or more of photos and video of the small cell.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more audits includes verifying that a torque mark is present at each connection of components of the small cell based on the 3D virtual model.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more audits includes verifying a hardware configuration of components of the small cell based on the 3D virtual model, including a configuration of one or more antennas of the small cell.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more audits of the small cell includes the UAV testing and validating wireless communication of the small cell.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein a panel of the small cell is opened during the one or more audits by one of the UAV mechanically interfacing with the small cell to open the panel and the small cell causing the panel to open based on detection of or command signals received from the UAV.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer for a small cell via steps comprising:
capturing data and developing a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model of the small cell;
obtaining and validating a bill of materials for the small cell;
identifying type, quantity, and location of materials for acquisition;
coordinating utilities for the small cell with utility providers; and
developing a project plan for the small cell including the 3D virtual model.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the bill of materials is obtained from the customer and validated against the 3D virtual model generated from the data captured by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including one or more of photos and video of infrastructure that will receive the small cell.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein identifying the type, the quantity, and the location of materials and acquiring the materials includes building a logistics plan for acquiring the materials and allocating the materials to sub-contractors.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein coordinating the utilities for the small cell with the utility providers includes validating the utility connection points and requirements against one of a 3D virtual model generated from the data captured by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) including one or more of photos and video of infrastructure that will receive the small cell and construction documents validated against 3D virtual the model.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein managing and tracking implementation of the small cell includes performing one or more audits of the small cell with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein each audit includes generating a 3D virtual model of a current implementation of the small cell based on data collected by the UAV, the data collected including one or more of photos and video of the small cell.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more audits includes verifying that a torque mark is present at each connection of components of the small cell based on the 3D virtual model.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more audits includes verifying a hardware configuration of components of the small cell based on the 3D virtual model, including a configuration of one or more antennas of the small cell.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more audits of the small cell includes the UAV testing and validating wireless communication of the small cell.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein a panel of the small cell is opened during the one or more audits by one of the UAV mechanically interfacing with the small cell to open the panel and the small cell causing the panel to open based on detection of or command signals received from the UAV.

Assignees

• Etak Systems Llc

Inventors

• Priest Lee
• Lien Richard

Classifications

• G08G5/57

  for unmanned aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• H04W16/32 Primary

  Hierarchical cell structures · CPC title

• B64C39/024

  of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV · CPC title

• G05D1/0094

  involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target · CPC title