Monitoring system for a cell tower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12081909-B2
Application number	US-202017008969-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 1, 2020
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods include a monitoring system. The monitoring system includes a camera apparatus and a server. The camera apparatus includes a mounting base adapted to mount to a support beam of a cell tower. The camera apparatus also includes a plurality of sensors including an array of image sensors arranged and adapted to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view of at least a portion of the cell tower around the camera apparatus. The server includes a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to obtain a data from the camera apparatus including a plurality of images of the cell tower including equipment thereon, and display the data from the camera apparatus including the plurality of images of the cell tower including equipment thereon to a user in real time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A monitoring system for monitoring a cell tower, comprising:
a camera apparatus including:
a mounting base adapted to mount to a support beam of a cell tower, and
a plurality of sensors including an array of image sensors arranged and adapted to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view of at least a portion of the cell tower around the camera apparatus; and

a server including:
a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to
obtain data from the camera apparatus including a plurality of images of the cell tower including equipment thereon,
perform one or more measurements associated with the equipment based on the data, wherein the one or more measurements include distances between the equipment and azimuth angles of the equipment, and
display the data from the camera apparatus including information and measurements associated with the equipment within the plurality of images of the cell tower to a user in real time.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the camera apparatus is configured to provide a plurality of images that form the combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus in real time by one of streaming images taken on a regular interval and streaming video from the array of image sensors.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors are adapted to monitor weather around the cell tower and the data includes weather related information.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more RF sensors configured to receive cellular signals, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to monitor the cellular signals of the equipment.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the camera apparatus is oriented to capture a 360 degree view of a geographic region around the cell tower and images of the geographic region are provided for at least one of news, traffic, weather, and cell site conditions.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes infrared sensors configured to capture a 360 degree view of thermographic data around the camera apparatus including thermographic data of the equipment, wherein the data includes the thermographic data, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
display the thermographic data within the plurality of images;
compare the thermographic data to a predetermined threshold; and
issue an alert in response to a temperature within the thermographic data being above the predetermined threshold, wherein the alert includes modifying a color of an icon representing the equipment within the plurality of images.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1 , wherein the memory storing the instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to, upon receipt of an instruction from the user,
obtain data from the camera apparatus including a set of images that include the combined 360 degree view of at least the portion of the cell tower,
generate a model of at least the portion of the cell tower using the data,
insert one or more virtual objects representing the equipment of the cell tower into the images, and
display information from the model and the one or more virtual objects within the plurality of images displayed in real time.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the steps of:
obtain data from a plurality of sensors adapted to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view of at least a portion of a cell tower from a camera apparatus mounted on the cell tower, the data including a plurality of images of the cell tower including equipment thereon,
perform one or more measurements associated with the equipment based on the data, wherein the one or more measurements include distances between the equipment and azimuth angles of the equipment, and
display the data from the camera apparatus including information and measurements associated with the equipment within the plurality of images of the cell tower to a user in real time.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the camera apparatus is configured to provide a plurality of images that form the combined 360 degree view around the camera apparatus in real time by one of streaming images taken on a regular interval and streaming video from the array of image sensors.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sensors are adapted to monitor weather around the cell tower and the data includes weather related information.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes one or more RF sensors configured to receive cellular signals, and wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to monitor the cellular signals of the equipment.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the camera apparatus is oriented to capture a 360 degree view of a geographic region around the cell tower and images of the geographic region are provided for at least one of news, traffic, weather, and cell site conditions.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes infrared sensors configured to capture a 360 degree view of thermographic data around the camera apparatus including thermographic data of the equipment, wherein the data includes the thermographic data, and wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
display the thermographic data within the plurality of images;
compare the thermographic data to a predetermined threshold; and
issue an alert in response to a temperature within the thermographic data being above the predetermined threshold, wherein the alert includes modifying a color of an icon representing the equipment within the plurality of images.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to, upon receipt of an instruction from the user,
obtain data from the camera apparatus including a set of images that include the combined 360 degree view of at least the portion of the cell tower,
generate a model of at least the portion of the cell tower using the data,
insert one or more virtual objects representing the equipment of the cell tower into the images, and
display information from the model and the one or more virtual objects within the plurality of images displayed in real time.

15. A method for monitoring a cell tower, comprising:
obtaining data from a plurality of sensors adapted to simultaneously capture a combined 360 degree view of at least a portion of a cell tower from a camera apparatus mounted on the cell tower, the data including a plurality of images of the cell tower including equipment thereon,
performing one or more measurements associated with the equipment based on the data, wherein the one or more measurements include distances between the equipment and azimuth angles of the equipment, and
displaying the data from the camera apparatus including information and measurements associated with the equipment within the plurality of images of the cell tower to a user in real time.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the camera apparatus is configured to provide a plurality of images that form the combined 360 degree view around

Assignees

• Etak Systems Llc

Inventors

• Terry Charlie
• Perry James
• Priest Lee

Classifications

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04W24/10

  Scheduling measurement reports {; Arrangements for measurement reports} · CPC title

• G06Q50/40

  Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) · CPC title