Method and system for submarine cable path planning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12587465-B2
Application number	US-202318518705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2023
Priority date	Nov 24, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for ultra-long distance path planning includes (a) decomposing a target area into two initial sub-domains, the target area covering a path from a starting point to an end point, at an initial resolution along a direction connecting the starting point to the end point, (b) executing a Fast Marching Method (FMM) in parallel in the two initial sub-domains to obtain an initial path connecting the starting point to the end point, (c) decomposing an area enclosing the initial path into a plurality of subsequent sub-domains at a resolution higher than the initial resolution, wherein the area enclosing the initial path is decomposed aligned with the direction connecting the starting point to the end point, and (d) executing the FMM in parallel in all the sub-domains to obtain an optimal path connecting the starting point and the end point.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method for ultra-long distance path planning, comprising:
(a) decomposing a target area into two initial sub-domains, the target area covering a path from a starting point to an end point, at an initial resolution along a direction connecting the starting point to the end point; (b) executing a Fast Marching Method (FMM) in parallel in the two initial sub-domains to obtain an initial path connecting the starting point to the end point; (c) decomposing an area enclosing the initial path into a plurality of subsequent sub-domains at a resolution higher than the initial resolution, wherein the area enclosing the initial path is decomposed aligned with the direction connecting the starting point to the end point; (d) executing the FMM in parallel in all the sub-domains to obtain an optimal path connecting the starting point and the end point.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(e) iterating the steps (c) and (d) by increasing the number of the subsequent sub-domains until the optimal path is obtained.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein in the step (e) the resolution is increased as the number of the subsequent sub-domains is increased.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the resolution is not increased in the target area outside the area enclosing the initial path given that the path obtained from a previous loop did not traverse the area.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the optimal path is determined based on a minimal total life-cycle cost for an object installed along the path.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the object comprises a submarine cable.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein a total life-cycle cost for a cable path is determined by integrating a life-cycle cost per unit length of the submarine cable across the total cable length, the life-cycle cost being based on the sum of weighted cost elements corresponding to initial outlay for construction, recurring costs for maintenance, and/or expenses related to repairs for the submarine cable.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein executing the FMM comprises employing a nonlinear partial differential equation, or preferably employing the Eikonal equation.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein in step (c) the area enclosing the initial path is defined by two decomposition lines parallel to the direction connecting the starting point to the endpoint and enclosing the initial path.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the area enclosing the initial path is decomposed such that a frequency of communication between adjacent sub-domains is reduced.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein in step (c) the sub-domains are divided along the fastest propagation direction of the FMM.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the target area or the area enclosing the initial path is decomposed to have overlapping regions between adjacent sub-domains.

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the ultra-long distance is 10,000 km or more, or preferably 14,000 km or more.

14 . A computer-implemented method for submarine cable path planning, comprising:
(a) initializing decomposition index k=1 and assigning an initial resolution to a target area T covering a path from a starting point to an end point; (b) decomposing the target area T into two initial sub-domains along a direction connecting the starting point to the end point; (c) executing a Fast Marching Method (FMM) in parallel from the starting point for each sub-domain to obtain an initial cable path; (d) increasing the decomposition index k=k+1, and identifying two decomposition lines

l
1
k

and

l
2
k

parallel to the direction connecting the starting point to the endpoint and enclosing the initial cable path, wherein the target area is divided into an area

T

l
1
k

⁢

l
2
k

between the two decomposition lines

l
1
k

and

l
2
k

,

and two sub-domains

T

l
1
k

and

T

l
2
k

outside the decomposition lines

l
1
k

and

l
2
k

;

(e) increasing the resolution for the area

T

l
1
k

⁢

l
2
k

between the two decomposition lines

l
1
k

and

l
2
k

,

and decomposing the area

T

l
1
k

⁢

l
2
k

into 2 k-1 sub-domains

(

T

l
1
k

⁢

l
3
k

,

Assignees

• Univ City Hong Kong

Inventors

• Wang Xinyu
• Wang Zengfu
• Zukerman Moshe

Classifications

• H04B3/02 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• H04L45/02 Primary

  Topology update or discovery · CPC title

• G06Q50/06

  Energy or water supply · CPC title

• G06Q10/047 Primary

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title