Cell site audit and survey via photo stitching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017199646-A1
Application number	US-201715469841-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2017
Priority date	Apr 14, 2015
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and method for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI) include, subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site; receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey; and updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands include one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for performing a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI), the method comprising:
subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site; receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey; and updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the capturing the plurality of photos is performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the linking the plurality of photos is performed one of manually and automatically based on location identifiers associated with each photo.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user performing the cell site audit or survey comprises:
determining a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar; determining plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determination in the photos; determining dimensions of the cell site components; determining equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and determining connections between the cell site components.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of photos are captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the updating the displaying comprises providing a new photo based on the navigation commands.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the updating the displaying comprises seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands.

8 . An apparatus adapted to perform a cell site audit or survey remotely via a User Interface (UI), the apparatus comprising:
a network interface and a processor communicatively coupled to one another; and memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to
subsequent to capture a plurality of photos of a cell site and linkage of the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, display the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site;
receive navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey; and
update the display based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the capture the plurality of photos is performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the linkage of the plurality of photos is performed one of manually and automatically based on location identifiers associated with each photo.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the user performs the cell site audit or survey to:
determine a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar; determine plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determination in the photos; determine dimensions of the cell site components; determine equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and determine connections between the cell site components.

12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of photos are captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the update of the display comprises providing a new photo based on the navigation commands.

14 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the update of the display comprises seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform the steps of:
subsequent to capturing a plurality of photos of a cell site and linking the plurality of photos to one another based on their adjacency at the cell site, displaying the UI to a user remote from the cell site, wherein the plurality of photos cover a cell tower with associated cell site components and an interior of a building at the cell site; receiving navigation commands from the user performing the cell site audit or survey; and updating the displaying based on the navigation commands, wherein the navigation commands comprise one or more of movement at the cell site and zoom of a current view.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the capturing the plurality of photos is performed for a cell tower with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flying about the cell tower.

17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the linking the plurality of photos is performed one of manually and automatically based on location identifiers associated with each photo.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the user performing the cell site audit or survey comprises:
determining a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components based on measuring three points comprising two defined by each antenna and one by an associated support bar; determining plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas using a location determination in the photos; determining dimensions of the cell site components; determining equipment type and serial number of the cell site components; and determining connections between the cell site components.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of photos are captured concurrently with developing a three-dimensional (3D) model of the cell site.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the updating the displaying comprises one of providing a new photo based on the navigation commands and seamlessly panning between the plurality of photos based on the navigation commands.

Assignees

• Priest Lee
• Etak Systems Llc

Inventors

• Priest Lee

Classifications

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U80/70

  in containers (B64U80/60 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04W16/18

  Network planning tools · CPC title

• H04L41/145

  involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network · CPC title

• H04N7/185

  from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control · CPC title