# US 11,994,417 B2 · Utility pole deterioration detection system, utility pole deterioration detection apparatus, utility pole deterioration detection method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

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- Number: US 11,994,417 B2
- Document ID: US11994417B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/270,333
- Filed: 2019-04-23
- Published: 2021-08-12
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-30
- Assignees: NEC Corporation
- Applicants: NEC Corporation
- Inventors: Yukihide Yoda; Yoshiaki Aono; Koji Asahi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994417B2

## CPC

- G01D 5/353: influencing the transmission properties of an optical fibre
- G01D 5/35358: {using backscattering to detect the measured quantity}
- G01N 21/952: Inspecting the exterior surface of cylindrical bodies or wires (G01N21/956 takes precedence)
- G02B 6/48: Overhead installation
- H02G 1/02: for overhead lines or cables
- G01N 2201/088: Using a sensor fibre
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES

## Abstract

A utility pole deterioration detection system includes a cable (20) disposed in a utility pole (10), the cable (20) containing a communication optical fiber, a receiving unit (331) configured to receive an optical signal containing a pattern that changes according to a deterioration state of the utility pole (10) from at least one optical fiber contained in the cable (20), and a detection unit (332) configured to detect a deterioration state of the utility pole (10) based on the pattern.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A utility pole deterioration detection system comprising:
a cable disposed in a utility pole, the cable containing a communication optical fiber;
a sensor configured to receive an optical signal containing a pattern that changes according to a deterioration state of the utility pole from the communication optical fiber contained in the cable;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
detect a change in a deterioration state of the utility pole over time by detecting the deterioration state of the utility pole based on the pattern at regular intervals; and
detect a sign of deterioration or breakage of the utility pole based on the detected change in the deterioration state of the utility pole over time.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The utility pole deterioration detection system according to claim 1, wherein the optical signal received by t unit sensor is an optical signal received from the communication optical fiber that has passed through a plurality of utility poles.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The utility pole deterioration detection system according to claim 2, wherein
the sensor identifies a predetermined utility pole in which the optical signal containing the pattern was generated, and
the utility pole that the deterioration state of which is detected over time is the predetermined utility pole.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The utility pole deterioration detection system according to claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further learn patterns that change according to deterioration states of utility poles and detect the deterioration state of the utility pole based on a result of the learning and the pattern contained in the optical signal received by the sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The utility pole deterioration detection system according to claim 1, wherein the cable is disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the utility pole.

### Claim 6

A utility pole deterioration detection apparatus comprising:
a sensor configured to receive an optical signal containing a pattern that changes according to a deterioration state of a utility pole from a communication optical fiber contained in a cable disposed in the utility pole;
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
a detect a change in a deterioration state of the utility pole over time by detecting the deterioration state of the utility pole based on the pattern at regular intervals; and
detect a sign of deterioration or breakage of the utility pole based on the detected change in the deterioration state of the utility pole over time.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The utility pole deterioration detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the optical signal received by the sensor is an optical signal received from the communication optical fiber that has passed through a plurality of utility poles.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The utility pole deterioration detection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
the sensor identifies a predetermined utility pole in which the optical signal containing the pattern was generated, and
the utility pole that the deterioration state of which is detected over time is the predetermined utility pole.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The utility pole deterioration detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to further learn patterns that change according to deterioration states of utility poles and detect the deterioration state of the utility pole based on a result of the learning and the pattern contained in the optical signal received by the sensor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The utility pole deterioration detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the cable is disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the utility pole.

### Claim 11

A utility pole deterioration detection method performed by a utility pole deterioration detection apparatus, comprising:
receiving an optical signal containing a pattern that changes according to a deterioration state of a utility pole from a communication optical fiber contained in a cable disposed in the utility pole;
detecting a change in a deterioration state of the utility pole over time by detecting the deterioration state of the utility pole based on the pattern at regular intervals; and
detecting a sign of deterioration or breakage of the utility pole based on the detected change in the deterioration state of the utility pole over time.