Systems and methods for monitoring a powerline conductor using an associated fiber optic cable

Abstract

The clamping device may include (1) a monitoring device for a powerline conductor, where the monitoring device includes (a) at least one detection component that detects at least one physical characteristic at a location of the monitoring device, (b) a transmitter that wirelessly transmits data indicating the at least one physical characteristic, and (c) a receiver that wirelessly receives data indicating the at least one physical characteristic from at least one other monitoring device, where the transmitter retransmits the data indicating the at least one physical characteristic from the at least one other monitoring device, and (2) a container that retains the monitoring device such that one or more of the at least one detection component is maintained proximate the powerline conductor. The clamping device clamps a fiber optic cable to the powerline conductor to restrict movement of the fiber optic cable relative to the powerline conductor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clamping device comprising:
 a monitoring device for a powerline conductor, the monitoring device including:
 at least one detection component that detects at least one physical characteristic at a location of the monitoring device; 
 a transmitter that wirelessly transmits data indicating the at least one physical characteristic; and 
 a receiver that wirelessly receives data indicating the at least one physical characteristic from at least one other monitoring device, wherein the transmitter retransmits the data indicating the at least one physical characteristic from the at least one other monitoring device; and 
   a container that retains the monitoring device such that one or more of the at least one detection component is maintained proximate the powerline conductor; and   wherein the clamping device clamps a fiber optic cable to the powerline conductor to restrict movement of the fiber optic cable relative to the powerline conductor.   
     
     
         2 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one physical characteristic comprises at least one electrical characteristic of power carried on the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         3 . The clamping device of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one electrical characteristic of power carried on the powerline conductor comprises at least one of:
 voltage; or   current.   
     
     
         4 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one physical characteristic comprises at least one characteristic of an environment including the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         5 . The clamping device of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the environment including the powerline conductor comprises at least one of:
 temperature;   humidity; or   wind speed.   
     
     
         6 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one physical characteristic comprises a physical movement of the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         7 . The clamping device of  claim 6 , wherein the physical movement of the powerline conductor comprises at least one of:
 aeolian vibration; or   galloping conductors.   
     
     
         8 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one physical characteristic comprises a physical force on the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         9 . The clamping device of  claim 8 , wherein the physical force on the powerline conductor comprises strain on the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         10 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a substantially watertight compartment that encompasses the monitoring device. 
     
     
         11 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , further comprising an eye bolt that facilitates installation of the clamping device onto the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         12 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one detection component comprises a detection circuit that detects a characteristic of power carried on the powerline conductor; and   the monitoring device further comprises a communication timing circuit that causes the transmitter of the monitoring device to wirelessly transmit the data indicating the at least one physical characteristic according to a timing that is based on the characteristic of power carried on the powerline conductor.   
     
     
         13 . The clamping device of  claim 12 , wherein the characteristic of power carried on the powerline conductor detected by the detection circuit comprises a zero-crossing of a voltage carried on the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         14 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the at least one detection component samples the at least one physical characteristic multiple times per cycle of a current or a voltage carried by the powerline conductor. 
     
     
         15 . The clamping device of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring device further comprises:
 an energy source that supplies electrical energy to the monitoring device;   a battery that stores at least a portion of the electrical energy; and   a power management controller that:
 manages power consumption of the monitoring device; 
 provides electrical power to the monitoring device from at least one of the energy source or the battery; and 
 directs at least a portion of the electrical energy from the energy source to the battery. 
   
     
     
         16 . The clamping device of  claim 15 , wherein the energy source comprises at least one of:
 a solar cell; or   a power extraction component that extracts electrical power from the powerline conductor.   
     
     
         17 . The clamping device of  claim 16 , wherein the power extraction component comprises at least one of:
 an inductive current transformer; or   an electrostatic series capacitor.   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 clamping, by a first clamping device, a fiber optic cable to a powerline conductor at a first location;   clamping, by a second clamping device, the fiber optic cable to the powerline conductor at a second location;   detecting, by a monitoring device retained by the first clamping device, at least one physical characteristic associated with the powerline conductor at the first location;   wirelessly transmitting, by the monitoring device retained by the first clamping device, data indicating the at least one physical characteristic associated with the powerline conductor at the first location;   wirelessly receiving, by the monitoring device retained by the first clamping device from a monitoring device retained by the second clamping device, data indicating the at least one physical characteristic associated with the powerline conductor at the second location; and   wirelessly retransmitting, by the monitoring device retained by the first clamping device, the data wirelessly received from the monitoring device retained by the second clamping device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 detecting, by the monitoring device retained by the first clamping device, a characteristic of power carried on the powerline conductor, wherein a timing of wirelessly transmitting the data indicating the at least one physical characteristic associated with the powerline conductor by the monitoring device retained by the first clamping device is based on detecting the characteristic of power carried on the powerline conductor.   
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 installing a fiber optic cable alongside at least a portion of a powerline conductor; and   installing each of a plurality of clamping devices at a corresponding location along the fiber optic cable to restrict movement of the fiber optic cable relative to the powerline conductor, wherein each of the plurality of clamping devices comprises a container that retains a monitoring device that:
 detects at least one physical characteristic associated with the powerline conductor at the corresponding location along the fiber optic cable; 
 wirelessly transmits data indicating the at least one physical characteristic associated with the powerline conductor at the corresponding location along the fiber optic cable; and 
 wirelessly receives and retransmits at least a portion of the data indicating at least one physical characteristic associated with the powerline conductor detected at one or more other locations along the fiber optic cable of others of the plurality of clamping devices.