System Studies Incorporated fully understands the importance that Telephone Operating Companies (telcos) place on their valuable outside plant cables. In fact, it's our business to help you protect your pressurized air core cables. But today, the threat of "losing a cable" no longer pertains just to a service outage caused by moisture/water intrusion. Copper cables, both pressurized and non-pressurized, are being stolen with increasing frequency by thieves looking for a quick payoff.

To help telcos apprehend the individuals who cut and steal lengths of copper cable, System Studies has devised a highly responsive monitoring system. It's comprised of a server grade computer (running the Linux Operating System), CopperWATCH™ and PressureWEB™ software, one or more uM260 Micro Monitors™ (or 289H LSS™ monitors), and the use of small electrical components, called Cable Section Locators (CSLs), which are installed on two or more designated conductor pairs in each monitored cable. One of the pairs, called a Detection Pair, accommodates multiple CSL devices placed at evenly spaced points along the cable. Another dedicated pair in the same cable, called a Verification Pair, is equipped with a single CSL at or near the end of the monitored loop.

Functional Overview

The Cable Section Locators provide a 3.0 milliampere (mA) output which CopperWATCH uses to check pair continuity on the Detection and Verification Pairs, detect trouble on either or both pairs, or suggest and/or confirm a cable theft in progress. If the cable is cut, the Detection Pair reading provides information about the approximate location of the cut (for example, if it is between two specified CSL locations or simply past a known location). The Verification Pair provides the confirmation that CopperWATCH needs to generate a four star alarm dispatch.

A maximum of seven (7) CSL devices can be installed on one Detection Pair. The more closely spaced the CSLs are installed, the shorter the identified theft area is for dispatched response personnel (law enforcement officers, private security personnel, etc.). Please note that additional Detection Pairs, each with seven possible CSL devices, can be used in long sections of cable for more precise cut cable detection. In this case, still only one Verification Pair would be required. If one or more cable sheaths branch off from the main cable, however, separate Detection and Verification Pairs will need to be designated for use in those lateral sections.

What makes the uM260 Micro Monitor and CopperWATCH software so valuable in deterring cable theft are its rapid reading and reporting cycles. The uM260, for example, continually scans each Detection and Verification Pair approximately three times a minute—generating separate milliampere readings. If the uM260 detects a value on one of the pairs that deviates from the normal (OK) reading, it issues an alert and sends it to the CopperWATCH software.

The software then determines the severity of the alert and compares the reading with the one from the corresponding Detection or Verification Pair. If the cable has actually been cut, the Detection Pair provides the location information, and the Verification Pair provides the confirmation necessary for CopperWATCH to issue an alarm. CopperWATCH generates a single, immediate dispatch alarm and routes it to designated Alarm Center locations, telephone company individuals, security personnel, and/or law enforcement officials via email, cell phone text message, etc. A rapid response by these individuals can lead to the capture of thieves while they are still in the process or removing and/or transporting the stolen cable.

System Performance

The CopperWATCH software used for this monitoring solution is installed on a telco-supplied computer equipped with the Linux Operating System. The base CopperWATCH license is for 25 uM260 and/or 289H LSS monitors. With the purchase of individual office licenses, CopperWATCH can be expanded to accommodate a maximum of 250 offices (monitors). The number of monitors required for a particular application depends upon the type of monitor being used, the total cable count that will be monitored and/or how many monitoring pairs are used for each cable.

Alarm Distribution

CopperWATCH provides the ability for users to designate multiple alarm calling times for weekdays, weekends or holidays. Telco personnel can arrange to have alarms sent to a maximum of 72 different Alarm Centers or individuals during a specified calling period. Once a calling time is added to the schedule, all alarms will be distributed to the designated Alarm Centers from the time indicated until the next time entered, or until midnight. Alarms can be sent to printers, individual email accounts, cell phones, etc.

In summary, the CopperWATCH software performs the following key copper cable theft detection functions:

• Awaits incoming alert information from the monitors
• Identifies the alerting uM260 or 289H LSS monitor (and wire center).
• Compares the alert data sent by the monitor with readings from the corresponding Detection or Verification Pair
• Determines if the readings from both pairs indicate a possible cable cut
• If so, identifies the closest CSL device on the monitor side of the cut

• Determines the section of cable where the cut occurred (either between two CSL locations or between the last CSL and the cable endpoint)
• Distributes a single alarm to all Alarm Centers set up to receive them during the current calling time
• Calls the uM260 and/or 289H LSS monitors every four hours to obtain readings (for Device History Reports and to confirm that the units are working)

Web Browser Access to Information & Reports

The CableWATCH software requires minimal data entry of system information. This includes setting up an office designation for each uM260 or 289H LSS installation, entering specific Detection and Verification Pair information, and creating Alarm Centers to receive alarm notification. A worksheet has been designed to assist with gathering the necessary minimal information needed to place the system online. Once the information is available, the data entry process is simple and straightforward. With offices and Alarm Centers built into the system, reports and device reading output generated by CableWATCH can be viewed from a web browser over the Internet through the PressureWEB application.