Optimal Design of a Submarine Cable System
Overview
A submarine cable system comprises multiple cables that connect multiple locations typically over distances of thousands of kilometers. This innovation provides a method to automatically optimize the design of such systems based on publicly available data. It optimizes the cable path as well as the location of Branching Units that connect these cables.
Commercialisation opportunities
Exclusive licensing to leaders in the area of ocean surveyors and cable system planners
Problem addressed
Because the earth surface is in a three-dimensional (3D) space, the choice of the path of the cables and the locations of the branching units must consider an appropriate model of the earth surface in 3D. Our optimization aims to minimize the cost of construction of the cable system and avoid risks associated with natural and human made hazards.
Innovation
- Because of the complexity of the problem, new mathematical methods have been developed to achieve the optimal design of a cable system in acceptable computation time.
Key impact
- As a million kilometers of cables are planned for the next decade, at a cost of around 10 billion US dollars, savings of the order of several 100s million US dollars is achievable using our automatic system design solution.
Application
- Our automatic optimal cable system design solution can provide a benchmark and guide to surveyors and designers that currently design system manually meter by meter based on their experience.
- Our optimal cable system design solution can provide surveyors and designers an initial solution that can serve as a starting point and provide areas where more data can be collected.
- In addition to submarine cable networks, the innovation can apply to design of other networks such as oil and natural gas pipelines and electrical power distribution networks.
Patent
- Granted Patent number: US 10,805,207 B2; Title: "System and Method for Determining an Optimal Path Arrangement of an Infrastructure Link Network"; Inventors: M. Zukerman, Z. Wang, Q. Wang, and W. Moran; Applicant and Assignee: City University of Hong Kong; Date of Patent: 13 October 2020; US Patent Application number: US 16/265,337; Filing Date: 1 February 2019.
- Granted Patent Number: US 11,228,523 B2; Title: "Infrastructure Link Path Arrangement Determination Method and System"; Inventors: M. Zukerman, Z. Wang, Q. Wang, W. Moran, X. Wang, E. Tahchi, and C. F. Leung; Applicant and Assignee: City University of Hong Kong; Date of Patent: 18 January 2022; US Patent Application number: US 16/889,651; Filing Date: 1 June 2020.
- US Patent Application number: US 16/889,663; Filing Date: 1 June 2020; Title: "Seismic Hazard Determination Method and System"; Inventors: M. Zukerman, Z. Wang, G. Wang, Y. Wang, X. Wang, W. Moran, Q. Wang and Y. Sun; Applicant: City University of Hong Kong.
- US Patent Application number: US 17/411,093; Filing Date: 25 August 2021; Title: "Cable Path Planning Method and Apparatus"; Inventors: M. Zukerman, Z. Wang, X. Wang, and E. Tahchi; Applicant: City University of Hong Kong
- US Patent Application number: US 17/502,031; Filing Date: 14 October 2021; Title: "Cable Network Regional Connectivity Planning Method and Apparatus"; Inventors: T. Wang, Z. Wang, M. Zukerman, and B. Moran; Applicant: City University of Hong Kong.
City University of Hong Kong (CityU)
As one of the fastest growing universities in the world over the past decade, City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is recognised as a hub for innovation in research and professional education. CityU identifies solutions to critical global challenges by extending the frontiers of knowledge both within and beyond existing research paradigms.
The University’s highly qualified academics are drawn from all over the world, not only bringing a wealth of research and professional experience to the teaching programmes, but also contributing to the knowledge and technology advancement.
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