Data transmission

• US 20020082715A1
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tru-Test Limited
• Original Assignee: Tru-Test Limited
• Inventors: Woodhead, Robert Charles Bryan, Lunenburg, Pieter Cornelis
• Granted Patent: US 6,847,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/005 by electric shock
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling

Abstract

A data transmission system which is particularly useful for a remote control apparatus for an electric fence. The apparatus includes a portable hand held housing with a contact 16 which in use can contact a conductor of an electric fence line. The output of the apparatus includes a resonating circuit comprising inductor L, transformer 14 and a small high voltage capacitor C2. The apparatus can thus generate information embedded within a series of short signal bursts of a frequency within a predetermined frequency range. A receiver coupled to or forming part of an electric fence energizer can receive a signal from the apparatus to control operation of the energizer.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting information along a fence conductor characterised in that the information is embedded within and spread across a series of short high voltage signal bursts of a high frequency.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frequency range is between substantially 50 to 190 kHz.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the signal bursts have an amplitude in the range of a fraction of one volt up to a maximum of several thousand volts.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the duration of individual bursts is in the range of 100 microseconds to 1000 microseconds.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 4 wherein each signal burst is encoded with one or more digital bits.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 4 wherein each signal burst contains one or more digital bits are encoded on the high frequency signal bursts using frequency modulation.

7. A remote control apparatus for an electric fence the apparatus including a housing, contact means for contacting a conductor on the electric fence and generating means for generating information embedded within a series of short signal bursts of a frequency within a predetermined frequency range.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the housing includes a volt/current meter.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further including separate contact means to provide for voltage measurement by the volt/current meter.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the frequency is in the range of 50 to 190 kHz.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further including high voltage isolation means at the apparatus output said high voltage isolation means including a capacitor of small value and rated to withstand voltages normal present on an electric fence installation.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the capacitor forms part of a self-resonant circuit.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further including receiving means to receive a signal from the apparatus, said receiving means being controllably connected with an electric fence energiser to control the operative state of the electric fence energiser.