Method for decoupling interference due to bleedover in metallic pipe and cable locators

• US 20050248333A1
• Filed: 05/06/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MetroTech Corporation Inc.
• Original Assignee: MetroTech Corporation Inc.
• Inventors: Schlapp, Hubert, Overby, Johan D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,057,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/67
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/088 operating with electric fields G01V3/082 takes precedence

Abstract

When cables run side by side over a longer distance, an alternating-current signal used for cable location can couple or ‘bleedover’ to neighboring cables. The coupled current flowing in the neighboring cable creates field distortion and makes position determination of the targeted cable difficult. The resulting magnetic field of both (or more) cables has a non-circular shape and is commonly known as a distorted field. Established methods for finding the position of the cable under investigation lead to inaccuracies or even wrong locates. The method described herein eliminates the field distortion that is due to the coupled cables by demodulating a phase reference signal placed on the cable by a transmitter into two signal strength constituents. The inphase signal represents the field strength of the targeted conductor and is substantially free of field distortion. The other quadrature signal contains the component of the field associated with distortion.

Claims

1. A receiver for a line locator, comprising:

a first digital phase-locked loop coupled to receive an input signal and lock to a carrier frequency of the input signal;

a second digital phase-locked loop coupled to receive an FM signal from the first digital phase-locked loop and lock to a modulation frequency of the input signal; and

a quadrature demodulator coupled to receive the input signal and a frequency signal from the second digitor phase-locked loop and provide an in-phase signal.

2. The receiver of claim 1, wherein the first digital phase-locked loop comprises:

a mixer that mixes the input signal with a periodic feedback function having a frequency and a phase related to the carrier frequency and providing a mixed signal;

an arctangent function coupled to receive the mixed signal and provide the phase error signal; and

a numerically controlled oscillator coupled to provide the periodic feedback function in response to the phase error signal.

3. The receiver of claim 2, wherein a total signal strength signal is provided in response to the magnitude of the mixed signal.

4. The receiver of claim 2, wherein the second digital phase-locked loop comprises:

a second mixer that mixes the FM signal with a second periodic feedback function with a frequency and a phase related to the modulation frequency and provide a second mixed signal;

a second arctangent function coupled to receive the second mixed signal and provide a second phase error signal; and

a numerically controlled oscillator coupled to receive the second phase error signal and provide the frequency signal in response to the second phase error signal.

5. The receiver of claim 4, wherein the quadrature demodulator includes a third mixer coupled to mix the input signal with the frequency signal and a real filter coupled to receive a signal from the third mixer and to provide a target line signal strength signal.

6. The receiver of claim 5, wherein a signal direction signal is determined from the sign of the target line signal strength signal.

7. The receiver of claim 5, further including a quadrature filter coupled to receive the signal from the third mixer and to provide a non-resistive bleedover signal strength signal.

8. The receiver of claim 1, further including a downsampler coupled between the first digital phase locked loop and the second digital phase locked loop.

9. The receiver of claim 1, further including a quadrature upsampler coupled between the second digital phase locked loop and the quadrature demodulator.

10. The receiver from claim 1, wherein a signal strength from a target conductor is derived from the in-phase signal.

11. A locator, comprising

a detector system that provides at least one signal related to an electromagnetic field present at the locator;

at least one receiver coupled to receive the at least one signal, each of the at least one receiver including

a first digital phase-locked loop that locks to a carrier frequency of one of the at least one signal,

a second digital phase-locked loop coupled to receive an FM signal from the first digital phase-locked loop and lock to a modulation frequency of the one of the at least one signal; and

a quadrature demodulator coupled to receive the one of the at least one signal and a frequency signal from the second digital phase-locked loop and provide an in-phase signal; and

a display coupled to receive the in-phase signal and provide user information to a user.

12. The locator of claim 11, wherein the detector system includes one or more detectors sensitive to the magnetic field of the electromagnetic field and one or more digitizers to digitize the at least one signal from signals provided by the one or more detectors.

13. The locator of claim 11, wherein the first digital phase-locked loop comprises:

a mixer that mixes the one of the at least one signal with a periodic feedback function having a frequency and a phase related to the carrier frequency and providing a mixed signal;

an arctangent function coupled to receive the mixed signal and provide the phase error signal; and

a numerically controlled oscillator coupled to provide the periodic feedback function in response to the phase error signal.

14. The locator of claim 13, wherein a total signal strength signal is provided in response to the magnitude of the complex FM signal.

15. The locator of claim 13, wherein the second digital phase-locked loop comprises:

a second mixer that mixes the FM signal with a second periodic feedback function with a frequency and a phase related to the modulation frequency and provide a second mixed signal;

a second arctangent function coupled to receive the second mixed signal and provide the frequency signal; and

a numerically controlled oscillator coupled to receive the second phase error signal and provide the frequency signal in response to the second phase error signal.

16. The locator of claim 15, wherein the quadrature demodulator includes a third mixer coupled to mix the one of the at least one signal with the frequency signal and a real filter coupled to receive a signal from the third mixer and to provide a target line signal strength signal.

17. The locator of claim 16, wherein a signal direction signal is determined from the sign of the target line signal strength signal.

18. The locator of claim 16, further including a quadrature filter coupled to receive the signal from the third mixer and to provide a non-resistive bleedoever signal strength signal.

19. The locator of claim 11, further including a downsampler coupled between the first digital phase locked loop and the second digital phase locked loop.

20. The locator of claim 11, further including a quadrature upsampler coupled between the second digital phase locked loop and the quadrature demodulator.

21. The locator of claim 11, further including a compass coupled to the display to provide direction information.

22. The locator of claim 11, further including an inertial position tracking coupled to the display to provide location information.

23. The locator of claim 11, wherein a field strength from a target conductor is derived from the in-phase signal.

24. A method of eliminating field distortion, comprising demodulating a phase reference signals placed on a target conductor by a transmitter into an in-phase and a quadrature signal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the in-phase signal represents the substantially distortion free field strength from the target conductor.

26. A line locator system, comprising:

a transmitter coupled to provide a current signal to a target conductor, the current signal including at least one signal at a carrier frequency, the signal being modulated at a modulation frequency; and

a locator, the locator, comprising

a detector system that provides at least one signal related to an electromagnetic field present at the locator;

at least one receiver coupled to receive the at least one signal, each of the at least one receiver including

a first digital phase-locked loop that locks to the carrier frequency of one of the at least one signal,

a second digital phase-locked loop coupled to receive an FM signal from the first digital phase-locked loop and lock to the modulation frequency of the one of the at least one signal; and

a quadrature demodulator coupled to receive the one of the at least one signal and a frequency signal from the second digital phase-locked loop and provide an in-phase signal; and

a display coupled to receive the in-phase signal and provide user information to a user.

27. A line locator system, comprising:

means for coupling a current signal to a target conductor;

means for receiving a signal related to an electromagnetic field present at a locator;

means for locking onto a carrier frequency of the current signal;

means for locking onto an FM signal from the means for locking onto the carrier frequency; and

means for performing a quadrature demodulation from a frequency signal from the means for locking onto the modulation signal.

28. A method of detecting signals associated with a target conductor while rejecting signals associated with bleedover to neighboring conductors, comprising:

providing an input signal in response to an electromagnetic field;

locking to a carrier frequency of the input signal and providing a phase error signal;

locking to an FM signal and providing a frequency signal; and

mixing the frequency signal with the input signal to provide an in-phase signal.

29. The method of claim 28, further including providing a total signal strength signal from the magnitude of the complex FM signal.

30. The method of claim 28, further including providing a target line signal strength signal from the in-phase signal.

31. The method of claim 30, further including providing a signal direction signal from the target line signal strength signal.

32. The method of claim 28, further including providing a quadrature signal.

33. The method of claim 32, further including providing a non-resistive bleedover signal strength signal from the quadrature signal.

34. A method of determining a depth of a target conductor, comprising:

providing a current signal on the target conductor, the current signal including a signal at a carrier frequency, the signal being modulated at a modulation frequency;

determining a target line signal strength at a plurality of positions, the plurality of positions disposed along a line substantially perpendicular to a line of travel of the target conductor; and

determining the depth from the target line signal strength at the plurality of positions,

wherein the target line signal strength at each of the plurality of positions is determined by

providing an input signal in response to an electromagnetic field at the position,

locking to a carrier frequency of the input signal and providing an FM signal,

locking to the modulation frequency in the FM signal and providing a frequency signal,

mixing the frequency signal with the input signal to provide an in-phase signal, and

determining the target line signal strength from the in-phase signal.