Cable Detection System

• US 20090167286A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dragerwerk AG & Company KGaA (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Draeger Medical Systems Incorporated (FPS Vermögensverwaltung GmbH)
• Inventors: Naylor, Michael, Richer-Kelly, Clifford, Naylor, Thomas Kipling, LeMay, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,902,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/66
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/69 of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances

Abstract

A cable detection system, includes a source of an input electrical AC signal for coupling to a first lead pin of a cable connector. A detector is coupled to a different second lead pin of the cable connector. The detector detects an electrical AC output signal derived by capacitive coupling of the input electrical AC signal occurring within a cable incorporating first and second leads corresponding to the first and second lead pins. The detector further enables a determination of whether the cable is connected to the cable connector in response to an amplitude dependent characteristic of the detected AC output signal.

Claims

1. A cable detection system, comprising:

a source of an input electrical AC signal for coupling to a first lead pin of a cable connector; and

a detector coupled to a different second lead pin of said cable connector for detecting an electrical AC output signal derived by capacitive coupling of said input electrical AC signal occurring within a multi-lead cable incorporating first and second leads corresponding to said first and second lead pins and for enabling determination of whether said multi-lead cable is connected to said cable connector in response to an amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal.

2. The system of claim 1 including a controller for automatically initiating generation of said input electrical AC signal for coupling to said first lead and for turning off said input electrical AC signal after determination by said detector of whether said multi-lead cable is connected to said cable connector.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said detector determines a type of said multi-lead cable in response to an amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first lead is a shield of a coaxial cable and

said second lead is an inner conductor of said coaxial cable.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said second lead is a shield of a coaxial cable and

said first lead is an inner conductor of said coaxial cable.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

said first lead is at least one of, (a) a shield of a first coaxial cable and (b) an inner conductor of a first coaxial cable incorporated in said multi-lead cable and

said second lead is at least one of, (c) a shield of a different second coaxial cable and (d) an inner conductor of a different second coaxial cable incorporated in said multi-lead cable.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory for storing an AC output signal value measured when said multi-lead cable is not connected to said connector;

wherein;

said detector determines whether said multi-lead cable is connected to said cable connector in response to said stored AC output signal value measured when said multi-lead cable is not connected to said connector.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said detector determines whether said multi-lead cable is connected to said cable connector in response to an amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a controller for automatically synchronizing initiating generation of said input electrical AC signal for coupling to said first lead and detection by said detector of whether said multi-lead cable is connected to said cable connector in response to a timing signal to avoid interference with other signals.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein said detector determines a type of said multi-lead cable in response to a plurality of measurements of amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal on a plurality of leads of said multi-lead cable.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of leads of said multi-lead cable include at least one inner conductor and at least one shield (9) of a coaxial cable.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal comprises a detected voltage substantially proportional to at least one of, (a) a peak to peak amplitude, (b) a root-mean-square and (c) an average rectified value, value of said detected AC output signal and said detector determines whether said multi-lead cable is connected to said cable connector in response to said detected voltage exceeding a predetermined threshold value.

16. A system according to claim 1 wherein synchronous demodulation is employed to sense only the signal of interest and to reject spurious signals.

10. A cable detection system, comprising:

a source of an input electrical AC signal for coupling to a first coaxial lead of a cable via a connector;

a detector for coupling to a different second coaxial lead of said cable via said connector and for automatically detecting an electrical AC output signal derived by capacitive coupling of said input electrical AC signal occurring within the cable incorporating said first and second coaxial leads and for enabling determination of whether said cable is connected to said cable connector in response to an amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal; and

a controller for automatically initiating generation of said input electrical AC signal for coupling to said first lead and for turning off said input electrical AC signal after determination by said detector of whether said cable is connected to said cable connector.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said detector determines a type of said cable in response to an amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal.

12. A cable detection system, comprising:

a source of an input electrical AC signal for coupling to a plurality of leads of a multi-lead cable via a connector; and

a detector, coupled to a plurality of leads of said multi-lead cable via said connector, for detecting an electrical AC output signal derived by capacitive coupling of said input electrical AC signal occurring within said multi-lead cable and for enabling determination of whether said multi-lead cable is connected to said cable connector in response to an amplitude dependent characteristic of said detected AC output signal; and

a controller for automatically initiating determination of said amplitude dependent characteristic of a detected AC output signal on individual ones of a plurality of leads of said multi-lead cable, in response to said input electrical AC signal being applied to individual leads of a plurality of leads of said multi-lead cable one at a time.

17. A method of identifying proper interconnection of a multiple conductor cable to a cable connector, comprising the steps of:

generating a alternating current signal;

applying the alternating current signal to a first conductor of the cable;

detecting the alternating current signal at a second conductor of the cable to produce a detected signal; and

identifying a proper interconnection in response to a characteristic of the detected signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

sequentially applying the alternating current signal to a plurality of conductors of the cable; and

determining a cable type in response to a presence or absence of a conductor.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of determining a display configuration in response to the determined cable type.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of associating a particular combination of conductors within the cable with a specific type of cable.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of suppressing generation of the alternating current signal after the specific type of cable has been identified.