IDENTIFYING DAMAGE TO A WIRE

• US 20100066384A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kendig, Martin W., Rogovin, Daniel N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,970,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/525
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/088 Aspects of digital computing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems

Abstract

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention determine the type of damage to a wire, the amount of damage, and the location of the damage based on the wire'"'"'s broadband impedance measured from a single measurement point. The type of damage is determined by comparing the wire'"'"'s calculated dielectric function, resistance and inductance to known values that correspond to types of wire damage. The amount of damage is determined by comparing the wire'"'"'s low-frequency impedance phase to known low-frequency impedance phase information that corresponds to a known amount of wire damage. The location of damage is determined by comparing the wire'"'"'s high-frequency impedance phase to known high-frequency impedance phase information that corresponds to a known location of wire damage.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method comprising:

determining a propagation function of normal nodes waves propagating through an insulated wire;

determining at least one of frequency-dependent resistance, frequency-dependent inductance, and frequency-dependent dielectric function from the propagation function; and

using at least one of frequency-dependent resistance, frequency-dependent inductance, and frequency-dependent dielectric function to obtain information about wire damage.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein determining the propagation function includes measuring open-circuit and short-circuit impedances.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the dielectric function Is used to determine whether the wire is damaged.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising using the frequency-dependent resistance to determine damage type.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising using frequency-dependent inductance to determine damage type.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising using the averaging the frequency-dependent impedance phase over a range of low frequencies to determine amount of damage to the wire.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the range of low frequencies is between 0 Hz and 1 MHz.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising using frequency-dependent impedance phase over a range of high frequencies to determine the location of damage to the wire.

28. Apparatus comprising:

means for determining a propagation function of normal nodes waves propagating through an insulated wire;

means for determining at least one of frequency-dependent resistance, frequency-dependent inductance, and frequency-dependent dielectric function from the propagation function; and

means for using at least one of frequency-dependent resistance, frequency-dependent inductance, and frequency-dependent dielectric function to obtain information about wire damage.

29. An article comprising computer-readable memory encoded with data for causing a computer to determine a propagation function of normal nodes waves propagating through an insulated wire;

determine at least one of frequency-dependent resistance, frequency-dependent inductance, and frequency-dependent dielectric function from the propagation function; and

use at least one of frequency-dependent resistance, frequency-dependent inductance, and frequency-dependent dielectric function to obtain information about wire damage.