System and Method of Detecting and Locating Intermittent and Other Faults

• US 20100111521A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howard University
• Original Assignee: Howard University
• Inventors: Kim, Charles J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,897,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/24 Testing correct operation

Abstract

A signal is conducted from a controller module onto a network via a first coupling. The signal is transmitted across the network and received at one or more receiver modules via one or more second couplings. At the one or more receiver modules, the received signal is analyzed and based upon the analysis, a determination is made as to whether a fault has occurred in the network and/or where the occurrence occurred.

Claims

1. A method for detecting electrical faults in a network comprising:

conducting signal from a controller module onto an electrical network via a first magnetic coupling;

transmitting the signal across the electrical network;

receiving the transmitted signal at one or more receiver modules via one or more second magnetic couplings; and

at the one or more receiver modules, analyzing the received power and determining from the analyzing of the received signal whether a fault has occurred in the electrical network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first magnetic coupling and the one or more second magnetic couplings each comprise a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising selectively activating and deactivating the first magnetic coupling to effect the connection and disconnection of the controller module from the electrical network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the signal across the electrical network to the one or more receiver modules comprises transmitting the signal to a plurality of receivers and wherein each of the receiver modules includes a separate magnetic coupling.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the signal comprises selectively broadcasting the signal to one or more receivers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein selectively broadcasting the signal comprises broadcasting the signal to different receiver module groupings at different times and at different frequencies.

7. An apparatus for performing fault detection comprising:

at least one first inductive coil;

a controller coupled to the at least one first inductive coil, the at least one first inductive coil being magnetically coupled to at least one second inductive coil, the at least one second inductive coil being in electrical connection to an electrical network;

wherein a magnetic coupling is formed between the at least one first inductive coil and the at least one second inductive coil and power is selectively transmitted across the magnetic coupling and onto the electrical network;

wherein the signal is received at a receiver coupled to the electrical network and the receiver is configured to determine a fault condition based upon an analysis of the received power.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to effect the transmission of the signal at specific times.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to effect the transmission of the signal at specific frequencies.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller is configured to effect the transmission of the signal at specific times and at specific frequencies.

11. A system comprising:

a first in-controller half-coupler module comprising;

a first housing;

a first inductive coil disposed at least partially within the first housing;

a first controller disposed within the first housing and coupled to the first inductive coil;

a first wire-side half-coupler module positioned proximal to the first in-controller half-coupler module, the first wire-side half-coupler module comprising;

a second housing;

a second inductive coil disposed at least partially within the second housing, the second inductive coil being magnetically coupled to the first inductive coil via a first magnetic coupling, the second inductive coil being further electrically connected to an electrical network;

wherein the first controller selectively effects the transmission of a signal across the magnetic coupling and onto the electrical network;

wherein at least one receiver module receives the signal transmitted onto the electrical network, the at least one receiver module being coupled to the electrical network and configured to determine a fault condition based upon an analysis of the received signal.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein a connection of the first wire-side half-coupler module to the network is a hard-wired connection.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein a connection of the first wire-side half coupler module to the network is via a plug.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil comprise ring-shaped core structures.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the first wire-side half-coupler module is a portable device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the first wire-side half-coupler module is moved to check for electrical faults.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one receiver module comprises a plurality of receiver modules.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the receiver module comprises a second wire-side half-coupler module and a second in-controller half-coupler module, the second wire-side half-coupler module being electrically coupled to the electrical network and being located proximally to and magnetically coupled to the second in-controller half-coupler module via a second magnetic coupling.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the second in-controller half-coupler module comprises

a third housing;

a third inductive coil;

a second controller disposed within the third housing and coupled to the third inductive coil.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the second wire-side half-coupler module comprises:

a fourth housing;

a fourth inductive coil disposed within the fourth housing, the fourth inductive coil being magnetically coupled to the third inductive coil via the second magnetic coupling and electrically connected to the power network;

wherein the third inductive coil receives power via the fourth inductive coil and the fourth inductive coil receives power from the electrical network.

21. A method for detecting faults in a network comprising:

conducting signal from a controller module onto an optical network via a first optical coupling;

transmitting the signal across the optical network;

receiving the transmitted signal at one or more receiver modules via one or more second optical couplings; and

at the one or more receiver modules, analyzing the received signal and determining from the analyzing of the received signal whether a fault has occurred in the optical network.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the fault is selected from the group consisting of:

a breakage in an optical fiber, a bend in an optical fiber;

or a defective optical fiber.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein a first wavelength of the signal is different a second wavelength used to transmit data in the optical network.

24. An apparatus for performing fault detection comprising:

at least one optical coupler;

a controller coupled to the at least one optical coupler, the at least one optical coupler being optically coupled to an optical network;

wherein a signal is selectively transmitted across the optical coupling and onto the optical network;

wherein the signal is received at a receiver coupled to the optical network and the receiver is configured to determine a fault condition based upon an analysis of the received signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the at least one optical coupler comprises an optical splice.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the fault is selected from the group consisting of:

a breakage in an optical fiber, a bend in an optical fiber;

or a defective optical fiber.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein a first wavelength of the signal is different a second wavelength used to transmit data in the optical network.