Wire pair identification system

• US 3,891,811 A
• Filed: 08/16/1973
• Issued: 06/24/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Communications Technology Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Arthur O. Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Arthur O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Claffy, Kathleen H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Application Number:
  US05/389,011
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 179/175.3A,175.25 324/66
• US Class Current: 324/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/60 Identification of wires in a multicore cable
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/229 Wire identification arrangements; Number assignment determination

Abstract

An automatic conductor pair identifier utilizes a field unit under the control of an operator and an office control unit coupled to a multiwire cable of wire pairs to be identified. Upon actuation of the field unit by an operator, a frequency tone signal is transmitted over a randomly selected wire pair to the office control unit that responds thereto to transmit a pulse code representing a number identifying the wire pair over the same wire pair. This pulse code is received by the field unit and converted into a digital display for operator evaluation. Basically, the field unit comprises an oscillator coupled to a transmitter for generating the inquiring frequency signal. A pulse code is received in the field unit by a level detector/receiver coupled to logic circuitry for decoding the pulse code to drive a units display and and a tens display as part of a digital readout. In the office unit, there is also a receiver and level detector coupled to logic circuitry for responding to an inquiring frequency signal to set up a counting sequence. Upon positively identifying an inquiring frequency signal, the logic circuitry actuates a transmitter coupled to an oscillator for transmitting the pulse coded to the field unit over the same wire pair used by the field unit.

Claims

1. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs in a multipair cable, comprising in combination:

control means electrically connected to each individual wire pair of the multipair cable for sequentially scanning the pairs for a frequency signal and generating an identifying code in response thereto; and

test means electrically connected to a selected wire pair of the multipair cable, said test means comprising;

means for transmitting a frequency signal over the selected wire pair to said control means, means for receiving from said control means over the selected wire pair the identifying code generated thereby, and display means for converting said identifying code into a numerical display representing the selected wire pair.

2. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 1 wherein said test means includes a mode sequencer for stepping the operation thereof from a ready state through a transmit mode, to a receive mode, a display mode and return to the ready state.

3. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set Forth in claim 2 wherein said mode sequencer steps the test means through the receive mode to the display mode in response to receiving a complete identifying code.

4. A system for remotely identifying individual wire paris as set forth in claim 1, wherein said test means includes alarm means actuated by the identifying code to signal a variance in the polarity of the selected wire pair from a normal polarity.

5. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 1 wherein said identifying code comprises a plurality of bits, said means for receiving includes means for receiving identifying code bits serially from said control means, and means for interjecting timing pulses between selected groups of bits of the identifying code to distinguish separate code bit groups.

6. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 1 wherein said test means includes means for adjusting the test means to compensate for variations in the transmission distance from the test means to the control means.

7. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for transmitting produces a 15 KHz frequency signal and wherein the identifying code is transmitted at 15 KHz.

8. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs in a multipair cable, comprising in combination:

test means electrically connected to a selected wire pair of the multipair cable and generating a frequency tone signal, said test means displaying a numerical presentation of an identification code received over the selected wire pair; and

control menas electrically connected to each individual wire pair of the multipair cable, said control means comprising;

stepping means for sequentially scanning all the wire pairs in the multipair cable for the frequency signal generated by said test means, means for halting the scanning operation upon identification of a frequency signal on the selected wire pair, and means for transmitting an identifying code to said test means over the selected wire pair.

9. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 8 wherein said stepping means includes a level detector providing an output in response to the frequency signal on the wire pair having the highest amplitude of all wire pairs.

10. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 9 wherein said means for halting includes a counter with count positions equal in number to the wire pairs in the multipair cable, said counter being reset to an initial count position when the level detector responds to the frequency signal of the highest amplitude.

11. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for halting further includes circuitry responsive to the output of said level detector and said counter when in the highest numbered position thereof to halt the scanning operation.

12. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for halting includes sequencer means for advancing the operation of said control means from a transmit mode to a scan mode.

13. A system for remotely ideentifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for halting includes means for verifying the frequency signal on the wire pair at which the scanning operation is halted.

14. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 13 wherein said means for halting includes circuitry connected to said means for verifying to step the control means from a sync mode to a transmit mode.

15. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 9 wherein said stepping means includes a signal gate for each individual wire pair of the multipair cable having a connection to said means for transmitting and said level detector.

16. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 9 wherein said level detector includes a gain controlled amplifier providing an output each time a higher amplitude frequency signal is detected on a wire pair.

17. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for transmitting includes an oscillator generating a frequency at the same value as the test means frequency tone signal for coding into an identifying code.

18. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs in a multipair cable, comprising in combination:

test means electrically connected at random to a wire pair of the multipair cable, said test means comprising;

means for transmitting a frequency tone signal over the individual wire pair connected to the test means, means for receiving an identifying code over the individual wire pair connected to the test means, and display means for converting said identifying code into a numerical display representing the individual wire pair connected to the test means; and

control means electrically connected to each individual wire pair of the multipair cable, said control means comprising;

stepping means for sequentially scanning all the wire pairs in the multipair cable for the frequency tone signal generated by said test means, means for terminating the scanning operation upon identification of a frequency signal on the individual wire pair connected to the test means, and means for transmitting the identifying code to said test means over the individual wire pair connected to the test means when the frequency signal therefrom terminates.

19. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 18 wherein said test means includes an alarm actuated by the identifying code to signal a variance in the polarity of the individual wire pair from a normal polarity.

20. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 18 wherein said test means includes means for adjusting the test means to compensate for variations in the transmission distance from the test means to the control means.

21. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 18 wherein said test means includes a mode sequencer for stepping the operation thereof from a ready state through a transmit mode to a receive mode, a display mode and return to a ready state.

22. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 18 wherein said stepping means of the control means includes a level detector providing an output in response to the frequency tone signal on the wire pair having the highest amplitude of all pairs.

23. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 22 wherein said means for terminating includes a counter with count positions equal in number to the wire pairs in the multipair cable, said counter being reset to an intial count position when the level detector responds to the frequency tone signal of highest amplitude.

24. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 23 wherein said means for terminating further includes circuitry responsive to the output of said level detector and said counter when said counter is in the highest count position to terminate the scanning operation.

25. A system for remotely identifying individual wire pairs as set forth in claim 24 wherein said means for transmitting in said test means and said control means each produces a 15 KHz frequency signal and wherein the identifying code is transmitted at 15 KHz.

26. An apparatus for identifying one of a plurality of pairs of conductors in a cable, the apparatus comprising:

a field unit having interface means for connection at random to one pair of the plurality of pairs of conductors at a first end of the cable, having transmitting means connected to the interface means for transmitting an interrogate signal via said one paiR and having receiving means connected to the interface means for receiving and detecting a preassigned code identifying said one pair received via said one pair; and

a control unit having interface means for connecting the control unit to a selected number of pairs of the plurality of pairs of conductors at a second end of the cable, having receiving means connected to the interface means for detecting the interrogate signal on said one pair and having transmitting means connected to the receiving means and the interface means for transmitting via said one pair the preassigned code in response to detection of the interrogate signal by the receiving means.

27. Apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the control unit receiving means includes scanning means connected to the interface means for sequentially scanning each of the selected number of pairs to search for and identify said one pair carrying the interrogate signal.

28. Apparatus as in claim 27 wherein the interrogate signal has a predetermined frequency and the control unit receiving means further includes level detecting means connected to the scanning means for detecting the signal level at the predetermined frequency on each of the selected number of pairs and for causing the scanning means to stop scanning when the scanning means is connected to the pair having the highest signal level thereon at the predetermined frequency for identifying and causing connection of said one pair to the control unit transmitting means.

29. Apparatus as in claim 28 wherein the scanning means comprises:

timing means for supplying timing signals;

counting means connected to the timing means or advancing one count in response to each timing signal; and

gating means connected to the counting means, the level detecting means and the control unit interface means for sequentially gating signals on each of the selected number of pairs to the level detecting means in response to the counting means, the count in the counting means identifying the pair on which signals are being gated.

30. Apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the preassigned code represents a multidigit number identifying said one pair and the field unit receiving means includes light emitting display means for visually displaying the mulitdigit number.

31. Appparatus as in claim 29 wherein the scanning means further comprises second look counting means connected to the timing means, the counting means and the level detecting means for counting the number of timing signals received by the counting means, the second look counting means being initiated by the level detecting means in response to the detection thereby of a signal at the predetermined frequency, the second look counting means being reinitiated each time the level detecting means detects a signal on a pair at the predetermined frequency with a level higher than the level of signals at the predetermined frequency detected on previously scanned pairs, and the second look counting means halting the counting means to cause the gating means to continue gating signals on the pair being gated when the second look counting means has counted up to the selected number, thereby stopping the scanning when the scanning means is connected to the pair having the highest signal level thereon at the predetermined frequency.

32. Apparatus as in claim 28 wherein the level detecting means comprises:

a gain controlled amplifier having a signal input connected to receive signals from the scanning means and having a gain control input and a signal output;

a level detector having an input connected to the output of the gain controlled amplifier for producing at an output thereof a signal proportional to the amplitude of a signal on the signal output of the gain controlled amplifier; and

gain adjusting means connected to the output of the level detector and to the gain control input for reducing the gain of the gain controlled amplifier each time the level detector detects a signal having an amplitUde higher than any previously detected signal.

33. Apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the field unit includes timer means connected to the field unit transmitting means for causing termination of the transmission of the interrogate signal after a predetermined amount of time, and the control unit transmitting means transmits the preassigned code after the termination of the interrogate signal.

34. Apparatus as in claim 33 wherein pairs of conductors in the cable are used for carrying voice communications which are confined to a voice frequency band and the frequency of the interrogate signal is greater than the upper frequency limit of the voice frequency band.

35. Apparatus as in claim 33 wherein the frequency of the interrogate signal is approximately 15 kHz.

36. Apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the control unit includes electrical sensing means connected to the control unit interface means for sensing electrical quantities on said one pair and for causing the control unit transmitting means to transmit a coded signal via said one pair indicating the sensed electrical quantities, and the field unit receiving means includes processing means connected to the field unit interface means for processing the coded signal.

37. Apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the control unit electrical sensing means comprises polarity detection means for determining the polarity of said one pair at the second end of the cable, the coded signal includes a polarity code indicating the polarity of said one pair at the second end of the cable, and the field unit processing means includes polarity alarm means for giving an alarm signal to indicate a reversed polarity condition of said one pair at the second end of the cable.

38. Apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the field unit includes electrical sensing means connected to the field unit interface means for sensing electrical quantities on said one pair and for producing an output signal indicative of the sensed electrical quantities, and processing means for processing the electrical sensing means output signal.

39. Apparatus as in claim 38 wherein the field unit electrical sensing means comprises polarity detection means for determining and producing an output signal indicative of the polarity of said one pair at the first end of the cable and the processing means comprises polarity alarm means for giving an alarm signal to indicate a reversed polarity condition of said one pair at the first end of the cable in response to the polarity detection means output signal.

40. Apparatus as in claim 38 wherein the control unit includes electrical sensing means connected to the control unit interface means for sensing electrical quantities on said one pair and for causing the control unit transmitting means to transmit a coded signal via said one pair indicating the sensed electrical quantities, and the processing means includes means for detecting and processing the coded signal.

41. Apparatus as in claim 40 wherein the field unit electrical sensing means and the control unit electrical sensing means each comprise polarity detection means for determining the polarity of said one pair at the first and second ends of the cable, respectively, the field unit polarity detection means produces an output signal indicative of the polarity of said one pair at the first end of the cable, the control unit transmitting means transmits a polarity code in response to the control unit polarity detection means, and the processing means includes means for comparing the received polarity code and the field unit polarity detection means output signal and polarity alarm means for giving an alarm signal indicating the relative polarity of said one pair at the first and second ends of the cable.

42. A method for identifying one pair of a plurality of pairs of conductors in a cable comprising the steps of:

transmitting an interrogate signal via one pair of the plurality of pairs of conductors in the cable at a first end of the cable;

Detecting the interrogate signal on said one pair at a second end of the cable;

transmitting via said one pair a preassigned code indentifying said one pair at the second end of the cable;

receiving the preassigned code via said one pair at the first end of the cable; and

displaying the preassigned code at the first end of the cable.

43. A method as in claim 42 wherein the step of detecting the interrogate signal further includes sequentially scanning each of the plurality of pairs of conductors in the cable to find and identify said one pair.

44. A method as in claim 43 wherein the step of detecting the interrogate signal further includes comparing the signal level in a predetermined frequency range on each pair of conductors with the signal level in the predetermined frequency range on those pairs already scanned and stopping the scanning at the pair carrying the signal with the highest level in the predetermined frequency range.

45. A method as in claim 44 wherein the step of transmitting the interrogate signal is terminated after a predetermined period of time and before the step of transmitting the preassigned code.

46. A method as in claim 45 wherein the interrogate signal has a predetermined frequency within the predetermined frequency range and the step of transmitting the preassigned code includes generating a tone burst signal wherein the tone of tone bursts has substantially the same frequency as the interrogate signal.

47. A method as in claim 46 wherein:

the step of transmitting the preassigned code further includes generating a first digit signal for indicating that a first digit code follows, generating a first digit code comprising a series of tone bursts representing the first digit of the preassigned code, generating a second digit signal for indicating that a second digit code follows, generating a second digit code comprising a series of tone bursts representing the second digit of the preassigned code, generating a third digit signal for indicating that the complete preassigned code has been transmitted;

the step of receiving the preassigned code includes counting the first series of tone bursts in response to the first digit signal and counting the second series of tone bursts in response to the second digit signal; and

the step of displaying the preassigned code includes visually displaying the number of first and second tone bursts counted in response to the third digit signal.

48. A method as in claim 42 wherein the step of detecting the interrogate signal includes detecting the polarity of said one pair at the second end of the cable, the step of transmitting a preassigned code includes transmitting a polarity code representing the polarity of the said one pair, the step of receiving the preassigned code includes receiving the polarity code, and the step of displaying the preassigned code includes giving an indication of the polarity of said one pair as normal or reversed.

49. A method as in claim 48 wherein:

the step of transmitting the preassigned code further includes generating a first digit signal for indicating that a first digit code follows, generating a first digit code comprising first tone bursts representing the first digit of the preassigned code, generating a second digit signal for indicating that a second digit code follows, generating a second digit code comprising second tone bursts representing the second digit of the preassigned code, generating a third digit signal for indicating that the polarity code follows, generating a third tone burst representing the polarity code;

generating a fourth digit signal for indicating that the complete preassigned code has been transmitted;

the step of receiving the preassigned code includes counting the first tone bursts in response to the first digit signal, counting the second tone bursts in response to the second digit signal and detecting the third tone burst in response to the third digit signal; and

the step of displaying the preAssigned code includes visually displaying the number of first and second bursts counted and giving the indication of polarity in response to the fourth digit signal.

50. A system for identifying one of a plurality of channels in a multichannel cable, the apparatus comprising:

first means connected to a first end of the multichannel cable for sending a first signal on a selected channel in the multichannel cable and for receiving on the selected channel a second signal that identifies the selected channel;

second means connected to a second end of the multichannel cable for receiving the first signal on the selected channel and for sending the second signal on the selected channel in response to receipt of the first signal.

51. A system as in claim 50 wherein the second means includes scanning means connected to the second end of the multichannel cable for scanning each of the plurality of channels to locate the selected channel having the first signal thereon.

52. A system as in claim 51 wherein the second means includes level detecting means connected to the scanning means for detecting the levels of signals on each of the channels and for halting the scanning means at the channel having the highest signal level thereon.

53. A system for identifying any one of a plurality of wire pairs in a cable having a plurality of wire pairs, the system comprising:

a test apparatus connected to only one of the plurality of wire pairs and having transmitting circuit means for sending a test signal over the one wire pair and having receiving circuit means for receiving a coded signal identifying the one wire pair over the one wire pair; and

a control apparatus connected to each of the wire pairs in the cable and having receiving circuit means for receiving the test signal over the one wire pair and having transmitting circuit means connected to the receiving circuit means for sending in response thereto the coded signal over the one wire pair without the use of a control wire pair, thereby eliminating the need to use an additional pair of wires in the identification of the one wire pair.

54. A system as in claim 53 wherein:

the test signal has a predetermined frequency;

the test apparatus transmitting circuit means includes a timer for terminating the sending of the test signal after a predetermined amount of time;

the control apparatus receiving circuit means comprises a gating circuit having inputs connected to each of the wire pairs in the cable and having an output, a timing circuit for producing timing pulses, a counter connected to the timing circuit for counting the timing pulses, a driver circuit connected to the gating circuit and the counter for cauusing the gating circuit to sequentially connect each of the wire pairs to the gating circuit output, a level detecting circuit connected to the gating circuit output and the counter for detecting the signal level on each wire pair and for causing the gating means to connect the one wire pair to the gating means output by causing the connection thereof to the wire pair having the highest signal level thereon at the predetermined frequency and a polarity detecting circuit connected to the gating circuit for detecting the polarity of the one wire pair;

the control apparatus transmitting circuit means comprises a code generating circuit connected to the counter, the polarity detecting circuit and the gating circuit to generate the coded signal as a sequence of tone bursts at the predetermined frequency representing the identity and polarity of the one wire pair in response to connection of the gating circuit output to the one wire pair and the termination of the test signal; and

the test apparatus receiving circuit means comprises an input circuit connected to the one wire pair, a decoding circuit connected to the input circuit for receiving and decoding the sequence of tone bursts comprising the coded signal, a display circuit connected to the decoding circuit for visually disPlaying a code identifying the one wire pair, a polarity detecting circuit connected to the input circuit for detecting the polarity of the one wire pair, and a polarity alarm circuit connected to the polarity detecting circuit and the decoding circuit for comparing the polarity of the one pair at the test apparatus and the control apparatus and for giving a polarity alarm signal to indicate a polarity reversal between the test apparatus and the control apparatus.

55. A system for identifying one wire pair of a multiple wire pair cable comprising:

test means connected to one wire pair of the cable at a first end of the cable for transmitting an interrogate signal having a predetermined frequency over the one wire pair, for receiving a code identifying the one wire pair and for displaying the identifying code; and

a control unit having interface means connected to each wire pair in the cable at a second end of the cable, having level detecting means for detecting the level of signals at the predetermined frequency, having scanning means connected to the interface means and the level detecting means for sequentially scanning the wire pairs in the cable and sequentially gating signals on each wire pair to the level detecting means, the level detecting means causing the scanning means to stop scanning and connect to the wire pair having the highest signal level thereon at the predetermined frequency to identify the one wire pair, and having transmitting means connected to the interface means and the scanning means for transmitting the code identifying the one wire pair in response to the stopping of the scanning.

56. A system as in claim 55 wherein the control unit further comprises;

timing means connected to the scanning means for supplying periodic timing signals to initiate and sequence the gating of signals on the wire pairs to the level detecting means; and

counting means connected to the timing means, the scanning means and the level detecting means for counting the number of timing signals received by the scanning means, the counting means being initiated by the level detecting means in response to the detection thereby of a signal at the predetermined frequency, the counting means being reinitiated each time the level detecting means detects a signal on a pair at the predetermined frequency with a level higher than the level of signals at the predetermined frequency detected on previously scanned pairs and the counting means causing the scanning means to continue gating signals on the pair being gated when the counting means has counted up to the number of pairs in the cable, thereby stopping the scanning when the scanning means is connected to the pair having the highest signal level at the predetermined frequency thereon.