Outbound detector system and method
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting outbound signals carried by cyclic waveforms over an electric power distribution network comprising:
- means for rectifying cyclic waveforms transmitted from a central site over an electric power distribution network to create a rectified cyclic waveform of successive half cycles;
means for sampling the rectified waveform to obtain sample waveform values, said sampling occurring in three segments of each cycle of said waveform, a first segment being a region of the cycle in which valid signals are always absent, a second segment being a region of the cycle in which valid signals appear, and a third segment distinct from the second segment being a region in which valid signals appear; and
means for detecting the presence of outbound signal information as a function of the sample waveform values in the three segments.
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Abstract
Outbound signals carried over an electric power network are detected and crosstalk is rejected by sampling the waveform in three segments of each cycle. In the first segment valid signals are always absent. Valid signals appear at the same time in both the second and third segments. Sample waveform values from alternate half cycles are compared to detect differences indicative of outbound signal information. The energy in each of the three segments is compared with an energy threshold for that segment and a cycle under test is rejected when the energy in the first segment exceeds the threshold for that first segment. A cycle under test is also rejected if the energy in the third segment greatly exceeds the energy in the second segment. Signal detection thresholds for both signal strength and energy in the segments are set recursively using actual samples acquired at the outbound detection site. These thresholds are sensitive to dynamic network changes.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting outbound signals carried by cyclic waveforms over an electric power distribution network comprising:
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means for rectifying cyclic waveforms transmitted from a central site over an electric power distribution network to create a rectified cyclic waveform of successive half cycles; means for sampling the rectified waveform to obtain sample waveform values, said sampling occurring in three segments of each cycle of said waveform, a first segment being a region of the cycle in which valid signals are always absent, a second segment being a region of the cycle in which valid signals appear, and a third segment distinct from the second segment being a region in which valid signals appear; and means for detecting the presence of outbound signal information as a function of the sample waveform values in the three segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for detecting outbound signals carried by cyclic waveforms over an electric power distribution network comprising:
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means for rectifying cyclic waveforms transmitted from a central site over an electric power distribution network to create a rectified cyclic waveform of successive half cycles; means for sampling the rectified waveform to obtain sample waveform values, said sampling occuring in three segments of each cycle of each waveform, a first segment being a region of the cycle in which valid signals are always absent, a second segment being a region of the cycle in which valid signals appear, and a third segment distinct from the second segment being a region in which valid signals appear; and means for comparing sample waveform values from alternate half cycles of the rectified waveform to detect differences indicative of outbound signal information in the three segments.
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13. A method of detecting outbound information carried by cyclic waveforms over an electric power distribution network comprising the steps of:
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sampling a cyclic waveform originating at a central site and transmitted over an electric power distribution network to obtain a plurality of samples for each cycle of the waveform, at least some of said samples having a first expected value in the absence of an outbound signal and having a second expected value in the presence of an outbound signal on the waveform; setting a signal detection threshold from a predetermined number, N, of samples taken; and modifying the signal detection threshold if the value of the (N+1)st sample exceeds a predetermined fraction of the previously set signal detection threshold. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of rejecting crosstalk in outbound information flow along a multi-phase electric distribution network comprising:
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for at least one phase of a multi-phase electric distribution network, dividing a cyclic waveform associated with that phase into at least three segments per cycle, a first of said three segments being selected such that outbound information is absent from the first segment unless crosstalk has occurred, a second of said segments being selected such that outbound information appears in said second segment, and a third of said segments being selected such that outbound information also appears in said third segment; comparing the energy in each segment with an energy threshold for that segment; and rejecting a cycle under test for the presence of signal when the energy in the first segment exceeds the threshold for said first segment. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of detecting outbound information in a multi-phase electric distribution network comprising:
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deriving a waveform from the voltage on at least one phase of a multi-phase electric distribution network, which derived waveform includes at least a cyclic carrier component; partitioning cycles of the waveform into at least three segments per cycle, a first of said segments being before a valid signal would appear on the waveform, a second of said segments being in the area where a valid signal could appear but before a zero crossing of the waveform, and a third of said segments being in an area where a valid signal could appear but after a zero crossing of the waveform; comparing the energy in at least the first segment with an energy threshold for that segment; and identifying the presence of a signal in the cycle under test only if the energy in the first segment falls below the threshold for that segment and the energy in the second and third segments is indicative of the presence of a signal in that cycle. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification