Electrical transmission cable termination device having short and open-circuit cable test capabilities

• US 5,185,580 A
• Filed: 09/04/1991
• Issued: 02/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Building Technology Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Smart House
• Inventors: Stirk, Gary L., Nichols, Edward L. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DO, DIEP N
• Application Number:
  US07/754,758
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 324/508, 324/509, 324/525, 324/527, 324/537, 324/538, 324/539, 324/541, 324/549, 333/22 R, 333/32, 333/124, 333/130
• US Class Current: 324/539
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/67 Testing the correctness of wire connections in electric apparatus or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks

Abstract

A electrical transmission line termination device capable of performing various termination requirements including matching the line impedance of wires in a transmission line with load impedances, electrically connecting conductors in a transmission line for maintaining electrical continuity, detecting improper wiring of the various wires in a transmission line, and connecting a cable shielding conductor to a ground wire.

Claims

1. An electrical transmission cable termination device for terminating an electrical transmission cable, said electrical transmission cable including a pair of data wires, a pair of clock wires, a pair of sense wires, a metallic foil shield, a ground wire, a neutral wire, an AC-hot wire, and having a non-terminated end adapted to be fed by signals from a controller, which controller also includes a circuit breaker, comprising:

an impedance matching means for providing load impedances substantially respectively matching a line impedance of said pair of data wires and said pair of clock wires in said transmission cable;

a short circuit detecting means for detecting faulty wiring of said transmission cable, said short circuit detecting means including a load between various wires which transmit electrical signals in said transmission cable and said ground wire, said load creating a circuit breaker triggering current in said circuit breaker of said controller should a faulty wiring condition exist; and

an electrical connecting means for providing an electrical contact between said pair of sense wires in said transmission cable, said connecting means usable to carry out a continuity check to detect breaks in said sense wires of said transmission cable upon application of a continuity check signal from said controller to one of said

2. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 1 wherein said impedance matching means comprises:

a first resistor having a first end and a second end, said first end connected to a first data wire in said pair of data wires;

a second resistor having a first end connected to a second data wire in said pair of data wires, and a second end connected to said second end of said first resistor;

a third resistor having a first end and a second end, said first end connected to a first clock wire in said pair of clock wires; and

a fourth resistor having a first end connected to a second clock wire in said pair of clock wires, and a second end connected to said second end of said third resistor.

3. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 2, wherein said short circuit detecting means comprises:

a first impedance applied between said neutral wire and said ground wire for creating a current capable of tripping a circuit breaker in the event said AC wire has been switched with said neutral wire.

4. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 3, wherein said first impedance includes a plurality of resistors in parallel connected between said neutral wire and said ground wire.

5. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 3, wherein said short circuit detecting means further comprises:

a second impedance connected between said second end of said first resistor and said ground wire for creating a current capable of tripping a circuit breaker should a short occur in said pair of data wires;

a third impedance connected between said second end of said third resistor and ground for creating a current capable of tripping a circuit breaker should a short occur in said pair of clock wires.

6. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 5, wherein said second impedance includes two resistors in parallel connected between said second end of said first resistor and said ground wire, and said third impedance includes two resisters in parallel connected between said second end of said third resistor and said ground wire.

7. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 5, wherein said short circuit detecting means further comprises a fourth impedance connected between said electrical connecting means connecting said pair of sense wires and said ground wire.

8. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 7, wherein said fourth impedance includes two resisters in parallel connected between said electrical connecting means connecting said pair of sense wire and said ground wire.

9. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 5, wherein said impedance matching means further comprises:

a first capacitor having a first end connected to said second end of said first resistor, and a second end connected to said ground wire; and

a second capacitor having a first end connected to said second end of said third resistor, and a second end connected to said ground wire.

10. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 5, wherein said impedance matching means further comprises

a fifth impedance attached to a drive end of said transmission cable between said first data wire and said second data wire;

and

a sixth impedance attached to a drive end of said transmission cable between said first clock wire and said second clock wire.

11. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 10, wherein said fifth impedance comprises:

a fifth resistor having a first end connected to said first data wire and a second end connected to said ground wire; and

a sixth resistor having a first end connected to said second data wire and a second end connected to said second end of said fifth resistor.

12. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 11, wherein said sixth impedance comprises:

a seventh resistor having a first end connected to said first clock wire and a second end connected to said ground wire; and

an eighth resistor having a first end connected to said second clock wire and a second end connected to said second end of said seventh resistor.

13. An electrical transmission cable termination device insertable into a tap capable of providing an electrical connection to each wire in an electrical transmission cable for terminating said electrical transmission cable, said electrical transmission cable including a pair of data wires, a pair of clock wires, a pair of sense wires, a ground wire, a neutral wire, an AC hot wire, a conductive shield, and having a non-terminated end adapted to be fed by signals from a controller, which controller also includes a circuit breaker, comprising:

an impedance matching means for providing load impedances substantially respectively matching a line impedance of said pair of data wires and said pair of clock wires in said transmission cable;

a short circuit detecting means for detecting faulty wiring of said transmission cable, said short circuit detecting means including a load between various wires which transmit electrical signals in said transmission cable and said ground wire, said load creating a circuit breaker triggering current in said circuit breaker of said controller should a faulty wiring condition exist;

electrical connecting means for providing an electrical contact between said pair of sense wires in said transmission channel, said connecting means useable to carry out a continuity check to detect breaks in said sense wires of said transmission cable upon application of a continuity check signal to one of said sense wires; and

a cable shield grounding means for connecting said conductive shield to said ground wire.

14. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 13, wherein said cable shield grounding means comprises:

an insulated wire having a first end and a second end, said first end having a blade for inserting said first end into a said cable termination device and into contact with said ground wire, said second end being stripped and tinned for connecting said second end to said cable shield.

15. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 14, further comprising:

a single printed circuit board upon which said impedance matching means, said short circuit detecting means, and said electrical connecting means are packaged; and

a plurality of pins mounted on said single printed circuit board, said pins providing an electrical connection for said impedance matching means, said short circuit detecting means, and said electrical connecting means, said pins also being aligned with and insertable into predetermined electrical contacts located on said taps and electrically connected to said wires of said transmission cable.

16. An electrical transmission cable termination device as in claim 15, wherein said short circuit detecting means includes a plurality of resistors in parallel formed on said single printed circuit board.