Data transmission

• US 6,847,298 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2001
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tru-Test Limited
• Original Assignee: Tru-Test Limited
• Inventors: Woodhead, Robert Charles Bryan, Lunenburg, Pieter Cornelis
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/025,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/541, 340/561, 340/562, 340/563, 340/564, 340/566, 340/567, 340/551, 340/531, 340/538, 340/310.01, 340/539.1, 340/539.26, 375/239
• US Class Current: 340/564
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 15/005 by electric shock
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/0266 Arrangements for providing Galvanic isolation, e.g. by means of magnetic or capacitive coupling

Abstract

A data transmission system which is particularly useful for a remote control apparatus for an electric fence. The apparatus includes a portable hand held housing with a contact 16 which in use can contact a conductor of an electric fence line. The output of the apparatus includes a resonating circuit with inductor L, transformer 14 and a small high voltage capacitor C2. The apparatus can thus generate information embedded within a series of short signal bursts of a frequency within a predetermined frequency range. A receiver coupled to or forming part of an electric fence energizer can receive a signal from the apparatus to control operation of the energizer.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting information along an electric fence conductor, comprising the steps of:

embedding the information within and spread in time across a series of short high voltage signal bursts, each of the signal bursts being within a predetermined frequency range; and

applying the signal bursts to an electric fence conductor.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frequency range is between substantially 50 to 190 kHz.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the signal bursts have an amplitude in the range of a fraction of one volt up to a maximum of several thousand volts.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the duration of individual ones of the signal bursts is in the range of 100 microseconds to 1000 microseconds.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the signal bursts is encoded with one or more digital bits.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the signal bursts contains one or more digital bits that are encoded on the high frequency signal bursts using frequency modulation.

7. A remote control apparatus for an electric fence the apparatus, comprising:

a housing,

contact means for contacting a conductor on the electric fence, and

generating means for generating information embedded within a series of short signal bursts, each of the signal bursts being within a predetermined frequency range.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frequency range is 50 to 190 kHz.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further including high voltage isolation means for isolating a high voltage at an apparatus output, said high voltage isolation means including a capacitor rated to withstand voltages normal present on an electric fence installation.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the capacitor forms part of a self-resonant circuit.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further including receiving means for receiving a signal from the apparatus, said receiving means being controllably connected with an electric fence energizer to control an operative state of the electric fence energizer.