Method, apparatus and computer-readable code for detecting an incipient ground fault in an electrical propulsion system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting an incipient ground fault that may occur in an electrical propulsion system of a traction vehicle, said electrical propulsion system comprising a plurality of electrical devices, each individual electrical device being potentially subject to an incipient ground fault in at least one electrical phase thereof, said apparatus comprising:
- a sensor configured to sense a ground leakage signal associated with a ground of the propulsion system;
a correlator coupled to the sensor to receive the ground leakage signal, and further coupled to receive at least one signal indicative of a respective energization state of a respective electrical phase for each respective one of the plurality of electrical devices, wherein said at least one signal indicative of the respective energization state of a respective electrical phase is configured to be modified during a time interval when a predetermined rate of change of voltage is expected, said predetermined rate of change of voltage being sufficient to cause an effect in the characteristics of the ground leakage signal, said correlator configured to individually correlate the ground leakage signal with each received phase energization state signal and supply an individual correlation signal between the ground leakage signal and each received phase energization state signal; and
a processor coupled to the correlator for processing each of the individual correlation signals supplied by the correlator and extracting a correlation value from the supplied correlation signals, said correlation value being indicative of an incipient ground fault, if any, in a respective phase of one of the plurality of electrical devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method, apparatus and computer-readable code for detecting an incipient ground fault. The apparatus includes a sensor for sensing a ground leakage signal. The apparatus further includes a correlator that receives the ground leakage signal, and at least one signal indicative of a respective energization state of a respective electrical phase for each of a plurality of electrical devices. The signal indicative of the respective energization state is modified during a time interval when a predetermined rate of change of voltage is expected. This rate of change is sufficient to cause an effect in the ground leakage signal. The correlator is configured to correlate the ground leakage signal with each received phase energization state signal, and supply a correlation signal. A processor is coupled for processing each of the individual correlation signals and extracting a correlation value from the supplied correlation signals that may be indicative of an incipient ground fault.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting an incipient ground fault that may occur in an electrical propulsion system of a traction vehicle, said electrical propulsion system comprising a plurality of electrical devices, each individual electrical device being potentially subject to an incipient ground fault in at least one electrical phase thereof, said apparatus comprising:
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a sensor configured to sense a ground leakage signal associated with a ground of the propulsion system; a correlator coupled to the sensor to receive the ground leakage signal, and further coupled to receive at least one signal indicative of a respective energization state of a respective electrical phase for each respective one of the plurality of electrical devices, wherein said at least one signal indicative of the respective energization state of a respective electrical phase is configured to be modified during a time interval when a predetermined rate of change of voltage is expected, said predetermined rate of change of voltage being sufficient to cause an effect in the characteristics of the ground leakage signal, said correlator configured to individually correlate the ground leakage signal with each received phase energization state signal and supply an individual correlation signal between the ground leakage signal and each received phase energization state signal; and a processor coupled to the correlator for processing each of the individual correlation signals supplied by the correlator and extracting a correlation value from the supplied correlation signals, said correlation value being indicative of an incipient ground fault, if any, in a respective phase of one of the plurality of electrical devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for detecting an incipient ground fault that may occur in an electrical propulsion system of a traction vehicle, said electrical propulsion system comprising a plurality of electrical devices, each individual electrical device being potentially subject to an incipient ground fault in at least one electrical phase thereof, said method comprising:
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sensing a ground leakage signal associated with a ground of the propulsion system; monitoring at least one signal indicative of a respective energization state of a respective electrical phase for each respective one of the electrical devices; modifying said at least one signal indicative of the respective energization state during a time interval when a predetermined rate of change of voltage is expected, said predetermined rate of change of voltage being sufficient to cause an effect in the characteristics of the ground leakage signal; individually correlating the ground leakage signal with each modified phase energization state signal; generating an individual correlation signal between the ground leakage signal and each modified phase energization state signal; and determining a correlation value from the generated correlation signals, said correlation value being indicative of an incipient ground fault, if any, in a respective phase of one of the plurality of electrical devices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having a computer-readable code therein for detecting an incipient ground fault that may occur in an electrical propulsion system of a traction vehicle, said electrical propulsion system comprising a plurality of electrical devices, each individual electrical device being potentially subject to an incipient ground fault in at least one electrical phase thereof, said computer-readable code comprising:
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computer-readable code responsive to a sensed ground leakage signal associated with a ground of the propulsion system; computer-readable code for monitoring at least one signal indicative of a respective energization state of a respective electrical phase for each respective one of the electrical devices; computer-readable code for modifying said at least one signal indicative of the respective energization state during a time interval when a predetermined rate of change of voltage is expected, said predetermined rate of change of voltage being sufficient to cause an effect in the characteristics of the ground leakage signal; computer-readable code for individually correlating the ground leakage signal with each modified phase energization state signal; computer-readable code for generating an individual correlation signal between the ground leakage signal and each modified phase energization state signal; and computer-readable code for determining a correlation value from the generated correlation signals, said correlation value being indicative of an incipient ground fault, if any, in a respective phase of one of the plurality of the electrical devices. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification