Locating a cable using synchronization portion and data portion of a tone packet of a system

• US 7,598,721 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2007
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fluke Corporation (Fortive Corp.)
• Inventors: Kahkoska, James A., Bohley, Thomas K
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PARESH H
• Application Number:
  US11/775,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/60 Identification of wires in a multicore cable

Abstract

A digital toner/locator employs tone packets using a 455 Khz carrier. Plural packet quanta provide multiple test modes which are advantageously selected from a probe without requiring returning to the tone generator to change mode.

Claims

1. A toner/probe system, comprising:

a toner adapted to generate and supply a tone packet to a cable under test, wherein said toner supplies a carrier signal as at least part of said tone packet; and

wherein said tone packet comprises;

a synchronization portion; and

a data portion.

2. A toner/probe system according to claim 1 wherein said synchronization portion comprises a first and a second synchronization quanta.

3. A toner/probe system according to claim 1 wherein said data portion comprises a version quantum.

4. A toner/probe system according to claim 1 wherein said data portion comprises a song indication quantum to indicate a choice of a tone song which a sensor probe is to employ.

5. A toner/probe system according to claim 1 wherein said data portion comprises a quantum to minimize radiation from the cable under test.

6. A toner/probe system according to claim 5 wherein said quantum to minimize radiation from the cable under test comprises, wherein the cable under test comprises at least a pair of wires, driving an opposite polarity on each wire of said pair of wires.

7. A toner/probe system according to claim 1 wherein said data portion comprises a quantum to maximize radiation from the cable under test.

8. A toner/probe system according to claim 7 wherein said quantum to maximize radiation from the cable under test comprises, wherein the cable under test comprises at least four pairs of wires, applying an unbalanced signal of a first polarity to a first pair of said at least four pairs of wires and applying an opposite polarity signal to a second and third pair of said at least four pairs of wires and allowing a fourth pair of said at least four pairs of wires to float.

9. A toner/probe system according to claim 1 wherein said data portion comprises a quantum to enable a wiremap test.

10. A toner/probe system according to claim 1, wherein said tone packet further comprises a quiet quantum.

11. A method for locating a cable, comprising the steps of:

applying a tone packet to a cable at one position thereof, wherein said tone packet employs a carrier signal as at least part of said tone packet; and

employing a sensor responsive to said tone packet to locate said cable at another position thereof,

wherein said applied tone packet comprises;

a synchronization portion; and

a data portion.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said data portion comprises plural portions providing different testing modes.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said testing modes are selected from the group consisting of:

a cable isolate mode and a cable locate mode.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said testing mode comprises a wire pair test mode for location one or more wire pairs separately from other wire pairs.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said testing mode comprises a wire map mode.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein said carrier signal is other than an audible frequency.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein said carrier signal is turned on and off at an audio frequency rate.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein said audio frequency rate is 1 Khz or 2 Khz.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein said carrier signal frequency is other than a tone frequency.

20. A toner/probe system, comprising:

a toner adapted to generate and supply a tone packet to a cable under test, wherein said toner supplies a carrier signal as at least part of said tone packet; and

a probe adapted to detect said tone packet as propagated via the cable under test

wherein said tone packet comprises;

a synchronization portion; and

a data portion.

21. A toner/probe system according to claim 20, wherein said data portion comprises plural portions providing different testing modes.

22. A toner/probe system according to claim 21, wherein said testing modes are selected from the group consisting of:

a cable isolate mode and a cable locate mode.

23. A toner/probe system according to claim 21, wherein said testing mode comprises a wire continuity test mode for location one or more wires separately from other wires.

24. A toner/probe system according to claim 21, wherein said testing mode comprises a wire map mode.

25. A toner/probe system according to claim 20 wherein said carrier signal is other than an audible frequency.

26. A toner/probe system according to claim 20 wherein said toner comprises a selector for selecting an operation mode.

27. A toner/probe system according to claim 20 wherein said toner comprises a song selector for selectively applying one of at least two distinguishable tone packets.

28. A toner/probe system according to claim 20, wherein said probe comprises a detector for detecting said tone packet and operatively responding to portions thereof.

29. A toner/probe system according to claim 20 wherein said carrier signal is turned on and off at an audio frequency rate.

30. A toner/probe system according to claim 29 wherein said audio frequency rate is 1 Khz or 2 Khz.

31. A toner/probe system according to claim 20 wherein said tone packet comprises plural quanta.

32. A toner/probe system according to claim 20 wherein said carrier signal frequency is other than a tone frequency.

33. A method for locating a cable, comprising the steps of:

applying a tone packet to a cable at one position thereof, wherein said tone packet employs a carrier signal as at least part of said tone packet;

wherein said applied tone packet comprises;

a synchronization portion; and

data portion.