Systems and methods for implementing S/SSTDR measurements

• US 9,244,117 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiveWire Innovation Inc.
• Original Assignee: LiveWire Innovation Inc.
• Inventors: Furse, Cynthia, Khan, Faisal
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, SON T
• Application Number:
  US13/842,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 324/534, 324/543, 324/537, 324/509, 324/762.08, 324/762.09, 324/548, 324/519
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/02 Measuring real or complex resistance, reactance, impedance, or other two-pole characteristics derived therefrom, e.g. time constant by measuring phase angle only G01R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/06 Measuring reflection coefficients; Measuring standing-wave ratio
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/008 on air- or spacecraft, railway rolling stock or sea-going vessels
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/11 using pulse reflection methods
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2841 Signal generators
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2879 related to electrical aspects, e.g. to voltage or current supply or stimuli or to electrical loads

Abstract

Systems and methods which utilize spread spectrum sensing on live circuits to obtain information regarding a circuit under test are provided. In some embodiments S/SSTDR testing may be utilized to obtain R, L, C and Z measurements from circuit components. In yet further embodiments, these measurements may be utilized to monitor the output of sensors on a circuit.

Claims

1. A method for testing a device in its operating environment, the method comprising:

forming, by a testing device, a spread spectrum time domain reflectometry (S/SSTDR) signal;

transmitting the formed signal to an electronic circuit in its operating environment which is communicatively connected to the testing device;

receiving one or more reflections of the S/SSTDR signal at the testing device; and

receiving one or more reflections from a choke or other known impedance within the electronic circuit; and

processing the received S/SSTDR signal utilizing the one or more reflections from said choke or other known impedance as a reference signal to determine an electrical property of at least one component residing in the electronic circuit, wherein the electrical property is at least one of resistance, inductance and capacitance.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a state of a sensor residing in the electronic circuit based on the determined electrical property.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

connecting the testing device at multiple ports; and

transmitting a plurality of S/SSTDR signals to the electronic circuit simultaneously through the multiple ports.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the S/SSTDR signals are configured to be non-interfering with each other and with existing signals within the electronic circuit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the received signal and detecting at least one of an arc fault and ground fault in a photovoltaic power generation system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of components in the electrical circuit are grouped into functional blocks and the received S/SSTDR signal is processed to provide information regarding at least one functional block.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the received S/SSTDR signal to determine the location of a component.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the received S/SSTDR signal to determine velocity of propagation of a transmission line.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one component is a battery.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing device configured to;

form a spread spectrum time domain reflectometry (S/SSTDR) signal;

transmit the formed signal to an electronic circuit in its operating environment which is communicatively connected to the testing device;

receive one or more reflections of the S/SSTDR signal at the at least one processing device;

receive one or more reflections from a choke within the electronic circuit; and

process the received S/SSTDR signal utilizing the one or more reflections from said choke as a reference signal to determine an electrical property of at least one component residing in the electronic circuit, wherein the electrical property is at least one of resistance, inductance, capacitance, impedance and location of the at least one component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising determining a state of a sensor residing in the electronic circuit based on the determined electrical property.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein a plurality of components in the electrical circuit are grouped into functional blocks and the received S/SSTDR signal is processed to provide information regarding at least one functional block.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to:

connect the testing device at multiple ports; and

transmit a plurality of S/SSTDR signals to the electronic circuit simultaneously through the multiple ports.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the S/SSTDR signals are configured to be non-interfering with each other and with existing signals within the electronic circuit.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to process the received signal and detecting at least one of an arc fault and ground fault in a photovoltaic power generation system.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to process the received S/SSTDR signal to determine the location of a component.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to process the received S/SSTDR signal to determine velocity of propagation of a transmission line.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one component is a battery.