Electrical interconnect status monitoring system
First Claim
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1. A system comprising:
- main control circuitry coupled to a pair of conductors;
a plurality of monitoring circuits, each coupled to a load and the pair of conductors, each of the monitoring circuits having a plurality of modes of operation, wherein only one of the plurality of modes of operation of each monitoring circuit can be a diagnostic mode at any given time, and each of the plurality of monitoring circuits can be in a disable mode or an operating mode at any given time, and wherein the disable mode disconnects the load associated with the monitoring circuit from the pair of conductors and the operating mode connects the load associated with the monitoring circuit to the pair of conductors;
wherein the main control circuitry is configured to transmit a monitoring signal having known magnitude and frequency parameters and to receive a signal from one or more of the monitoring circuits in response; and
wherein each of the plurality of monitoring circuits is configured to change an operational parameter to as a function of the mode of operation of that monitoring circuit in response to the monitoring signal.
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Abstract
Disclosed are advances in the arts with novel methods and apparatus for detecting faulty connections in an electrical system. Exemplary preferred embodiments include basic, ASIC, AC, DC, and RF monitoring techniques and systems for monitoring signals at one or more device loads and analyzing the monitored signals for determining fault conditions at the device loads and/or at the main transmission lines. The invention preferably provides the capability to test and monitor electrical interconnections without fully activating the host system.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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main control circuitry coupled to a pair of conductors; a plurality of monitoring circuits, each coupled to a load and the pair of conductors, each of the monitoring circuits having a plurality of modes of operation, wherein only one of the plurality of modes of operation of each monitoring circuit can be a diagnostic mode at any given time, and each of the plurality of monitoring circuits can be in a disable mode or an operating mode at any given time, and wherein the disable mode disconnects the load associated with the monitoring circuit from the pair of conductors and the operating mode connects the load associated with the monitoring circuit to the pair of conductors; wherein the main control circuitry is configured to transmit a monitoring signal having known magnitude and frequency parameters and to receive a signal from one or more of the monitoring circuits in response; and wherein each of the plurality of monitoring circuits is configured to change an operational parameter to as a function of the mode of operation of that monitoring circuit in response to the monitoring signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for monitoring an electrical interconnect system having a main line and a plurality of device loads, comprising:
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a main controller configured
1) to transmit a signal having known magnitude and frequency parameters,
2) to receive response signals,
3) to extract data from the response signals,
4) to determine whether fault conditions exist by comparing the extracted data with expected data,
5) to monitor current flow through one or more wire lines,
6) to report the fault conditions,
7) to analyze the response signals and determine fault conditions at the selected device load,
8) to isolate the faulty device load from the main line, and,
9) to report load fault conditions, wherein if fault conditions exist in the selected device load, the current in the one or more additional wire lines increases or decreases relative to the main lines; anda plurality of monitoring circuits, each coupled to a load and the main line, each of the monitoring circuits having a diagnostic mode, a disable mode and an operating mode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system comprising:
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main control circuitry coupled to at least one conductor; a plurality of monitoring circuits, each coupled to a load and the at least one conductor, each of the monitoring circuits having a diagnostic mode, a disable mode and an operating mode, wherein each of the plurality of monitoring circuits can be controlled to be in the disable mode or the operating mode, and wherein the disable mode disconnects the load associated with the monitoring circuit from the at least one conductor and the operating mode connects the load associated with the monitoring circuit to the at least one conductor; wherein the main control circuitry is configured
1) to transmit a monitoring signal to each of the monitoring circuits and to receive response signals from each of the monitoring circuits,
2) to determine whether a fault condition exists from the response signals,
3) to disable all but one load and
4) to send command signals to command a selected load to enter a diagnostic mode; andwherein each of the plurality of monitoring circuits is configured to change a parameter to indicate the mode of operation.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeTriune Ip, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
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Original AssigneeTriune Ip, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
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InventorsTeggatz, Ross E., Chen, Wayne T., Smith, Brett
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Primary Examiner(s)NGUYEN, HOAI AN D
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Application NumberUS14/553,941Publication NumberTime in Patent Office553 DaysField of Search324/500, 324/512, 324/521, 324/522, 324/527, 324/528, 324/534, 324/76.77US Class Current1/1CPC Class CodesG01R 31/2853 Electrical testing of inter...G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits,...G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or...
