Transmitter for emitting reference signal to distinguish false signals in cable locating

• US 9,804,287 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Mercer, John E., Chau, Albert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATIDAR, JAY M
• Application Number:
  US15/130,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20160231447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 324326-329
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/12 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/165 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by the object or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/17
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/17 operating with electromagnetic waves operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005

Abstract

A transmitter is part of a cable locating system for use in a region which contains at least first and second in-ground cables, each of which cables includes an electrically conductive component such that, when the first cable is driven at a locating signal frequency to emit a locating signal in an electromagnetic form, the locating signal is coupled to the second cable in a way which causes the second cable to generate a false locating signal in electromagnetic form. The transmitter generates the locating signal frequency for coupling onto the first cable and for transmitting a reference signal, which includes the locating signal frequency such that the reference signal includes a modulation envelope for comparison of the modulation envelope to the locating signal and to the false locating signal at a receiving location to distinguish the locating signal from the false locating signal.

Claims

1. A transmitter as part of a cable locating system for use in a region which contains at least first and second in-ground cables, each of which cables includes an electrically conductive component such that, when the first cable is driven at a locating signal frequency to emit a locating signal in an electromagnetic form, the locating signal is coupled to the second cable in a way which causes the second cable to generate a false locating signal in electromagnetic form, said transmitter comprising:

an apparatus for generating said locating signal frequency for coupling onto the first cable and for transmitting a reference signal, which includes said locating signal frequency modulated thereon such that the reference signal includes a modulation envelope for comparison of the modulation envelope to the locating signal and to the false locating signal at a receiving location to distinguish the locating signal from the false locating signal.

2. The transmitter of claim 1 further comprising:

a coupler at least for coupling the locating signal frequency to the first cable such that the locating signal is subject to a coupling phase shift; and

a phase shifter for phase shifting the locating signal frequency to at least approximately match the phase of the locating signal at least to compensate for the coupling phase shift.

3. The transmitter of claim 2 wherein said coupler is configured to transmit the reference signal by coupling the reference signal onto the first cable.

4. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein said locating signal frequency, as modulated on the reference signal, is at least approximately in a fixed phase relationship with said locating signal for distinguishing between the locating signal and the false locating signal based, at least in part, on said fixed phase relationship.

5. The transmitter of claim 4 wherein said locating signal is driven onto the first cable using inductive coupling and wherein said fixed phase relationship is at least approximately 90 degrees.

6. The transmitter of claim 4 wherein said fixed phase relationship is of a known magnitude and phase angle in relationship to said locating signal frequency.

7. The transmitter of claim 4 configured for driving the locating signal onto said first cable in a given way which establishes the fixed phase relationship.

8. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the reference signal includes a carrier frequency that is modulated by said locating signal frequency.

9. The transmitter of claim 8 wherein a ratio of the carrier frequency to the locating signal frequency is at least 5.

10. The transmitter of claim 8 wherein the carrier frequency is higher than the locating signal frequency.

11. The transmitter of claim 8 wherein the carrier frequency is amplitude modulated by the locating signal frequency such that the reference signal is amplitude modulated.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said modulation envelope of the reference signal corresponds to the locating signal frequency.

13. The transmitter of claim 8 wherein the locating signal frequency is in a range from approximately 1 Hz to 80 KHz and the carrier frequency is in a range from approximately 10 Hz to 300 KHz.

14. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein a phase shift between the locating signal and the false locating signal is in quadrature.

15. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the locating signal is electromagnetically coupled from the first cable to the second cable to cause the second cable to emit the false locating signal.

16. The transmitter of claim 1 including a telemetry arrangement forming part of the transmitter for sending the reference signal from the transmitter to the receiver.

17. The transmitter of claim 16 wherein said telemetry arrangement modulates an RF carrier with said reference signal and transmits the modulated RF carrier above ground for reception by said for demodulation by the receiver to recover the reference signal.

18. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the transmitter is configured to couple the reference signal onto the first cable along with the locating signal frequency.