Apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling detection of stray voltage anomalies
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A mobile apparatus mounted to a motor vehicle for detecting an electric field, comprising:
- at least one sensor probe, coupled to an electrically non-interfering support frame mounted to the vehicle, that generates a signal corresponding to an electric field detected by the at least one sensor probe as the sensor probe moves past a plurality of conductive objects proximate a street, wherein the at least one sensor probe comprises two or more electrodes, and wherein the two or more electrodes are each separated by a rigid insulator;
a processor, coupled to the at least one sensor probe, that digitizes the signal to form electric field data represented as a plurality of time domain samples, produces field strengths of each of the at least one sensor probes using the plurality of time domain samples, and analyzes the field strengths to identify a line frequency voltage anomaly in the electric field, wherein the electric field data is analyzed based on an expected frequency pertaining to the line frequency voltage anomaly and wherein the voltage anomaly is generated by leakage of electric power from a power grid to at least one energized object in the plurality of conductive objects proximate the street; and
an indicator, coupled to the processor, that alerts a user to a presence of the voltage anomaly in the electric field and indicates that at least one conductive object proximate the street is energized to a potentially harmful level.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for detecting stray voltage anomalies in electric fields are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for detecting an electrical field may comprise: at least one sensor probe for generating data corresponding to an electrical field detected by the at least one sensor probe, wherein the at least one sensor probe comprises at least one electrode; a processor, coupled to the at least one sensor probe, for analyzing the data to identify a voltage anomaly in the electric field; and an indicator, coupled to the processor, for alerting a user to a presence of the voltage anomaly in the electric field.
69 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A mobile apparatus mounted to a motor vehicle for detecting an electric field, comprising:
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at least one sensor probe, coupled to an electrically non-interfering support frame mounted to the vehicle, that generates a signal corresponding to an electric field detected by the at least one sensor probe as the sensor probe moves past a plurality of conductive objects proximate a street, wherein the at least one sensor probe comprises two or more electrodes, and wherein the two or more electrodes are each separated by a rigid insulator; a processor, coupled to the at least one sensor probe, that digitizes the signal to form electric field data represented as a plurality of time domain samples, produces field strengths of each of the at least one sensor probes using the plurality of time domain samples, and analyzes the field strengths to identify a line frequency voltage anomaly in the electric field, wherein the electric field data is analyzed based on an expected frequency pertaining to the line frequency voltage anomaly and wherein the voltage anomaly is generated by leakage of electric power from a power grid to at least one energized object in the plurality of conductive objects proximate the street; and an indicator, coupled to the processor, that alerts a user to a presence of the voltage anomaly in the electric field and indicates that at least one conductive object proximate the street is energized to a potentially harmful level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for detecting an electric field using a mobile apparatus mounted to a motor vehicle, comprising:
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sensing an electric field using at least one sensor probe as the sensor probe moves past a plurality of conductive objects proximate a street, coupled to an electrically non-interfering support frame mounted to the vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor probe comprises two or more electrodes, wherein the two or more electrodes are each separated by a rigid insulator; identifying a location of the at least one sensor probe; digitizing electric signals representative of the electric fields sensed by the sensor probe to create data representing the electric fields as a plurality of time domain samples, and determines field strength of the at least one sensor probe using the plurality of time domain samples; collecting data representing the electric field sensed by the at least one sensor probe; processing the collected data, wherein the digitized electric signals within the collected data are averaged commensurate with a speed at which the at least one sensor probe is moving; analyzing the collected data to identify a line frequency voltage anomaly in the electric field, wherein the voltage anomaly is generated by leakage of electric power from a power grid to an energized object; and providing an indicator to alert a user to a presence of the voltage anomaly in the electric field indicating that at least one conductive object proximate the street is energized to a potentially harmful level. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification