Method and apparatus for tracing a line
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus includes a signal generator, a power supply, a micro-controller a transmitter and a receiver for determining the condition of a line. The signal is passed through the line and any reflection is used to determine varying characteristics of the line.
1. An apparatus for tracing a line, comprising:
a directional coupler;
a signal generator connected to the directional coupler, the signal generator produces a signal that is transmitted along the line by the directional coupler;
a micro-controller linked to the directional coupler and the signal generator, the micro-controller determines whether the line is energized, the impedance of the line and the condition of the line;
a ground fault circuit linked to the micro-controller;
wherein if the micro-controller determines that the line is energized, the ground fault circuit is activated; and
an output linked to the micro-controller.
2. The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the condition of the line is determined by a reflected signal captured by the direction coupler.
3. The apparatus as in claim 1 , further comprising a power supply linked to the micro-controller.
4. The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the voltage of the line is determined.
5. The apparatus as in claim 4 , wherein the voltage determined is in the range of 9 volts to 600 volts.
6. The apparatus as in claim 1 , wherein the micro-controller creates an impedance mismatch in order to create a reflected signal.
7. The apparatus as in claim 2 , wherein the condition of the line is determined by the micro-controller analyzing the reflected signal captured by the directional coupler.
8. The apparatus as in claim 7 , wherein the condition of the line is determined to be an open wire.
9. The apparatus as in claim 7 , wherein the condition of the line is determined by determining the voltage wave standing ratio.
10. The apparatus as in claim 7 , wherein the condition of the line is determined to be a shorted wire.
11. The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the reflected signal is inverted.
12. The apparatus as in claim 9 , wherein the condition of the line is determined to be a terminated line.
13. A method for tracing a line, comprising:
determining if the line is energized;
if the line is energized, activating a ground fault circuit;
creating an impedance mismatch in the line;
transmitting a signal through the line;
if there is a reflected signal, capturing the reflected signal;
analyzing the reflected signal; and
determining the condition of the line.
14. The method as in claim 13 , wherein a short wire condition is determined by the reflected signal that is an inversion of the signal.
15. The method as in claim 13 , wherein an open wire condition is determined by the reflected signal is that is not an inversion of the signal.
16. The method as in claim 13 , further comprising determining the voltage of the line.
17. The method as in claim 16 , wherein the voltage detected is in the range of 9 volts to 600 volts.
18. The method as in claim 16 , wherein the impedance mismatch is created by creating the reflected signal.
19. The method as in claim 18 , wherein the impedance is adjusted by analyzing the strength of the signal.
20. The method as in claim 13 , wherein the condition of the line is determined by determining the voltage wave standing ratio.
21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising comparing the signal to the reflected signal.
22. The method of claim 21 , continuously transmitting a signal until the comparison is within a specified range.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the range is an error range of plus or minus five percent.
24. The method of claim 21 , further comprising amplifying and filtering the reflected signal prior to comparing.
25. An apparatus for tracing a line, comprising:
means for determining if the line is energized;
means for electrically grounding the apparatus in response to an energized line;
means for creating an impedance mismatch in the line;
means for transmitting a signal through the line;
means for capturing the reflected signal;
means for analyzing the reflected signal; and
means for determining the condition of the line based upon the reflected signal.
26. The apparatus as in claim 25 , wherein the condition of the line is determined by determining the voltage wave standing ratio.
27. The apparatus as in claim 25 , wherein a short wire condition is determined by the reflected signal that is an inversion of the signal.
28. The apparatus as in claim 25 , further comprising means for determining the voltage of the line.
29. The apparatus as in claim 28 , wherein the voltage detected is in the range of 9 volts to 600 volts.
30. The apparatus as in claim 28 , wherein the impedance mismatch is created by creating the reflected signal.
31. The apparatus as in claim 30 , wherein the impedance is adjusted by analyzing the strength of the signal.
32. The apparatus as in claim 25 , wherein an open wire condition is determined by the reflected signal is that is not an inversion of the signal.
33. The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising means for comparing the signal to the reflected signal.
34. The apparatus of claim 33 , continuously transmitting a signal until the comparison is within a specified range.
35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the range is an error range of plus or minus five percent.
36. The apparatus of claim 33 , further comprising means for amplifying and filtering the reflected signal prior to comparing.