System and method of determining latent failures in telephone wire-pair power distribution
View Patent ↗The present invention provides a wiring degradation detector for use with telephone wire-pairs providing electric power. In one embodiment, the wiring degradation detector includes a transmission section configured to transmit load power over the telephone wire-pairs. Additionally, the wiring degradation detector also includes a test section coupled to the transmission section and configured to provide a load power test signal that determines a condition of the telephone wire-pairs. In an alternative embodiment, the wiring degradation detector further includes a degradation monitoring section coupled to the test section and configured to track values of the condition of the wiring over time.
1. A wiring degradation detector for use with telephone wire-pairs providing electric power, comprising:
a transmission section configured to transmit load power over said telephone wire-pairs via a source current conveyed by a first telephone wire-pair and a return current conveyed by a second telephone wire-pair; and
a test section coupled to said transmission section and configured to provide a load power test signal that determines a condition of said telephone wire-pairs,
wherein said first and second telephone wire pairs connect an upstream power converter to a downstream power converter.
2. The detector as recited in claim 1 wherein determining said condition provides corresponding resistance and current values for said telephone wire-pairs.
3. The detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said load power test signal provides a substantially constant load power in determining said condition of said telephone wire-pairs.
4. The detector as recited in claim 1 wherein said load power test signal provides a source perturbation in determining said condition of said telephone wire-pairs.
5. The detector as recited in claim 4 wherein said source perturbation is a departure in source current.
6. The detector as recited in claim 4 wherein said source perturbation is a departure in source voltage.
7. The detector as recited in claim 1 further comprising a degradation monitoring section coupled to said test section and configured to track values of said condition over time.
8. A method of detecting wiring degradation for use with telephone wire-pairs providing electric power, comprising:
transmitting load power from an upstream power converter to a downstream power converter over said telephone wire-pairs via a source current conveyed by a first telephone wire-pair and a return current conveyed by a second telephone wire-pair; and
providing a load power test signal that determines a condition of said telephone wire-pairs.
9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein determining said condition provides corresponding resistance and current values for said telephone wire-pairs.
10. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said load power test signal provides a substantially constant load power in determining said condition of said telephone wire-pairs.
11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said load power test signal provides a source perturbation in determining said condition of said telephone wire-pairs.
12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said source perturbation is a departure in source current.
13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said source perturbation is a departure in source voltage.
14. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising tracking values of said condition over time.
15. A power distribution system, comprising:
an upstream power converter coupled to a power source;
a wiring degradation detector coupled to said upstream power converter, including:
a transmission section that transmits load power from said upstream power converter to a downstream power converter over telephone wire-pairs via a source current conveyed by a first telephone wire-pair and a return current conveyed by a second telephone wire-pair,
a test section, coupled to said transmission section, that provides a load power test signal for determining a condition of said telephone wire-pairs, and
a degradation monitoring section, coupled to said test section, that tracks values of said condition over time;
said downstream power converter coupled to said wiring degradation detector; and
a load coupled to said downstream power converter.
16. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein determining said condition provides corresponding resistance and current values for said telephone wire-pairs.
17. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said load power test signal provides a substantially constant load power in determining said condition of said telephone wire-pairs.
18. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein said load power test signal provides a source perturbation in determining said condition of said telephone wire-pairs.
19. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said source perturbation is a departure in source current.
20. The system as recited in claim 18 wherein said source perturbation is a departure in source voltage.