CN102246050A

CN102246050A - System and method of detecting and locating intermittent electrical faults in electrical systems

Info

Publication number: CN102246050A
Application number: CN2009801435991A
Authority: CN
Inventors: C·J·金
Original assignee: Howard University
Current assignee: Howard University
Priority date: 2008-10-31
Filing date: 2009-10-23
Publication date: 2011-11-16
Also published as: WO2010051224A1; JP5840495B2; EP2356475A1; WO2010051221A1; EP2356475A4; JP2012507944A

Abstract

Signals are transmitted from at least one transmitter that is positioned in an electrical network. The signals that have been transmitted are received by the at least one single receiver at a single receiver positioned within the electrical network. At the single receiver, the received signals are analyzed and a determination from the analyzing the received signals is made as to whether a fault has occurred in the electrical network.

Description

Detect and locate the system and method for electrical system discontinuous electric fault

The cross reference of related application

The application is the U.S. Patent application of submitting on October 31st, 2008 the 12/262nd, No. 664 continuation application also requires its right of priority, and be the U.S. Patent application of submitting on October 31st, 2008 the 12/262nd, No. 717 part continuation application also requires its right of priority, by reference this two-part content all is incorporated herein.

Technical field

The application relates to the method that is used in electrical system or network detection and/or location electric fault.

Background technology

Intermittent electric fault is the physical event that occurs occasionally in unpredictable mode usually in electrical system or the network.When in the system intermittent defect taking place, system can produce wrong result or operation failure.Lift the concrete example that some occur in the concrete electric fault in the network, lead may with adjacent lead friction, and owing to contact produces little electric arc.In another example, clamp may pass insulation around the lead and contact wire and produce fault.In another example, lead may disconnect and the generation fault in the rear end of connector.In another example, erosion may produce interrupted noncontact between lead in giving fixed system and pin.In another example, may have on the crack on the lead of water droplet in system (perhaps lead may contact with other materials) thus produce electric fault.In having the system of electric coil, the turn-to-turn insulation of motor internal coil also may lose efficacy and produce electric fault.

The possibility of result of intermittent electric fault is serious, and in a lot of situations, may cause the substance of electrical equipment to be damaged, and may cause the injury to the user, or even cause getting killed.For example because the appearance of some electric fault may cause electrical fire.When these faults took place in aircraft, if electric fault appears near the fuel tank, fuel tank may be blasted.Even catastrophic damage or injury do not take place, because the generation of intermittent electric fault, the mission life of machine or system also can reduce.A feature of intermittent defect is that they are at random and unpredictable.Their recurrence also is unpredictable.Yet, be not repaired if intermittent defect is undiscovered, big, catastrophic and lasting fault may then take place, it may cause death, failure or destruction.

Depended on the visual or auxiliary inspection of instrument in the trial of identification aspect the electric fault in the past to electrical system.Yet there are various shortcomings in the method before these.For example, the operation of Break-Up System to be determining whether to exist fault continually, thereby causes such as the network operator of system or the variety of issues such as loss of owner's income.And a lot of positions often are difficult to touch and/or observe in existing system, thereby have seriously limited the effect of these methods.What confirm: all do not take place as because the duration of fault is short usually and system can act normally after this of short duration intermittent defect incident, so the method before these can not detect fault under a lot of situations.Therefore, the observer relatively easily misses the generation of fault.In addition, these methods depend on the intrusive mood of the equipment of frequent use usually and place, and it causes the destruction to a certain degree to existing system to I haven't seen you for ages.

Method before other depends on the transmission electromagnetic wave and passes through the network that is observed.In the example before one, in network, send pulse and all reflections are analyzed, to determine whether to exist fault.More clearly, incident standing wave or pulse are sent out then in network and are reflected, and calculate the time between the pulse of incident pulse and reflection then, to be determined to the distance of the position that pulse is reflected.Use different standards to determine whether this reflection is potential fault then.A problem of this technology be to be reflected into ejected wave and any change (for example, the branch in network) of conductor material the fault that leads to errors is determined.Another problem of this technology is that it need send high voltage pulse, and this can not stand for some electrical system with fine rule circle (for example, having short lead or thin winding (thin windings)).Another kind of otdr measurement method adopts spread spectrum, but owing to still need to send high voltage pulse and still can reflect in the branch of electrical network, thus this method can not address the above problem,

Method before another kind of sends the direct sequence spread spectrum modulation signal and replaces high-voltage signal, and adopts signal processing technology to attempt finding and the location electric fault.Yet these methods still depend on reflection measurement, that is, send incoming signal and time of receiving reflected signal and measuring them with computed range.As a result, although this method may overcome the needs that use the pulse of high voltage incident voltage in some cases, it still has the problem of all take-off points generation reflections in network and connection device.

Another problem of reflection measurement method is that the position of equipment must be near an end of electrical system, perhaps line end or source end.Otherwise the signal of injection may be reflected from two ends, and that cause mixing, distortion and signal reflection.Because many electrical networks are connected (usually in netted structure) in the complicated form, so be difficult to satisfy these needs at any end place apparatus.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 comprises the block diagram of determining system according to the fault of various embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 2 comprises and determines the example of the byte figure that uses in the system according to various embodiments of the present invention in fault;

Fig. 3 comprises that block diagram and fault that the illustration according to various embodiments of the present invention is used for a kind of method that fault determines determine form;

Fig. 4 comprises the block diagram of determining device according to the fault of various embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 5 comprises the process flow diagram according to a kind of method that is used for definite fault of various embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 6 comprises the process flow diagram according to a kind of method that is used for definite fault of various embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 7 comprises block diagram and the process flow diagram according to a kind of method that is used for definite electric fault of various embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 8 comprises according to the transmitter of various embodiments of the present invention and the block diagram of receiver; And

Fig. 9 comprises according to the transmitter of various embodiments of the present invention or the block diagram of receiver.

Those skilled in the art will be understood that in the drawings the element that shows is in order to simplify and to know and needn't proportionally describe.For example, some size of component among the figure and/or relative position may be exaggerated to help to promote the understanding to the various embodiments of the present invention with respect to other elements.And, in order to promote more clearly to observe these various embodiments of the present invention, do not describe usually in the commercial embodiment useful and essential usually but known elements.Though it will also be appreciated that with specific appearance and describe in proper order or describe some action and/or step, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that in fact need be at this species specificity of order.Also it should be understood that term used herein and express to have common implication, consistent with their investigation and implications of the corresponding term of research field and expression separately, unless proposed other specific implication at this.

Embodiment

The existence of detection failure in electrical network and the method for position are provided.This method utilizes one or more transmitter to come (for example to send signal to a receiver, packets of information), signal that is sending and not matching between the signal that receiver receives that the distortion in the signal transmission that causes based on the transition owing to intermittent defect causes are determined the existence and/or the position of electric fault.Method described herein be easy to use and cost low, do not rely on the transmission of high voltage signal, can be installed in any position in the electrical network, be the effective detection solution that is used to appear at the unpredictable intermittent defect incident between transmitter and the receiver, and the influence of the fault that is not subject to obtain in former method indication.

In a lot of these embodiments, send signal from a plurality of transmitters that are arranged in electrical network.The single receiver that the signal that sends from transmitter is positioned in the electrical network receives.At single receiver place, the signal that analyze to receive also determines whether break down between transmitter in electrical network and the receiver according to analysis to received signal.Also can determine location of fault.

In some embodiments, insertion suspends the duration at random between the signal that sends in succession.Each transmitter in a plurality of transmitters has relevant unique bit combination of discerning transmitter uniquely, and this unique bit combination is included in the signal that is sent to receiver.The bit combination that the receiver analysis receives is also compared this bit combination with the bit combination (bit combination that expectation receives from transmitter) of expectation, and when not mating, determine that electric fault is present in the electrical network part between transmitter and the receiver.Also can analyze to determine the position of electric fault based on this.

In other example, each transmitter in a plurality of transmitters receives the command signal from single receiver.Only when receiving command signal as the transmitter that is selected, each transmitter just sends signal to single receiver.Show in response to not matching of any message of the reception of the information that command signal sent from the integral body disappearance of the expectation message of transmitter or (comparing) and to have open circuit or incipient fault with expectation value.

Referring now to Fig. 1, Fig. 1 has described an example that is used for determining and detecting at electrical network 100 method of electric fault.Electric interconnection trunk 102 is couple to transmitter 104,106,108,110,112,114 and 116 by electrical branch 120,122,124,126,128 and 130 respectively.Electric interconnection trunk 102 also is connected to receiver 118.Electric interconnection trunk 102 can be being electrically connected of any kind of any voltage levvl or any current type (for example, direct current or interchange).For example, trunk 102 can comprise two circuits (for example, a ground connection, and another circuit transmission DC electric current and voltage).Other examples of trunk configuration and the electric wiring of any amount also can electrical power distribution.In one example, the power supply that has about 100vRMS (or 28V DC) voltage by the finger assignments of trunk 102 and network 100.

Transmitter 104,106,108,110,112,114 and 116 is to send the modulated signal of communication (information that comprises any kind) of any kinds and not endanger the device of any kind of the electric power transmitting function of electrical network 102 by circuit 102.For example; transmitter 104,106,108,110,112,114 and 116 can comprise the controller that is used to form packets of information or message, be used for by modulation with this message conversion be appropriate signal (for example; have suitable level) modulator-demodular unit to send, and provide filtering and defencive function arbitrary transmitter to be connected to the coupling network of electric interconnection trunk 102.As mentioned above, transmitter 104,106,108,110,112,114 and 116 can be operated concurrent carry information bag or message at any level that is suitable for electric interconnection trunk 102.

Receiver 118 is any devices that can receive the signal of communication of modulation by electric interconnection trunk 102 arbitrary transmitter from transmitter 104,106,108,110,112,114 and 116.The same with transmitter 104,106,108,110,112,114 and 116, receiver 118 can comprise controller, modulator-demodular unit and coupling network.As mentioned above, coupling network makes the High-Voltage Insulation of receiver or transmitter and electrical network by filter function, thereby makes receiver or transmitter avoid the injury of electric interconnection trunk 102, sends and receive simultaneously the signal of modulation effectively.The digital signal that modulator-demodular unit modulation in transmitter is formed by controller, and the signal of being modulated is sent to electrical network by coupling network.Modulator-demodular unit in receiver receives the modulation signal that sends from transmitter by coupling network, this signal is demodulated into the numeric word section format, and numerical data is sent to its controller.The error in data of receiver controller processing signals or the possible position that does not match and determine whether to detect fault or detect the possibility and/or the fault of fault.From handle, can determine various error rates.

Receiver 118 communicates by port one 32 and port one 32 is coupled to external unit 134.External unit 134 can be that PC, display, acoustical generator maybe can remind the user to detect the equipment of any other type of fault somewhere in network 100.Also can show location of fault and at the message error rate of this position calculation, to give the order of severity (possibility) or the state of the progress that is out of order.In the method for alternative, do not match and mistake when occurring external unit 134 but not receiver 118 can provide some or all fault to determine processing power when receiver 118 being restricted to only provide.

In an example of the system operation of Fig. 1, transmitter 104,106,108,110,112,114 and 116 sends message to receiver 118.Receiver 118 is analyzed the message of its receptions and is determined whether to exist possibility that fault, fault exist and/or fault possible (or determining) position (for example, in the specific branch 120,122,124,126,128 or 130 of network 100) based on analysis result.Will be understood that,, in network 100, can use the receiver of any amount although in the example of Fig. 1, only show single receiver.In addition, in network 100, can adopt the transmitter of any amount.

In case the mistake of detecting and/or determined its position can adopt remedial measures.For example, the potential site that the user can access errors, whether problem identificatioin exists, if existing problems are then remedied this problem (for example, restringing).

Referring now to Fig. 2, an example of the message format of the message that sends according to method described herein has been described.Message or packets of information 200 comprise lead byte 202, receiver information byte 204, transmitter information byte 206 and 4 to m message byte 208, and wherein m is the integer greater than 4.In one approach, intrasystem each transmitter (for example, transmitter 106,108,110,112,114 or 116 among Fig. 1) (for example has for receiver, the receiver 118 of Fig. 1) be known, discern unique identity message byte (for example, some binary ones and 0 unique pattern) of transmitter uniquely.All information in message or the packets of information 200 are included in the data stream that sends to receiver.

In order to detect mistake or fault, in one approach, receiver will compare from transmitter data that receive and the pre-assigned data relevant for each transmitter of having stored.Under the situation of mismatch between data that receive and the desired data, may detect fault.Do not receive the message of expectation or the packets of information from the transmitter transmission of expectation at the receiver place, can indicate the existence of the fault of the open circuit form in network yet.

In order to transmit by network, can make ins all sorts of ways guarantees the integrality (for example, guaranteeing that the signal that sent by a plurality of transmitters can the phase mutual interference) of signal.In the method for arbitrary use, the modulator-demodular unit of each transmitter is by " carrier wave detection " method monitoring wire, described " carrier wave detection " method detects whether there is any modulation signal on the line, and waits for up to not having signal just to send its signal on the line.Therefore, at any one time, only allow a transmitter to send signal.In one approach, a plurality of transmitters issue feed signals in the situation that does not have receiver control.In order to ensure the integrality of signal, after each signal sends, insert and suspend the duration at random.Each transmitter has equal chance and sends signal to receiver, therefore, monitors each circuit pack (for example, each branch of network) with identical priority, and compares with any other electrical branch, has to detect wrong identical chance.

In the another kind of method that can be used for realizing signal arbitration, the transmitter that only allows to be received the device appointment sends signal.In other words, receiver is these single main many main frames from agreement.Receiver sends message or packets of information (for example, order) to transmitter, for example, and the message of Fig. 2.After transmitter receives message or packets of information from receiver, duplicate this message and it is sent it back receiver.Relatively the message that receives at receiver determines whether there is mistake in signal with the message of transmission, and itself and then indication fault are present in the circuit pack between receiver and the quilt transmitter that instructs.In certain methods and as described in other places of this paper, if receiver does not receive return messages (for example, within the time of predetermined quantity), then detect mistake, indication may exist and open circuit, open a way.

Referring now to Fig. 3, Fig. 3 has described and has used these methods to detect a mistake in the network 300 or an example of fault.In this example, electric trunk 302 is couple to transmitter 304,306 and 308 and receiver 310.Network 300 is divided into part S1, S2 and S3 and the Br1 of branch, Br2 and Br3.

Form 312 is stored in the storer of receiver and is used for determining a possible position or a plurality of position in the electric fault of network 300.For example, use technology described herein, determine whether specific mistake is present in the branch relevant with specific transmitter.For example, not from the mismatch of transmitter 306 and 308, there is fault and have to indicate in the Br1 of branch from the mismatch of the desired data of transmitter 304 and expected data.

Give some instances, and utilize form 312,, then in network, do not have fault if do not determine mistake for transmitter 304,306 and 308.In another example, if do not detect mistake at transmitter 304 and 308 places, but detect the mistake at transmitter 306 places, then fault may be present among part S2 and/or Br2 of branch and the Br3.Will be appreciated that form 312 can be the data structure of any kind and also be not limited to form shown in Figure 3.And, may depend on the accurate configuration of the position of transmitter and receiver and network or other environment in the example shown in the form 312 and change.

Referring now to Fig. 4, Fig. 4 has described an example of transmitter or receiver 400.Device 400 can be configured to operate as transmitter or receiver, and comprise controller 402, modulator-demodular unit 404, couple network 406 and storer 408.

If use as transmitter, then controller 402 can form message (for example, packets of information), with it by modulator-demodular unit 404 with couple network 406 and send to receiver.Modulator-demodular unit 404 forms signal according to suitable level or agreement; and couple network 406 suitable buffering and/or filter capacity is provided; its protection modulator-demodular unit 404 and controller 402 do not appeared on the trunk electrical hazard (for example; the superpotential situation) infringement, and effectively modulation signal is injected into trunk simultaneously.

If use as receiver, then couple network 406 only to modulation signal filtering, and modulator-demodular unit 404 be demodulated into signal numerical data and send it to controller 402 from trunk.As receiver, equipment 400 can be stored in storer 408 as the above form of describing at Fig. 3.Controller 402 then can execution analysis, to determine possible a position or a plurality of position of fault in particular network.In addition, controller 402 can be couple to port, this port and external device communication are with existing and possible position to user's indication fault.In addition, can and/or couple network 406 with controller 402, modulator-demodular unit 404 and be couple to external power source.

Referring now to Fig. 5, Fig. 5 has described an example that transmits arbitration agreement.In step 502, send message or packets of information from transmitter.For example, message can be form shown in Figure 2.In step 504, after sending message, after message, insert and suspend the duration at random.Then, send identical message once more, and continue this processing, and lift an example, receiver compares the message that receives with the message of expectation, and if existence do not match, then determine to exist fault.When existence did not match, potential fault may be present in the part of the network relevant with the transmitter that sends message.

Referring now to Fig. 6, Fig. 6 has described another example that transmits arbitration agreement.In step 602, transmitter is waited for the message that receives from receiver.In step 604, after receiving message, transmitter should same message be responded back receiver.Then, it waits for another order from receiver.Simultaneously, if receiver (for example never receives the message responded back, waiting for after the predetermined periods) or the message that turns back to receiver be in error condition (as will be) by relatively receiving message and expectation message be indicated, then there is fault (comprising open circuit) in indication.

Referring now to Fig. 7, Fig. 7 has described another example of the method that is used for definite fault.As shown in Figure 7, by coupling network and modulator-demodular unit 761, packets of information 701 (having preset value) is sent to the controller 703 of receiver from transmitter 702,704 and 705, and read by the communication port 736 of controller 703.

Packets of information 701 comprises that for example lead byte 732, transmitter identification byte 733, packets of information are numbered byte 734 and n subsequently data byte 735 (D1 is to Dn).N can be arbitrary round values.In one example, therefore n=24, uses the data of 24 bytes.Data transfer rate or bit rate can be for being fit to any speed or any modulation scheme of modulator-demodular unit.In some examples, use of frequency shift keying (the FSK:Frequency Shift Keying) modulation of a 2400bps power lead modulator-demodular unit so that about 130kHz to be provided.Yet, can use some other data bit with other bit rate and other modulation scheme.In some examples, the longer packets of information with modulation scheme of slower bit rate can have the chance that more intermittent defect detects than the shorter packets of information of another modulation scheme with faster bit rate.

The controller 703 of receiver after having detected back lead byte 732 with identification byte 733, then reads remaining byte (step 760) one at a time and stores packets of information into internal storage space 741.At another part of storer 741, packets of information 701 is stored as packets of information 742 and is used for and (previously stored) packets of information 743 of expecting compares.The packets of information 743 of expectation comprises the expectation value of the information of packets of information 742.The packet info that is stored in the storer can compare with each transmitter.

Controller 703 reads canned

data bag

742 and 743 in step 762, and between packets of

information

742 and 743 the bit-by-bit ground preset value of all n data bytes and n data byte relatively.First to analyze be to judge which transmitter sends packets of information, will store and be associated with transmitter at the analysis subsequently of packets of information mismatch.If two packets of information are identical, then at the error-free result of this transmitter record.Then, for example,, carry out fault detect and position judgment and show 753 or upload to the computing machine 755 of upper level by definite form of Fig. 3.Then, read next packets of information that sends from transmitter in step 762.

In step 764, can storage errors details (sign that comprises the transmitter that sends packets of information).In step 766, determined whether to receive the packets of information of sufficient amount, to determine whether and provide alarm to the user.If the answer is in the negative in step 766, then control turns back to step 760.If answer is yes, then continue to carry out step 768, in step 768, compare with threshold value 770.If the quantity of wrong packets of information surpasses threshold value, then form result 772, and as the fault (for example, " 1 ") of the specific transmitter in Fig. 3 form or the result of non-fault (for example, " 0 ").Use (being stored in the storer) form to do definite last judgement of being out of order, and send it to port 750 (being used for showing on the acoustical generator 751), communication port 752 (being used for showing on the display device 753) and/or port 754 (being used on personal computer 755, showing) one or more.Type according to showing can form graph image it is presented on some or all mentioned external unit.

As described herein, can between the packets of information that is transmitted, insert time-out.In one example, in the system of the microcontroller that uses 8 bits and 20MHz speed, the time-out between two continuous packets of information is approximately 100 milliseconds.Select time out so that there is time enough to handle.For example, can select to suspend the duration determines processing and allows error message is sent to external unit (for example, acoustical generator 751, display 753 and/or personal computer 755) to allow finishing fault.Suspending the duration also can comprise the time that allows to carry out at the processing of the packets of information (for example, 1000 packets of information) of giving determined number.

(for example, " 0 " threshold value of) error rate can be arbitrary predetermined value, perhaps alternatively, is determining after the operational system under the state of new electric wiring for indication fault (for example, " 1 ") or non-fault.In addition, can use this error rate by with reality/normal operating conditions and actual intermittent defect state during error rate relatively come automatically to determine threshold value.Before the configuration said method, can under planned intermittent defect condition, (it sets fault or non-fault boundary threshold) carry out test run, thereby when having increased detection probability, reduce false alarm and disturbed reading.

Can determine various error rates.For example, the error of the first kind type that can calculate is network information packet error rate (NPER:Net Packet Error Rate), and it is the packets of information shared number percent in the sum of the packets of information that is received that comprises mistake.In the situation of NPER, ignore in the identification byte owing to wrong packets of information of losing.

Alternatively, can calculate total information packet error rate (TPER:Total Packet Error Rate).This ratio is the shared number percent in the sum of the packets of information that sends of the quantity with wrong packets of information that receives.

In another example, can computational grid byte error rate (NBER:Net Byte Error Rate).NBER is the shared number percent in the wrong packets of information that do not have that the quantity of the packets of information that only has 1 the data byte error that is caused by 1 or 2 bit mistake in byte of reception is receiving.Be different from NPER or TPER, NBER concentrates on very short interruption.The very short in time interruption that comes from intermittent defect can cause the bit in byte data or the mistake of dibit, and can not run through whole data byte.

The confirmable error rate of another alternative is total byte error rate (TBER:Total Byte Error Rate), and it is quantity shared number percent in the quantity of the total packets of information that sends of the packets of information with 1 the data byte error that is caused by 1 or 2 bit mistake in the byte of reception.TBER ignores any interruption of long enough to lead to errors in a plurality of data bytes.This ratio does not comprise or considers and may be interrupted by the length that normal blocked operation causes, can reduce the quantity of false alarm like this.

Referring now to Fig. 8, receiver 801 receives the packets of information that is sent by transmitter 802 by electric wiring 810 and 811.If electric wiring carrying DC current, then a circuit in the

circuit

810 or 811 can be a ground wire.In the example of Fig. 8, receiver 801 and transmitter 802 all have the identical functions structure and comprise power lead modulator-

demodular unit

802 or 804 and controller 803 or 805.Receiver 801 comprises extra interface output terminal or port 812,813 and 814.Output terminal 813 is connected to indicator/acoustical generator 807, when detecting intermittent defect, to send alarm.This can be the form of light (for example, light emitting diode (LED)) of flicker and/or the indication that can hear.Port 813 is used for going up use text or graphic presentation alarm situations at display 806 (for example, LCD (LCD)).Output terminal 814 is further used for by communication port 808 alarm situations being sent to computer system 820, to show on computer screen or the alarm situations data are further analyzed.Can show mistake and the error rate that this paper discusses according to arbitrary display packing that this paper discusses.

Transmitter 802 comprises power lead modulator-demodular unit 804 and controller 805.Controller 805 is microcontroller or the microprocessors that comprise Accounting Legend Code, control figure logic and send the byte of numerical data (for example, packets of information).Accounting Legend Code is managed the quantity of the packets of information that sends and how long is sent the primary information bag.

Referring now to Fig. 9, Fig. 9 has described an example of transmitter 900.Power lead modulator-demodular unit 921 in transmitter 900 receives the digital data stream that slave controller 903 serials send, with digital data conversion is simulated data, and (wherein with FSK (frequency shift keying) scheme modulation simulated data, Digital Logic 1 is encoded to the simulating signal of characteristic frequency, and Digital Logic 0 is encoded to the simulating signal of another frequency).Amplify modulation signal by amplifier 922, and send it to

electric wiring

910 and 911 by coupler 923, wherein, coupler sends modulation signal and the outer every other signal of stop band.

Modulator-demodular unit 921 can be the modem chip of arbitrary commercialization.Modulator-demodular unit 921 can comprise wave filter, and its frequency band is only by employed frequency band in the specific FSK scheme that is adopted.Modulator-demodular unit 921 has four and controller 903 control of communication and data telecommunication line.These controls and data telecommunication line comprise the RX control 930 that is used for the control figure Data Receiving, be used for TX control 931 that the control figure data transmit, be used for detecting (CD) control 932 and being used to indicate whether to receive data-signal and the RX/TX that will send controls 933 to the carrier wave whether and when controller 903 indication modulator-demodular units 922 receive modulation signal from electric wiring.

Automatically amplify from modulator-demodular unit 921 automatic transmission modulation signals and by amplifier circuit 922.Then the modulation signal that amplifies is and passs electric wiring by coupler 923, this coupler by this frequency band signal and stop every other signal.In one example, coupler 923 is the transformer coils (transformer coil) 924 with filter capacitor 925 and 926.In one approach, the structure of receiver identical with the structure of transmitter 900 (or with have with the receiver of the port of external device communication much at one).

Can use various transportation protocols.For example, can send the byte of any data, send data with indicator-transmitter from receiver.

Packets of information with byte of various data can be sent to receiver.For example, can comprise lead byte.Send next byte with identification transmitter and receiver.Give an example, if the identification byte is the default data value such as data byte 10110011, then whether the identification byte of receiver inspection reception is 10110011.If the identification byte that is received is identical with default data, receiver prepares to receive data stream subsequently at once so.Can be with one or more byte as identifying purpose.

As mentioned above, in one example, comprise that the data byte group of leading, identification and real data forms packets of information.In one approach, send a packets of information from transmitter, and carry out the reception of this identical packets of information by receiver.In one approach, transmitter repeatedly sends an identical packets of information, has time-out between two packets of information, up to for example having sent the packets of information (for example, 956 packets of information) of setting quantity.Then, continue to transmit packets of information.Under the intermittent defect state, lead byte can be to lose because of noise, perhaps discerning byte may be contaminated, so because this packets of information is interpreted as not planning to send to this receiver, so this receiver is ignored the packets of information that has contaminated identification byte.In this case, lose a packets of information and have the packets of information mistake.

Therefore, the existence of detection failure in existing electrical network and the method for position are provided.These methods utilize one or more transmitter that signal (for example, packets of information) is sent to one or more receiver, and determine the existence and the position of electric fault based on the signal that receives at the receiver place.Method described herein be easy to use and cost low, do not rely on the transmission of high voltage signal, can be embodied in the electrical system Anywhere, and be not vulnerable to the influence of the error result that obtained in the former method.

Though by its concrete embodiment be applied in this and disclose the present invention, without departing from the present invention, those skilled in the art can carry out various modifications and change to it.

Claims

1. method of determining intermittent electric fault, described method comprises:

Send signal from a plurality of transmitters that are arranged in electrical network;

At the signal of the single receiver place reception that is arranged in described electrical network by each transmitter transmission of described a plurality of transmitters; And

At described single receiver place, analyze the signal and the basis that are received the analysis of the described signal that receives is determined whether fault has taken place in described electrical network.

2. method according to claim 1 wherein, sends to insert between the signal that described signal is included in continuous transmission and suspends the duration at random.

3. method according to claim 2, wherein, each transmitter in described a plurality of transmitter has relevant unique bit combination of the described transmitter of unique identification, wherein, described unique bit combination is included in the signal that sends to described receiver.

4. method according to claim 3, wherein, the bit combination that described receiver analysis is received, and the bit combination of described bit combination and expectation compared, when not mating, determine to exist electric fault.

5. method according to claim 4, described method also comprise the position of determining described electric fault based on described analysis.

6. method according to claim 1, wherein, send described signal and be included in the command signal of selected transmitter place reception from described single receiver, and and if only if described selected transmitter place when receiving described command signal, just sends to described single receiver with described signal from each described selected transmitter.

7. a fault is determined system, and described system comprises:

A plurality of transmitters are to send the described electrical network that signal passes through to small part with each transmitter configuration in described a plurality of transmitters; And

Single receiver, described single receiver is couple to described a plurality of transmitter in the mode that can communicate by letter, described single receiver is configured to receive the signal that is sent by each transmitter in described a plurality of transmitters and analyze the signal that is received, and determines fault when occurred in described electrical network by analyzing the described signal that receives.

8. system according to claim 7 wherein, is the time-out duration of inserting between the signal that sends continuously at random with each transmitter configuration in described a plurality of transmitters.

9. system according to claim 8, wherein, each transmitter in described a plurality of transmitters has unique bit combination of each transmitter of identification, and described unique bit combination is included in the signal that sends to described single receiver.

10. system according to claim 9, wherein, described single receiver is configured to analyze the described bit that receives and between the bit of described bit that receives and expectation, carries out comparison, when between the bit of described bit that receives and described expectation, not having coupling, determine to exist fault.

11. system according to claim 10 wherein, is configured to described single receiver relatively to come to determine described location of fault based on described between the bit of described bit that receives and described expectation.

12. system according to claim 7 wherein, is to receive command signal from described single receiver with each transmitter configuration in described a plurality of transmitters, and only after receiving described command signal, just sends signal to described single receiver.

13. system according to claim 7, described system also comprises the external unit that is couple to described single receiver.

14. described external unit wherein, is selected by system according to claim 13 from the group of being made of acoustical generator, display and computing equipment.