Appeal No. 2002-0496 Page 4
Application No. 09/182,542
propagation direction of the RF signals, and thus, the direction of the fault from the FDI.
Accordingly, the first embodiment locates the fault by specifying the distance from the
FDI to the fault and the direction along the loop from the FDI to the fault. (Id. at 5.)
The second embodiment injects an impulse signal into the URD system and
records the RF response thereto at an FDI to measure the impulse response of the
unfaulted cable. The embodiment then converts this impulse response into an
impedance transfer function. After a fault occurs, the impedance transfer function of
the faulted cable is also determined. Using the transfer function of the unfaulted cable
system and the impedance function of the cable, the embodiment generates a model
having parameters that can be adjusted to model the impedance transfer function with
the fault (either an open-circuit or a short-circuit) at any location along the cable. These
parameters are adjusted until the model matches the measured impedance transfer
function of the faulted cable. The parameters of the model then indicate the direction
and distance of the fault from the FDI. (Id.)
A further understanding of the invention can be achieved by reading the following
claim.
1. A fault locator system for an underground residential distribution
power cable system which includes a distribution loop having first and
second ends the distribution loop including sections of cable connected in
series, the junction between any two of the cable sections being coupled
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