# US 10,848,139 B2 · Method and apparatus for predicting failures in direct current circuits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,848,139 B2 - Document ID: US10848139B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/461,091 - Filed: 2017-11-16 - Published: 2020-02-20 - Granted: 2020-11-24 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-16 - Assignees: SmartKable, LLC - Applicants: Smartkable LLC - Inventors: Douglas S. Hirsh; Michael Muehlemann; Radovan Hrinda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10848139B2 ## CPC - G01R 29/02: Measuring characteristics of individual pulses, e.g. deviation from pulse flatness, rise time or duration - H03K 5/1536: Zero-crossing detectors (in measuring circuits G01R19/175) - G01R 31/2837: {Characterising or performance testing, e.g. of frequency response (transient response G01R27/28)} - G01R 31/66: Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints (testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55) - G05B 23/0283: {Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] (preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06)} - G01R 31/003: {Environmental or reliability tests (of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of PCB's G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855; of other circuits G01R31/2849)} - G01R 31/2849: {Environmental or reliability testing, e.g. burn-in or validation tests (of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of printed circuits boards G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855)} - G01R 31/2858: {Measuring of material aspects, e.g. electro-migration [EM], hot carrier injection} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A method of monitoring the condition of a circuit comprises establishing a known baseline signal for a type of circuit (each is somewhat different) and defining these characteristics in terms of the lead and trailing edge angular components (@ zero crossing point), the voltage (amplitude), and the period (time length) of the waveform. Ideally, the angular component of the square wave should be vertical, or at 90 degrees to x-axis. The baseline non-regular square wave that is composed of current, voltage, any harmonic thereof, or the combination of these signals which best indicate predictive measurement attributed to the type of circuit being monitored. Future wave forms indicate the rate of decay based upon the aggregated angular, amplitude, and period components of the zero-crossing points when compared to the baseline signal and/or prior waveform of the observed specific splice. The rate of decay can help determine the life expectancy of the circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of predicting a life cycle of a DC circuit comprising: a) generating a DC pulse train for a DC circuit, the DC circuit identified to have a life cycle thereof predicted; b) establishing a baseline for the DC circuit in terms of amplitude ratio distortions, period ratio fluctuations, duration ratio variations characteristics at a zero crossing point of the generated DC pulse train; c) monitoring and determining the corresponding ratios of the DC circuit used in step (a), in a zero point crossing region for the DC circuit that has been in service; and d) comparing corresponding ratios of step (a) and step (b) to establish a decay rate analytic curve so that decay rate analytics can be used to establish end of life expectancy and predict estimated time to failure for the DC circuit being monitored. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, such that the DC circuit is stand alone or part of a network of DC circuits within a system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein for step (d), the decay rate analytic curve indicates a degradation rate of the DC circuit under analysis, and life expectancy of the DC circuit before failure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein data obtained from step (c) can be utilized to troubleshoot a DC circuit after complete failure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An apparatus adapted for practicing the method of claim 1 comprising a) DC power source, if required, to generate required power; b) a pulse generator to generate a pulse train; c) a pulse invertor to generate a negative pulse train; d) a central processing unit to generate a pulse wave specific to the DC circuit being monitored; e) a memory module for storing pulse waves until the pulse waves are transmitted back to the central processing unit; and f) means for determining ratios and generating an algorithm to produce a decay rate analytical curve, the decay rate analytical curve used to establish end of life expectancy of the DC circuit being monitored for life cycle prediction.