# US 11,079,422 B2 · Fault location in a transmission line

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- Number: US 11,079,422 B2
- Document ID: US11079422B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/082,322
- Filed: 2017-03-17
- Published: 2019-03-14
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-17
- Assignees: Ariel Scientific Innovations Ltd.
- Applicants: Ariel Scientific Innovations Ltd.
- Inventors: Yosef Pinhasi; Asher Yahalom
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079422B2

## CPC

- G01R 31/088: {Aspects of digital computing}
- G01R 31/085: {in power transmission or distribution lines, e.g. overhead}
- H04B 3/46: Monitoring; Testing
- G01R 31/11: using pulse reflection methods
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- H04B: TRANSMISSION

## Abstract

System and method for locating a fault on a line comprises a sampler that samples a pulse from the fault, the sampling being carried out at a predetermined sampling rate. A differentiator produces a differential or derivative of the pulse, and an analyzer obtains timing information from the derivative, from which it is possible to locate the fault knowing the total length of the line and the wave propagation rate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

System for locating a fault on a line, the line having a first end and a second end and a first direction being from said first end to said second end, the system comprising:
a first sampler configured to sample a pulse, the pulse emanating from a fault, the pulse being in a second direction opposite said first direction, the sampling being at a predetermined sampling rate;
a differentiator configured to produce a differential of said sampled pulse;
an analyzer configured to analyze said differential to obtain a timing, therefrom to determine a location of said fault.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a second sampler at said second end, configured to sample said pulse at said second end.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, configured to find a location of said fault as a proportion based on half of a time taken by said pulse to arrive at said first sampler compared with a time taken by the pulse to arrive at said second sampler.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said predetermined sampling rate is in the gigahertz range.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein a distance from said first end to said second end, d, is known, a distance d1 from said first end to a fault is unknown and a distance from said fault to said second end, being d2=d−d1, is also unknown, a time of arrival of said pulse is t1, a time of arrival of said pulse at said second end is t2, and a propagation velocity of said pulse over said line v is known, the analyzer being configured to calculate Δt=t2−t1 and d1=½(d−νΔt) thereby to locate said fault.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a distance from said first end to said second end, d, is known, a distance d1 from said first end to a fault is unknown and a distance from said fault to said second end, being d2=d−d1, is also unknown, a time of arrival of said pulse is t1 relating to distance d1, a time of arrival of an echo of said pulse from said second end is t2 relating to a distance (d1+2d2), and a propagation velocity of said pulse over said line v is known, the analyzer being configured to locate said fault.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a distance from said first end to said second end, d, is known, said fault being at said first end, a distance d1 from said fault at said first end to said sensor is unknown, a distance d2 from said sensor to said second end is known, a time of arrival of said pulse is t1 relating to distance d1, a time of arrival of a first echo of said pulse from said fault is t2 relating to a distance (d1+2d2), and a propagation velocity of said pulse over said line v is known, the analyzer being configured to locate said fault.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein said predetermined inter sampling duration is 2/v and said sampling rate is v/2.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said first sampler is configured to sample one member of the group consisting of current and voltage.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the line is one member of the group consisting of:
an electrical transmission line, the fault being a short circuit;
a transverse electromagnetic wave (TEM) transmission line;
an optical line wherein the fault is a break in the optical line;
a pipe, said pulse being an acoustic pulse and said fault being a break in the pipe.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein said first sampler is configured to obtain a plurality of successive samples.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of successive samples are placed in a fixed size buffer with oldest samples being deleted to make way for new samples.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 comprising a control center, the control center having links to a plurality of sources and a plurality of samplers on a plurality of lines.

### Claim 14

Method for locating a fault on a line, the line having a first end and a second end and a first direction being from said first end to said second end, the method comprising:
sampling a pulse, in a second direction opposite said first direction, the pulse issuing from said fault, the sampling being at a predetermined sampling rate;
obtaining a differential of said sampled pulse;
analyzing said differential to obtain a timing, therefrom to determine a location of said fault.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising sampling said pulse at said second end.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising finding a location of said fault as a proportion based on half of a time taken by said pulse to arrive at said first end compared with a time taken by the pulse to arrive at said second end.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein a distance from said first end to said second end, d, is known, a distance d1 from said first end to a fault is unknown, a distance from said fault to said second end is d−d1 and also is unknown, a time of arrival of said reflection is t1, a time of arrival at said pulse at said second end is t2, and a propagation velocity of said pulse over said line, v, is known, the analyzer being configured to calculate Δt=t2−t1 and d1=½(d−νΔt) thereby to locate said fault.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a distance from said first end to said second end, d, is known, a distance d1 from said first end to a fault is unknown and a distance from said fault to said second end, being d2=d−d1, is also unknown, a time of arrival of said pulse is t1 relating to distance d1, a time of arrival of an echo of said pulse from said second end is t2 relating to a distance (d1+2d2), and a propagation velocity of said pulse over said line v is known, the method thereby locating said fault.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a distance from said first end to said second end, d, is known, a distance d1 from a fault at said first end to said sensor is unknown, and a distance d2 from said sensor to said second end is known, a time of arrival of said pulse is t1 relating to distance d1, a time of arrival of a first echo of said pulse from said fault is t2 relating to a distance (d1+2d2), and a propagation velocity of said pulse over said line v is known, the method thereby locating said fault.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein a predetermined inter-sampling duration is 2/v and said sampling rate is v/2.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the line is one member of the group consisting of:
an electrical transmission line and the fault comprises a short circuit;
an optical line and the fault is a break in the optical line;
a pipe, said pulse being an acoustic pulse and said fault being a break in the pipe.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, comprising sampling one member of the group consisting of current and voltage.

### Claim 23 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, comprising controlling a plurality of lines from a control center, by sending pulses and sampling on any of said lines where a fault needs to be identified.