System and method for detecting a concealed current carrying conductor

A system for detecting a concealed current carrying conductor, comprising:

• a first and a second electromagnetic field detector arranged to detect an electromagnetic field of a current carrying conductor, said first and said second electromagnetic field detector each having an output signal;
• a first and a second signal level detector that each produces an output signal at an output port that is proportional to an input signal at an input port;
• a signal divider that produces an output signal at an output port that is proportional to a first input signal at a first input port divided by a second input signal at a second input port;
• a comparator that produces an output value at an output port equal to a first control value, if an input signal at an input port is less than a predetermined value, and equal to a second control value, if the input signal is not less than the predetermined value;
• a switch having an input port, an output port, and a control port that controls the operation of said switch;
• and
• an indicator that provides an indication to a user of an input signal at an input port;
• wherein the output signal of said first electromagnetic field detector is electromagnetically coupled to said input port of said first signal level detector,
• the output signal of said second electromagnetic field detector is electromagnetically coupled to said first input port of said signal divider,
• the output signal of said first signal level detector is electromagnetically coupled to said second input port of said signal divider,
• the output signal of said signal divider is electromagnetically coupled to said input port of said switch and to said input port of said second signal level detector,
• the output signal of said second signal level detector is electromagnetically coupled to said input port of said signal comparator,
• the output signal of said signal comparator is electromagnetically coupled to said control port of said switch, and
• the output signal of said switch is electromagnetically coupled to said input port of said indicator.

A method for detecting a concealed current carrying conductor, comprising:

• generating a first and a second field strength signal proportional to an electromagnetic field of the concealed current carrying conductor;
• determining a value for the first field strength signal;
• dividing the second field strength signal by the value of the first field strength signal to form an indicator signal;
• determining a value for the indicator signal;
• determining whether the value of the indicator signal is less than a predetermined value;
• and
• generating a conductor detection signal for a user if the value of the indicator signal is not less than the predetermined value.