Ultrasonic pinpointer for power system sources of interference

A method of discriminating power system sources of interference from ambient interference and other interference sources, the method comprising:

• sensing a signal from a targeted source;
• spectrally analyzing the sensed signal to detect a spectral characteristic related to power system interference sources, wherein said spectrally analyzing comprises detecting the spectral characteristic that a portion of the sensed signal correlated to a power system frequency is at least a given proportion of the sensed signal;
• and
• providing an operator indication when the spectral characteristic is detected.

A method of discriminating power system sources of interference from ambient interference and other interference sources, the method comprising:

• sensing a signal from a targeted source;
• detecting a portion of the sensed signal. in at least one spectral interval correlated to an electrical power frequency;
• detecting an aggregate measure of the sensed signal;
• comparing the detected portion in the at least one spectral interval to the aggregate measure;
• and
• indicating that the detected portion is at least a threshold proportion of the aggregate measure.

A method of pinpointing a location of an interference source, the method comprising:

• sensing a signal from the source;
• detecting a spectral signature of the sensed signal, the spectral signature including at least a value of the sensed signal modulated at a whole integer multiple of an electrical power frequency;
• assessing similarity of the detected spectral signature to a known spectral signature of a power system interference source;
• and
• providing an operator perceptible indication of the similarity of the detected spectral signature to the known spectral signature.

A method of discriminantly identifying an interference source with discrimination from ambient interference, the method comprising:

• receiving an ultrasonic signal;
• pass band filtering the received signal within a pass band about a whole integer multiple of an electrical power frequency;
• producing an operator-perceptible signal strength indication of a relative strength of the filtered signal;
• producing an aggregate measure of the received signal;
• producing a measure of the filtered signal;
• comparing the aggregate measure and the filtered signal measure;
• and
• producing an operator-perceptible indication representative of whether the filtered signal measure exceeds a substantial proportion of the aggregate signal measure.

A device for locating power line faults with improved sensitivity to and discrimination of spark discharge and corona from non-power line sources, the device comprising:

• an ultrasonic transducer;
• an amplifier coupled to the ultrasonic transducer;
• a pass band filter having a pass band about a whole integer multiple of an electrical power frequency;
• and
• an indicator producing an operator-perceptible indication of a strength of a signal produced from the ultrasonic transducer and amplifier within the pass band of the pass band filter.

A device for detecting an interference source, the device comprising:

• an ultrasonic sensor operating to produce a signal representative of ultrasonic shocks emanating from a targeted source;
• a signal processing circuit operating to process the sensor signal and produce a spectral signature of the sensor signal, the spectral signature including at least a value representative of the ultrasonic shocks modulated at a whole integer multiple of an electrical power frequency;
• a spectral characteristic comparator operating to assess similarity of the detected spectral signature to a reference spectral signature of a power system interference source;
• and
• an indicator operating to provide an operator perceptible indication of the similarity of the detected spectral signature to the known spectral signature.

A device for detecting an, interference source, the device comprising:

• an adapter circuit for connecting to at least one of a radio frequency signal, audio signal and video signal source and converting said signal to an ultrasonic frequency range or audio range signal;
• a signal processing circuit operating to process said signal from the adapter circuit and produce a spectral signature of the ultransonic frequency range signal, the spectral signature including at least a value representative of ultrasonic shocks modulated at a whole integer multiple of an electrical power frequency;
• a spectral characteristic comparator operating to assess similarity of the detected spectral signature to a reference spectral signature of a power system interference source;
• and
• an indicator operating to provide an operator perceptible indication of the similarity of the detected spectral signature to the known spectral signature.