Method and apparatus for determining the location of a short in an electrical wire network

An apparatus for locating a short between a first net and a second net, comprising:

• the first net and the second net, wherein the second net is electrically shorted to the first net at an unknown point PS on the first;
• points PA and PB on the first net such that PS is at a location on a path between PA and PB along the first net;
• a constant current pulse source electrically connected to PA and PB, wherein the constant current pulse source is generating a constant current pulse having a pulse width τ and pulse height I;
• a first voltage measuring device electrically connected between PA and PB, wherein the first voltage measuring device is recording a voltage drop VAB from PA to PB;
• and
• a second voltage measuring device electrically connected between PA and a point PC on the second net, wherein the second voltage measuring device is recording a voltage drop VAC from PA to PC;
• and
• a calculation algorithm which computes LAS as a function of VAC/VAB, wherein LAS is a length of the path from PA to PS.

A computer method for locating a short between a first net and a second net such that the short is at a point PS at a location on a path between points PA and PB on the first net, comprising the steps of:

• providing a computer system having:
• a memory device;
• a computer code located on the memory device, said computer code including a calculational algorithm which calculates a length LAS along the path from PA to PS;
• a processor for executing the computer code;
• and
• an output device;
• providing input data for the computer code, including:
• a voltage drop VAB from PA to PB, a voltage drop VAC from PA to a point PC on the second net, and geometric data describing a spatial distribution of an electrical wire network which includes the first net;
• executing the computer code, wherein the calculational algorithm computes a length LAS of the path from PA to PS as a function of VAC/VAB including utilizing the geometric data;
• and
• outputting LAS to the output device.

A computer system for locating a short between a first net and a second net such that the short is at a point PS at a location on a path between points PA and PB on the first net, comprising:

• a memory device;
• input data stored for use by a computer code, said input data including:
• a voltage drop VAB from PA to PB, a voltage drop VAC from PA to a point PC on the second net, and geometric data describing a spatial distribution of an electrical wire network which includes the first net;
• the computer code located on the memory device, wherein the computer code includes a calculation algorithm which utilizes VAC, VAB, and the geometric data to calculate a length LAS along the path from PA to PS as a function of VAC/VAB;
• a processor which executes the computer code;
• and
• an output device which receives output from the computer code, said output including output data selected from the group consisting of LAS, a graphical image displaying a location of the short, and a combination thereof.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for locating a short between a first net and a second net such that the short is at a point PS at a location on a path between points PA and PB on the first net, wherein the computer readable program code includes:
• a utilization of input data for locating the short, wherein the input data comprises:
• a voltage drop VAB from PA to PB, a voltage drop VAC from PA to a point PC on the second net, and geometric data describing a spatial distribution of an electrical wire network which includes the first net and the second net, and
• a calculation of locational information selected from the group consisting of a length LAS along the path from PA to PS as a function of VAC/VAB, a graphical image displaying a location of the short, and a combination thereof.