Wire network mapping method and apparatus using impulse responses

A method of mapping a wire network having branches, comprising:

• injecting a reflectometry test signal into the wire network;
• measuring a reflectometry response of the wire network in response to the reflectometry test signal;
• estimating an estimated network impulse response from the reflectometry response;
• initializing a wire network model having hypothesized branches based on the estimated network impulse response;
• and
• adjusting the wire network model if differences between an impulse response of the wire network model and the estimated network impulse response are present.

A method of mapping a wire network, comprising:

• obtaining a plurality of reflectometry responses of the wire network at a plurality of differing test points within the network;
• estimating a plurality of estimated network impulse response from the corresponding plurality of reflectometry responses;
• initializing a wire network model having hypothesized branches;
• iteratively improving the wire network model by
• simulating a plurality of impulse responses of the wire network model corresponding to each test point within the network, and
• adjusting the wire network model to reduce differences between the plurality of simulated impulse responses and the estimated network impulse response.

A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for mapping a wire network having branches, the computer readable program code comprising:
• computer readable program code configured to obtain a reflectometry response of the wire network;
• computer readable program code configured to estimate an estimated network impulse response from the reflectometry response;
• computer readable program code configured to initialize a wire network model having hypothesized branches;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to iteratively improve the wire network model by simulating an impulse response of the wire network model and adjusting the wire network model to reduce differences between the simulated impulse response and the estimated network impulse response.

An apparatus for mapping a wire network having branches, comprising:

• a reflectometry instrument configured to obtain a reflectometry response of the wire network;
• an impulse response extractor coupled to the reflectometry instrument and configured to estimate an estimated network impulse response from the reflectometry response;
• a network simulator configured to simulate the impulse response from a hypothesized network having hypothesized branches to form a simulated impulse response;
• and
• a mapper coupled to the impulse response extractor and coupled to the network simulator and configured to compare the simulated impulse response to the estimated network impulse response and revise the hypothesized network to reduce differences between the simulated impulse response and estimated network impulse response.