# US 9,520,044 B2 · Apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling detection of stray voltage anomalies > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,044 B2 - Document ID: US9520044B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/012,336 - Filed: 2016-02-01 - Published: 2016-05-26 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2004-12-23 - Assignees: Power Survey LLC - Applicants: Power Survey LLC - Inventors: David Kalokitis; Leonard Joshua Schultz; Christos Alkiviadis Polyzois; Vincent Paragano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520044B2 ## CPC - G01R 19/155: Indicating the presence of voltage - G01C 7/04: involving a vehicle which moves along the profile to be traced - G01R 19/0007: {Frequency selective voltage or current level measuring (measuring frequency G01R23/00; testing attenuation in line transmission systems H04B3/48; monitoring testing in transmission systems H04B17/00)} - G01R 29/0814: {Field measurements related to measuring influence on or from apparatus, components or humans (EMC, EMI and similar testing in general G01R31/001), e.g. in ESD, EMI, EMC, EMP testing, measuring radiation leakage; detecting presence of micro- or radiowave emitters; dosimetry; testing shielding; measurements related to lightning} - G01R 29/12: Measuring electrostatic fields {or voltage-potential} - G08B 21/182: {Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract Apparatus and methods for detecting stray voltage anomalies in electric fields are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for detecting an electrical field may comprise: at least one sensor probe for generating data corresponding to an electrical field detected by the at least one sensor probe, wherein the at least one sensor probe comprises at least one electrode; a processor, coupled to the at least one sensor probe, for analyzing the data to identify a voltage anomaly in the electric field; and an indicator, coupled to the processor, for alerting a user to a presence of the voltage anomaly in the electric field. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus mounted to a motor vehicle for identifying hazardous voltages on conductive objects, the apparatus comprising: an electric field sensor, configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, that detects an electric field and provides an analog signal corresponding to the electric field; a signal converter configured to generate a digital signal from the analog signal; a computer, coupled to the electric field sensor, and configured to be mounted to the motor vehicle, wherein the computer is configured to display at least one of the digital signal or the analog signal corresponding to the electric field, wherein at least a plot of the electric field over time is displayed; and an indicator for alerting an operator of the computer that a hazardous voltage on a conductive object is present. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein parameters of the computer are variable to account for background noise in the electric field and false alarms. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal converter is an analog to digital converter that digitizes the analog signal to provide a transformation of the analog signal, the transformation comprising a plurality of time domain samples, each sample representing a magnitude of the electric field. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the computer comprises a signal processor configured to filter the plurality of time domain samples according to a desired frequency pertaining to a hazardous voltage and provides a second signal representing the magnitude of the electric field at the desired frequency. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the plurality of time domain samples are subject, by the signal processor, to a filter to yield a frequency domain representation of the plurality of time domain samples. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the signal processor applies the filter on most recent digitized signals at a rate sufficient to produce a continuous audio tone with variable pitch, the variable pitch proportional to strength of the electric field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the signal processor produces the continuous audio tone proportional to the magnitude of the electric field. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the signal processor performs selective filtering with different frequencies allowing measurement of the fundamental frequency and its harmonics. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a support frame for mounting the electric field sensor to the motor vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an audio device for emitting a continuous audio tone with variable pitch commensurate with a rise, peak and fall of the digital signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computer captures a rise, peak and fall of the digital signal. ### Claim 12 A method for detecting a hazardously energized object using an apparatus, the method comprising: moving the apparatus via a motor vehicle; detecting an electric field proximate the apparatus using a sensor probe of the apparatus that generate an analog signal corresponding to the electric field; converting the analog signal into a digital signal; displaying the at least one of the digital signal or the analog signal corresponding to the electric field, wherein at least a plot of the electric field over time is displayed; and emitting a continuous pitch audio tone commensurate with a rise, peak and fall of the digital signal when the apparatus moves past a hazardously energized object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: adjusting parameters of the apparatus according to background noise in the electric field and false alarms. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: transforming the digital signal into a plurality of time domain samples, each sample representing an amplitude of the electric field. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: filtering the plurality of time domain samples according to a desired frequency pertaining to the hazardously energized object and providing a second signal representing a magnitude of the electric field at the desired frequency. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising applying a filter to the plurality of time domain samples to yield a frequency domain representation of the plurality of time domain samples. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising applying the filter on most recent digitized signals at a rate sufficient to produce a continuous audio tone with variable pitch proportional to strength of the electric field. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising converting the plurality of time domain samples to a logarithmic scale. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising producing a continuous tone with variable pitch proportional to strength of the electric field. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising mounting the sensor probe to the motor vehicle via a support frame.