Patent · US Expired

Locating system for a cable system having a backbone and branch cables defining multiple terminations

US7009375B1 · kind B1 · utility

1Cited by
2References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 5, 1999
Grant dateMar 7, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 5, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/58
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A constant current termination is provided for cable locating tones on communication and control cables that may be buried or placed in underground duct structures. The constant current termination limits the current on each branch of the cable to that required for cable location, thus ensuring that branches furthest from the tone source have adequate current for location purposes. The termination is the same for each branch, regardless of its position along the cable system. This eliminates the need to calibrate and recalibrate termination distances for a cable on installation and when branches are added. It also allows the location of damaged cables where the tone signal strength on a damaged branch is less than that for which the termination was designed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.