Non-contact cable tracing device

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of cable tracing, and particularly relates to a non-contact cable tracing device, which comprises a signal transmitting device and a signal receiving device. The signal transmitting device comprises a first micro control unit, a square wave generating circuit, a first wave form generating circuit, a second wave form generating circuit and a wireless transmitting coil. The signal receiving device comprises an inductive receiving coil, a resonant frequency selecting circuit, a filter shaping amplification circuit and a second micro control unit. Compared with the prior art, the non-contact cable tracing device emits an alternating carrier signal through the signal transmitting device, and receives the alternating carrier signal through the signal receiving device and converts the alternating carrier signal into a shaped and amplified signal, so as to identify and locate the cable. In actual application, the non-contact cable tracing device does not need to directly contact the metal part of the cable, thereby avoiding the inconvenience and safety hazards caused by the peeling operation, and significantly improving the positioning accuracy and operation convenience. Meanwhile, the non-contact cable tracing device can quickly locate the cable direction and the fault position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cable tracing devices, and in particular to a non-contact cable tracing device. Background Technology

[0002] In daily life, power cables play a vital role, serving as the primary carriers of electricity. However, cables are typically buried deep underground or inside building structures, making joint locations difficult to locate, which poses significant challenges to cable inspection and maintenance. To address this issue, cable locating devices are widely used for cable positioning.

[0003] Currently, common cable tracing devices use a contact-based positioning method, which involves directly contacting the metal parts of the cable core with the probes and then using a multimeter for identification. However, this positioning method has some inconveniences, such as requiring the insulation of the metal wire to be stripped before positioning, a very cumbersome operation that can easily lead to safety accidents.

[0004] To improve the convenience and safety of cable positioning, it is necessary to develop new non-contact cable locating devices.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of this disclosure, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art.

[0006] Application content

[0007] In view of at least one of the above technical problems, this application provides a non-contact cable tracing device.

[0008] This application provides a non-contact cable tracing device, including:

[0009] The signal transmitting device includes a first microcontroller unit, a square wave generating circuit, a first waveform generating circuit, a second waveform generating circuit, and a wireless transmitting coil. The square wave generating circuit outputs a raw square wave signal, the first microcontroller unit generates a control signal, the first waveform generating circuit is configured to receive the converted first square wave signal and generate a first carrier signal based on the first square wave signal and the control signal, the second waveform generating circuit is configured to receive the converted second square wave signal and generate a second carrier signal based on the second square wave signal and the control signal, and the wireless transmitting coil outputs an alternating carrier signal, which is generated from the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal.

[0010] The signal receiving device includes an inductor receiving coil, a resonant frequency selection circuit, a filter shaping and amplification circuit, and a second microcontroller unit. The inductor receiving coil receives an alternating carrier signal, the resonant frequency selection circuit generates a frequency selection signal based on the alternating carrier signal, the filter shaping and amplification circuit generates a shaped and amplified signal based on the frequency selection signal, and the second microcontroller unit receives the shaped and amplified signal.

[0011] Compared with existing technologies, non-contact cable tracing equipment transmits alternating carrier signals through a signal transmitting device, and the signal receiving device receives the alternating carrier signals and converts them into shaped and amplified signals to identify and locate cables. In practical applications, it does not require direct contact with the metal parts of the cable, thus avoiding the inconvenience and safety hazards caused by stripping operations. It also significantly improves positioning accuracy and ease of operation, and can quickly locate the cable route and fault location.

[0012] In some alternative implementations, the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal are complementary.

[0013] In some alternative implementations, the signal transmitting device further includes a second inverter coupled between the square wave generating circuit and the first waveform generating circuit, and the second inverter is configured to convert the original square wave signal into the first square wave signal.

[0014] In some alternative implementations, the first waveform generation circuit includes a first field-effect transistor (FET) having a first receiving terminal and a first output terminal. The first receiving terminal is coupled to a second inverter, and the first output terminal is coupled to a wireless transmitting coil. The first FET also has a first enable terminal configured to receive a control signal.

[0015] In some alternative implementations, the second waveform generation circuit includes a third inverter and a second field-effect transistor. One end of the third inverter is coupled between the second inverter and the first field-effect transistor. The second field-effect transistor has a second receiving terminal and a second output terminal. The second receiving terminal is coupled to the third inverter, and the second output terminal is coupled to the wireless transmitting coil. The second field-effect transistor also has a second enable terminal, which is configured to receive control signals.

[0016] In some optional implementations, the first field-effect transistor also has a first power supply terminal and a first ground terminal, and the second field-effect transistor also has a second power supply terminal and a second ground terminal. The first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal are connected to the power supply voltage terminal together, and the first ground terminal and the second ground terminal are grounded together.

[0017] In some optional implementations, when the first square wave signal is high, the second square wave signal is low, the first output terminal of the first field-effect transistor outputs the supply voltage, the second output terminal of the second field-effect transistor outputs 0V, and the supply voltage output by the first field-effect transistor is defined as the first carrier signal.

[0018] When the first square wave signal is low, the second square wave signal is high. The first output terminal of the first field-effect transistor outputs 0V, and the second output terminal of the second field-effect transistor outputs the supply voltage. The supply voltage output by the second field-effect transistor is defined as the second carrier signal.

[0019] In some alternative implementations, the signal transmitting device further includes a first inverter, which is coupled between the square wave generating circuit and the first microcontroller unit;

[0020] The first microcontroller unit is configured to use the third wave signal output from the first inverter as the timer clock source;

[0021] The first microcontroller unit is configured to receive a digital signal of a measured AC current signal and generate a control signal based on the digital signal, which is then sent to the first waveform generation circuit and the second waveform generation circuit respectively.

[0022] In some alternative implementations, control signals are generated based on digital signals, including:

[0023] The binary encoded sequence signal corresponding to the current value of a digital signal is defined as a control signal.

[0024] In some alternative implementations, the filter-shaping-amplifier module includes a front-end amplifier circuit, a low-pass filter two-stage programmable amplifier circuit, a logarithmic detector circuit, and a fourth-order low-pass filter circuit connected in sequence.

[0025] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the signal transmitting device shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a circuit diagram of the first waveform generation circuit and the second waveform generation circuit shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the signal receiving device shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 4This is a circuit diagram of the inductor receiving coil and the resonant frequency selection circuit shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of the front-end amplifier circuit shown in the embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a circuit diagram of the low-pass filter two-stage programmable amplifier circuit shown in the embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a circuit diagram of the logarithmic detector circuit and the fourth-order low-pass filter circuit shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a first application diagram of the non-contact cable tracing device shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a second application diagram of the non-contact cable tracing device shown in the embodiments of this application; Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0037] Currently, common cable tracing devices employ a contact-based positioning method, where probes are used to directly contact the metal parts of the cable core, followed by analysis with a multimeter. However, this method has several drawbacks. For instance, the insulation of the metal wire must be stripped before positioning, a cumbersome and potentially dangerous operation. In contrast, non-contact cable tracing equipment uses a signal transmitter to emit an alternating carrier signal, which is then received and shaped into amplified signals by a signal receiver. This allows for cable identification and positioning. In practical applications, direct contact with the cable's metal parts is unnecessary, eliminating the inconvenience and safety hazards associated with stripping the insulation. Furthermore, it significantly improves positioning accuracy and ease of operation, and can quickly pinpoint cable routes and fault locations.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 ,in, Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the signal transmitting device shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a circuit diagram of the first waveform generation circuit and the second waveform generation circuit shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the signal receiving device shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a circuit diagram of the inductor receiving coil and the resonant frequency selection circuit shown in the embodiments of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of the front-end amplifier circuit shown in the embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a circuit diagram of the low-pass filter two-stage programmable amplifier circuit shown in the embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a circuit diagram of the logarithmic detector circuit and the fourth-order low-pass filter circuit shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a first application diagram of the non-contact cable tracing device shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 9 This is a second application diagram of the non-contact cable tracing device shown in the embodiments of this application; the embodiments of this application provide a non-contact cable tracing device, including a signal transmitting device and a signal receiving device.

[0040] Please see Figure 8 The signal transmitter is integrated into a transmitter with clamps, and the signal receiver is integrated into a receiver. In application, the circuit breaker dial is connected to a power plug via a concealed cable. At this time, the power plug is in an open-circuit state. When the clamps are inserted into one of the live wires on the circuit breaker dial, and the receiver is close to the power plug, because the power plug is not connected to a load, the cable is not a closed loop. The transmitter's modulation signal, through electromagnetic induction, locates a very weak signal at the power plug. Therefore, the receiver will display a very weak signal and a current value of 0A.

[0041] Please see Figure 9 When the power plug is connected to a light bulb or table lamp (load), the wires and cables form a circuit through the load. The transmitter's modulation signal is located by electromagnetic induction and the signal of the power plug is very strong. Therefore, the receiver will display a very strong signal and the current value flowing through the load.

[0042] like Figures 1 to 7As shown in the embodiment of this application, a non-contact cable tracing device is provided. In this embodiment, the signal transmitting device includes a first microcontroller unit, a square wave generating circuit, a first waveform generating circuit, a second waveform generating circuit, and a wireless transmitting coil. The square wave generating circuit outputs a raw square wave signal, the first microcontroller unit generates a control signal, the first waveform generating circuit is configured to receive the converted first square wave signal and generate a first carrier signal based on the first square wave signal and the control signal, the second waveform generating circuit is configured to receive the converted second square wave signal and generate a second carrier signal based on the second square wave signal and the control signal, and the wireless transmitting coil outputs an alternating carrier signal, which is generated by the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal.

[0043] The square wave generating circuit may include a crystal oscillator and a frequency divider. The crystal oscillator is used to generate a raw square wave signal of 32.768 kHz, and the frequency divider is used to output the raw square wave signal to the first waveform generating circuit and the first inverter described below.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the signal transmitting device further includes a first inverter, which is coupled between the square wave generating circuit and the first microcontroller unit;

[0045] The first microcontroller unit is configured to use the third wave signal output from the first inverter as the timer clock source;

[0046] The first microcontroller unit is configured to receive a digital signal of a measured AC current signal and generate a control signal based on the digital signal, which is then sent to the first waveform generation circuit and the second waveform generation circuit respectively.

[0047] The signal transmitting device also includes a test coil and a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The test coil, integrated in the transmitter, is used to clamp the cable to measure the alternating current signal. The first ADC converts the alternating current signal into a digital signal. In the first microcontroller unit, the binary encoded sequence signal corresponding to the current value of the digital alternating current signal is defined as a control signal. This control signal is output to the first and second field-effect transistors (FETs) for digital modulation (ASK). Specifically, when the control signal is 1, the first FET outputs a carrier signal with constant amplitude and frequency; when the control signal is 0, there is no carrier output.

[0048] It is worth noting that the third wave signal output from the first inverter is used as the clock source for the positioner to ensure that the modulation signal is synchronized.

[0049] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal are complementary.

[0050] In this embodiment, the original square wave signal is shaped and converted into a first square wave signal by the second inverter described below. On one hand, the first square wave signal is output to the first field-effect transistor described below; on the other hand, the first square wave signal is output to the third inverter described below for further shaping and conversion into a second square wave signal, which is then output to the second field-effect transistor described below. Since the first square wave signal and the second square wave signal are complementary, the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal are also complementary.

[0051] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the signal transmitting device further includes a second inverter A2, which is coupled between the square wave generating circuit and the first waveform generating circuit. The second inverter A2 is configured to convert the original square wave signal into a first square wave signal.

[0052] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the first waveform generation circuit includes a first field-effect transistor MOS1, which has a first receiving terminal and a first output terminal. The first receiving terminal is coupled to a second inverter A2, and the first output terminal is coupled to a wireless transmitting coil. The first field-effect transistor MOS1 also has a first enable terminal, which is configured to receive a control signal.

[0053] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the second waveform generation circuit includes a third inverter A3 and a second field-effect transistor MOS2. One end of the third inverter A3 is coupled between the second inverter A2 and the first field-effect transistor MOS1. The second field-effect transistor MOS2 has a second receiving terminal and a second output terminal. The second receiving terminal is coupled to the third inverter A3, and the second output terminal is coupled to the wireless transmitting coil. The second field-effect transistor MOS2 also has a second enable terminal, which is configured to receive a control signal.

[0054] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the first field-effect transistor MOS1 also has a first power supply terminal and a first ground terminal, and the second field-effect transistor MOS2 also has a second power supply terminal and a second ground terminal. The first power supply terminal, the second power supply terminal and the power supply voltage terminal are connected together, and the first ground terminal and the second ground terminal are grounded together.

[0055] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, when the first square wave signal is high, the second square wave signal is low, the first output terminal of the first field-effect transistor MOS1 outputs the supply voltage, the second output terminal of the second field-effect transistor MOS2 outputs 0V, and the supply voltage output by the first field-effect transistor MOS1 is defined as the first carrier signal.

[0056] When the first square wave signal is low, the second square wave signal is high. The first output terminal of the first field-effect transistor MOS1 outputs 0V, and the second output terminal of the second field-effect transistor MOS2 outputs the supply voltage. The supply voltage output by the second field-effect transistor MOS2 is defined as the second carrier signal.

[0057] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, in some embodiments, the signal receiving device includes an inductor receiving coil, a resonant frequency selection circuit, a filter shaping and amplification circuit, and a second microcontroller unit. The inductor receiving coil receives an alternating carrier signal, the resonant frequency selection circuit generates a frequency-selective signal based on the alternating carrier signal, the filter shaping and amplification circuit generates a shaped and amplified signal based on the frequency-selective signal, and the second microcontroller unit receives the shaped and amplified signal. The filter shaping and amplification module includes a front-end amplification circuit, a low-pass filter two-stage programmable amplifier circuit, a logarithmic detector circuit, and a fourth-order low-pass filter circuit connected in sequence.

[0058] See Figure 4 The inductor receiving coil is connected in parallel with the resonant frequency selection circuit. The resonant frequency selection circuit may include capacitors C5 and C6 connected in parallel.

[0059] See Figure 5 The front-end amplifier circuit may include amplifier U2A, resistor R23, and resistor R24. Therefore, the first amplified signal output by the front-end amplifier circuit is: V OUT =V IN (Amplitude of non-inverting input signal)*(1+(R23 / R24)).

[0060] In this embodiment, the frequency-selective signal enters the front-end amplifier circuit for the first amplification, then passes through a low-pass filter two-stage programmable amplifier circuit for filtering, a second amplification, and the next stage of filtering to attenuate and suppress interference. It then enters the logarithmic detector circuit for detection output filtering, and finally passes through a fourth-order low-pass filter circuit to shape and generate a shaped amplified signal, which is then acquired and converted by the second analog-to-digital converter and input to the second microcontroller unit.

[0061] It should be understood that, in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, in some possible implementations, each step in the above embodiments may be selectively executed according to actual circumstances; it may be partially or fully executed, without limitation here. All or part of any feature of any embodiment of this application can be freely and arbitrarily combined without contradiction. The combined technical solutions are also within the scope of this application.

[0062] It should also be understood that, in the embodiments of this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of the various examples have been generally described in terms of functionality in the foregoing description. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementations should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0065] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the couplings or direct couplings or communication connections shown or discussed may be indirect couplings or communication connections through some interfaces, apparatuses, or units, or they may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms of connection.

[0066] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of the embodiments of this application, depending on actual needs.

[0067] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0068] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not constitute any limitation on this application. Any person skilled in the art can make many possible variations and modifications to the technical solution of this application, or modify it into equivalent embodiments, without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made based on the shape, structure, and principle of this application without departing from the content of the technical solution of this application should be covered within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A non-contact cable tracer device, characterized by, include: The signal transmitting device includes a first microcontroller unit, a square wave generating circuit, a first waveform generating circuit, a second waveform generating circuit, and a wireless transmitting coil; The square wave generating circuit outputs a raw square wave signal, the first microcontroller unit generates a control signal, the first waveform generating circuit is configured to receive the converted first square wave signal and generate a first carrier signal based on the first square wave signal and the control signal, the second waveform generating circuit is configured to receive the converted second square wave signal and generate a second carrier signal based on the second square wave signal and the control signal, and the wireless transmitting coil outputs an alternating carrier signal, which is generated from the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal; the first carrier signal and the second carrier signal are complementary. The signal transmitting device further includes a first inverter, which is coupled between the square wave generating circuit and the first microcontroller unit; the first microcontroller unit is configured to use the third square wave signal output by the first inverter as a timer clock source; the first microcontroller unit is configured to receive a digital signal of a measured AC current signal, and generate a control signal based on the digital signal, and then send it to the first waveform generating circuit and the second waveform generating circuit respectively. A signal receiving device includes an inductor receiving coil, a resonant frequency selection circuit, a filter shaping and amplification circuit, and a second microcontroller unit. The inductor receiving coil receives the alternating carrier signal, the resonant frequency selection circuit generates a frequency selection signal based on the alternating carrier signal, the filter shaping and amplification circuit generates a shaped and amplified signal based on the frequency selection signal, and the second microcontroller unit receives the shaped and amplified signal.

2. The non-contact cable tracing device of claim 1, wherein, The signal transmitting device further includes a second inverter, which is coupled between the square wave generating circuit and the first waveform generating circuit. The second inverter is configured to convert the original square wave signal into a first square wave signal.

3. The non-contact cable tracing device of claim 2, wherein, The first waveform generation circuit includes a first field-effect transistor (FET), which has a first receiving terminal and a first output terminal. The first receiving terminal is coupled to the second inverter, and the first output terminal is coupled to the wireless transmitting coil. The first FET also has a first enable terminal, which is configured to receive the control signal.

4. The non-contact cable tracing device of claim 3, wherein, The second waveform generation circuit includes a third inverter and a second field-effect transistor. One end of the third inverter is coupled between the second inverter and the first field-effect transistor. The second field-effect transistor has a second receiving terminal and a second output terminal. The second receiving terminal is coupled to the third inverter, and the second output terminal is coupled to the wireless transmitting coil. The second field-effect transistor also has a second enable terminal, which is configured to receive the control signal.

5. The non-contact cable tracing device of claim 4, wherein, The first field-effect transistor also has a first power supply terminal and a first ground terminal, and the second field-effect transistor also has a second power supply terminal and a second ground terminal. The first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal are connected to the power supply voltage terminal, and the first ground terminal and the second ground terminal are grounded together.

6. The non-contact cable tracing device of claim 5, wherein, When the first square wave signal is high, the second square wave signal is low, the first output terminal of the first field-effect transistor outputs the supply voltage, and the second output terminal of the second field-effect transistor outputs 0V. The supply voltage output by the first field-effect transistor is defined as the first carrier signal. When the first square wave signal is low, the second square wave signal is high. The first output terminal of the first field-effect transistor outputs 0V, and the second output terminal of the second field-effect transistor outputs the supply voltage. The supply voltage output by the second field-effect transistor is defined as the second carrier signal.

7. The non-contact cable tracing device of claim 1, wherein, The generation of control signals based on digital signals includes: The binary encoded sequence signal corresponding to the current value of the digital signal is defined as the control signal.

8. The non-contact cable tracing device of claim 1, wherein, The filtering and shaping amplifier circuit includes a front-end amplifier circuit, a low-pass filter two-stage programmable amplifier circuit, a logarithmic detector circuit, and a fourth-order low-pass filter circuit connected in sequence.

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