A dual-mode audio-visual cable detector

Abstract

A dual-mode acoustic-optical cable locator, relating to the field of cable testing tools, includes a signal oscillator and a cable finder. The signal oscillator is detachably connected to a splitter. The splitter has multiple universal interfaces at its front end and a connection structure at its rear that mates with the signal oscillator interfaces. A control board containing a microprocessor is installed inside the splitter. Indicator lights and control buttons corresponding to the universal interfaces are located on the splitter's surface. The indicator lights use different colors to distinguish the interface status. The cable finder locates the target cable by receiving an acoustic signal field. This invention, through the detachable connection between the splitter and the signal oscillator, multi-interface control, and indicator light status indication, achieves simultaneous detection and rapid location of multiple cables, solving the problem of low efficiency in traditional single-cable detection. It has the advantages of improving the efficiency of multi-cable detection, accurately identifying target cables, and eliminating the need to cut the cable insulation layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of circuit testing tools, and more specifically, to a dual-mode acoustic and optical circuit locator. Background Technology

[0002] A cable locator (also known as a cable finder) is a line testing tool that can quickly and efficiently find the required cable from a large number of cable bundles. It is an essential tool for locating cables in network cables, communication cables, and various metal line construction projects and daily maintenance.

[0003] Existing cable inspection instruments have the following problems when inspecting cable lines: First, single-line verification is inefficient. Traditional cable inspection instruments basically verify each line and then compare them one by one to find the two ends of the cable. This inspection method is not efficient. Second, it is difficult to determine the correspondence between the two ends of a cable. When inspecting multiple cables, it is difficult to accurately determine the correspondence between the two ends of each cable.

[0004] Chinese patent CN221707701U discloses a convenient cable checking instrument. Although the testing equipment improves efficiency, it still has limitations when dealing with a large number of cables. The two boxes can only selectively clamp part of the cable ends. If the two ends belong to different cables, a path cannot be formed. Furthermore, the cable insulation needs to be cut open to contact the internal conductor during testing, which damages the cable body. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems mentioned in the background art, and to propose an acoustic-optical dual-mode cable detector.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is: A dual-mode audio-visual cable locator includes a signal oscillator and a cable finder. The signal oscillator is detachably connected to a splitter. The splitter has multiple universal interfaces at its front end and a connection structure at its rear that mates with the interfaces of the signal oscillator. The splitter contains a control board with a microprocessor for controlling the connection between the universal interfaces and the signal oscillator. The surface of the splitter has indicator lights and control buttons corresponding to the universal interfaces. The indicator lights use different colors to distinguish the interface status. The cable finder locates the target cable by receiving an audio signal field.

[0007] Furthermore, the connection structure on the rear side of the splitter is a snap-fit ​​groove, which forms a snap-fit ​​engagement with the front end of the signal oscillation generator.

[0008] Furthermore, the universal interface is one or more of a network cable interface or a telephone line interface to adapt to different cable types.

[0009] Furthermore, the indicator light has at least two distinguishable colors to identify the status of the corresponding interface or cable information.

[0010] Furthermore, the control button is a switch device that can lock the state of the corresponding interface. When pressed, the microprocessor will no longer control the interface to participate in subsequent detection.

[0011] Furthermore, the control board is configured to respond to user trigger signals, control the on / off state of the general interface and the signal oscillation generator in a preset sequence; drive indicator lights to illuminate and turn off sequentially to indicate the currently detected interface; and exclude locked interfaces based on the state of the control buttons.

[0012] Furthermore, the frequency range of the sound signal field generated by the signal oscillation generator is within the frequency band that can be recognized by the human ear, and the cable finder locates the target cable by receiving the sound signal field.

[0013] Furthermore, the splitter front end is equipped with at least one universal interface.

[0014] Furthermore, the splitter surface has an anti-slip texture, and the signal oscillation transmitter housing has heat dissipation holes.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: This invention achieves simultaneous detection and rapid positioning of multiple cables through the detachable connection of the splitter and the signal oscillation generator, multi-interface control, and indicator light status indication. It solves the problems of low efficiency and difficulty in determining the correspondence between the two ends of the cable in traditional single-line detection. It has the advantages of improving the efficiency of multi-cable detection, accurately identifying the target cable, and eliminating the need to cut the cable insulation layer. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model; The components include: 100 signal oscillator, 200 cable finder, 300 network cable, 1 splitter, 11 general interface, 12 control buttons, and 13 indicator lights. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present utility model, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model. The present utility model will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: In existing technologies, cable tracers are widely used as line testing tools in the construction and maintenance of network cables (300) and communication cables. Traditional cable tracers use a single-line verification method, requiring comparison of both ends of the cable one by one, resulting in low testing efficiency. When faced with multiple cables, it is difficult to accurately determine the correspondence between the wire cores. Although existing patented technologies have achieved multi-line testing, they require cutting the cable insulation layer with a blade to contact the conductor, which damages the cable itself and cannot be adapted to different cable types.

[0018] To address the aforementioned issues, the inventors discovered that traditional single-line detection methods are cumbersome to operate, while existing parallel detection devices pose a risk of damaging cable integrity. Analysis revealed that combining controllable switching of the signal transmission path with non-contact detection can effectively resolve the conflict between efficiency and damage. Based on this, a scalable interface module is proposed between the signal generator and the detector, enabling multi-line polling detection through intelligent control, while simultaneously utilizing acoustic signal fields for non-destructive localization.

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, a dual-mode audio-visual cable locator includes a signal oscillator 100 and a cable finder 200. The signal oscillator, cable finder, and related cable locating technologies are all existing technologies, and products are already available on the market. The signal oscillator is detachably connected to a splitter 1. The splitter has multiple universal interfaces 11 at its front end and a connection structure that mates with the interfaces of the signal oscillator at its rear. The splitter contains a control board with a microprocessor to control the connection between the universal interfaces and the signal oscillator. The splitter surface has indicator lights 13 and control buttons 12 corresponding to each universal interface. The indicator lights use different colors to distinguish the interface status. The cable finder locates the target cable by receiving an audio signal field.

[0020] The detachable connection refers to the snap-fit ​​slot on the rear of the splitter that plugs into the front of the signal oscillator. A flexible snap-fit ​​structure allows for quick assembly and disassembly, facilitating the replacement of splitter modules with different interface types to meet testing needs. The universal interface refers to a standardized cable connection port, specifically a combination of RJ45 network and RJ11 telephone interfaces, physically compatible with cables of different diameters and connectors. The microprocessor in the control board is an embedded control chip that uses a preset program to cyclically control multiple relay switches, sequentially switching on and off each interface and signal source, forming a time-division detection mechanism. The indicator light color differentiation uses red and green dual-color LEDs; red indicates the interface is in a pending state, and green indicates it is locked or the detection is complete, providing visual feedback for operational judgment. Sound signal field positioning refers to the signal oscillator generating sound waves with a frequency of 1kHz-5kHz; the cable finder has a built-in high-sensitivity microphone array that identifies the cable location of the signal source by differences in sound field intensity.

[0021] Specifically, after the splitter is connected to the signal oscillator, the operator connects multiple cables to be tested to the splitter's general interface. The control board sequentially connects each interface to the signal source at preset time intervals, activating only one interface at a time. In the active state, the signal oscillator sends a sound wave signal to the corresponding cable, while simultaneously illuminating the indicator light corresponding to that interface on the splitter surface. The operator moves a cable finder along the cable path, and when the detected sound wave signal intensity reaches a threshold, a prompt sound is emitted, thus confirming the location of the currently activated cable. If a cable has completed testing, the corresponding control button can be pressed to lock the interface status, and the control board will automatically skip that interface for subsequent testing.

[0022] Compared to existing technologies, while Chinese patent CN221707701U achieves multi-line detection, it requires cutting the cable insulation to establish an electrical connection, leading to cable damage. This solution, through the multi-interface expansion and intelligent on / off control of the splitter, achieves batch detection while maintaining cable integrity. Traditional cable finders rely on single electrical signal detection; this solution combines acoustic signal field positioning technology to avoid the risk of misjudgment caused by physical contact. The modular design of the splitter, compared to fixed interface devices, allows for flexible adaptation to different application scenarios.

[0023] Through the above technical solutions, this application achieves batch non-destructive testing of multiple cables without damaging the cable insulation layer during operation. The time-sharing polling mechanism combined with status indicator lights significantly improves testing efficiency, allowing for the identification and location of dozens of cables in a single operation. The dual-mode audio-visual detection effectively reduces the impact of environmental interference, and the locking function of the control buttons prevents repeated testing, reducing overall testing time by approximately 70% compared to traditional methods. The modular splitter design makes the device compatible with various cable types, expanding its application range.

[0024] Furthermore, the connection structure on the rear side of the splitter is a snap-fit ​​groove, which forms a snap-fit ​​engagement with the front end of the signal oscillation generator.

[0025] The snap-fit ​​groove refers to a groove structure with a specific shape located on the rear side of the splitter. Specifically, it can be implemented using a U-shaped groove with a guide bevel, used to accommodate the protruding part at the front end of the signal oscillator. The snap-fit ​​connection refers to the connection between the splitter and the signal oscillator achieved through mechanical interlocking. This can be achieved using a combination of elastic clips and limiting bosses, allowing the two to automatically lock together during insertion.

[0026] Specifically, the guide slope of the snap-fit ​​groove guides the protruding part at the front end of the signal oscillator to slide into the groove. After the protrusion is fully inserted, the elastic buckle springs back and locks into the limiting recess, forming a physical interlock. No additional fasteners are needed during this process; the connection is completed solely by the mechanical structure. When disassembly is required, press the elastic buckle to disengage it from the limiting recess, and the splitter can be pulled out from the front end of the signal oscillator. The depth of the snap-fit ​​groove matches the length of the front end of the signal oscillator, ensuring a tight fit between the two contact surfaces after connection and preventing poor contact due to vibration.

[0027] Through the above technical solution, this application can maintain a stable connection between the splitter and the signal oscillator during the testing process, avoiding signal interruption due to poor contact. At the same time, it supports operators to quickly replace the appropriate splitter in different cable type testing scenarios, significantly improving the operating efficiency and equipment compatibility of the cable inspection instrument.

[0028] Furthermore, the universal interface is one or more of a network cable interface or a telephone line interface to adapt to different cable types.

[0029] Among them, a network cable interface refers to a physical interface that conforms to network communication cable connection standards, specifically an RJ45 interface, used to connect Ethernet cables. A telephone line interface refers to a physical interface that conforms to telephone communication cable connection standards, specifically an RJ11 interface, used to connect telephone cables. A combination of general-purpose interfaces refers to integrating multiple types of interfaces on the same splitter, or switching interface types through replaceable modules, thereby supporting direct access of different cables on the same device.

[0030] Furthermore, the indicator light has at least two distinguishable colors to identify the status of the corresponding interface or cable information.

[0031] The requirement of at least two distinguishable colors refers to visual differentiation through hue differences, which can be achieved using a combination of red, green, and blue LEDs. Different colors correspond to different interface states or cable types. Identifying the corresponding interface status or cable information involves establishing a mapping relationship between the interface and the detection status through color coding. This can be achieved using preset color rules; for example, red indicates the interface is not connected, green indicates the target cable has been detected, and blue indicates the interface is locked.

[0032] Specifically, during the testing process, when an interface is in a pending testing state, the corresponding indicator light displays the first color; when the cable connected to that interface is identified by the cable finder, the indicator light switches to the second color; if the interface is locked and no longer participates in the testing, the indicator light displays the third color. Through color changes, operators can intuitively judge the current testing progress and interface status without testing each interface one by one, avoiding confusion in multi-cable scenarios.

[0033] Through the above technical solution, this application realizes the rapid identification of interface status during multi-cable testing. Operators can judge the testing progress and locking status by color difference, avoiding efficiency loss caused by manual recording or repeated testing. It is especially suitable for rapid troubleshooting in dense cable scenarios.

[0034] Furthermore, the control button is a switch device that can lock the state of the corresponding interface. When pressed, the microprocessor will no longer control the interface to participate in subsequent detection.

[0035] The control button refers to a physical switch with a mechanical trigger function, which can be implemented using a push-button self-locking switch. This mechanical structure maintains the locked state, preventing changes in state due to accidental touches or system resets. Locking the corresponding interface state means permanently removing the specified interface from the detection sequence. This can be achieved by disconnecting the circuit connection between the interface and the signal oscillator, ensuring the locked interface is completely removed from the detection process.

[0036] Specifically, once a user confirms the cable corresponding to a particular interface, pressing the control button for that interface triggers a mechanical self-locking mechanism to fix the button position and simultaneously sends a locking signal to the microprocessor. Upon receiving the signal, the microprocessor immediately disconnects the circuit connection between that interface and the signal oscillator and marks the interface as disabled. During subsequent automatic traversal testing, the microprocessor skips locked interfaces and only controls the on / off states of unlocked interfaces in a preset sequence. Therefore, confirmed cables no longer participate in the signal traversal, and the testing process is only executed for unconfirmed interfaces.

[0037] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problem of low efficiency caused by repeated traversal of confirmed interfaces during multi-cable testing. By combining physical locking and circuit disconnection, it ensures that the testing process is only executed on unconfirmed interfaces, reducing invalid testing time and the risk of signal interference.

[0038] Furthermore, the control board is configured to respond to user trigger signals, control the on / off state of the general interface and the signal oscillation generator in a preset sequence; drive indicator lights to illuminate and turn off sequentially to indicate the currently detected interface; and exclude locked interfaces based on the state of the control buttons.

[0039] The user trigger signal refers to the instruction generated by external operation to start the detection process. This can be implemented using physical buttons or touchscreen signals, activating the control board's preset detection program. The preset sequence control refers to polling and detecting multiple general-purpose interfaces according to pre-set logic rules. This can be implemented using a timer module or state machine logic within the microprocessor, ensuring that each interface is sequentially connected to the signal oscillator to form a detection loop. The sequential lighting and turning off of indicator lights dynamically indicates the interface currently in detection status through the on / off state of the light-emitting device. This can be achieved by connecting an LED array to the microprocessor's GPIO ports, creating a visual sequential switching effect. The control button status exclusion refers to removing a confirmed interface from the detection queue using a locking switch. This can be implemented using a mechanical or electronic switch circuit with a self-locking function, allowing the microprocessor to skip subsequent detection steps for that interface.

[0040] Specifically, when a user triggers the testing process, the control board connects each general-purpose interface to the signal oscillator in a preset order, such as polling according to the interface's arrangement. During this process, the indicator light corresponding to the currently tested interface is illuminated, while the indicator lights for other interfaces remain off, creating a dynamic indication effect. When the cable corresponding to a certain interface is confirmed as the target cable, the operator presses the control button next to that interface. At this time, the microprocessor marks the interface as locked, and subsequent testing processes will no longer control the signal connection or disconnection of that interface. Thus, the testing process can automatically skip confirmed interfaces and concentrate resources on traversing the remaining untested interfaces.

[0041] Through the above technical solutions, this application can significantly improve the efficiency of multi-cable testing and reduce the number of times operators manually switch interfaces. The automatic exclusion function for confirmed cables effectively avoids duplicate testing and shortens the overall testing time. The dynamic indicator light mechanism reduces the difficulty of multi-interface status identification and ensures visual tracking of the testing process.

[0042] Furthermore, the frequency range of the sound signal field generated by the signal oscillation generator is within the frequency band that can be recognized by the human ear, and the cable finder locates the target cable by receiving the sound signal field.

[0043] The sound signal field frequency range refers to the frequency range of the sound waves output by the signal oscillation generator. Specifically, it can be achieved using a piezoelectric ceramic transducer or an electromagnetic loudspeaker. The output frequency is controlled within the range of 1kHz-5kHz by adjusting the parameters of the drive circuit. This frequency band selection ensures the effective propagation distance of the sound waves in the air while avoiding auditory fatigue caused by high-frequency signals to the operator.

[0044] The frequency band that can be perceived by the human ear refers to the sound wave frequency within the range of human hearing sensitivity. Specifically, this can be achieved by setting a bandpass filter to limit the signal output range, allowing operators to directly perceive the presence of the signal through hearing. This design enables the detection process to determine the signal transmission status without relying on specialized instruments.

[0045] Specifically, the signal oscillation generator produces a 1kHz-5kHz sound wave signal, which forms a sound field surrounding the cable through the air medium. The cable finder's built-in microphone array receives this sound field signal and locates the target cable by comparing the differences in sound wave intensity at different locations. When the operator moves the cable finder closer to the target cable, the sound wave signal intensity increases significantly, triggering the cable finder to emit an alert tone. This process requires no physical contact with the cable insulation layer, achieving non-destructive testing through sound field propagation.

[0046] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problem of traditional cable inspection instruments damaging the cable insulation layer, and realizes non-contact detection. Operators can simultaneously verify the presence of audible signals and visually observe the indicator light status, significantly improving the positioning accuracy.

[0047] Furthermore, the splitter front end is equipped with at least one universal interface.

[0048] The universal interface refers to a physical connection structure that can adapt to different cable types. Specifically, it can be implemented using an RJ45 network interface or an RJ11 telephone line interface, achieving compatibility with various cables through standardized interface design. At least one universal interface is set at the front end of the splitter to expand the connection capability of the signal oscillator, enabling a single test to cover multiple cables, and enabling batch processing functionality through interface number configuration.

[0049] Specifically, the splitter connects multiple cables to be tested simultaneously through various universal interfaces on its front end. The detection signal output by the signal oscillation generator is distributed to the corresponding cable loops of each interface via the splitter's internal control board. The control board controls the periodic switching between each interface and the signal source through a preset program, and the cable finder completes target location by identifying the cable signal field activated during specific time periods. When the splitter has at least one interface on its front end, the basic functions are achieved; as the number of interfaces increases, the splitter can process more cables simultaneously. During operation, identified cables are excluded through indicator light status and button locking mechanisms, thereby gradually narrowing the detection range.

[0050] Compared to existing technologies, traditional cable inspection devices use a single-interface structure, which can only inspect one cable at a time. During operation, cables must be repeatedly plugged and unplugged and checked one by one, and the inspection efficiency is limited by the speed of manual operation. In contrast, the splitter, through its multi-interface design at the front end, enables multiple cables to be connected in parallel at the hardware level. Signal distribution and status control are automatically completed by the control board, eliminating the need for manual intervention in the interface switching process.

[0051] Through the above technical solution, this application can simultaneously connect multiple cables for batch testing, eliminating the time loss of traditional equipment testing one cable at a time, and significantly improving the cable inspection efficiency in multi-cable scenarios. The standardized interface design can adapt to different cable types, avoiding repetitive equipment configuration due to differences in cable specifications, and the scalability of the number of splitter interfaces provides a hardware foundation for large-scale cable testing.

[0052] Furthermore, the splitter surface has an anti-slip texture, and the signal oscillation transmitter housing has heat dissipation holes.

[0053] The anti-slip texture refers to the raised and recessed structure on the outer surface of the splitter, which can be achieved using diamond-shaped protrusions or wavy patterns. By increasing the friction of the contact surface, it prevents the splitter from accidentally detaching from the signal oscillator during operation due to hand slippage. The heat dissipation holes are through-holes on the surface of the signal oscillator housing, which can be achieved using an array of circular or elliptical holes. By forming air convection channels, they accelerate the dissipation of internal heat outwards.

[0054] Specifically, an anti-slip texture is designed to cover the splitter's grip area. When operators plug or unplug cables or press control buttons, the frictional resistance between their fingers and the splitter's contact surface is increased, preventing the splitter from slipping off the signal oscillator. Heat dissipation holes are evenly distributed on the top and sides of the signal oscillator housing. When the device operates continuously, heat generated by the internal circuitry exchanges with the outside air through these holes, preventing electronic components from malfunctioning due to overheating.

[0055] Through the above technical solution, this application solves the problem of insufficient stability caused by the smooth surface when connecting the splitter and the signal oscillator, and at the same time eliminates the heat retention phenomenon generated by long-term operation of the equipment, ensuring the reliability and service life of the cable detector in complex environments.

[0056] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The descriptions of the above embodiments and specifications are merely illustrative of the principles of this utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model. The scope of protection of this utility model is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An acousto-optic dual mode wire tracer comprising a signal oscillator sounder and a wire finder, characterized in that, The signal oscillator is detachably connected to the splitter. The front end of the splitter has multiple universal interfaces, and the rear side of the splitter has a connection structure that mates with the interfaces of the signal oscillator. The splitter contains a control board with a microprocessor. The surface of the splitter has indicator lights and control buttons that correspond one-to-one with the universal interfaces. The indicator lights distinguish the interface status by different colors. The cable finder locates the target cable by receiving the sound signal field.

2. The dual mode acousto-optic line scanner of claim 1, wherein, The connection structure on the rear side of the splitter is a snap-fit ​​groove, which forms a snap-fit ​​engagement with the front end of the signal oscillation generator.

3. The dual mode acousto-optic line scanner of claim 1, wherein, The general interface is either a network cable interface or a telephone line interface.

4. The dual-mode acoustic-optical cable tracer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The indicator lights are of at least two distinguishable colors, used to identify the status of the corresponding interface or cable information.

5. The dual-mode acoustic-optical cable tracer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control button is a switch that can lock the state of the corresponding interface. When pressed, the microprocessor will no longer control the interface to participate in subsequent detection.

6. The dual-mode acoustic-optical cable tracer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control board is configured to respond to user trigger signals and control the on / off state of the general interface and the signal oscillation generator in a preset sequence; drive indicator lights to light up and turn off sequentially to indicate the currently detected interface; and exclude locked interfaces based on the state of the control buttons.

7. The dual-mode acoustic-optical cable tracer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frequency range of the sound signal field generated by the signal oscillation generator is a frequency band that can be recognized by the human ear, and the cable finder locates the target cable by receiving the sound signal field.

8. The dual-mode acoustic-optical cable tracer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The splitter has at least one universal interface at its front end.

9. The dual-mode acoustic-optical cable tracer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The splitter surface has an anti-slip texture, and the signal oscillation generator housing has heat dissipation holes.

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