Cable Fault Detection Using Echo Cancellation Coefficients

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cable testers often generate inaccurate results when testing cables terminated by active link partners, and they require remote nodes or loop-back modules, which can disrupt communication links and fail to detect minor faults effectively.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a transmitter, receiver, and echo canceller that uses echo cancellation coefficients to determine cable status by analyzing peaks in echo signals, allowing for fault detection without interrupting the communication link and enhancing accuracy through a combination of time domain reflectometry and echo cancellation techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional cable testers use time domain reflectometry to detect cable faults, then they can identify open circuits and short circuits, but they generate inaccurate results when testing cables terminated by active link partners generating link pulses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable fault detection accuracyVSAvoidinterference from active link partner signals

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separates the echo cancellation coefficients from the received signal, isolating the cable fault information from the interfering link partner signals. By analyzing only the echo coefficients rather than the entire received signal, the system eliminates the harmful interference from active link partners while preserving the cable fault detection capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The echo canceller acts as an intermediary component that processes the received signal to extract echo coefficients. This intermediary processing stage filters out the interfering link partner signals before the cable tester analyzes the fault conditions, enabling accurate measurement even in the presence of active link partners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If conventional cable testers require remote node terminators or loop back modules for accurate testing, then measurement accuracy improves, but the communication link must be interrupted and device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable fault detection accuracyVSAvoidrequirement for additional testing equipment

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs cable fault detection using its own existing echo cancellation coefficients, which are already being processed for echo suppression during normal operation. No additional remote node terminators or loop back modules are required—the cable tester leverages the existing signal processing infrastructure to independently detect cable faults without external assistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The echo canceller serves multiple functions: it suppresses echo signals during normal communication and simultaneously provides cable fault detection capability. By reusing the same hardware and processing resources for both echo cancellation and cable testing, the system eliminates the need for separate dedicated testing equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If conventional cable testers use remote node terminators or loop back modules, then accurate fault detection is achieved, but the communication link is disrupted during testing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecable fault detection accuracyVSAvoidcommunication link availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The cable fault detection process continuously analyzes echo cancellation coefficients during normal communication operations without interruption. The useful action of data transmission continues uninterrupted while the cable tester simultaneously monitors the echo coefficients for fault conditions, ensuring both communication availability and fault detection capability are maintained concurrently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution provides accurate and sensitive fault detection in cables without breaking the communication link, using echo cancellation coefficients to identify cable faults and improve detection of minor issues beyond the capabilities of traditional time domain reflectometry methods.

Implementation Method 1

An echo canceller is connected to the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the echo canceller includes echo coefficients configured to reduce echo signals from the signals received by the receiver

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEcho cancellation: Echo

Implementation Method 2

Cable testers can employ time domain reflection (TDR), which is a measurement technique used to determine the characteristics of electrical lines by observing reflected waveforms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTime domain reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS9246604B1Method and apparatus for virtual cable test using echo canceller coefficients

Publication Date: 2016.01.26 MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD

AI summary

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with echo cancellation are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a cable tester that determines whether a fault in a cable exists by using echo cancellation values.