Multicarrier reflectometry

A new reflectometry method called multicarrier reflectometry (MCR) for fault location in cables is proposed. MCR combines a weighted set of sinusoidal excitations into a signal that is sent down the wire. The reflected signal from the cable under test is analyzed in order to determine the length of the wire or possible location of a fault. In the frequency domain, the phase response of the reflected signal contains the desired information. This method provides a system with greater flexibility than conventional frequency domain reflectometry, better noise immunity than time domain reflectometry, and the ability to employ frequency agility to avoid certain interference bands. This method introduces an approach to the generation of test signals that allows more control over the bandwidth of the test signal. All the data analysis can be done in the digital domain after the reflected wave is sampled, thus enabling the use of more meticulous digital signal processing techniques. The major advantage of this method is the potential use in live cables carrying other signals such as power or data. The bandwidth over which the test signals are transmitted can be chosen specifically to avoid the bandwidth of the live wire signal.