Lightning or other surge detection for wireless transmitters and other devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11092940-B2
Application number	US-201815904881-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2018
Priority date	Feb 26, 2018
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

A method includes obtaining a voltage or current signal associated with a component of a device and isolating and conditioning the voltage or current signal to generate an output signal. The method also includes processing the output signal to identify one or more surge events, where each surge event is associated with an excessive voltage or current experienced by the device. The method further includes generating information associated with the one or more surge events and transmitting or storing the information. The voltage or current signal could be obtained from a case or housing of the device, a cable coupled to the device, or an antenna coupled to the device. The information associated with the one or more surge events could include a date/time stamp, a severity, a duration, or a shape or profile of each surge event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for detecting surge in voltage in a device, the method comprising:
obtaining a voltage signal or a current signal associated with a component of the device, the component including a case, a cable or an antenna, wherein a signal pickup is physically coupled to the component to receive a voltage directly from the component, the signal pick-up receiving or generating the voltage signal or the current signal based on the voltage or a current present on the component of the device;
isolating and conditioning the voltage signal or the current signal with an isolating and signal conditioning unit operable to generate an output signal, the isolating and signal conditioning unit comprising a voltage/current isolator operable to isolate the voltage signal and the current signal and a signal conditioner operable to condition the voltage signal and the current signal, the signal conditioner comprising a structure operable to alter the voltage and the current, the structure comprising at least one of: a voltage clamp, a current clamp, a rectifier, a voltage scaler, and a current scaler;
processing the output signal to identify one or more surge events, each surge event among the one or more surge events associated with an excessive voltage or the current experienced by the device;
generating information associated with the one or more surge events; and
transmitting or storing the information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the information associated with the one or more surge events comprises a date/time stamp identifying when the each surge event among the one or more surge events occurred; and
the current/voltage isolator comprises a structure operable to provide electrical isolation, the current/voltage isolator comprising at least one of: an electrical transformer, and an optical isolator.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the one or more surge events comprises at least one of: a severity of the each surge event, and a shape or a profile of the each surge event.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein isolating and conditioning the voltage or current signal comprises converting the voltage or current signal into a form for input to a digital processor.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the voltage or current signal comprises obtaining the voltage or current signal from a case or housing of the device, a cable coupled to the device, or an antenna coupled to the device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting or storing the information comprises at least one of:
storing the information in a removable memory device; and
transmitting the information over a wired or wireless connection.

7. An apparatus for detecting surge in voltage in a device comprising:
a voltage/current isolator operable to receive and isolate a voltage signal or a current signal associated with a component of the device, the component including a case, a cable or an antenna, wherein a signal pickup is physically coupled to the component to receive a voltage directly from the component, the signal pick-up receiving or generating the voltage signal or the current signal based on a voltage or a current present on the component of the device;
an isolating and signal conditioning unit operable to isolate and condition the voltage signal or the current signal and generate an output signal, the isolating and signal conditioning unit including the voltage/current isolator operable to isolate the voltage signal and the current signal and a signal conditioner operable to condition the voltage signal and the current signal, the signal conditioner comprising a structure operable to alter the voltage and the current, the structure comprising at least one of: a voltage clamp, a current clamp, a rectifier, a voltage scaler, and a current scaler;
at least one processor configured to process the output signal, identify one or more surge events, and generate information associated with the one or more surge events, each surge event among the one or more surge associated with an excessive voltage or current experienced by the device; and
an interface configured to transmit or store the information.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the information associated with the one or more surge events comprises a date/time stamp identifying when the each surge event among the one or more surge events occurred; and
the current/voltage isolator comprises a structure operable to provide electrical isolation, the current/voltage isolator comprising at least one of: an electrical transformer, and an optical isolator.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the information associated with the one or more surge events comprises at least one of: a severity of the each surge event, and a shape or a profile of the each surge event.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a signal pick-up configured to obtain the voltage or current signal from a case or housing of the device, a cable coupled to the device, or an antenna coupled to the device.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the interface is configured to at least one of:
store the information in a removable memory device; and
transmit the information over a wired or wireless connection.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the voltage/current isolator and the signal conditioner form a module configured to be coupled to the at least one processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
at least one visual indicator configured to visually identify that the one or more surge events have been detected.

14. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising:
a power supply configured to provide operating power to at least the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the power supply is configured to provide the operating power to the apparatus and to provide operating power to one or more other components of the device.

16. A method comprising:
isolating and conditioning a voltage signal or a current signal with an isolating and signal conditioning unit operable to generate an output signal, the isolating and signal conditioning unit comprising a voltage/current isolator operable to isolate the voltage signal and the current signal and a signal conditioner operable to condition the voltage signal and the current signal, the signal conditioner comprising a structure operable to alter the voltage and the current, the structure comprising at least one of: a voltage clamp, a current clamp, a rectifier, a voltage scaler, and a current scaler;
processing the output signal to identify one or more surge events, each surge event among the one or more surge events associated with at least one of an excessive voltage or a current experienced by a device in an industrial process control and automation system;
generating information associated with the one or more surge events;
receiving the information identifying the one or more surge events associated with one or more components of the device in the industrial process control and automation system, the one or more components including at least two or more of: a case, a cable and an antenna, wherein a signal pickup is physically coupled to the one or more components to receive a voltage directly from the one or more components, the signal pick-up receiving or generating a voltage signal or a current signal based on a voltage or a current present on the one or more components of the device; and
changing a mode of operation of at least one process controller based on the information, wherein the changing to the mode of operation of the at least on

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Andronic Cristian

Classifications

• G06F1/28 Primary

  Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision · CPC title

• G05B2219/25413

  Interrupt, event, state change triggered · CPC title

• H02H1/0092

  concerning the data processing means, e.g. expert systems, neural networks · CPC title

• G05B23/0283

  Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] (preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06) · CPC title

• H02H9/06

  using spark-gap arresters · CPC title