Patent ID: 6252388
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method of measuring electric potential between first and second spaced apart conductors (18, 15) coupled to first and second terminals (16, 30), respectively, separated by a distance L, wherein any electric potential between said first and second terminals (16, 30) establishes an electric field distribution therebetween in relation to any electric potential between said spaced apart conductors, comprising the steps of:spatially positioning N electric field sensors (14) between said first and second terminals (16, 30), where,N represents an integer number of said electric field sensors (14) where said integer number .gtoreq.1,each i.sup.th electric field sensor (14) is spaced apart from another one of said electric field sensors and positioned at a selected distance x.sub.i away from said first terminal and along a selected path extending between said first and second terminals, andeach i.sup.th electric field sensor (14) provides an electric field output signal indicative of the electric field, E.sub.i, thereat; anddetermining an electric potential value, V, representative of said electric potential between said first and second spaced apart conductors (18, 15), as a function of a weighted sum of said electric field output signal associated with each of said N electric field sensors, and said weighted sum being mathematically of the form ##EQU22##whereN is said integer number of electric field sensors .gtoreq.1,E.sub.i represents electric field measurement of the i.sup.th sensor at a distance x.sub.i away from said first terminal, and.alpha..sub.i is a weighting factor associated with the i.sup.th electric field sensor, andwhere x.sub.i and .alpha..sub.i are selected so that ##EQU23##is substantially minimized, where dE.sub.i represents any change in E.sub.i at x.sub.i due to external electric field disturbances.