Patent ID: 8269504
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A system for locating a partial break in a wire loop antenna, the wire loop antenna having a first end and a second end and defining a first section between the first end and the partial break and defining a second section between the second end and the partial break, said system comprising: a test signal transmitter device capable of receiving the first end and the second end of the wire loop antenna such that said test signal transmitter is in electrical communication with the wire loop antenna, said test signal transmitter device generates a first test signal and a second test signal, the first test signal having a signal pattern that is distinguishable from that of the second test signal, said test signal transmitter device transmits the first test signal into the first end of the wire loop antenna and transmits the second test signal into the second end of the wire loop antenna such that the first test signal is the most prominent test signal radiating from the first section of the antenna and the second test signal is the most prominent test signal radiating from the second section of the antenna; and a receiver device capable of receiving the first test signal and the second test signal, said receiver device generates a first signal indicator when it receives the first test signal and generates a second signal indicator when it receives the second test signal, the first signal indicator being representative of the first test signal to the extent that it reflects the signal pattern of the first test signal and the signal strength of the first test signal at said receiver device, the second signal indicator being representative of the second test signal to the extent that it reflects the signal pattern of the second test signal and the signal strength of the second test signal at said receiver device, the first signal indicator being a prominent signal indicator when the first test signal has a signal strength at said receiver device that is greater than that of the second test signal, the second signal indicator being the prominent signal indicator when the second test signal has a signal strength at said receiver device that is greater than that of the first test signal, said receiver device indicates the location of the partial break when the prominent signal indicator shifts from being one of the first signal indicator and the second signal indicator to being the other of the first signal indicator and the second signal indicator.