Patent ID: 7141960

Claim:
A method for testing an electrical component, comprising: providing a sender unit having a sensor; applying the sender unit to an electrical plug, the plug having a first line, a second line and a ground line; determining if the first line, the second line or the ground line has a voltage potential relative to the surrounding; connecting the sender unit to a remote receiver unit; determining a phase configuration of the electrical plug; applying the receiver unit to a remote electrical unit having a voltage to be measured; determining a length of time between a first time (t 1 ) at a first voltage level and a second time (t 2 ) at a second voltage level of the reference voltage phase, the second voltage level being identical to the first voltage level; calculating a reference point of the reference voltage phase between the first time (t 1 ) and the second time (t 2 ) based on a length of time between the first time (t 1 ) and the second time (t 2 ); adjusting a length of a synchronization signal so that the synchronization signal terminates at the calculated peak value of the reference voltage phase; sending the synchronization signal at a second subsequent cycle of the reference voltage phase when the reference voltage phase reaches the first voltage level at a third time (t 3 ); determining a length of time between a termination of the first synchronization signal at a time (t 5 ) and a time of a reference point of an unknown voltage phase, as sensed by the receiver unit, a time (t 6 ) at a first voltage level of the unknown voltage phase and a time (t 7 ) at a second voltage level of the unknown voltage phase identical to the first voltage level of the unknown voltage phase, time of the reference point of the unknown voltage phase being calculated based on a length of time between the time (t 6 ) and the time (t 7 ); comparing a time difference between the termination of the synchronization signal at the time (t 5 ), corresponding to the reference point of the reference phase voltage, with the time of the reference point of the unknown phase voltage; and determining the phase relationship between the reference phase voltage and the unknown phase voltage based on the time difference between the time of the reference point of the unknown phase voltage and the time (t 5 ).