Patent ID: 7307820

Claim:
A method comprising: sensing a broadband RF signal within an alternating current signal transmitted on a predetermined alternating current circuit; down-converting the sensed broadband RF signal to an intermediate frequency; generating a received signal strength indication signal representative of a signal strength of the sensed broadband RF signal at the intermediate frequency; sampling the received signal strength indication signal at a predetermined sample frequency; repeatedly, for a predetermined one of a predetermined number of sequential time intervals, each time interval corresponding to a predetermined number of sequential received signal strength indication signal samples, each sample from the predetermined number of samples assigned a sample identifier, for each sample identifier, determining a maximum amplitude of all samples corresponding to that sample identifier in all of the predetermined number of sequential time intervals and storing that maximum amplitude; repeatedly, for the predetermined number of time intervals, for each sample identifier, determining a mean amplitude of all stored maximum amplitudes associated with the predetermined number of time intervals and storing that mean amplitude; repeatedly, for a computed signal comprised of each of the stored mean amplitudes, detecting a predetermined number of disturbances, each disturbances characterized by a steep rising edge and a steep falling edge; characterizing the broadband RF signal as related to an arcing condition if a gap between a steep falling edge associated with a disturbance of a first predetermined number and a steep rising edge associated with a disturbance of a second predetermined number exceeds a predetermined value; opening the predetermined alternating current circuit if the characterized broadband RF signal is related to an arcing condition.