Patent ID: 8217640

Claim:
A method to identify a phase in a multi-phase electrical system, comprising: providing a detection device having at least one sensor operable to detect a waveform on a cable of a multi-phase electrical system and a control unit that generates a time reference, the time reference being timed according to the frequency of the waveform and in phase therewith, to store timed data, synchronized with a detected waveform; using the detection device to detect a first waveform on a cable belonging to a first phase of the multi-phase system, in a first position of the multi-phase electrical system; storing in the detection device timed data, synchronized with the first waveform; moving the detection device to a second position on a different point of the multi-phase electrical system; and in the second position, finding a cable belonging to the first phase by (a) using the detection device to detect a second waveform in the second position of the multi-phase electrical system, on a cable belonging to an indeterminate phase of the multi-phase system, (b) obtaining data relative to the phase to which the cable, on which the second waveform was read, belongs based on the phase shift between the timed data stored in the detection device at the first position and the second waveform, and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) until a cable is identified, on which the phase shift is zero or 180°.