Algorithms for Locating and Characterizing Cable Faults via Stepped-Frequency Waveform Reflectometry

This article presents algorithms to effectively and accurately realize the stepped-frequency waveform reflectometry (SFWR), i.e., the reflectometric technique based on the use of sinusoidal bursts. This technique is useful for monitoring the health status of connection cables but has many other applications like other reflectometric techniques. This article outlines the theory of SFWR, highlighting the problems associated with the transient components in the reflected signal; presents a method to minimize the effect of the transients, estimating the frequency response function (FRF) of interest with very low systematic erro; shows how to use the FRF to locate and characterize faults in cable; and accurately evaluates, using the simulated cables with exactly known characteristics, the errors associated with the proposed methods. Overall, this article demonstrates how the SFWR technique can be effectively used for testing cables and in general determine, via reflectometry, parameters of interest of transmission lines.