A method and apparatus for electrical line testing. The method and apparatus provides audio, visual and/or electronic information to indicate electricity is flowing or not flowing through an electrical circuit controlled by a remote circuit breaker. The method and system help identify which electrical sockets are controlled by which remote circuit breakers. The method and apparatus is used over short distances in a residential home or over long distances in a commercial building such as a warehouse or factory. The method and apparatus is also used via a cloud communications network and with smart speakers. The method and apparatus is used with or without an external network devices such as a smartphone, electronic tablet, wearable device, etc.

Methods and apparatuses for using the impedance inhomogeneity pattern (IIP) of a transmission line, or one or more segments thereof, to verify the identity of the transmission line and/or detect whether or not the transmission line has been altered or tampered with. Because the impedance inhomogeneity pattern of a transmission line is unique, unpredictable, and uncontrollable, it can be used as a physical unclonable function (PUF). The IIP can be obtained by a method such as frequency domain reflectometry or time domain reflectometry, and is then compared with a previously stored intrinsic IIP obtained from a transmission line (or segment(s)) prior to first use through the use of, for example, correlation or coherence functions. The method can be used on any transmission line, including electrical, optical and acoustic transmission lines. The method is useful for enabling or enhancing physical layer communication link security, transmission line sensing security, supply chain security, product authentication, physical encryption, anti-counterfeiting, manufacturing traceability, and the like.

Methods and apparatuses for using the impedance inhomogeneity pattern (IIP) of a transmission line, or one or more segments thereof, to verify the identity of the transmission line and/or detect whether or not the transmission line has been altered or tampered with. Because the impedance inhomogeneity pattern of a transmission line is unique, unpredictable, and uncontrollable, it can be used as a physical unclonable function (PUF). The IIP can be obtained by a method such as frequency domain reflectometry or time domain reflectometry, and is then compared with a previously stored intrinsic IIP obtained from a transmission line (or segment(s)) prior to first use through the use of, for example, correlation or coherence functions. The method can be used on any transmission line, including electrical, optical and acoustic transmission lines. The method is useful for enabling or enhancing physical layer communication link security, transmission line sensing security, supply chain security, product authentication, physical encryption, anti-counterfeiting, manufacturing traceability, and the like.

The invention provides a cable abnormality assessment system, a slave device, and a cable abnormality assessment method. A cable abnormality assessment system is provided with a diagnosis control unit for assessing a cable abnormality on the basis of link-up information between a communication unit and another machine connected to the other end of a cable, and first and second information that are the respective results of abnormality diagnosis by a signal line diagnosis unit with regard to one and the other of two pair signal lines of the cable.

The invention provides a cable abnormality assessment system, a slave device, and a cable abnormality assessment method. A cable abnormality assessment system is provided with a diagnosis control unit for assessing a cable abnormality on the basis of link-up information between a communication unit and another machine connected to the other end of a cable, and first and second information that are the respective results of abnormality diagnosis by a signal line diagnosis unit with regard to one and the other of two pair signal lines of the cable.

Systems and methods for health monitoring and fault detection in power distribution networks are provided. Aspects include providing a first power supply coupled to a power channel, providing a load coupled to the power channel, providing a transmitting sensor coupled to the power channel between the first power supply and the load, providing a receiving sensor coupled to the power channel between the transmitting sensor and the load, operating the transmitting sensor to provide an AC test signal to the power channel, the AC test signal comprises a predefined test signal pattern, operating the receiving sensor to sense, from the power channel, a continuous power signal including the AC test signal, analyzing, by the controller, the AC test signal to determine a fault of the power channel based on comparing the predefined test signal pattern with a predefined nominal probe signal pattern corresponding to a specific network configuration.

The invention relates to an adapter device (10, 110, 210) for positioning at least one conductor (68), such as a conductor pair, for example, of a cable (70) to be measured, which adapter device comprises a receiving device (12) and a holding clamp (14) which can be attached to the receiving device (12). Attaching the holding clamp (14) to the receiving device (12) fixes the holding clamp (14) in position and alignment relative to the receiving device (12). The holding clamp (14) is designed to receive and clamp the at least one conductor (68) of the cable (70) to be measured in sections in order to fix said cable in the position and alignment thereof relative to the holding clamp (14), such that an end section of the at least one conductor (68) extends beyond the holding clamp (14).

The invention relates to an adapter device (10, 110, 210) for positioning at least one conductor (68), such as a conductor pair, for example, of a cable (70) to be measured, which adapter device comprises a receiving device (12) and a holding clamp (14) which can be attached to the receiving device (12). Attaching the holding clamp (14) to the receiving device (12) fixes the holding clamp (14) in position and alignment relative to the receiving device (12). The holding clamp (14) is designed to receive and clamp the at least one conductor (68) of the cable (70) to be measured in sections in order to fix said cable in the position and alignment thereof relative to the holding clamp (14), such that an end section of the at least one conductor (68) extends beyond the holding clamp (14).

Connection normality check of a pair of electric wires is simplified. A circuit check device 1 that checks connection normality of a pair of electric wires L1 and L2 includes, when the pair of electric wires is connected to an exchange 2, a voltmeter 11 that measures a first inter-wire potential difference between one end of an electric wire portion p1 of the electric wire L1 and one end of an electric wire portion p2 of the electric wire L2, a voltmeter 12 that measures a second inter-wire potential difference between the other end of the electric wire portion p1 of the electric wire L1 and the other end of the electric wire portion p2 of the electric wire L2, and a determiner 13 that determines whether the measured first inter-wire potential difference agrees with the measured second inter-wire potential difference.

Connection normality check of a pair of electric wires is simplified. A circuit check device 1 that checks connection normality of a pair of electric wires L1 and L2 includes, when the pair of electric wires is connected to an exchange 2, a voltmeter 11 that measures a first inter-wire potential difference between one end of an electric wire portion p1 of the electric wire L1 and one end of an electric wire portion p2 of the electric wire L2, a voltmeter 12 that measures a second inter-wire potential difference between the other end of the electric wire portion p1 of the electric wire L1 and the other end of the electric wire portion p2 of the electric wire L2, and a determiner 13 that determines whether the measured first inter-wire potential difference agrees with the measured second inter-wire potential difference.