Method and apparatus for detecting in impedance change in a transmission line, such as a line in a computer bus. A CMOS-compatible time domain reflectometer circuit comprising a comparator is embedded in one or more chips and connected to the transmission line. The circuit measures the impedance inhomogeneity pattern (IIP) of the transmission line prior to use, and then repeatedly measures the HP during operation of the transmission line to detect a change in IIP, without Interfering with data transfer through the transmission line. The present invention can detect and locate wire-tapping magnetic probing or snooping, and Trojan and cold boot attacks on interconnecting buses between computer chips or integrated circuits in a computer system, such as on external memory buses.

Method and apparatus for detecting in impedance change in a transmission line, such as a line in a computer bus. A CMOS-compatible time domain reflectometer circuit comprising a comparator is embedded in one or more chips and connected to the transmission line. The circuit measures the impedance inhomogeneity pattern (IIP) of the transmission line prior to use, and then repeatedly measures the HP during operation of the transmission line to detect a change in IIP, without Interfering with data transfer through the transmission line. The present invention can detect and locate wire-tapping magnetic probing or snooping, and Trojan and cold boot attacks on interconnecting buses between computer chips or integrated circuits in a computer system, such as on external memory buses.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system that facilitates receiving a first electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium, detecting, according to the first electromagnetic wave, an obstruction on a first portion of an outer surface of the transmission medium, responsive to the detecting the obstruction, configuring a material to have similar properties to the obstruction, the material being positioned along a second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium, and generating a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium without relying on an electrical return path to facilitate propagation of the second electromagnetic wave along the transmission medium, the material facilitating propagation of the second electromagnetic wave from the second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium to the first portion of the transmission medium affected by the obstruction. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system that facilitates receiving a first electromagnetic wave propagating along a transmission medium, detecting, according to the first electromagnetic wave, an obstruction on a first portion of an outer surface of the transmission medium, responsive to the detecting the obstruction, configuring a material to have similar properties to the obstruction, the material being positioned along a second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium, and generating a second electromagnetic wave that propagates along the transmission medium without relying on an electrical return path to facilitate propagation of the second electromagnetic wave along the transmission medium, the material facilitating propagation of the second electromagnetic wave from the second portion of the outer surface of the transmission medium to the first portion of the transmission medium affected by the obstruction. Other embodiments are disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to wireless electrical discontinuity detection methods and systems, the systems including at least one conduit having an outer layer including an electrically conductive material, an electrical signal generator electrically coupled to the at least one conduit, the electrical signal generator being configured to deliver electrical signals to the outer layer of the at least one conduit, and a detector device in electrical communication with the electrical signal generator and configured to detect an electrical signal from the electrically conductive outer layer, the detector device being configured to identify at least one of electrical connection and ground discontinuity in the at least one conduit based on the detected electrical signal, wherein the detector device is in wireless communication with a control station.

A method of detecting a serial arc fault in a DC-power circuit includes injecting an RF-signal with a narrow band-width into the DC-power circuit and measuring a response signal related to the injected RF-signal in the DC-power circuit. The method further includes determining a time derivative of the response signal, analyzing the time derivative, and signaling an occurrence of a serial arc fault in the power circuit based on the results of the analysis. A system for detecting an arc fault is configured to perform a method as described before.

The invention relates to a method for detecting events by reflectometry in an electrical line of an avionic system, said line being fed with an AC voltage at a first frequency (f1), said AC voltage being sinusoidal and composed of a succession of alternate half-periods, said method comprising a step of injecting a reflectometry signal into the network, the reflectometry signal having a second frequency (f2) higher than the first frequency (f1); wherein the injecting step is synchronized with the AC voltage, the injecting step being carried out by injecting the reflectometry signal into the network during an injection duration (ti) comprised between the start and end of a half-period (t1) of the AC feed voltage.

The invention relates to a method for detecting events by reflectometry in an electrical line of an avionic system, said line being fed with an AC voltage at a first frequency (f1), said AC voltage being sinusoidal and composed of a succession of alternate half-periods, said method comprising a step of injecting a reflectometry signal into the network, the reflectometry signal having a second frequency (f2) higher than the first frequency (f1); wherein the injecting step is synchronized with the AC voltage, the injecting step being carried out by injecting the reflectometry signal into the network during an injection duration (ti) comprised between the start and end of a half-period (t1) of the AC feed voltage.

A high-speed signal subsystem testing system includes a processing system having a transmitter and a receiver, a loop back subsystem coupled to the transmitter and receiver to provide a testing communication path between the transmitter and the receiver, and a communication path testing engine coupled to the transmitter and the receiver. The communication path testing engine generates test signal(s) and transmits the test signal(s) via the transmitter and through the testing communication path provided by the loop back subsystem and, in response, receives test signal result(s) via the receiver and through the testing communication path provided by the loop back subsystem, The communication path testing engine processes the test signal result(s) to generate a testing impedance profile for the testing communication path, and compares the testing impedance profile to an expected impedance profile to determine whether a testing communication path issue exists in the testing communication path.

A high-speed signal subsystem testing system includes a processing system having a transmitter and a receiver, a loop back subsystem coupled to the transmitter and receiver to provide a testing communication path between the transmitter and the receiver, and a communication path testing engine coupled to the transmitter and the receiver. The communication path testing engine generates test signal(s) and transmits the test signal(s) via the transmitter and through the testing communication path provided by the loop back subsystem and, in response, receives test signal result(s) via the receiver and through the testing communication path provided by the loop back subsystem, The communication path testing engine processes the test signal result(s) to generate a testing impedance profile for the testing communication path, and compares the testing impedance profile to an expected impedance profile to determine whether a testing communication path issue exists in the testing communication path.