Apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling detection of stray voltage anomalies

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for detecting stray voltage anomalies in electric fields are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for detecting an electrical field may comprise: at least one sensor probe for generating data corresponding to an electrical field detected by the at least one sensor probe, wherein the at least one sensor probe comprises at least one electrode; a processor, coupled to the at least one sensor probe, for analyzing the data to identify a voltage anomaly in the electric field; and an indicator, coupled to the processor, for alerting a user to a presence of the voltage anomaly in the electric field.

1 . A mobile apparatus mounted to a motor vehicle for identifying a hazardously energized object, the apparatus comprising:
 one or more sensor probes that detect electric field and provide an analog signal corresponding to the electric field;   a signal converter for generating a digital signal from the analog signal;   a processor that calculates a strength of the electric field; and   a display that displays a rise, peak and fall of the strength of the digital signal when the mobile apparatus moves past the hazardously energized object.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein parameters of the mobile apparatus are variable to account for background noise in the electric field and false alarms. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the signal converter is an analog to digital converter that digitizes the signal to provide a transformation of the signal, the transformation comprising a plurality of time domain samples, each sample representing an amplitude of the electric field strength. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the processor filters the plurality of time domain samples according to a desired frequency pertaining to the hazardously energized object and to provide a second signal representing a magnitude of the electric field at the desired frequency; and
 wherein the apparatus further comprises a computer to receive the second signal and to provide an indication of a magnitude of the electric field at the desired frequency.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of time domain samples are subject, by the processor, to a filter to yield a frequency domain representation of the plurality of time domain samples. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the processor applies the filter on most recent digitized signals at a rate sufficient to produce a continuous output proportional to the strength of the digital signal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the processor produces a continuous pitch audio tone proportional to a magnitude of the electric field strength. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processor converts a magnitude of the plurality of time domain samples to a logarithmic scale. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support frame for mounting the one or more sensor probes to the motor vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an audio indicator, coupled to the display, that emits an audio signal corresponding to the rise, peak and fall of the strength of the electric field.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a computer for capturing the rise, peak and fall to gather additional information to review a potentially hazardous object.   
     
     
         12 . A method for detecting a hazardously energized object using a mobile detection apparatus, the method comprising:
 moving the mobile detection apparatus;   detecting an electric field using one or more sensor probes of the mobile detection apparatus and generating an analog signal corresponding to the electric field;   converting the analog signal into a digital signal; and   displaying a rise, peak and fall of a strength of the digital signal on a display when the apparatus moves past the hazardous object.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 adjusting parameters of the mobile apparatus according to background noise in the electric field and false alarms.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the digital signal is a transformation of the electric field comprising a plurality of time domain samples, each sample representing amplitude of the electric field. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 filtering the plurality of time domain samples according to a desired frequency pertaining to the hazardously energized object and to provide a second signal representing a magnitude of the electric field at the desired frequency; and   wherein the apparatus further comprises a computer to receive the second signal and to provide an indication of the magnitude of the electric field at the desired frequency.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of time domain samples are subject to a filter to yield a frequency domain representation of the plurality of time domain samples. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising applying the filter on most recent digitized signals at a rate sufficient to produce a continuous output proportional to the strength of the digital signal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising producing a continuous pitch audio tone proportional to the strength of the digital signal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising converting the plurality of time domain samples to a logarithmic scale. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising mounting the one or more sensor probe to the motor vehicle via a support frame.