Automatisches Lokalisieren von Fehlern in Verkabelungssystemen

A method and apparatus (12-20, 32) for automatically locating faults in a network of signal carriers (cables) utilises an interrogation waveform which is pulse-like in form and receives composite reflected signals from the carriers which are a time distributed collection of individual reflections. These are sampled and compared using the function of an adaptive filter (52) to minimise the difference signal. The difference signals are analysed to determine significant points of departure which identify the fault location which is then represented as a distance value.