Abstract: An apparatus including a monitoring unit, a number of sensor units, a number of cables, and a number of thermoelectric generators. The number of sensor units is capable of making measurements at a number of locations on a number of power lines for a number of loads. The number of cables connects the monitoring unit to the number of sensor units. The number of thermoelectric generators is capable of generating power for at least one of the monitoring unit and the number of sensor units. The monitoring unit is capable of receiving measurements from the number of sensor units through the number of cables. The monitoring unit is capable of determining whether an arc fault has occurred from the measurements received through the number of cables.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a monitoring unit, a number of sensor units, a number of cables, and a number of thermoelectric generators. The number of sensor units is capable of making measurements at a number of locations on a number of power lines for a number of loads. The number of cables connects the monitoring unit to the number of sensor units. The number of thermoelectric generators is capable of generating power for at least one of the monitoring unit and the number of sensor units. The monitoring unit is capable of receiving measurements from the number of sensor units through the number of cables. The monitoring unit is capable of determining whether an arc fault has occurred from the measurements received through the number of cables.

Abstract: The method and associated apparatus of the present invention decodes digital signals by appropriately weighting the respective noise portions of the two phase segments generated by the detector, such as an APD in an optical communications system, such that the digital signal can be reliably decoded despite the presence of multiplicative noise induced by the detector. The detector detects a digitally encoded communications carrier signal having a waveform defining first and second portions. The detector then generates an electrical signal in response to the digitally encoded communications carrier signal. The electrical signal has two phase segments, namely, one phase segment corresponding to the first portion of the digitally encoded communications carrier signal and another phase segment corresponding to the second portion of the digitally encoded communications carrier signal. Each phase segment also includes a respective noise portion.