Abstract: A method for detecting soft faults in a transmission line includes the steps of: acquiring a time-domain reflectogram, calculating the integral of the time-domain reflectogram, selecting, in the integral, three samples P1, P2, P3, calculating a first distance equal to the difference in absolute value between the value of the second sample P2 and the value of the first sample P1 or of the third sample P3, calculating a second distance equal to the difference in absolute value between the value of the first sample P1 and of the third sample P3, performing a first comparison of the first distance to the second distance weighted by a weighting coefficient ?, deducing from the result of the first comparison information on the existence of a soft fault.

Abstract: A method for detecting soft faults in a transmission line includes the steps of: acquiring a time-domain reflectogram, calculating the integral of the time-domain reflectogram, selecting, in the integral, three samples P1, P2, P3, calculating a first distance equal to the difference in absolute value between the value of the second sample P2 and the value of the first sample P1 or of the third sample P3, calculating a second distance equal to the difference in absolute value between the value of the first sample P1 and of the third sample P3, performing a first comparison of the first distance to the second distance weighted by a weighting coefficient ?, deducing from the result of the first comparison information on the existence of a soft fault.

Abstract: A method for compensating for the propagation inhomogeneities in a time-domain reflectogram measured for a given cable comprises the following steps, executed in an iterative manner: injecting a test signal into the cable, measuring the reflection of the test signal to form a time-domain reflectogram, identifying at least a time portion of the time-domain reflectogram comprising at least one amplitude peak corresponding to a propagation inhomogeneity, subtracting the identified time portion of the reflectogram, divided by the signal reflection coefficient at the injection point, from the test signal, and replacing the test signal with the result of the subtraction.

Abstract: A method of testing a cable by distributed reflectometry, comprises: injecting into the cable a first periodic signal and a second periodic signal having the same number N of periods and the same number M of samples per period as the first signal; acquiring a measurement of the reflection, from impedance discontinuities of the cable, of each of said first and second signals; taking the average of said measurements of the reflection of at least one of said first or second signals over all of its periods to produce at least one reflectogram; determining the positions of faults in the cable on the basis of at least the reflectogram; the method being wherein each period of the second signal is injected into the cable with a delay or an advance which has an increasing predetermined absolute value for each successively injected period.

Abstract: A method for compensating for the propagation inhomogeneities in a time-domain reflectogram measured for a given cable comprises the following steps, executed in an iterative manner: injecting a test signal into the cable, measuring the reflection of the test signal to form a time-domain reflectogram, identifying at least a time portion of the time-domain reflectogram comprising at least one amplitude peak corresponding to a propagation inhomogeneity, subtracting the identified time portion of the reflectogram, divided by the signal reflection coefficient at the injection point, from the test signal, and replacing the test signal with the result of the subtraction.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a cable, into which a first reference signal g is injected, calculates the dynamic correlation between a measurement f of the reflection, from at least one discontinuity in the cable, of the injected signal g and a second reference signal gp equal to the first reference signal g weighted by a frequency-dependent function modeling the propagation of a wave along the cable.

Abstract: A method of testing a cable by distributed reflectometry, comprises: injecting into the cable a first periodic signal and a second periodic signal having the same number N of periods and the same number M of samples per period as the first signal; acquiring a measurement of the reflection, from impedance discontinuities of the cable, of each of said first and second signals; taking the average of said measurements of the reflection of at least one of said first or second signals over all of its periods to produce at least one reflectogram; determining the positions of faults in the cable on the basis of at least the reflectogram; the method being wherein each period of the second signal is injected into the cable with a delay or an advance which has an increasing predetermined absolute value for each successively injected period.

Abstract: A time domain reflectometry system for the unambiguous location of at least one singularity in a cable, comprises analysis and calculation means for reflectometry signals suited to generating two injection signals from at least one reflectometry signal, two digital-to-analog converters for converting said digital signals into analog signals, two coupling and transmission means for said signals at two distinct points of said cable, at least one analog-to-digital converter for converting the signal reflected by said singularity and received by said coupling and transmission means, said analysis and calculation means furthermore being suited to receiving and analyzing said reflected signal, digitally converted, to produce a time domain reflectogram, said signals being designed such that the signal propagating from one side of said cable is equal to said reflectometry signal and the signal propagating from the other side of said cable is substantially zero.