Abstract: A method is disclosed for analyzing an AC voltage signal with a transformation which transforms the signal from a representation in the time-domain to a representation in the frequency-domain. This transformation can be a fast Fourier transform, a discrete Fourier transform or a Laplace transform. By selecting a second higher sampling frequency which is an integer multiple of a first sampling frequency, the zero crossings of the AC voltage signal can be accurately determined.

Abstract: In a method for performing a frequency analysis of an AC voltage signal, in particular in a power mains, an upper limit of the period length of a fundamental oscillation in the AC voltage signal is determined. A sequence of sampling values of the AC voltage signal is obtained over a duration longer than the upper limit of the period length, thereby ensuring that more than a period of the fundamental oscillation is sampled. Selected from the sequence of sampling values is a subset of sampling values, with the subset sampling substantially one period of the fundamental oscillation. At least a portion of the sampling values not included in the subset is altered, and a frequency is calculated based on the obtained sequence of sampling values, the subset of sampling values and the altered portion of the sampling values.