Implementation of Current Capacitance Resonant Circuit to Monitor Telecommunication and Utility Cable Tampering

Abstract

The telecommunication and utility cable tamper monitoring system was implemented to detect cable tampering. Cable tampering occurs although methods have been developed, to solve, mitigate and decrease cable tampering cases such as cable tampering prevention campaigns at the national and international levels. The objective of the research was to design and implement a cable monitoring system that would detect an anomaly, such as cable theft and report Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates at which cable tampering took place. The system is an improvement on the traditional cable anti-theft monitoring system, based on tracking resonance signal frequency. The system incorporates a sensing circuit which detects a change in the capacitance value of the cable and converts it into an equivalent frequency value, Field-programable Gate Array (FPGA) board is utilized to convert the frequency into the distance from sensor of cable at which tampering took place. After detecting an anomaly on the cable, the system gives an output divided into two parts which are the display mode and the messaging mode. For display mode, the system uses a Crystal Display (LCD) to display the GPS coordinates of the location where the cable tampering took place and the distance from sensor of the cable where tampering took place. In the messaging mode, the FPGA activates the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) module and the module sends alert message to the user when the cable is tampered with.