Method and apparatus for distributed sensing
US11002594B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 2016 |
| Grant date | May 11, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B26/04
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Forming a light pulse having a plurality of time-dependent frequency components such as a chirped light pulse or a light pulse group and superposing reflected light from different portions of an optical fiber allows detection of changes in effective optical path differences due to physical parameters in the environment of the optical fiber by sensing the optical interference pattern of each light frequency and wavelength. The development of a plurality of interference patterns from each light pulse provides sufficient information for robust demodulation by known methods to produce signals having good fidelity to variations in the physical parameters of interest, particularly vibrations and acoustic waves. The location of the measured physical parameter along the optical fiber can be determined from the time difference between injecting the light pulse and detection of a reflection or Rayleigh backscattering and diffraction index of the optical fiber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.