Method of detecting and/or measuring physical magnitudes using a distributed sensor
US5684297A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 15, 1995 |
| Grant date | Nov 4, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 15, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/29319
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of detecting and/or measuring changes in a physical magnitude by means of a distributed sensor, changes being detected and/or measured at a plurality of "measurement" points along said sensor, said sensor comprising an optical fiber having an optical core for guiding the majority of light waves, said optical core including a plurality of diffraction gratings distributed along said optical fiber, each situated at one of said measurement points, said diffraction gratings all having substantially the same central reflection wavelength in the absence of strain, the method comprising the following steps: injecting a "detection" light signal into an "inlet" end of said optical fiber, the wavelength of the light signal being close to said central reflection wavelength; determining the power of one of the reflected signals, referred to as the "detected reflected power", as a function of time; comparing said detected reflected power as a function of time with the power reflected as a function of time by the sensor in the absence of any change in said physical magnitude, referred to as the "idle" reflected power; and detecting change in said physical…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.