Fiber analysis method and apparatus
US5778114A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 7, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B10/077
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A Fiber Analysis System (10) detects threats to a buried underground fiber (10) by delivering two optical sub-signals, split from a single beam, into opposite ends of the fiber so the sub-signals traverse the fiber in opposite directions. The sub-signals are recombined into a beam whose characteristics are detected by a detector (24). The output signal of the detector (24) is compared by a processor (26) to different reference values stored in a data base (28) representing different detector output signals corresponding to different fiber conditions. By matching the detector output signal to a reference value associated with a particular fiber condition, the processor can determine whether a potential threat exists. By inducing a sequence of known vibrations (tones) inn the fiber at spaced locations along a generally orthogonal to the fiber (12), the processor (26) can establish the location of the fiber by comparing the detector output signal to a reference signals corresponding to the known tones to determine which one was received in the shortest time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.