Method and apparatus for detecting defects in an optical fiber
US5880825A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 29, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 9, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 29, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/952
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The present invention provides an optical detection system for detecting defects in an optical fiber. The system comprises a light source for projecting a beam of light onto the coating layer of an optical fiber. An optical detector positioned adjacent the optical fiber receives a first light ray reflected at the interface of the air and the coating layer as the light enters the coating layer surrounding the optical fiber and a second light ray reflected at the interface of the air and the coating layer as the light exits the coating layer after passing through the optical fiber. When a defect, such as an airline, for example, is present in the optical fiber, a third light ray is reflected by the defect and is detected by the optical detector. A signal processor is electrically coupled to the optical detector for receiving an output signal from the optical detector and for processing the output signal to determine whether or not one or more defects have been detected. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, when only two rays of light are detected, the signal processor determines that no defects exist in the optical fiber. When three rays of light are detected, the signal proc…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.