Optical voltage sensor
US7911196B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 22, 2009 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 18, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R15/248
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A voltage sensor includes two optical sensing fibers and a control unit. The sensing fibers carry a first mode of light and a second mode of light, which are orthogonally polarized, with a birefringence between the two modes depending on the electric voltage to be measured. The control unit is configured to generate light for the two modes in the sensing element and to measure the phase delay suffered between the two modes. A 45° Faraday rotator is arranged between the control unit and the sensing fibers. The Faraday rotator allows the behavior and functionality of the sensing fibers and their associated components to be converted to those of a magneto-optical current sensors with polarization-rotated reflection, which in turn allows use of advanced measuring techniques developed for optical gyroscopes and current sensors.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.