Optical position and/or shape sensing
US8773650B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 2, 2010 |
| Grant date | Jul 8, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 24, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/02042
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An accurate measurement method and apparatus are disclosed for shape sensing with a multi-core fiber. A change in optical length is detected in ones of the cores in the multi-core fiber up to a point on the multi-core fiber. A location and/or a pointing direction are/is determined at the point on the multi-core fiber based on the detected changes in optical length. The accuracy of the determination is better than 0.5% of the optical length of the multi-core fiber up to the point on the multi-core fiber. In a preferred example embodiment, the determining includes determining a shape of at least a portion of the multi-core fiber based on the detected changes in optical length.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.