Optical couplers used in a downhole splitter assembly
US9465137B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 16, 2014 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 16, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/36
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Techniques and apparatus are provided for downhole sensing using optical couplers in a downhole splitter assembly to split interrogating light signals into multiple optical sensing branches. Each optical branch may then be coupled to an optical sensor (e.g., a pass-through or an optical single-ended transducer (OSET)) or to another optical coupler for additional branching. The sensors may be pressure/temperature (P/T) type transducers. Some systems may exclusively use OSETs as the optical sensors. In this manner, if one of the OSETs is damaged, it does not affect light traveling to any of the other sensors, and sensing information from remaining sensors is still returned.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.