# US 12,111,189 B2 · Object localization and threat classification for optical cable protection

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- Number: US 12,111,189 B2
- Document ID: US12111189B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/221,822
- Filed: 2021-04-04
- Published: 2022-10-06
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2020-04-07
- Assignees: NEC Corporation
- Applicants: NEC Laboratories America, Inc.
- Inventors: Ming-Fang Huang; Ting Wang; Shaobo Han
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111189B2

## CPC

- G01D 5/353: influencing the transmission properties of an optical fibre
- G01D 5/35361: {using elastic backscattering to detect the measured quantity, e.g. using Rayleigh backscattering}
- G01D 5/35364: {using inelastic backscattering to detect the measured quantity, e.g. using Brillouin or Raman backscattering}
- G01H 9/004: {using fibre optic sensors (light guides per se G02B6/00, acousto-optical devices specially adapted for gating or modulating in optical wave guides G02F1/125)}
- G01V 1/226: {Optoseismic systems}
- G06V 20/58: Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
- G08B 21/18: Status alarms (G08B21/02 takes precedence)
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01H: MEASUREMENT OF MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OR ULTRASONIC, SONIC OR INFRASONIC WAVES
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS

## Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure describe distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems, methods, and structures that advantageously identify location(s) of construction—or other activities—taking place along fiber optic cable routes that can damage the fiber optic cables.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of operating a distributed optical fiber sensing system for object localization and threat classification for optical cable protection and early warning, said system comprising:
a length of optical fiber; and
a distributed optical fiber sensing interrogator in optical communication with the length of optical fiber;
said method comprising:
operating the distributed optical fiber sensing interrogator and detecting, at a detection point along the length of the optical fiber, vibrations produced by a vibration source; and
determining, a directional movement of the vibration source relative to the detection point by comparing a cut-off vibrational frequency produced by the vibration source at a first time t1 and cut-off vibrational frequency produced by the vibration source at a second time t2;
wherein the cut-off vibrational frequency produced by the vibration source is greater when the vibration source is physically closer to the detection point and a higher vibrational frequency is observed as compared to when the vibration source physically further away from the detection point and a lower vibrational frequency is observed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining a distance from the optical fiber a vibration source is.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 further comprising:
continuously determining the distance from the optical fiber the vibration source is; and
generating an alarm when the distance is below a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein the alarm is generated when the cut-off frequency reaches a pre-determined threshold.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein a plurality of vibration sources are determined and cut-off frequencies and directional movements relative to a detection point associated with each of the vibration sources are determined.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising generating location and direction reports for the plurality of vibration sources and sending the reports to an operator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the determinations are made using a threat classifier comprising a support vector machine.