US 12,259,263 B2 · Optical fiber sensing

Abstract

A sensor system includes a radiation source, an optical fiber, and a detection device. The radiation source is arranged to emit pulses of radiation. The optical fiber comprises a first end and a core. The first end is arranged to receive pulses of radiation output from the radiation source such that, in use, the pulses of radiation are coupled into the fiber. The core is arranged to support propagation of the pulses of radiation along the fiber. The core includes a plurality of reflectors each comprising a portion of the core having a refractive index which is different to the refractive index of adjacent regions of the core. Reflections of a pulse of radiation from adjacent reflectors output at the first end of the fiber are resolvable from each other in the time domain. The detection device is arranged to measure radiation output from the first end of the fiber and resolve radiation reflected at different locations in the core of the fiber.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An optical fiber comprising:

a first end for receiving pulses of radiation coupled into the fiber;
and
a core arranged to support propagation of the pulses of radiation along the fiber, wherein the core includes a plurality of reflectors each comprising a single portion of the core having a refractive index which is different than a refractive index of adjacent regions of the core, thereby being arranged to reflect a portion of the pulses of radiation back to the first end of the fiber, and wherein the reflectors are distributed along the length of the core and a separation between any two adjacent reflectors in the core that are arranged to reflect a portion of the pulses of radiation back to the first end of the fiber is at least 1 millimeter so that reflections of a pulse of radiation from adjacent reflectors received at the first end of the fiber are resolvable from each other in the time domain.

A sensor system comprising:

a radiation source arranged to emit pulses of radiation;
an optical fiber comprising:
a first end for receiving pulses of radiation coupled into the fiber;
and
a core arranged to support propagation of the pulses of radiation along the fiber, wherein the core includes a plurality of reflectors each comprising a single portion of the core having a refractive index which is different than the refractive index of adjacent regions of the core, thereby being arranged to reflect a portion of the pulses of radiation back to the first end of the fiber, and wherein the reflectors are distributed along the length of the core and a separation between any two adjacent reflectors in the core that are arranged to reflect a portion of the pulses of radiation back to the first end of the fiber is at least 1 millimeter so that reflections of a pulse of radiation from adjacent reflectors received at the first end of the fiber are resolvable from each other in the time domain;
and
a detection device arranged to measure radiation output from the first end of the fiber and resolve radiation reflected at different locations in the core of the fiber.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical fiber sensing

Life of this patent

Optical fiber sensing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19