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US 12,736,375 B2Granted
Optical fiber-based tsunami warning system using submarine telecommunication cables
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsZhongwen Zhan, Valey Kamalov
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Abstract
The invention describes a tsunami warning system utilizing properties of light in optical fibers within submarine telecommunication cables. Enhanced by microwave frequency modulation and High-Loss Loop Back (HLLB) techniques, this system measures photoelastic changes for more stable, long-period tsunami wave detection.
Claims18
A computer implemented method for detecting a tsunami, comprising, in a computer:
- receiving electromagnetic signals transmitted through a plurality of different locations along a submarine telecommunication cable comprising optical fibers, wherein the electromagnetic signals comprise frequency modulated telecom signals;
- determining, from a phase of the electromagnetic signals at the different locations, changes in at least one property of the optical fibers spanning the different locations;
- and
- associating threshold changes in the at least one property of the optical fibers with detection of a tsunami wave above the locations in the telecommunication cable.
1 more element
A system for detecting a tsunami, comprising:
- a computer implementing an algorithm at a tsunami warning center, the algorithm:
- receiving, from a receiver, electromagnetic signals transmitted from a transmitter through a plurality of locations along a submarine telecommunication cable comprising optical fibers, wherein the electromagnetic signals comprise frequency modulated telecom signals;
- determining, from a phase of the electromagnetic signals at the different locations, changes in at least one property of the optical fibers spanning the locations;
- and
- associating threshold changes in at least one property of the optical fibers with detection of a tsunami wave.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.