Fiber optic interferometric sensor array

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for multiplexing Fiber Optic Interferometric Sensors (FOISs), which apparatus comprises: means (1) forming the optical source for providing m*n distinct wavelengths λ11, λ12, . . . , λ1n, λ21, λ22, . . . , λ2n, . . . , λm1, λm2, . . . , λmn, which means comprise other means for generating m groups (111, 112, . . . , 11m) of light pulses, each group 11j (1≦j≦m) being made up of n light pulses Pk(λj1), Pk(λj2), . . . , Pk(λjn) of distinct wavelengths λj1, λj2, . . . , λjn, the n light pulses Pk(λj1), Pk(λj2), . . . , Pk(λjn) being time delayed one from another, Fiber Optic Interferometric Sensors distributed in m groups (51, 52, . . . , 5m) of n sensors each, the n sensors of a same group being located at the same point and set into a star like arrangement around the input point of the group, and each of the n sensors of a same group 5j, 1≦j≦m, being associated with wavelength selective means so that it is interrogated by one light pulse only among the pulses Pk(λj1), Pk(λj2), . . . , Pk(λjn) of distinct wavelengths respectively λj1, λj2, . . . , λjn

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.