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AssigneeNetwork Integrity Systems, Inc.
InventorsCary R. Murphy, Mark K. Bridges, Dave E. Cunningham
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An asset such as a data transmission system, a perimeter security system, an oil well or a pipe line is monitored for events which are potentially damaging or threatening to the asset by installing an optical fiber continuously through the asset. The asset has many different zones of different physical condition, environment and/or of different risk factors which are expected therefore to generate different responses to events. The fiber is monitored using a distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) interrogator by effecting an analysis to determine the presence of an event in one or more of the zones The analysis includes applying different gauge length parameters to received data signals from the different zones at the same time.
A method for monitoring security of an asset for events which are potentially damaging or threatening to the asset, the method comprising:
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the selection and assignment of the gauge length parameters are determined by an operator.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the selection and assignment of the gauge length parameters are determined automatically by the DAS interrogator.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein at least one portion is analyzed multiple times with different gauge length parameters.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the selection and assignment of the gauge length parameters are determined and adjusted dynamically in response to environmental or ambient conditions applied to the optical fiber in the different zones.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the selection and assignment of the gauge length parameters are provided from a library of presets.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the analysis includes an algorithm applied to the received data signals and wherein the selection and assignment of the gauge length parameters is carried out using data determined by the algorithm.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the gauge length is adjusted to enhance sensitivity and to optimize signal-to-noise ratio.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the asset has different zones, where different arrangements of installation of the optical fiber in relation to the asset is expected to generate different responses to events, and the zones are selected in response to the different arrangements of installation.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the asset passes through different environments, which are expected to generate different responses to events, and the zones are selected in response to the different environments.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the asset has different zones of different risk factor, which are expected to generate different responses to events, and the zones are selected in response to the different risk factors.
The method according to any preceding claim wherein the asset is monitored by a perimeter monitoring system having different zones using different installations of the optical fiber in the zones where the fiber is installed to different components of the asset in the different zones.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.