Methods and apparatus for ofdr interrogator monitoring and optimization
AssigneeIntuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
InventorsKevin M. Marsden, Mark E. Froggatt, Matthew S. Wolfe
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Abstract
Example embodiments add an optical amplifier to a multi-channel, continuously swept OFDR measurement system, adjust amplified swept laser output power between rising and falling laser sweeps, and/or utilize portions of a laser sweep in which OFDR measurements are not typically performed to enhance the integrity of the OFDR measurement system, improve the performance and quality of OFDR measurements, and perform additional measurements and tests.
Claims20
A multi-channel optical interrogation system comprising:
- a tunable laser;
- a modulator to inject a ripple signal into laser light generated by the tunable laser;
- an optical interferometric network comprising multiple measurement paths paired with multiple associated reference paths to create multiple measurement channels;
- and
- detection and acquisition electronics to measure optical network responses at outputs of the multiple measurement channels to produce channel signals for the multiple measurement channels that each carry the ripple signal,
- wherein phases of the ripple signals carried on the channel signals for the multiple measurement channels are indicative of optical and electrical delays associated with the multiple measurement channels.
A modulation and measurement system for use in conjunction with a tunable laser coupling laser light into a multi-channel optical interferometric network, the system comprising:
- a modulator configured to generate a modulation signal, at a selected frequency, for combination with an output of a laser diode driver of the tunable laser into a modulated driver output signal that injects a ripple signal at the selected frequency into the laser light;
- and
- detection and acquisition electronics configured to measure optical network responses for multiple channels of the multi-channel optical interferometric network to produce multiple digital channel signals each carrying the ripple signal.
A method comprising:
- injecting a ripple signal into laser light generated by a tunable laser;
- inputting the laser light carrying the ripple signal to an optical interferometric network that includes multiple measurement paths paired with multiple associated reference paths to form multiple measurement channels;
- measuring optical network responses at outputs of the multiple measurement channels to produce channel signals for the multiple measurement channels that each carry the ripple signal;
- and
- determining, from the ripple signal carried on the channel signals, phase responses indicative of optical and electrical delays associated with the multiple measurement channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.