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US 7,095,493 B2Granted
Optical time domain reflectometer and method of using the same
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorDaniel N. Harres
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inexpensive optical time domain reflectometer is disclosed that comprises a variable delay device and that is capable of identifying the location of a damage portion of a fiber optic cable with great accuracy and minimal power consumption. A method of providing a vehicle with an on-board optical time domain reflectometer is also disclosed.
Claims13
A method comprising:
- providing a light conduit, the light conduit being comprised of at least one fiber optic cable, the fiber optic cable having at least one damaged portion;
- providing a sample-and-hold device, the sample-and-hold device being adapted and configured to store information indicative of light intensity reaching a sampling point;
- providing a storage device, the storage device being operatively connected to the sample-and-hold device in a manner such that information stored by the sample-and-hold device can be transmitted to and stored by the storage device;
- iteratively performing the following steps a) through c) N number of times, wherein N is greater than two and X is a number that is adjusted after each iteration;
- a) transmitting a laser pulse in a first direction along the light conduit in manner such that at least a portion of the laser pulse is reflected by the damaged portion of the fiber optic cable back along the light conduit in a direction opposite the first direction and eventually reaches the sampling point;
- b) storing a block of information indicative of light intensity reaching the sampling point throughout a period of time via the sample-and-hold device, the storing of the block of information commencing the sum of a first period of time and a second period of time from when the portion of the laser pulse is reflected by the damaged portion of the fiber optic cable, the second period of time being equal to the product of X and an incremental time interval;
- c) storing the block of information via the storage device;
- determining an approximate location of the damaged portion of the fiber optic cable along the light conduit via the information stored by the storage device.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a vehicle in a manner such that the vehicle comprises a control system, an on-board optical time domain reflectometer, and a light conduit, the control system comprises at least one fiber optic cable, the on-board optical time domain reflectometer being operatively connected to the fiber optic cable, the light conduit being comprised of the fiber optic cable, the on board optical time domain reflectometer comprising a sample-and-hold device and a storage device, the sample-and-hold device being adapted and configured to store information indicative of light intensity reaching a sampling point, the storage device being operatively connected to the sample-and-hold device in a manner such that information stored by the sample-and-hold device can be transmitted to and stored by the storage device;
- and
- using the on-board optical time domain reflectometer to locate an approximate position of a damaged portion of the fiber optic cable to within twelve inches relative to another portion of the vehicle by iteratively performing the following steps a) through c) N number of times, wherein N is greater than two and X is a whole number that increases by one after each iteration;
- a) transmitting a laser pulse in a first direction along the light conduit in a manner such that at least a portion of the laser pulse is reflected by the damaged portion of the fiber optic cable back along the light conduit in a direction opposite the first direction and eventually reaches the sampling point;
- b) storing a block of information indicative of light intensity reaching the sampling point throughout a period of time via the sample-and-hold device, the storing of the block of information commencing the sum of a first period of time and a second period of time from when the portion of the laser pulse is reflected by the damaged portion of the fiber optic cable, the second period of time being equal to the product of X and an incremental time interval;
- c) transmitting the block of information to the storage device and storing the block of information via the storage device.
3 more elements
An assembly comprising:
- a light conduit, the light conduit having at least one light reflective portion;
- a light source, the light source being operatively connected to the light conduit and being adapted and configured to transmit a pulse of light along the light conduit;
- a sample-and-hold device, the sample-and-hold device being operatively connected to the light conduit and being adapted and configured to store information indicative of light intensity reaching a sampling point;
- a storage device, the storage device being operatively connected to the sample-and-hold device in a manner such that information stored by the sample-and-hold device can be transmitted to and stored by the storage device;
- and
- a microprocessor, the microprocessor being operatively connected to the storage device;
- the assembly being configured and adapted to iteratively perform the following steps a) through c) N number of times, wherein N is greater than two and X is a number that is adjusted after each iteration:
- a) transmitting a light pulse in a first direction along the light conduit in manner such that at least a portion of the light pulse is reflected by the light reflective portion of the light conduit back along the light conduit in a direction opposite the first direction and eventually reaches the sampling point;
- b) storing a block of information indicative of light intensity reaching the sampling point throughout a period of time via the sample-and-hold device, the storing of the block of information commencing the sum of a first period of time and a second period of time from when the portion of the light pulse is reflected by the light reflective portion of the light conduit, the second period of time being equal to the product of X and an incremental time interval;
- and c) storing the block of information via the storage device;
- the microprocessor being adapted and configured to determine an approximate location of the light reflective portion of the light conduit along the light conduit via the information stored by the storage device.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.