Serial weak FBG interrogator using pulses of differing wavelengths
First Claim
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1. An interrogation system using a laser to interrogate at least one sensor, said interrogation system comprising:
- at least one sensor capable of reflecting or transmitting light from said laser;
an optical fiber extending from the at least one sensor; and
a sensor interrogator receiving the optical fiber extending from the at least one sensor, wherein the sensor interrogator includes the laser, an electro-optical shutter or pulse generator laser driver developing pulses of light from said laser at each of a plurality of wavelengths having a repetition rate based on a time of flight of light in an optical fiber providing light from said laser to said one or more sensors, a laser calibrator comprising a first photodetector and a first amplifier, and wherein said sensor interrogator further comprises a second photodetector receiving reflected laser output from said sensor, a second amplifier, an A/D converter responsive to said first amplifier and said second amplifier and a microprocessor responsive to said A/D converter for determining a spectrum of said pulses of light from said laser reflected by said at least one sensor, wherein said electro-optical shutter or pulse generator laser driver provides pulses of light at respective different wavelengths to said laser calibrator and said at least one sensor.
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Abstract
A serial weak FBG interrogator is disclosed. The serial weak FBG interrogator may include a CW tunable laser or pulsed laser utilized as a laser source and an EDFA. The serial weak FBG interrogator may also be an interrogation of a single sensor system by utilization of a DFB laser which utilizes a single sensor, which may be an interferometer sensor, an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer or a wavelength-modulated sensor. The serial weak FBG interrogator may also include a computer system or CSPU.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An interrogation system using a laser to interrogate at least one sensor, said interrogation system comprising:
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at least one sensor capable of reflecting or transmitting light from said laser; an optical fiber extending from the at least one sensor; and a sensor interrogator receiving the optical fiber extending from the at least one sensor, wherein the sensor interrogator includes the laser, an electro-optical shutter or pulse generator laser driver developing pulses of light from said laser at each of a plurality of wavelengths having a repetition rate based on a time of flight of light in an optical fiber providing light from said laser to said one or more sensors, a laser calibrator comprising a first photodetector and a first amplifier, and wherein said sensor interrogator further comprises a second photodetector receiving reflected laser output from said sensor, a second amplifier, an A/D converter responsive to said first amplifier and said second amplifier and a microprocessor responsive to said A/D converter for determining a spectrum of said pulses of light from said laser reflected by said at least one sensor, wherein said electro-optical shutter or pulse generator laser driver provides pulses of light at respective different wavelengths to said laser calibrator and said at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21)
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19. A sensor interrogator for interrogating one or more sensors having a variable length optical path difference responsive to a variable parameter to be measured, said interrogator comprising:
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a continuous wave tunable laser; an electro-optical shutter or pulse generator laser driver developing pulses of light from said continuous wave tunable laser having a repetition rate based on a time of flight of light in an optical fiber providing light from said laser to said one or more sensors; a laser calibrator comprising a first photodetector and a first amplifier; a second photodetector receiving reflected laser output from said one or more sensors over an optical fiber; a second amplifier; an A/D converter responsive to said first amplifier and said second amplifier; and a microprocessor responsive to said A/D converter for determining a spectrum of said output from said laser reflected by respective ones of said one or more sensors. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification