Tracking using distributed fibre optic sensing
First Claim
1. A method of tracking targets in a fibre optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) network comprising:
- tracking targets at each of a plurality of tracker nodes of the DAS network, wherein each tracker node;
receives measurement signals from one or more DAS sensors;
applies a tracking algorithm to said measurement signals to track any targets in a tracker zone corresponding to an area monitored by said one or more DAS sensors; and
maintains, for each target, a tracking dataset of target properties for tracking that target;
the method further comprising;
identifying when a first target in a first tracker zone of a first tracker node is approaching a second tracker zone of a second tracker node and supplying from the first tracker node to the second tracker node a Target Descriptor for the first target wherein the Target Descriptor comprises at least some of the tracking dataset for the first target; and
using the Target Descriptor at the second tracker node to track any entry of the first target into the second tracker zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This application describes methods and apparatus for tracking targets in a fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) network. The DAS network comprises a plurality of interrogator units interrogating sensing fibers deployed along paths of interest to provide DAS sensors. Targets are tracked at each of a plurality of tracker nodes of the DAS network, where each tracker node receives measurement signals from one or more DAS sensors and applies a tracking algorithm to track any targets in a respective tracker zone. Each tracker node maintains, for each target, a tracking dataset of target properties for tracking that target. The method involves identifying when a first target in a first tracker zone of a first tracker node is approaching a second tracker zone of a second tracker nod and supplying for the first tracker node to the second tracker node a Target Descriptor for the first target.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of tracking targets in a fibre optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) network comprising:
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tracking targets at each of a plurality of tracker nodes of the DAS network, wherein each tracker node; receives measurement signals from one or more DAS sensors; applies a tracking algorithm to said measurement signals to track any targets in a tracker zone corresponding to an area monitored by said one or more DAS sensors; and maintains, for each target, a tracking dataset of target properties for tracking that target; the method further comprising; identifying when a first target in a first tracker zone of a first tracker node is approaching a second tracker zone of a second tracker node and supplying from the first tracker node to the second tracker node a Target Descriptor for the first target wherein the Target Descriptor comprises at least some of the tracking dataset for the first target; and using the Target Descriptor at the second tracker node to track any entry of the first target into the second tracker zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A tracker node for a fibre optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) sensor network comprising:
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a processor configured to, in use; receive measurement signals from one or more DAS sensors; and apply a tracking algorithm to said measurement signals to track any targets in a first tracker zone corresponding to an area monitored by said one or more DAS sensors; wherein the tracking algorithm is configured to maintain, for any such target, a tracking dataset of target properties for tracking that target; wherein the processor is configured to receive a Target Descriptor for a first target, wherein Target Descriptor for the first target corresponds to data about a target in a second tracker zone of another tracker node of the DAS sensor network that is approaching the first tracker zone, and the processor is configured to use said Target Descriptor to track any entry of the first target into the first tracker zone.
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20. A control node for a fibre optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) sensor network comprising:
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a controller configured to receive target parameters from a plurality of tracker nodes, each tracker node comprising one or more DAS sensors and a processor configured to apply a tracking algorithm to track any targets in a first tracker zone corresponding to an area monitored by said one or more DAS sensors; wherein the controller is configured to determine when a first target in a first tracker zone is approaching a second tracker zone and to control transfer of a Target Descriptor from the tracker node associated with the first tracker zone to the tracker node associated with the second tracker zone, wherein the Target Descriptor comprises at least part of a tracking dataset of target properties for tracking the first target.
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Specification