Secure transmission cable

• US 20080122617A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woven Electronics LLC (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Woven Electronics LLC (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Veil, Marko N., Owens, Mary H., Piper, Douglas E., Browning, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,755,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/541
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4413 Helical structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4416 Heterogeneous cables
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4434 Central member to take up tensile loads
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4469 Security aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

The invention consists of a secure data transmission cable for electronically transmitting secure data between remote locations in an exposed condition. The data transmission cable comprises a tubular outer protective layer, an inner core disposed within the outer protective layer, a data transmission line carried within the inner core for transmitting secure data between the remote locations, and a fiber optic sensor line included in the outer protective layer for detecting unauthorized activity relative to the transmission line. The fiber optic data transmission line comprises a plurality of optical fibers for transmitting data between remote locations and for detecting unauthorized activity relative to the transmission line. A protective casing surrounds the data transmission line for protecting the fiber optic data transmission line from contacting the outer protective layer. An outer protective casing braided around the core in which the sensor line is enclosed provides strength to the cable.

Claims

1. A secure data transmission cable assembly for electronically transmitting secure data in a secure manner between remote locations comprising:

a longitudinal reinforcing member having a degree of stiffness extending generally centrally of said cable;

a plurality of buffer tubes surrounding said reinforcing rod;

at least one communications fiber carried in each of said buffer tubes for transmitting secure data;

a plurality of sensor fibers surrounding said buffer tubes for detecting unauthorized activity relative to said communication fibers and preventing access to said communication fibers, said sensor fibers adapted and arranged to receive optical pulse signals which are transmitted along said sensors fibers whereby reflected signals of said pulse signals are reflected back along said sensor fibers; and

an outer protective layer surrounding said sensor fibers; and

whereby said reflected signals may be analyzed to determine the nature and location of any unauthorized activity and an alarm notice communicated to security personnel in order to respond to the activity and protect the secure data.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said buffer tubes are wound in helices having windings continuously laid in a single direction for mechanically isolating said communication fibers.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said sensor fibers are wound in helices having windings laid about said buffer tube helices, said helices of said sensor fibers being wound in a direction opposite to the direction of said buffer tube helices.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said helices of said sensor fibers are laid continuously in a single direction.

5. The assembly of claim 2 including filler strands included with said buffer tubes surrounding said reinforcing member for water resistance.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said buffer tubes are wound in helices having windings laid about said reinforcing member, and said sensor fibers being wound in helices continuously in one direction about said buffer tube helices.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said outer layer includes a plurality of protective armor wires wrapped around said buffer tubes in a spiral.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said outer layer includes a protective jacket surrounding said armor wires, said protective jacket includes a polymeric material, and said armor wires are embedded in said polymeric material.

9. The assembly of claim 1 including the number of said buffer tubes includes at least five tubes to maintain a generally round configuration and reduce preferential bending

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said central member includes a fiber reinforced plastic rod having a stiffness which prevents excessive bending to protect the sensor fibers and serves to prevent excessive cable and fiber contraction in cold weather.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein said sensor fibers include an optical fiber core with cladding surrounded by a fiber reinforced coating.

11. A secure data transmission system for electronically transmitting secure data between remote locations comprising:

a secure data cable having an outer tubular protective layer extending longitudinally;

a plurality of optical sensor fibers carried internally of said protective layer;

a plurality of data transmission lines for transmitting secure data between said remote locations;

said sensor fibers surrounding said communication fibers for detecting a fault condition and unauthorized activity including one of damage and severance to said sensor fibers to alert a system user and prevent a tap on said communication fibers;

at least one optical scanning unit operatively connected to said sensor fibers adapted and arranged to transmit outgoing optical pulse signals along said sensors fibers and receive reflected sensor signals returned back along said sensor fibers containing reflections and attenuations representing the instantaneous condition of said sensor fibers; and

a computerized user interface having a system computer connected to said scanning unit for receiving said reflected sensor signals, and a display monitor associated with said computer;

a computer readable fault level data base containing predetermined fault type and location information stored in computer readable code accessible by said system computer;

said computer including computer program instructions for processing said reflected sensor signals together with said fault data base information to determine specifically the nature and location of a fault condition detected when a prescribed deviation has occurred in a reflected sensor signal; and

said computer generating a fault alert signal in response to detecting a fault condition which is communicated to a user by at least one of a graphic user interface on said monitor and an audible alert.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said a computer program includes:

receiving instructions for receiving reflected scan signals from said scanning unit,

baseline initialization instructions for establishing a baseline signal based on initial information from said reflected scan signals representing the normal conditions of said optic sensor line in the absence of a fault condition and unauthorized activity,

monitoring instructions for monitoring said optic sensor line by automatically pulsing and receiving said scan signals in real-time representing the condition of said optic sensor line in real-time,

comparison instructions for determining if unauthorized activity has taken place based on a real-time comparison of said baseline signal and said reflected scan signals,

fault instructions for generating a real-time fault signal in response to a predetermined change in one or more of said reflected scan signals indicating the unauthorized activity has taken place;

evaluation instructions for evaluating the change in said reflected scan signals and along with said fault level data to determine the type of unlawful activity that has occurred.

13. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said transmission lines are carried in buffer tubes wound in helices having windings continuously laid in a single direction for mechanically isolating said communication fibers.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said sensor fibers are wound in helices having windings laid about said buffer tube helices, said helices of said sensor fibers being wound in a direction opposite to the direction of said buffer tube helices.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said helices of said sensor fibers are laid continuously in a single direction.

16. The assembly of claim 11 including filler strands included with said buffer tubes in said surrounding said central member for water resistance.

17. The assembly of claim 11 wherein said outer layer includes a plurality of protective armor wires wrapped around said buffer tubes in a spiral.

18. The assembly of claim 17 including a protective jacket comprising a polymeric material in which said armor wires are embedded.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein said sensor wires are embedded in a polymeric layer.

20. A computerized method for the high-speed, secure transmission of data along an accessible transmission line comprising:

transmitting data along a data transmission line;

providing a protective layer surrounding said data transmission line having at least one fiber optic sensor line;

providing an optical scanning unit and a computerized user interface system;

transmitting a series of scan signals from said scanning unit along said sensor line;

receiving reflected signals at said scanning unit back along the sensor line representing the condition of the sensor line;

transmitting said reflected signals to said computerized user interface system and processing said reflected signals to detect a predetermined fault condition; and

generating an alert signal in response to said attempt to compromise said transmission line.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising:

providing a set of fault type data stored in a computer readable medium in communication with said system computer containing a plurality of fault types associated with predetermined unlawful activity;

initially processing the reflected scan signals from the sensor line to determine an initial scan baseline signal representing the state of said sensor line in a normal, undisturbed state without the unlawful activity;

storing said baseline signal in a computer readable memory accessible by said system computer;

continuously monitoring said optic sensor line using said reflected scan signals received in real-time by said remote computer;

comparing said reflected scan signal to said scan baseline signal;

determining if a fault condition indicating unauthorized activity has occurred at a location along said sensor line based on an occurrence of predetermined change in one or more of said reflected scan signals as compared to said baseline signal;

processing a change in said scan signal in comparison to said fault type data to determine the type of unauthorized activity that has occurred; and

generating a fault signal indicating that a fault condition has occurred based on said predetermined change.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising activating an associated audible output device upon receiving said fault signal from said remote computer.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising visually indicating the occurrence of a fault on an associated display screen upon receiving said fault signal.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising determining the type of fault that has occurred by evaluating the level of attenuation with a set of fault type data.

25. The method of claim 20 including forming a dielectric cable to prevent leakage of signals and data outside of the cable by embedding said sensor lines in an annular layer of a dielectric material.