METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FIBER-OPTIC MONITORING OF SPATIALLY DISTRIBUTED COMPONENTS
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Abstract
A system for monitoring a plurality of components distributed in different space locations, includes: at least one optical fiber path; an optical radiation source adapted to inject optical radiation into the at least one optical fiber path; at least one first and at least one second optical branches branching from the at least one optical fiber path and adapted to spill respective portions of the optical radiation, the first and second optical branches being adapted to be operatively associated with a respective component to be monitored. The first optical branch includes a first optical reflector and is adapted to reflect the spilled optical radiation portion unless the respective component at least partially breaks; the second optical branch includes at least one passive optical attenuator adapted to be operatively coupled to the respective component to be monitored, and having an attenuation capable of changing in response to a change in operating conditions of the respective monitored component when operatively coupled thereto, and a second optical reflector. An optical receiver is adapted to detect back-reflected optical radiation reflected by the first and second optical branches. The monitoring system is adapted to recognize a position of a component of the plurality of components based on a characteristic of the back-reflected optical radiation.
8 Citations
44 Claims
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1-22. -22. (canceled)
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23. A system for monitoring a plurality of components distributed in different space locations, comprising:
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at least one optical fiber path; an optical radiation source capable of being adapted to inject optical radiation into the at least one optical fiber path; at least one first and at least one second optical branches branching from the at least one optical fiber path and capable of being adapted to spill respective portions of said optical radiation, the first and second optical branches capable of being adapted to operatively associate with a respective component to be monitored, wherein; the first optical branch comprises a first optical reflector and is capable of being adapted to reflect the spilled optical radiation portion, unless the respective component at least partially breaks; the second optical branch comprises; at least one passive optical attenuator capable of being adapted to operatively couple to the respective component to be monitored, and having an attenuation capable of changing in response to a change in operating conditions of the respective monitored component when operatively coupled thereto, and a second optical reflector; and an optical receiver capable of being adapted to detect back-reflected optical radiation reflected by said first and second optical branches. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of monitoring a plurality of components distributed in different space locations, comprising:
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providing at least one optical fiber path; associating each of the components to be monitored with respective at least one first and second optical branches branching from the at least one optical fiber path, capable of being adapted to spill respective portions of an optical radiation propagating through the at least one optical path, wherein the first optical branch is capable of being adapted to reflect the spilled optical radiation portion, unless the respective component at least partially breaks; propagating the optical radiation into the optical fiber path; operatively coupling at least one passive optical attenuator with each one of the components to be monitored, the passive optical attenuator being part of the second optical branch associated with the respective component; responsive to a change in operating condition of at least one of the components to be monitored, causing a spilled optical radiation propagating through the second optical branch associated with said component to be back-reflected; detecting back-reflected optical radiation; and recognizing a position of said at least one of the components based on a characteristic of the detected back-reflected optical radiation. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification