OPTICAL LINEAR MEASUREMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A system for measuring movement of a movable device, the system comprising:
- a first electrical-to-optical converter (EOC) for converting an electrical signal into a first optical signal;
a first optical fiber having first and second ends, the first optical fiber being arranged in a coil, at least one location on the first optical fiber being mechanically coupled to the movable device such that movement of the movable device imparts movement in the first optical fiber that produces a change in a radius of the coil, the first end receiving the first optical signal from the first EOC, and wherein the first optical signal is received in the first end of the first optical fiber, propagates along the first optical fiber and passes out of the second end of the first optical fiber;
a first optical-to-electrical converter (OEC) for receiving the first optical signal passing out of the second end of the first optical fiber and converting the received first optical signal into a first output electrical signal; and
processing circuitry that receives and processes the first output electrical signal to determine a signal strength of the first optical signal, and wherein the processing circuitry adjusts the determined signal strength to compensate for temperature and determines an amount of movement of the movable device based on the adjusted signal strength.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical linear measurement system and method are provided that determine movement of a movable device based on the signal strength of an optical signal propagating in a first optical fiber that is attached to the movable device. As the linear position of the movable device changes, the radius of a coil of the first optical fiber changes. As the radius of the coil changes, the strength of the optical signal changes. A second static optical fiber is used for performing temperature compensation. Changes in signal strength of an optical signal carried on the second optical fiber due to temperature are used to adjust the measured strength of the signal carried on the first optical fiber. The movement of the movable device is then made based on the adjusted signal strength measurement.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for measuring movement of a movable device, the system comprising:
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a first electrical-to-optical converter (EOC) for converting an electrical signal into a first optical signal; a first optical fiber having first and second ends, the first optical fiber being arranged in a coil, at least one location on the first optical fiber being mechanically coupled to the movable device such that movement of the movable device imparts movement in the first optical fiber that produces a change in a radius of the coil, the first end receiving the first optical signal from the first EOC, and wherein the first optical signal is received in the first end of the first optical fiber, propagates along the first optical fiber and passes out of the second end of the first optical fiber; a first optical-to-electrical converter (OEC) for receiving the first optical signal passing out of the second end of the first optical fiber and converting the received first optical signal into a first output electrical signal; and processing circuitry that receives and processes the first output electrical signal to determine a signal strength of the first optical signal, and wherein the processing circuitry adjusts the determined signal strength to compensate for temperature and determines an amount of movement of the movable device based on the adjusted signal strength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for measuring movement of a movable device, the method comprising:
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with a first electrical-to-optical converter (EOC), converting an electrical signal into a first optical signal; optically coupling the first optical signal into a first end of the first optical fiber, the first optical fiber being arranged in a coil, at least one location on the first optical fiber being mechanically coupled to the movable device such that movement of the movable device imparts movement in the first optical fiber that produces a change in a radius of the coil, and wherein the first optical signal propagates along the first optical fiber and passes out of the second end of the first optical fiber; with a first optical-to-electrical converter (OEC), receiving the first optical signal passing out of the second end of the first optical fiber and converting the received first optical signal into a first output electrical signal; and with processing circuitry, processing the first output electrical signal to determine a signal strength of the first optical signal; with the processing circuitry, adjusting the determined signal strength to compensate for temperature; and with the processing circuitry, determining an amount of movement of the movable device based on the adjusted signal strength. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for measuring movement of a movable device, the system comprising:
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first and second electrical-to-optical converters (EOCs) for converting respective electrical signals into first and second optical signals; first and second optical fibers having first and second ends, the first optical fiber being arranged in a coil, at least one location on the first optical fiber being mechanically coupled to the movable device such that movement of the movable device imparts movement in the first optical fiber that produces a change in a radius of the coil, the second optical fiber being stationary such that movement of the movable device imparts no movement in the second optical fiber, the first ends of the first and second optical fibers receiving the first and second optical signals from the first and second EOCs, respectively, and wherein the first and second optical signals propagate along the first and second optical fibers and pass out of the second ends of the first and second optical fibers, respectively; first and second optical-to-electrical converters (OECs) for receiving the first and second optical signals passing out of the first and second ends of the first and second optical fibers, respectively, and converting the received first and second optical signals into first and second output electrical signals, respectively; and processing circuitry that receives the first and second electrical output signals, wherein the processing circuitry processes the first output electrical signal to determine a signal strength of the first optical signal, and wherein the processing circuitry adjusts the determined signal strength of the first optical signal to compensate for temperature based on the second electrical output signal and determines an amount of movement of the movable device based on the adjusted signal strength.
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Specification