Optical sensing arrangements with wavelength and time-displacement detection

• US 4,888,480 A
• Filed: 12/10/1987
• Issued: 12/19/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GEC Aerospace Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plessey Overseas Limited (Marconi Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: Pratt, David J., Dakin, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Application Number:
  US07/131,167
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227, 250/231 R, 250/226
• US Class Current: 250/227.23
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/268 using optical fibres G01D5/28 - G01D5/38 take precedence

Abstract

A two-wavelength referencing optical sensing arrangement comprises two laser sources for producing simultaneous optical pulse signals of two different wavelengths for transmission over a plurality of discrete optical fibre paths to the sensors terminating such paths. Time-displaced return signals of different wavelengths received over the optical paths from sensors are fed into a single receiver which uses the intensity of signals of one wavelength in order to compensate for unknown losses in the system when indicating measurement of conditions sensed at the locations of the optical sensors.

Claims

1. An optical sensing arrangement comprising two laser light sources for producing simultaneous optical pulse signals of two different wavelengths, in which these optical pulse signals are combined by optical coupler means and transmitted over a plurality of discrete optical fibre paths of different lengths terminated by respective sensors for sensing certain parameters at predetermined locations, and in which time-displaced return signals at different wavelengths received over the optical fibre paths from the respective sensors are fed to a single receiver, said receiver including means utilizing the intensity of signals of one of said two wavelengths as a reference basis for correctively determining intensity of signals at the other of said two wavelengths in order to compensate for unknown losses when providing an indication of measurand(s) at the location of the optical sensors.

2. An optical using arrangement as claimed in claim 1, in which reference signals indicative of the levels of the pulse outputs at different wavelengths from the laser sources are fed to the single receiver in order to provide continuous calibration of the receiver so as to compensate for changes in intensity of the laser outputs which could give rise to inaccuracies in the measurements provided by the receiver.

3. An optical sensing arrangement as claimed in claim 2, in which the paths over which the reference signals are transmitted to the single receiver include delay loops.