Apparatus and method for a computerized fiber optic security system
First Claim
1. A fiber optic security system for detecting unauthorized activity in a protected area comprising:
- a fiber optic cable having an optical sensor line for transmitting and receiving scan signals;
a fiber optic scanning unit connected to one end of said optical sensor line for transmitting scan signals outbound along said optical sensor line and said scanning unit receiving return scan signals reflected back along the same said optical sensor line;
a system computer for receiving said return scan signals from said scanning unit and processing said return scan signals to determine the existence of a fault condition representing the unauthorized activity;
a computer readable medium in communication with said computer;
a computer program including computer readable instructions stored in said computer readable medium which includes,receiving instructions for receiving said return scan signals from said scanning unit at said computer,baseline initialization instructions for establishing a baseline signal of the sensor line based on initial information from said scan signals representing an undisturbed state of said sensor line, and storing said baseline signal in computer memory,monitoring instructions for monitoring said optical sensor line to automatically receive said returned scan signals from said scanning unit in real-time representing the condition of said optical 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 return scan signals,fault instructions for generating a real-time fault signal in response to a predetermined change in one or more of said return scan signals representing a fault condition based on said real-time comparison indicating the unauthorized activity has taken place;
evaluation instructions for processing the change in said return scan signal to determine the type of fault condition and location of the unauthorized activity that has occurred; and
said computer outputting a warning in response to said fault signal to notify an attendant that the unauthorized activity has taken place.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computerized apparatus and method for detecting unauthorized activity in a protected area in real-time using a fiber optic cable having an optical sensor line, a fiber scanning unit, and a computer. Detecting unauthorized activity is done by scanning the sensor line using the scanning unit to obtain repetitive scan signals representing the state of the sensor line, receiving scan signals at the computer, processing the scan signals to determine an initial baseline representing the normal state of the sensor line, storing the baseline, continuously monitoring the sensor line using the scan signals received in real-time by the computer, comparing the scan signal to the baseline, determining if a fault has occurred based on an predetermined attenuation change in one or more of the scan signals as compared to the baseline, generating a fault signal, and providing a warning of a fault in response to the fault signal.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fiber optic security system for detecting unauthorized activity in a protected area comprising:
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a fiber optic cable having an optical sensor line for transmitting and receiving scan signals; a fiber optic scanning unit connected to one end of said optical sensor line for transmitting scan signals outbound along said optical sensor line and said scanning unit receiving return scan signals reflected back along the same said optical sensor line; a system computer for receiving said return scan signals from said scanning unit and processing said return scan signals to determine the existence of a fault condition representing the unauthorized activity; a computer readable medium in communication with said computer; a computer program including computer readable instructions stored in said computer readable medium which includes, receiving instructions for receiving said return scan signals from said scanning unit at said computer, baseline initialization instructions for establishing a baseline signal of the sensor line based on initial information from said scan signals representing an undisturbed state of said sensor line, and storing said baseline signal in computer memory, monitoring instructions for monitoring said optical sensor line to automatically receive said returned scan signals from said scanning unit in real-time representing the condition of said optical 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 return scan signals, fault instructions for generating a real-time fault signal in response to a predetermined change in one or more of said return scan signals representing a fault condition based on said real-time comparison indicating the unauthorized activity has taken place; evaluation instructions for processing the change in said return scan signal to determine the type of fault condition and location of the unauthorized activity that has occurred; and said computer outputting a warning in response to said fault signal to notify an attendant that the unauthorized activity has taken place. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computerized fiber optic security system including a fiber optic sensor line, a fiber optic scanning unit connected to one end of said sensor line for launching scan signals along the sensor line, and receiving return scan signals reflected back along the sensor line, and a system computer for receiving and analyzing said return scan signals to detect unauthorized activity in a secured area wherein said system comprises:
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a computer readable medium; a computer program residing on said computer readable medium including a set of computer readable instructions which include, scanning instructions for transmitting light pulse scan signals outgoing along said sensor line; receiving instructions for receiving said return scan signals at said scanning unit returning back along the same said sensor line, baseline initialization instructions for establishing a baseline signal based on initial information from said scan signals and storing said baseline signal in said computer readable medium, monitoring instructions monitoring said optical sensor line to receive said return scan signals in real-time representing the condition of said optical 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 return scan signals, fault level evaluation instructions for evaluating said return scan signals upon determining an unauthorized activity has occurred to provide type and geographical location information for the activity, and fault instructions for generating a real-time fault signal in response to determining the unauthorized activity has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computerized method for detecting unauthorized activity in a protected area in real-time using a fiber optic cable as an optical sensor line, a optical fiber scanning unit connected to one end of said optical sensor line, and a remote computer operatively associated with said scanning unit, said method comprising:
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scanning said optical sensor line by transmitting outgoing scan signals from said fiber scanning unit and obtaining return scan signals representing the real-time state of said sensor line reflected back along the same said optical sensor line to said scanning unit; receiving said return scan signals from said scanning unit at said remote computer; processing the return scan signals to determine an initial baseline signal representing the state of said sensor line in a normal, undisturbed state; storing said initial baseline signal in a computer readable memory accessible by said remote computer; continuously monitoring said optical sensor line using said return scan signals in real-time by said remote computer; comparing said return scan signal to said baseline signal; determining if a fault condition indicating unauthorized activity has occurred at a location along said sensor line based on an predetermined attenuation change in said return scan signal as compared to said baseline signal; evaluating return scan signal upon occurrence of unauthorized activity to determine the fault condition and likely cause of the attenuation change; generating a fault signal indicating that a fault correlated to said unauthorized activity has occurred based on said attenuation change; and providing a warning of a fault in response to said fault signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification