Sensor and inspection system deploying an optical conduit

• US 8,742,319 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Sheikman, Boris Leonid, Weller, Nathan Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Tony
• Application Number:
  US13/324,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20130146753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/227.11, 340/686.1, 356/502
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 15/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of electromagnetic waves or particle radiation, e.g. by the use of microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays or electrons characterised by the use of optical techniques G01B9/00, G01B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/023 for measuring distance between sensor and object G01B7/082 and G01B7/102 take precedence

Abstract

Embodiments of an inspection system comprise a conduit that can transmit light between a sensor and a processing component. In one embodiment, the sensor comprises an element that generates an electromagnetic field in response to an input from the processing component. The input comprises a light signal that traverses the conduit to the sensor. The sensor converts the light signal to an electrical signal to operate the element. In one example, the sensor generates a plurality of light signals, which also traverse the conduit to the diagnostic component where the lights signals are processed to determine, in one example, proximity of an object to the sensor.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly, comprising:

a sensor;

an optical data conduit coupled to the sensor; and

a sensor signal processing and control component coupled to the optical data conduit,

wherein the sensor and the sensor signal processing and control component are configured to exchange light signals via the optical data conduit,

wherein the sensor comprises a photo-detector that is configured to generate a first electrical driving signal, a directional coupler that is configured to direct the electrical driving signal to an element that is configured to generate an electromagnetic field in response to the electrical driving signal and to a light source,

wherein the light source is configured to generate a reverse reflected optical signal in response to reflection of the electrical driving signal in the element and a forward reflected signal with properties based on properties of the electrical driving signal, and

wherein the sensor signal processing and control component comprises a photo-detector that is configured to convert the reverse reflected optical signal to a reverse reflected processing signal that identifies the proximity of an object to the sensor.

2. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the properties include frequency, phase, and amplitude of the electrical driving signal.

3. The sensor assembly of claim 2, wherein the light source comprises a first light emitting diode that is configured to generate the forward reflected optical signal and a second light emitting diode that is configured to generate the reverse reflected optical signal.

4. The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the photo-detector comprises a photo-diode.

5. The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising an optical filter coupled to the optical data conduit, wherein the optical filter is configured to direct the reverse reflected optical signal and the forward reflected optical signal to a pair of photo-diodes.

6. An inspection system, comprising:

an optical data conduit;

a sensor signal processing and control component coupled to the optical data conduit;

a sensor coupled to the optical data conduit, the sensor comprising an element that is configured to generate an electromagnetic field in response to an optical driving signal from the sensor signal processing and control component; and

an electrical signal oscillator configured to generate an electrical driving signal at a frequency that can cause the electromagnetic field,

wherein the sensor generates a plurality of optical signals that traverse the optical data conduit, and

wherein the sensor signal processing and control component are configured to generate one or more processing signals from the optical signals that identify the proximity of an object to the sensor.

7. The inspection system of claim 6, wherein the frequency is 300 MHz or greater.

8. The inspection system of claim 6, wherein the optical signals include a reverse reflected optical signal representative of detuning of the element and a forward reflected optical signal with properties based on properties of the electrical driving signal.

9. The inspection system of claim 8, further comprising an optical filter that is configured to receive the optical signals, wherein the optical filter is configured to separate the reverse reflected optical signal from a forward reflected optical signal, wherein the forward reflected optical signal has an amplitude and phase based on the electrical driving signal.

10. The inspection system of claim 6, wherein the optical data conduit comprises an optical fiber cable, and wherein the optical fiber cable comprises a multimode cable that is configured to carry the optical signals between the sensor and the sensor signal processing and control component.

11. The inspection system of claim 6, further comprising a power source coupled to the sensor.

12. The inspection system of claim 6, wherein the first light source comprises a light emitting diode.

13. An inspection system, comprising:

a plurality of light sources;

an optical fiber cable coupled to the plurality of light sources;

a plurality of photo-detectors coupled to the optical fiber cable; and

an element configured to generate an electromagnetic field in response to light that traverses the optical fiber cable from the light sources to the photo-detectors,

wherein the light sources are configured to generate a forward reflected optical signal with properties based on an electrical driving signal and a reverse reflected optical signal in response to interference of an object with the electromagnetic field, and

wherein the photo-detectors are configured to convert the forward reflected optical signal and the reverse reflected optical signal to one or more processing signals that quantify the proximity of the object to the element.

14. The inspection system of claim 13, wherein the light sources comprise light-emitting diodes.

15. The inspection system of claim 13, wherein the photo-detectors comprise photo-diodes.

16. The inspection system of claim 13, further comprising an oscillator coupled to one of the light sources, wherein the oscillator is configured to generate the electrical driving signal that causes the electromagnetic field.

17. The inspection system of claim 16, wherein the electrical driving signal has frequency of about 300 Mhz or greater.

18. The inspection system of claim 13, further comprising a power source coupled to the sensor.

19. The inspection system of claim 13, further comprising an optical filter coupled to the optical fiber cable, wherein the optical filter is configured to direct light from a pair of the light sources to a pair of the photo-detectors.

20. The sensor assembly of claim 13, wherein the reverse reflected optical signal is representative of detuning of the element.