摘要:
A sensor array and method for remotely monitoring environmental effects on a selected sensor. In a sensor array comprising a plurality of interferometers, an optical signal of a selected configuration is provided so that portions of the optical signal are propagated through the interferometers. The optical signal configuration causes optical signal portions which have traveled the same signal path, except where separated on signal paths in a selected interferometer, to coherently mix when combined at an output of the selected interferometer. No other optical signal portions in the sensor array will coherently mix. The optical signal comprises plural components such as side bands which are configured to form a power spectrum defining an optical signal coherence function having a maximum which repeats periodically at a rate substantially corresponding to optical signal travel time difference in the selected interferometer. Also, the coherence function has minimums or zero values at times such that intervals between various minimums substantially correspond to optical signal travel time differences through non-selected interferometers, thus precluding coherent mixing of optical signal portions emerging from those non-selected interferometers. By modifying characteristics of the optical signal components, one may change the repetition period of the coherence function maximum and of selected coherence function minimums to produce coherent mixing of signal portions from another interferometer while precluding coherent mixing of signals from all other interferometers, including the previously selected interferometer. Accordingly, a given sensor may be selected from monitoring, to the exclusion of all others.
摘要:
A distributed sensor system using pulsed optical signals optionally produced by a short coherence length source to provide a phase difference output signal representative of conditions affecting a selected sensor. In one preferred embodiment, an array of fiber-optic sensors are organized in a ladder configuration, with the sensors positioned in spaced relation and defining the rungs of the ladder. Light pulses transmitted through the sensors are multiplexed onto a return arm of the ladder. The multiplexed signals are received by an optical fiber compensating interferometer which coherently couples portions of adjacent multiplexed light signals to produce a phase difference signal representing conditions influencing selected sensors. In other preferred embodiments, the system is configured to define a plurality of adjacent Mach-Zehnder interferometers which provide output signal pairs which coherently couple to yield a phase difference signal directly representing the environmental effects on a particular sensor. Functional equivalents of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer configurations comprise configurations including adjacent Michelson interferometers. A phase and amplitude modulation technique is disclosed for providing heterodyned output signals from the distributed sensor system.
摘要:
A distributed sensor system including an optical source having a short coherence length for optionally continuously monitoring each sensor in the system. In one preferred embodiment, an array of fiber-optic sensors are organized in a ladder configuration, with the sensors positioned in spaced relation and defining the rungs of the ladder. Light transmitted through the sensors is multiplexed onto a return arm of the ladder, with sensor spacing being such that interference between light from different sensors is prevented. The multiplexed signals are received by an optical fiber receiver which couples the multiplexed light with an interfering optical reference signal to produce a phase difference signal representing conditions influencing selected sensors. Embodiments are disclosed for use of either pulsed or continuous wave light sources. In another preferred embodiment, the sensors comprise a plurality of Mach-Zehnder interferometers connected in series configuration by a common optical fiber, which provides multiplexed output signals from the sensors to a plurality of Mach-Zehnder interferometers comprising receivers. The optical path length differences between the arms of each of the sensors are selected to prevent interference between the multiplexed sensor output signals from various sensors. The optical path lengths through the sensors and receivers are structured so that each receiver produces a phase difference signal relating to conditions affecting light transmission through a specific sensor. A phase and amplitude modulation technique is disclosed for providing heterodyned output signals from the distributed sensor system.
摘要:
Ideographic keyboard and method in which an array of characters are printed on one side of a panel and optically readable data corresponding to the characters is recorded on the other side of the panel. A character selector is moved about the first side the panel for selective alignment with the characters, and an optical reader is linked to the character selector for movement about the recorded data in concert with the character selector. The data corresponding to a selected character is read, and a coded signal for the selected character is output in response to the data which is read. In one disclosed embodiment, the data is recorded in the form of bar coding, and the reader is a bar code reader. Precise alignment of the reader with the data for the selected character is assured by reading data from a region larger than the data field itself and extracting the character data in software.
摘要:
An emergency alert communication system comprising a radio frequency receiver. The radio frequency receiver decodes incoming emergency alert signals and demodulates data header signals and emergency alert voice message signals of the emergency alert signals. Included in the data header signals are event and location code signals, which are followed by the emergency alert voice message signals. The demodulated data header signals in the form of digital data header signals are applied to a microcontroller. A telephone keypad of a telephone device is actuated to enter into the microcontroller event and location code signals. Should the event and location code signals demodulated by the receiver and applied to the microcontroller match the event and location code signals entered into the microcontroller by the telephone keypad, the microcontroller routes through an audio switching circuit the emergency alert voice message signals to a speaker, a recording device and a telephone handset of a telephone device. The radio frequency receiver, the microcontroller, the telephone handset, the telephone keypad, the speaker, and the recording device are embodied in the telephone device.
摘要:
An improved broadband light source for a Sagnac interferometer includes a waveguide, such as a fluorescent optical fiber, that is pumped by a pump source with a sufficient intensity to generate temporally incoherent light. The fluorescent optical fiber has first and second ends, one end being an input end of the fiber. The broadband light is provided at an output of the fluorescent optical fiber and is input to the interferometer. In order to prevent laser oscillations between the light source and the interferometer, one end of the fluorescent optical fiber is formed so as to prevent reflections. The light output from the fluorescent fiber to the interferometer comprises only that light that initially propagates toward the output of the optical fiber. In one embodiment of the light source, the pump light from the pump source is coupled into the fluorescent optical fiber in a direction so that it travels away from the output of the fluorescent optical fiber towards the first end. In an alternative embodiment, the fluorescent optical fiber is a doubly clad optical fiber having a first acceptance region and a second acceptance region at the first end. The pump light is introduced into an aperture window between the two acceptance regions so that the pump light can be introduced into the first end at an angle without requiring a reflective surface at the first end.
摘要:
An improved broadband light source for a Sagnac interferometer includes a fluorescent optical medium that is pumped by light from a pump source with a sufficient intensity to cause the fluorescent optical medium to generate temporally incoherent light by superfluorescence. In the preferred embodiment, the superfluorescent optical medium comprises an optical fiber which is backward pumped. The signal output from the interferometer loop is amplified by the optical gain of the superfluorescent fiber which acts as a light source and as an amplifier. In order to avoid gain modulation in the superflorescent fiber, the modulation frequency is selected so that the modulation gain depth is substantially reduced.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for measuring nonreciprocal optical effects contemplates directing two circularly polarized optical beams having a known phase relation to each other at a sample, and detecting the difference in phase between the two beams after they have encountered the sample. In a transmission measurement the two circularly polarized beams have the same handedness, but pass through the sample in opposite directions. In a reflection measurement, the two circularly polarized beams have opposite handedness, but encounter the sample in the same direction. In a particular embodiment of the invention a linearly polarized beam is introduced into a Sagnac interferometer and split into two linearly polarized beams which are ultimately recombined.
摘要:
A fiber optic frequency shifter comprises an optical fiber having an acoustic conducting medium for propagation of an acoustic signal. The acoustic medium is preferably shaped as a rod, and the acoustic signal propagates longitudinally down the rod. The optical fiber is wound around the rod with plural turns such that the axis of the fiber is at an angle relative to the wave fronts of the acoustic signal. As the acoustic signal propagates through the rod, it causes stress on the portions of the fiber in contact with the rod. The stress on the fiber caused by the acoustic wave causes optical energy to be transferred between two propagation mdes of the fiber. This transferred energy is shifted in frequency by the frequency of the acoustic signal. By tightly winding the turns of the fiber, high frequency shifts can be obtained. The invention is also advantageous in that it provides a large amount of acoustic contact between the acoustic wave fronts and the fiber over a relatively short acoustic propagation distance. Thus, the device is quite compact.
摘要:
A device includes a first fiber collimator, a second fiber collimator, a third fiber collimator, a first beam splitting prism, a second beam splitting prism, a spacer, a resonator cube, and a dielectric beam splitting coating. The dielectric beam splitting coating separates the second beam splitting prism from the resonator cube. The spacer and the first fiber collimator straddle the first beam splitting prism. The first beam splitting prism and the second beam splitting prism straddle the spacer. The second fiber collimator and the spacer straddle the second beam splitting prism. The third fiber collimator and the spacer straddle the second beam splitting prism.