Patents Assigned to IFOS, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7127132
    Abstract: A fiber optic sensor system includes a plurality m of sensor segments, each sensor segment further comprising a plurality n of sensor gratings for making measurements. Each sensor grating of the sensor segment operates within a unique wavelength channel, such that a plurality m of sensor segments have m sensors in each wavelength channel, and n wavelength channels, for a total of m*n sensors. A broadband optical source is gated for a duration of time which enables all of the sensors on a sensor segment to reflect optical energy corresponding to their measurement, but not long enough to receive reflected optical energy from more than one sensor on a single wavelenghth channel. In this manner, n wavelength channels of measurement can be time-multiplexed to measure m*n sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Behzad Moslehi, Kelvin K. Chau
  • Patent number: 7087887
    Abstract: Waveguide sensors having a side-polished coupling port at the waveguide cladding to sense a material based on material-specific optical attenuation by evanescent coupling at the coupling port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Pi, Shulai Zhao, Zhihao Chen
  • Patent number: 7068868
    Abstract: Fiber sensors formed on side-polished fiber coupling ports based on evanescent coupling. Such sensors may be configured to measure various materials and may be used to form multi-phase sensing devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Pi, Wei-Cheng Wilson Lin, Zhihao Chen, Shulai Zhao
  • Patent number: 7060964
    Abstract: Fiber sensors formed on side-polished fiber coupling ports based on evanescent coupling are described. Such sensors may be configured to measure various materials and may be used to form multi-phase sensing devices. A Bragg grating may be implemented in such sensors to form reflective fiber sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Bo Pi, Wei-Cheng Wilson Lin, Zhihao Chen
  • Patent number: 6895132
    Abstract: A fiber optic sensor comprises two independent fibers having Bragg gratings which are coupled to commutating broadband optical sources through splitters and wavelength discriminators. The ratio of detected optical energy in each of two detectors examining the wave intensity returned to a wavelength discriminator coupled with the characteristic of the wavelength discriminator determines the wavelength returned by the grating. In another embodiment, tunable filters are utilized to detect minimum returned wave energy to extract a sensor wavelength Reference to the original grating wavelength indicates the application of either temperature or strain to the grating. In another embodiment, a plurality of Bragg grating sensor elements is coupled to sources and controllers wherein a dimensional change in a fiber having a Bragg grating is detected using a measurement system comprising broad-band sources, optical power splitters, a high-sensitivity wavelength discriminator, optical detectors, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Behzad Moslehi, Richard James Black, Herbert John Shaw, Keiichiro Toyama
  • Patent number: 6788835
    Abstract: A fiber optic sensor comprises two independent fibers having Bragg gratings which are coupled to commutating broadband optical sources through splitters and wavelength discriminators. The ratio of detected optical energy in each of two detectors examining the wave intensity returned to a wavelength discriminator coupled with the characteristic of the wavelength discriminator determines the wavelength returned by the grating. In another embodiment, tunable filters are utilized to detect minimum returned wave energy to extract a sensor wavelength Reference to the original grating wavelength indicates the application of either temperature or strain to the grating. In another embodiment, a plurality of Bragg grating sensor elements is coupled to sources and controllers wherein a dimensional change in a fiber having a Bragg grating is detected using a measurement system comprising broad-band sources, optical power splitters, a high-sensitivity wavelength discriminator, optical detectors, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Behzad Moslehi, Richard James Black, Herbert John Shaw, Keiichiro Toyama
  • Patent number: 6751367
    Abstract: A fiber optic sensor comprises two independent fibers having Bragg gratings which are coupled to commutating broadband optical sources through splitters and wavelength discriminators. The ratio of detected optical energy in each of two detectors examining the wave intensity returned to a wavelength discriminator coupled with the characteristic of the wavelength discriminator determines the wavelength returned by the grating. In another embodiment, tunable filters are utilized to detect minimum returned wave energy to extract a sensor wavelength Reference to the original grating wavelength indicates the application of either temperature or strain to the grating. In another embodiment, a plurality of Bragg grating sensor elements is coupled to sources and controllers wherein a dimensional change in a fiber having a Bragg grating is detected using a measurement system comprising broad-band sources, optical power splitters, a high-sensitivity wavelength discriminator, optical detectors, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Behzad Moslehi, Vahid Sotoudeh, Brian Kutner, Dario G. Falquier, Levy Oblea
  • Patent number: 6597822
    Abstract: A fiber optic sensor comprises two independent fibers having Bragg gratings which are coupled to commutating broadband optical sources through splitters and wavelength discriminators. The ratio of detected optical energy in each of two detectors examining the wave intensity returned to a wavelength discriminator coupled with the characteristic of the wavelength discriminator determines the wavelength returned by the grating. In another embodiment, tunable filters are utilized to detect minimum returned wave energy to extract a sensor wavelength. Reference to the original grating wavelength indicates the application of either temperature or strain to the grating. In another embodiment, a plurality of Bragg grating sensor elements is coupled to sources and controllers wherein a dimensional change in a fiber having a Bragg grating is detected using a measurement system comprising broad-band sources, optical power splitters, a high-sensitivity wavelength discriminator, optical detectors, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: IFOS, Inc.
    Inventors: Behzad Moslehi, Richard James Black, Herbert John Shaw, Keiichiro Toyama