Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for sensing the curvature of a towed hydrophone array and a curvature sensor used in the system. The system has at least two curvature sensors positioned along the length of the array. Each of the curvature sensors comprises a bend member which bends as the array bends, at least one optical fiber within the bend member, and at least one detection device embedded within the at least one optical fiber to detect a change in the strain in the at least one optical fiber.

Abstract: A system for digitally demodulating optical hydrophone signals is provided. The system includes an optical hydrophone connected to an analog-to-digital converter and further connected to a digital signal processor. Within the digital signal processor, a demodulator is calibrated by a preferred automatic calibration circuit such that mixer frequencies are coherently mixed with the incoming acoustic signals received by the hydrophone. The automatic calibration circuit preferably determines an extreme case of phase offset by following a programmable routine including a series of tests. After the extreme case is detected, the precise phase calibration is known and provided to the demodulator mixer tables. The automatic calibration circuit can be utilized for automatic calibrations of multisensor systems containing large numbers of hydrophones.

Abstract: A demodulation system and method is used in a sensor system, such as a fiber optic sensor system, that senses optical signals and modulates a phase generated carrier having a carrier frequency &ohgr;c to form a modulated carrier. The modulated carrier is preferably undersampled at two times the carrier frequency (2&ohgr;c), thereby maximizing the sensors' demodulated bandwidth relative to the sensors' sampling frequency. The undersampled, modulated carrier is orthogonally demodulated by multiplying the modulated carrier by cos(2&ohgr;c(t0)) and sin(2&ohgr;c(t0)) to extract even and odd harmonic components of the signal of interest. The even and odd harmonic components of the signal of interest are further demodulated by taking the square root of the sum of squares of the even and odd harmonic components, normalizing the even and odd harmonic components, and differentiating, cross-multiplying and differencing the normalized even and odd harmonic components to recover the signal of interest.

Abstract: A system for digitally demodulating optical hydrophone signals is provided. The system includes an optical hydrophone connected to an analog-to-digl converter and further connected to a digital signal processor. Within the digital signal processor, a basic demodulator has a first and second mixing tables, the first table operating at a modulating frequency, .omega., injected into reference legs of the hydrophone, and a second table operating at 2.omega.. The mixer frequencies are coherently mixed with the incoming acoustic signals received by the hydrophone. An automatic calibration circuit which adjusts the phase of the mixers is connected to the basic demodulator.

Abstract: An interlink for connecting hydrophone elements that allows a single sens fiber to transition from a first hydrophone element, across the interlink, to a second hydrophone element, while providing a secure connection between hydrophone elements without the disadvantages of mechanical resonances produced by a rigid interlink material. The interlink has a first end connected to a first hydrophone element, and a second end connected to a second hydrophone element. The interlink may be composed entirely of open cell foam, or a more rigid structure that is covered by open cell foam. Sensing fiber transitions from a first hydrophone element, onto the foam interlink, and thence onto a second hydrophone element, with only a change in winding angle. The sensing fiber is not susceptible to a rigid interlink structure and undesirable mechanical resonances.

Abstract: A portable tracking array to be used in a system for determining the track nd/or the range of a target vehicle. The array includes a fiber optic hydrophone for acquiring acoustic signals from the target vehicle. The fiber optic hydrophone is encapsulated within a plastic material such as polyurethane. The array further includes a fiber optic cable for transmitting signals to and for receiving signals from the fiber optic hydrophone, which fiber optic cable has an end encapsulated within a termination coupling, and a length of perforated material extending between the terminal coupling and the plastic material encapsulating the fiber optic hydrophone to allow water entry and to substantially eliminate air cavities which interfere with acoustic performance.

Abstract: A digital receiver system is used to recover a signal of interest, such as measurand signal, from a phase modulated signal detected from a system utilizing quadrature carriers, such as a fiber optic interferometer sensor system. The digital receiver system includes a quadrature sampling demodulator that samples the phase modulated signal by using quadrature sampling periods to recover the odd and even components of the signal of interest. The digital receiver system can be used with an interferometer sensor system having an array of sensors that multiplex the measurand signals, e.g., using time or wavelength division multiplexing. Sampling with quadrature time samples provides a spacing in time between the samples that allows additional sensors to be multiplexed.

Abstract: A demodulation system and method is used in a sensor system, such as a fi optic sensor system, that senses optical signals and modulates a phase generated carrier having a carrier frequency .omega..sub.c to form a modulated carrier. The modulated carrier is preferably undersampled at three times the carrier frequency (3.omega..sub.c), thereby maximizing the sensors' demodulated bandwidth relative to the sensors' sampling frequency. The undersampled, modulated carrier is orthogonally demodulated by multiplying the undersampled, modulated carrier by cos(.omega..sub.c (t.sub.o)) and sin(.omega..sub.c)(t.sub.o)) to extract even and odd harmonic components of the signal of interest.