Abstract: Systems, and methods for monitoring galloping of overhead transmission lines using distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) in combination with frequency domain decomposition (FDD) (frequency domain) algorithms/methods. A DFOS interrogator/analyzer is used to collect real-time data for pre-processing. The pre-processed data is further processed by processing algorithms, which provide results to a graphical user interface or other reporting mechanisms that provide real-time monitoring, alarming, and reporting of the galloping status of the overhead transmission lines.

Abstract: Systems, and methods for automatically identifying an underground optical fiber cable length from DFOS systems in real time and pair it with GPS coordinates that advantageously eliminate the need for in-field inspection/work by service personnel to make such real-time distance/location determinations. As such, inefficient, error-prone and labor-intensive prior art methods are rendered obsolete. Operationally, our method disclosure involves driving vehicles including GPS to generate traffic patterns and automatically mapping traffic trajectory signals from a deployed buried fiber optic cable to locate geographic location(s) of the buried fiber optic cable. Traffic patterns are automatically recognized; slack in the fiber optic cable is accounted for; location of traffic lights and other traffic control devices/structures may be determined; and turns in the fiber optic cable may likewise be determined.

Abstract: Systems, and methods for automatically identifying individual fibers within an optical fiber cable that are experiencing some form of significant signal impairment such as a fiber cut. Operationally, distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems are used to detect reflected signals along the length of the affected fiber(s) and a determination of affected fiber(s) is made from changes in reflection characteristics.

Abstract: Earthquake detection via fiber sensing is provided using using a supervisory path of submarine cables wherein the supervisory system/path of a submarine optical cable conveys portion(s) of an optical signal back to an origin location periodically—i.e., at every repeater location. Advantageously, since it is known where a returning signal is coming from, a resolution equivalent to an undersea span length may be determined—which is sufficient for wide area disturbances such as earthquakes. The returned signal is sufficiently strong such that the signal-to-noise ratio of a returned/received signal is not limited by the ASE noise of the amplifiers. The returned signal is much larger as compared to a normal distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) return signal since the return signal according to aspects of the present disclosure is directed backward via an optical coupler/reflector/circulator having a much larger coupling ratio as compared to normal Rayleigh back scattering utilized in DAS.

Abstract: A testing procedure including a data collection procedure and a contrastive learning-based approach, for establishing a profile for utility poles surveyed in an embedding space. Unique properties of utility poles are preserved in a low-dimensional feature vector. Similarities between pairs of samples collected at the same or different poles is reflected by the Euclidean distance between the pole embeddings. During data collection—variabilities of excitation signals are manually introduced, e.g. impact strength, impact locations, impact time ambiguity, data collecting location ambiguity on a DFOS/DAS optical sensor fiber/cable. Data so collected provides a learned model learned complete information about a utility pole and is more robust with respect to uncontrollable factors during operation. A model training procedure that effectively extracts a utility pole intrinsic properties (e.g., structure integrity, dimensions, structure variety) and remote extrinsic influence (e.g.

Abstract: Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems and methods for monitoring electrical power distribution transformers and locating failing/failed/malfunctioning transformers from humming signals indicative of a transformer's operational integrity and are advantageously detected/analyzed via DFOS mechanisms.

Abstract: Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems and methods that automatically detect vibration signal patterns from waterfall data recorded by DFOS system operations in real- time and associate the detected vibration signal patterns to GPS location coordinates without human intervention or interpretation. When embodied as a computer vision-based operation according to aspects of the present disclosure, our inventive systems and method provide accurate, cost-efficient, and objective determination without relying on humans and their resulting bias' and inconsistencies.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems and methods that advantageously enable vibration-induced optical phase measurement at a centralized optical line terminal (OLT) in a PON architecture. In sharp contrast to existing distributed fiber sensing systems and methods, the optical phase measurements of the present disclosure do not rely on back scattering mechanisms and maintain a sufficient optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) even after round-trip splitting loss in the PON.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing the dynamic anomaly localization of utility pole aerial/suspended/supported wires/cables by distributed fiber optic sensing. In sharp contrast to the prior art, our inventive systems and methods according to aspects of the present disclosure advantageously identify a “location region” on a utility pole supporting an affected wire/cable, thereby permitting the identification and reporting of service personnel that are uniquely responsible for responding to such anomalous condition(s).

Abstract: A reinforcement learning based approach to the problem of query object localization, where an agent is trained to localize objects of interest specified by a small exemplary set. We learn a transferable reward signal formulated using the exemplary set by ordinal metric learning. It enables test-time policy adaptation to new environments where the reward signals are not readily available, and thus outperforms fine-tuning approaches that are limited to annotated images. In addition, the transferable reward allows repurposing of the trained agent for new tasks, such as annotation refinement, or selective localization from multiple common objects across a set of images.

Abstract: A system and method to assess utility pole integrity, by using existing telecom fiber optic cable as a sensor cable, instant mechanical impact on the pole(s), DAS technology and a machine learning model. An instant mechanical impact creates a vibration event on the optical fiber cable mounted/suspended on a target pole, which is detected/recorded by DAS. By applying a machine learning model on the DAS signals, the target pole's integrity condition is obtained.

Abstract: Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) and artificial intelligence (AI) systems and methods for performing utility pole hazardous event localization that advantageously identify a utility pole that has undergone a hazardous event such as being struck by an automobile or other detectable impact. Systems and methods according to aspects of the present disclosure employ machine learning methodologies to uniquely identify an affected utility pole from a plurality of poles. Our systems and methods collect data using DFOS techniques in telecommunication fiber optic cable and use an AI engine to analyze the data collected for the event identification. The AI engine recognizes different vibration patterns when an event happens and advantageously localizes the event to a specific pole and location on the pole with high accuracy. The AI engine enables analyses of events in real-time with greater than 90% accuracy.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems, methods, and structures that advantageously overcome problems encountered when operating DFOS systems over operational telecommunications facilities namely, cross-phase modulation, and uneven amplitude profiles through the use of a novel constant amplitude coded DFOS employing suppressed out-of-band signaling.

Abstract: A procedure to solve the DFOS placement problem that uses a genetic algorithm to achieve a global optimization of sensor placement. First, our procedure according to aspects of the present disclosure defines a fitness function that counts the number of DFOS sensors used. Second, the procedure uses a valid DFOS placement assignment to model an individual in the genetic algorithm. Each individual consists of N genes, where N is the number of nodes in the given network infrastructure, e.g., N=|V|. Each gene has two genomes: (1) a list of 0s and/or 1s, in which is represent the network nodes that are equipped with DFOS sensors, and 0s represent the nodes that are not equipped with DFOS sensors; (2) a list of sensing fiber routes. An individual that has smallest number of is in their genes will be considered as the strongest individual. Thirdly, the procedure randomly generates a population of individuals.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) systems, methods, and structures that advantageously identify location(s) of construction—or other activities—taking place along fiber optic cable routes that can damage the fiber optic cables.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe methods for reducing guided acoustic wave Brillouin (GAWBS) noise in an optical fiber that may be included in an optical communications system by reducing the polarization diffusion length of the fiber by increasing the birefringence of the optical fiber, the increased birefringence of the optical fiber being increased with respect to its average magnitude. Additionally, the polarization diffusion length is reduced by reducing the coherence length of birefringence of the optical fiber.

Abstract: Distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS)/distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) techniques coupled with frequency domain decomposition (FDD) are employed to determine the presence of 120 HZ operating power frequency to determine when street lights are energized and on thereby providing continuous status monitoring of the operational status of street lights and locating affected street lights at a particular utility pole location.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe DFOS/DAS systems, methods, and structures that employ active microphones to enhance DAS operational capabilities by using an active circuit to amplify acoustic signals including voice(s). The circuit includes a microphone to collect acoustic signal(s) resulting from voice signals in the environment, and a speaker or a vibration device driven by an amplifier. The circuit can be clipped onto the fiber, with direct contact through the speaker or vibration device. A microcontroller may advantageously be employed to control the circuit for reduced power consumption, by detecting activities locally and only enabling the speaker when needed. The microcontroller may also send other information such as battery status to the DFOS interrogator through vibration codes.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to systems, methods, and structures providing for the accurate measurement of guided acoustic-wave Brillouin scattering in optical fiber transmission systems and facilities.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure describe a method of placement of sensors for DFOS systems, methods, and structures that advantageously employ concurrent sensing. In sharp contrast to the prior art, our inventive method—a heuristic method based on the Explore-and-Pick (EnP) algorithm, which we call a modified EnP (mEnP) method—includes two procedures. The first procedure of our mEnP method explores all possible sensing fiber routes (both linear and star-like routes) for each node in the given network. The second procedure applies a modified greedy algorithm for minimum set cover to select the minimum set of DFOS assignment to fully cover all the links in the given network.