Patents by Inventor Paul S. Westbrook
Paul S. Westbrook has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240126009Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for high back-scattering waveguides (e.g., optical fibers) and sensors employing high back-scattering optical fibers. Briefly described, one embodiment comprises a high back-scattering fiber, or enhanced scattering fiber or “ESF,” that features resistance specifications that remain intact over lengths of fiber in excess of 1 m, or preferably >100 m, or preferably >1 km, wherein the reflectivity of the ESFs may be precisely tuned within a range from ?100 dB/mm to ?70 dB/mm, and wherein the enhanced scattering may be spatially continuous or, alternatively, may be at discrete locations spaced apart by 100 microns to >10 m.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2022Publication date: April 18, 2024Applicant: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Raja A Ahmad, Paul S Westbrook
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Publication number: 20240103214Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for a coated fiber modified by actinic radiation to increase back-scattering, which experiences very little back-scattering decay at a temperature and time of exposure that is sufficient to noticeably degrade the coating and/or noticeably degrade the optical fiber due to outgassing of hydrogen from the coating. In one embodiment, an optical fiber comprises a fiber length, a coating having a treated coating weight, wherein the treated coating weight is at least 25% less of an original coating weight prior to an annealing treatment, and an optical back-scatter along the fiber length greater than a Rayleigh back-scattering over the fiber length, wherein the optical back-scatter does not decrease along the fiber length by more than 3 dB after exposure to annealing treatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2022Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Robert S Dyer, Adam Hokansson, Matthew Popelka, Brian Savran, Paul S Westbrook, Vixay R Soundara, Andrei A Stolov
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Patent number: 11933600Abstract: An extended length of optical fiber having an offset core with an inscribed Bragg grating is used a distributed sensor in combination with an optical frequency domain reflectometer (OFDR) to enable measurement small-scale (e.g., sub-millimeter) contortions and forces as applied to the fiber. The offset core may be disposed in a spiral configuration around the central axis of the optical fiber to improve the spatial resolution of the measurement. A reference surface exhibit a predetermined texture (in the form of a series of corrugations, for example, that may be periodic or aperiodic, as long as known a priori) is disposed adjacent to a longitudinal portion of the sensor fiber. The application of a force to the combination of the plate and the fiber creates a local strain in the grating formed along the offset core of the fiber that results in a shift in the Bragg wavelength of the grating.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2019Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Raja A Ahmad, Kenneth S Feder, Wing Ko, Paul S Westbrook
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Publication number: 20230137926Abstract: A system for sensing microbends and micro-deformations in three-dimensional space is based upon a distributed length optical fiber formed to include a group of offset cores disposed in a spiral configuration along the length of the fiber, each core including a fiber Bragg grating that exhibits the same Bragg wavelength. A micro-scale local deformation of the multicore fiber produces a local shift in the Bragg wavelength, where the use of multiple cores allows for a complete micro-scale modeling of the local deformation. Sequential probing of each core allows for optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) allows for reconstruction of a given three-dimensional shape, delineating location and size of various microbends and micro-deformations.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2021Publication date: May 4, 2023Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Raja A Ahmad, Paul S Westbrook
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Publication number: 20230111714Abstract: A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of neff, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of Rp?r(fiber) that varies axially along the optical fiber, a total transmission loss of ?fiber, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM being defined as: F ? O ? M = R p ? "\[Rule]" r ( fiber ) ? fiber ( NA 2 ? n eff ) 2 .Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2022Publication date: April 13, 2023Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, Tommy Geisler
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Publication number: 20230036344Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for a spatially nonuniform scattering profile along its length, whose backscattering signal can be used for sensing even after fiber attenuation increases due to the conditions in the sensing environment. In one embodiment, the fiber has been pre-exposed to the conditions that produce attenuation, and the spatially nonuniform profile compensates for this. Subsequent exposure then results in very little or at least acceptable levels of additional attenuation. An exemplary fiber comprises a fiber length and an optical back scatter along the fiber length greater than a Rayleigh back scattering over the fiber length, wherein the optical back scatter does not decrease along the fiber length by more than 3 dB after exposure to a hydrogen-rich first environment having a given pressure and temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2021Publication date: February 2, 2023Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Andrei A Stolov, Paul S Westbrook
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Patent number: 11555955Abstract: A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of neff, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of Rp?r(fiber) that varies axially along the optical fiber, a total transmission loss of ?fiber, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM being defined as: FOM = R p ? r ( fiber ) ? fiber ? ( NA 2 ? n eff ) 2 .Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, Tommy Geisler
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Publication number: 20220337015Abstract: An optical fiber amplifier is formed to include a grating structure inscribed within the rare earth-doped gain fiber itself, providing distributed wavelength-dependent filtering (attenuation) and minimizing the need for any type of gain-flattening filter to be used at the output of the amplifier. The grating structure may be of any suitable arrangement that provides the desired loss spectrum, for example, similar to the profile of a prior art discrete GFF. Various types of grating structures that may be used to provide distributed wavelength-dependent filtering along the gain include, but are not limited to, tilted gratings, weak Bragg gratings, long-period grating (LPG), and any suitable combination of these grating structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2020Publication date: October 20, 2022Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: David J DiGiovanni, Paul S Westbrook, Benyuan Zhu
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Publication number: 20210389121Abstract: An extended length of optical fiber having an offset core with an inscribed Bragg grating is used a distributed sensor in combination with an optical frequency domain reflectometer (OFDR) to enable measurement small-scale (e.g., sub-millimeter) contortions and forces as applied to the fiber. The offset core may be disposed in a spiral configuration around the central axis of the optical fiber to improve the spatial resolution of the measurement. A reference surface exhibit a predetermined texture (in the form of a series of corrugations, for example, that may be periodic or aperiodic, as long as known a priori) is disposed adjacent to a longitudinal portion of the sensor fiber. The application of a force to the combination of the plate and the fiber creates a local strain in the grating formed along the offset core of the fiber that results in a shift in the Bragg wavelength of the grating.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2019Publication date: December 16, 2021Applicant: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Raja A Ahmad, Kenneth S Feder, Wing Ko, Paul S Westbrook
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Patent number: 11163324Abstract: An optical probe includes an optical source that generates an optical beam that propagates from a proximal end to a distal end of an optical fiber that imparts a transformation of a spatial profile of the optical beam. An optical control device imparts a compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber in response to a control signal from a signal processor. A distal optical source generates a calibration light that propagates through the one or more optical waveguides from the distal end to the proximal end of the optical fiber. An optical detector detects the calibration light and generates electrical signals in response to the detected calibration light.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Eric Swanson, Tristan Kremp, Paul S Westbrook, David J DiGiovanni
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Publication number: 20210247563Abstract: A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of neff, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of Rp?r(fiber) that varies axially along the optical fiber, a total transmission loss of ?fiber, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM being defined as: FOM = R p ? r ( fiber ) ? fiber ? ( NA 2 ? n eff ) 2 .Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2021Publication date: August 12, 2021Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, Tommy Geisler
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Patent number: 11061184Abstract: A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of neff, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of Rp?r(fiber), a total transmission loss of ?fiber, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), a center wavelength (?0) of the in-band range (wherein 950 nm<?0<1700 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM>1, with the FOM being defined as: FOM = R p ? r ( fiber ) ? fiber ? ( NA 2 ? n eff ) 2 .Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2020Date of Patent: July 13, 2021Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, Tommy Geisler
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Publication number: 20210055752Abstract: An optical probe includes an optical source that generates an optical beam that propagates from a proximal end to a distal end of an optical fiber that imparts a transformation of a spatial profile of the optical beam. An optical control device imparts a compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber in response to a control signal from a signal processor. A distal optical source generates a calibration light that propagates through the one or more optical waveguides from the distal end to the proximal end of the optical fiber. An optical detector detects the calibration light and generates electrical signals in response to the detected calibration light.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Applicant: OFS FITEL, LLCInventors: Eric Swanson, Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, David J. DiGiovanni
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Publication number: 20200379167Abstract: A high backscattering optical fiber comprising a perturbed segment in which the perturbed segment reflects a relative power such that the optical fiber has an effective index of neff, a numerical aperture of NA, a scatter of Rp?r(fiber), a total transmission loss of ?fiber, an in-band range greater than one nanometer (1 nm), a center wavelength (?0) of the in-band range (wherein 950 nm<?0<1700 nm), and a figure of merit (FOM) in the in-band range. The FOM>1, with the FOM being defined as: FOM = R p ? r ( fiber ) ? fiber ? ( NA 2 ? n eff ) 2 .Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Applicant: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, Tommy Geisler
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Patent number: 10809750Abstract: An optical probe includes an optical source that generates an optical beam that propagates from a proximal end to a distal end of an optical fiber that imparts a transformation of a spatial profile of the optical beam. An optical control device imparts a compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber in response to a control signal from a signal processor. A distal optical source generates a calibration light that propagates through the one or more optical waveguides from the distal end to the proximal end of the optical fiber. An optical detector detects the calibration light and generates electrical signals in response to the detected calibration light.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignees: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Eric Swanson, Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, David DiGiovanni
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Patent number: 10677983Abstract: Disclosed herein is an optical fiber having an optically uniform coating having no physical defects in the coating greater than 100 micrometers in size over a length of 50 meters or greater.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLCInventor: Paul S Westbrook
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Publication number: 20190369650Abstract: An optical probe includes an optical source that generates an optical beam that propagates from a proximal end to a distal end of an optical fiber that imparts a transformation of a spatial profile of the optical beam. An optical control device imparts a compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber in response to a control signal from a signal processor. A distal optical source generates a calibration light that propagates through the one or more optical waveguides from the distal end to the proximal end of the optical fiber. An optical detector detects the calibration light and generates electrical signals in response to the detected calibration light.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Applicants: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Eric Swanson, Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, David DiGiovanni
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Patent number: 10401883Abstract: An optical probe includes an optical source that generates an optical beam that propagates from a proximal end to a distal end of an optical fiber that imparts a transformation of a spatial profile of the optical beam. An optical control device imparts a compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber in response to a control signal from a signal processor. A distal optical source generates a calibration light that propagates through the one or more optical waveguides from the distal end to the proximal end of the optical fiber. An optical detector detects the calibration light and generates electrical signals in response to the detected calibration light.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2018Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignees: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Eric Swanson, Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, David DiGiovanni
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Publication number: 20190212761Abstract: An optical probe includes an optical source that generates an optical beam that propagates from a proximal end to a distal end of an optical fiber that imparts a transformation of a spatial profile of the optical beam. An optical control device imparts a compensating spatial profile on the optical beam that at least partially compensates for the transformation of the spatial profile of the optical beam imparted by the optical fiber in response to a control signal from a signal processor. A distal optical source generates a calibration light that propagates through the one or more optical waveguides from the distal end to the proximal end of the optical fiber. An optical detector detects the calibration light and generates electrical signals in response to the detected calibration light.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2018Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicants: OFS Fitel, LLCInventors: Eric Swanson, Tristan Kremp, Paul S. Westbrook, David DiGiovanni
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Patent number: 10234385Abstract: An optical fiber having at least one fiduciary mark is provided. The at least one fiduciary mark is located at one or more axial positions along the optical fiber. The at least one fiduciary mark is configured to produce at least one change in a backscattering signal in the optical fiber. The at least one change in a backscattering signal may be an abrupt change in the backscattering signal. The abrupt change in the backscattering signal occurs over a length of the optical fiber that is of the order of or less than a spatial resolution of an interrogation system employed to detect the backscattering signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2016Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: OFS FITEL, LLCInventor: Paul S Westbrook