Device for Fibre-Optical Measurement and Transport of Measurement Signals

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention describes a secure fibre-optic device for distributed measurement and the transport of measurement signals. It uses a closed-loop or reflective optical fibre system to send and return measurement light, which is compared to a reference beam within a central measurement station. To improve security and integrity, random noise and/or quantum-entangled squeezed light are used to make unauthorized tapping or tampering detectable. The device provides enhanced signal quality and higher security for fibre-optic sensing applications, reducing the risks of eavesdropping or data manipulation.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Perimeter and intrusion monitoring for industrial, commercial, or railway sites using distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems.
• Pipeline surveillance for oil, gas, or water transmission lines to detect leaks or unauthorized activity.
• Critical infrastructure (e.g., electrical grid, telecom networks) vibration or tampering monitoring.
• Environmental sensing (measuring temperature, humidity, or other physical parameters) along extended infrastructure.
• Secure transport and monitoring of measurement signals in military or government facilities.
• Any application needing long-distance, tamper-evident distributed sensing using optical fibres.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides high-security, tamper-evident transmission of measurement signals over optical fibres.
• Improves signal quality by using the entire transmitted light instead of relying solely on small backscattered signals.
• Enables detection and quantification of unauthorized access or manipulation of measurement data using quantum-based techniques.
• Reduces vulnerability to data loss or undetectable eavesdropping compared to conventional fibre-optic sensing systems.
• Flexible configuration for both ring-type fibre loops and line-type fibres with reflective ends.
• Can incorporate multiple types of sensors (acoustic, temperature, humidity, image) for diverse monitoring needs.
• Allows for adaptive response (e.g., shutting down measurement) if security compromise is detected.

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Patent Abstract

Device for fiber-optic measurement and transport of measurement signals, with a measurement station that has at least one waveguide-guided measurement beam and a reference light beam, wherein the reference light beam runs within the measurement station and both light beams are combined in an interferometer unit that has at least one photoelectric detector, wherein the waveguide-guided measurement beam is guided back into the measurement station.