Patent ID: 9459513
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: A61B,G01B,G01D,G01N,G02B,G02F

Claim Text:
1. A method of monitoring structural health of a structure using an optical interrogation system, comprising: generating an optical signal using an optical signal generator; directing the optical signal towards at least one optical sensor located remotely from the optical signal generator, the optical sensor including a photonic crystal wafer optically interacting with the optical signal and an environmental condition, the optical sensor further including a fiber optic strand, wherein the photonic crystal wafer is attached directly against a terminating end surface of a core of the fiber optic strand; capturing, by an optical signal receiving apparatus, a reflected optical signal reflected from the at least one optical sensor; analyzing the reflected optical signal to determine a change in the environmental condition; applying a range of voltages to the photonic crystal wafer to change reflectance properties of the photonic crystal wafer; and using the photonic crystal wafer as a low-power communications device by modifying light reflectance that is readable by an optical interrogator.