Patent ID: 9581490
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: G01H,G01M

Claim:
1. A method for monitoring a pipeline, the method comprising: receiving, by processing circuitry, a first set of values and a second set of values, the first set of values representing an attenuation of a light signal transmitted through an optical fiber positioned adjacent a pipeline to carry fluids, the second set of values representing a dispersion of the light signal transmitted through the optical fiber; generating, by the processing circuitry, an attenuation profile of the light signal through the optical fiber based on the first set of values, and a dispersion profile of the light signal through the optical fiber based on the second set of values, wherein generating the attenuation profile of the light signal comprises generating a three-dimensional plot of light signal attenuation, the three-dimensional plot including distance from a source of the light signal, light signal attenuation, and time of measurement on three axes of the three-dimensional plot, and wherein generating the dispersion profile of the light signal comprises generating a three-dimensional plot of light signal dispersion, the three-dimensional plot including wavelength of the light signal, dispersion, and time of measurement on three axes of the three-dimensional plot; generating, by the processing circuitry and using the attenuation profile and the dispersion profile, a light-based profile signature describing an environment surrounding the optical fiber; comparing, by the processing circuitry, the light-based profile signature describing the environment surrounding the optical fiber with a baseline light-based profile signature describing an environment surrounding the optical fiber under a normal operating condition; and providing, by the processing circuitry, a notification describing an operation of the pipeline in response to comparing the light-based profile signature and the baseline light-based profile signature.