Patent ID: 6205265
Filing Date: 2001-03-20
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
Apparatus for photobleaching a fiber optic sense coil in a fiber optic rotation sensor system, comprising:a photobleach light source;an optical fiber arranged to guide the photobleach light;wavelength division multiplexing apparatus connected to the optical fiber and arranged to introduce photobleach light into the fiber optic sense coil to anneal out color centers therein, the wavelength division multiplexing apparatus including a first wavelength division multiplexing optical coupler formed to include a first fiber optic lead connected to the fiber optic sense coil;apparatus arranged for removing the photobleach light from the fiber optic rotation sensor system including a second wavelength division multiplexing optical coupler formed to include a second fiber optic lead connected to the fiber optic sense coil and arranged to couple the photobleach light out of the second fiber optic lead; andapparatus connected to the second wavelength division multiplexing optical coupler for dispersing the photobleach light coupled out of the second fiber optic lead.