Patent ID: 10247581

Abstract:
The invention relates to a method of interrogating an interferometric optical fiber sensor system including a laser source configured to generate interrogation light and a sensor array with at least a first reflector and a second reflector. The method includes continuously and repeatedly frequency sweeping the interrogation light from the laser source within a sweep bandwidth (SWB) over a sweep duration (tsw) with a substantially constant sweep rate r=SBW/tsw to produce a swept interrogation light signal, launching the swept interrogation light signal into the sensor array, detecting reflected signals being returned from the sensor array by each of the reflectors, respectively, wherein detection includes mixing a return light signal from the sensor array with a local oscillator signal onto an optical receiver to produce an electrical radio frequency signal, demultiplexing the electrical radio frequency signal into a first signal channel and a second signal channel, corresponding to the first and second reflector, respectively, demodulating each of the first and second signal channel into a first phase response from the first reflector and a second phase response from the second reflector, and subtracting the first phase response from the second phase response to obtain a sensor phase signal.