Patent ID: 7925126

Claim:
A fiber sensing system with self-detection mechanism comprising: a primary ring architecture, said primary ring architecture including multiple secondary ring architectures connected to a primary loop to be disposed serially therealong, said secondary ring architectures being offset from one another to each independently define a secondary loop, wherein each said secondary ring architecture comprises: at least two fiber sensors, operable to receive and reflect a light source signal; and a remote node connected to said fiber sensors and including an optical coupler passing the light source signal through said fiber sensors in the secondary loop of said secondary ring architecture; and a central office coupled to said primary ring architecture providing said light source signal and a sensing light source signal, said central office including an optical switch, said optical switch having two outputs connected to said primary ring architecture to selectively switch a traveling path of said light source signal in the primary loop between a first path or a second path upon detection of at least one non-responsive fiber sensor connected to the primary loop, said central office thereby detecting a fault located within any of the primary and secondary loops based on the travel of the light source signal through said first and second paths.