Patent ID: 8705020

Claim:
A system for monitoring a detection area, comprising: a coherent light source transmitting a first plurality of interrogating pulses, wherein the first plurality of interrogating pulses includes a first subset of interrogating pulses and a second subset of interrogating pulses, the first subset of interrogating pulses comprising a substantially different pulse profile in relation to the second subset of interrogating pulses, the first subset of interrogating pulses being arranged in a deterministic fashion in relation to the second subset of interrogating pulses; a first optical fiber of a first predetermined length disposed in the detection area; a first coupler disposed between the coherent light source and the first optical fiber and coupled to the first optical fiber at a first terminal, wherein the first coupler is configured to: provide the first plurality of interrogating pulses to the first optical fiber through the first terminal, receive at least a first plurality of backscattered pulses generated in the first optical fiber as reflections of at least a portion the first plurality of interrogating pulses, and provide the first plurality of backscattered pulses through a second terminal; a second optical fiber of a second predetermined length coupled to the second terminal of the first coupler, the second optical fiber receiving the first plurality of backscattered light pulses from the first coupler; and a first detector coupled to the second optical fiber, the first detector configured to: receive the first plurality of backscattered pulses, and analyze the first plurality of backscattered pulses to determine a type of disturbance based on a correlation among the first plurality of backscattered pulses, and to identify a first location of a first fast physical disturbance in the detection area.