Optical Fiber Rotation Alignment Using Asymmetry-Based Focus Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to accurately align optical fibers in the circumferential direction, particularly when cores are slightly shifted or eccentric, making it difficult to determine the correct combination for fusion splicing.
Innovation Solution
An optical fiber alignment method involving imaging, feature amount calculation, degree of asymmetry calculation, and focus position selection to identify a specific focus position with sufficient asymmetry for precise alignment, using cross-correlation and difference calculation to enhance alignment accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If side surface images are captured at multiple focus positions for multicore fibers with slightly shifted cores, then comprehensive alignment data is obtained, but it becomes difficult to determine the correct image selection for alignment due to substantial similarity among images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a degree of asymmetry as a quantitative metric to differentiate between substantially similar images. By calculating the degree of asymmetry for each focus position and selecting images with asymmetry greater than a threshold value, the system can reliably identify the correct alignment images even when cores are slightly shifted, resolving the difficulty of image selection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter for image evaluation from simple visual similarity to a quantitative degree of asymmetry calculation. This parameter transformation enables objective differentiation between images at different focus positions, allowing automated selection of appropriate images for alignment despite substantial visual similarity
2Stability of the object's composition
If cores are arranged at equal intervals on the circumference, then symmetric structure is achieved, but alignment becomes difficult when cores are slightly shifted from ideal positions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses degree of asymmetry calculation to detect deviations from ideal symmetric core arrangements. By quantifying the asymmetry in core positions and using this information for alignment, the system can accurately determine the correct core combinations even when slight positional shifts occur, maintaining both structural stability and alignment precision
Data Source
AI summary
An alignment device (200) includes imaging units (105A) and (105B) configured to capture side surface images of a pair of optical fibers (10A) and (10B) for one turn in a circumferential direction at a plurality of focus positions, a feature amount calculation unit (112) configured to calculate, for each of the focus positions, a feature amount obtained by digitizing features of the side surface images for one turn of each of the optical fibers (10A) and (10B), a degree of asymmetry calculation unit (113) configured to calculate, for each of the focus positions, a degree of asymmetry between the feature amounts for one turn of the respective optical fibers (10A) and (10B), a focus position selection unit (114) configured to select a specific focus position among the focus positions having a predetermined degree of asymmetry or more, and a rotation alignment unit configured to perform alignment of the pair of optical fibers (10A) and (10B) in the circumferential direction based on the side surface images for one turn of the respective optical fibers (10A) and (10B) at the selected focus position.