Estimating Light Physical Constant Distribution in Optical Media

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for measuring light physical constants in optical transmission media assume constants are uniform, making it difficult to determine their distribution along the medium.

Innovation Solution

A method using a power spectrum of output optical signals to estimate the distribution of light physical constants within the medium, integrating segments based on similarity and using propagation simulations to refine estimates, allowing for accurate distribution mapping without specialized devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional uniform light physical constant measurement method is used, then measurement simplicity is maintained, but measurement precision of distribution is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistribution measurement precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical transmission medium is divided into multiple segments along the propagation direction. Each segment's light physical constant is estimated independently by analyzing the relationship between input and output optical signal power spectra, enabling distribution measurement without requiring complex specialized devices at each segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The method changes the measurement approach from assuming uniform constants to estimating position-dependent constants by varying the analysis parameters (power spectrum ratios) across different segments. This allows the system to capture distribution information using standard equipment through mathematical processing of spectral data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If more segments are used for distribution estimation, then measurement precision improves, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistribution estimation precisionVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The method estimates light physical constants for multiple segments simultaneously using parallel computational processing of power spectrum data. By processing all segment calculations in parallel rather than sequentially, the system achieves high-resolution distribution estimation without linearly increasing total processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If stringent termination conditions are set for propagation simulation, then estimation accuracy improves, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveestimation accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The propagation simulation uses feedback-based termination conditions where the simulation continues iteratively only until the calculated power spectrum converges to match the measured spectrum within a predetermined threshold. This feedback mechanism ensures high accuracy while avoiding unnecessary computational iterations, maintaining measurement efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2947446B1Method for measuring light physical constants and device for estimating light physical constants
Publication Date: 2020.02.05 OSAKA UNIVERSITY
  • EP2947446B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2947446B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2947446B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A light physical constant measurement method includes: virtually dividing an optical transmission medium along a propagation direction to set a plurality of first segments (S106); and estimating light physical constants of the plurality of first segments based on the result of a first propagation simulation that uses a model in which an input optical signal of each of the plurality of intensities propagates sequentially through the plurality of first segments (S108 to S114), and in the estimating of light physical constants of the plurality of first segments, the light physical constants of the plurality of first segments are searched for using an evaluation function of evaluating a difference between a measured power spectrum of an output optical signal and a power spectrum of the output optical signal obtained as a result of the first propagation simulation, to estimate the light physical constants of the plurality of first segments.