Multicore Fiber Hybrid Sensing-Communication System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical fiber systems face interference and throughput limitations when attempting to simultaneously perform communication and sensing tasks, as communication and sensing signals often interfere in the time-, wavelength-, polarization-, and space-domain, necessitating a reliable hybrid sensing-communication system that can operate without noise and speed constraints.
Innovation Solution
A multicore optical fiber system is used, where communication data is transmitted along one core and sensing data along another, with dedicated communication and sensing devices at each end, and local oscillators for coherent signal processing, ensuring signal separation and minimizing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If time-division-multiplexing (TDM) or wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) schemes are used to integrate communication and sensing in a single optical fiber, then resource utilization is improved, but communication throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber is segmented into multiple independent cores, with each core capable of carrying independent optical signals. This segmentation allows simultaneous communication and sensing operations in different cores without signal interference, thereby maintaining full communication throughput while enabling sensing functionality. The multicore fiber structure physically separates the signal paths, eliminating the need for TDM or WDM multiplexing schemes that would reduce throughput.
2Adaptability or versatility
If communication and sensing signals are transmitted simultaneously in a single-core optical fiber, then resource utilization is improved, but signal interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single-core fiber is divided into multiple independent cores, each capable of transmitting independent optical signals without interference from other signals. This spatial segmentation through multicore architecture allows simultaneous communication and sensing operations in different cores, eliminating cross-talk and signal interference while maintaining high signal quality and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single spatial dimension (single core) to multiple spatial dimensions (multiple cores). By utilizing the spatial dimensionality of multicore fiber, the system can transmit multiple independent optical signals simultaneously in different cores, effectively separating communication and sensing signals in space to avoid interference while maintaining simultaneous operation.
3Device complexity
If a single-core optical fiber is used for both communication and sensing, then device complexity is reduced, but signal interference in time-, wavelength-, polarization-, and space-domain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical fiber structure is segmented into multiple independent cores within a single fiber cable. This segmentation provides physical separation of signal paths for different applications (communication and sensing), eliminating cross-domain interference while maintaining the simplicity of using a single fiber cable infrastructure. Each core acts as an independent transmission channel with its own signal space.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the spatial dimensionality provided by multiple cores within a single fiber cable. By distributing signals across different spatial dimensions (different cores), the system eliminates interference in time, wavelength, polarization, and space domains that would occur in a single-core system, while still maintaining device simplicity through single-cable deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
A hybrid sensing-communication system includes a multicore optical fiber that includes first and second cores, a first communication device optically coupled to a first end of the first core of the multicore optical fiber, a second communication device optically coupled to a second end of the first core of the multicore optical fiber, a first sensing device optically coupled to a first end of the second core of the multicore optical fiber, and a second sensing device optically coupled to a second end of the second core of the multicore optical fiber. The first and second communication devices exclusively exchange communication data along the first core, the first and second sensing devices exclusively exchange sensing data along the second core, and the communication data is different from the sensing data.