Optical Storage Device for Intrinsically Safe Sensor Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In aerospace applications, especially in environments where intrinsic safety and electromagnetic interference (EMI) considerations are critical, existing methods for storing and retrieving calibration data in optical sensors using electronic components are not feasible, as they reintroduce electrical connections, compromising the safety and functionality of optical devices.
Innovation Solution
An optical storage device utilizing optical waveguides and Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) encodes data, allowing for intrinsically safe storage and retrieval using a single optical fiber and low optical power, employing optical reflectors and absorbers, or FBGs that reflect specific wavelengths, enabling data storage and retrieval without active electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If electronic components such as EPROM are used to store calibration data in optical sensors, then data storage and retrieval is simplified, but electrical connections are reintroduced which compromise intrinsic safety and EMI considerations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic storage components (EPROM, electrical circuits) with an optical storage system using waveguides, optical reflectors, and Fiber Bragg Gratings. This substitution eliminates electrical connections while maintaining data storage functionality, thereby preserving intrinsic safety and EMI immunity in explosive atmospheres.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical intermediary system consisting of waveguides and optical elements that mediate between the sensor and the calibration data storage. This intermediary optical path allows data retrieval without direct electrical contact, resolving the contradiction between ease of electronic data access and intrinsic safety requirements.
2Measurement precision
If multiple optical waveguides with delay elements are used to encode data, then data storage capacity and retrieval accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces temporal dimension through delay elements in optical waveguides, allowing data bits to be encoded in the time domain. By assigning different delay times to different waveguides, multiple data bits can be transmitted simultaneously through a single optical fiber, increasing storage capacity without proportionally increasing physical complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the optical storage system into multiple waveguides, each with specific delay characteristics and optical elements. This segmentation allows parallel encoding of multiple data bits, improving retrieval accuracy through time-division multiplexing while distributing the complexity across manageable modular components.
3Quantity of substance
If Fiber Bragg Gratings are used to reflect specific wavelengths for data encoding, then data storage density is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes wavelength as a parameter dimension for data encoding through Fiber Bragg Gratings. By writing multiple FBGs with different reflection wavelengths into a single optical fiber, multiple data bits can be stored in one physical medium. The system compensates for manufacturing precision challenges through wavelength-division multiplexing and spectral filtering techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure, intrinsically safe storage and retrieval of calibration data and sensor serial numbers in optical sensors, maintaining accuracy and safety in explosive atmospheres and EMI-sensitive environments, without the need for active components or electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of FBGs may be formed in a single waveguide, where each FBG is configured to reflect light at a specific peak wavelength that is different from other FBGs
Implementation Method 2
Each optical waveguide may also include a delay element arranged between the optical element and the interrogation port, the delay element configured to delay the transfer of light
Implementation Method 3
Optical elements, such as optical reflectors and optical absorbers, can terminate each optical waveguide, where an optical reflector can be regarded as having a value of one and an optical absorber can be regarded as having a value of zero
Data Source
AI summary
An optical storage device for storing data includes at least one optical waveguide for receiving an optical interrogation signal and providing a response to the optical interrogation signal and a plurality of optical elements arranged relative to the at least one optical waveguide. The plurality of optical elements are responsive to the optical interrogation signal provided through the at least one waveguide to return a prescribed data value through the at least one optical waveguide. The plurality of optical elements represent encoded data concerning a function of an optical sensor.