US 12,264,996 B2
Continuous fiber optic functionality monitoring and self-diagnostic reporting system
Anthony K. Misener, Bountiful, UT (US); Steffan Sowards, Salt Lake City, UT (US); and William Robert McLaughlin, Bountiful, UT (US)
Assigned to Bard Access Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed by Bard Access Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed on Apr. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/132,623.
Application 18/132,623 is a division of application No. 17/371,993, filed on Jul. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,624,677.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/050,641, filed on Jul. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0243715 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01M 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 5/0033 (2013.01) [G01M 5/0091 (2013.01); G01M 5/0025 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for placing a medical device into a body of a patient, the method comprising:
providing the medical device comprising an optical fiber having one or more core fibers, each of the one or more core fibers including a plurality of sensors distributed along a longitudinal length of a corresponding core fiber and each sensor of the plurality of sensors being configured to (i) reflect a light signal of a different spectral width based on received incident light, and (ii) change a characteristic of the reflected light signal for use in determining a physical state of the optical fiber;
providing a broadband incident light signal to the optical fiber included within the medical device;
receiving reflected light signals of different spectral widths of the broadband incident light signal by one or more of the plurality of sensors;
processing the reflected light signals associated with the one or more core fibers to identify at least one unexpected spectral width or a lack of an expected spectral width;
determining whether damage has occurred to the one or more core fibers based on identification of the at least one unexpected spectral width, the lack of the expected spectral width, or a reduction in intensity of a reflected light signal;
determining a first core fiber affected by the damage; and
determining a location of the damage along the first core fiber.