US 11,733,031 B2
Methods and apparatus for OFDR interrogator monitoring and optimization
Kevin M. Marsden, Blacksburg, VA (US); Mark E. Froggatt, Blacksburg, VA (US); and Matthew S. Wolfe, Blacksburg, VA (US)
Assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/486,596.
Application 17/486,596 is a continuation of application No. 16/941,282, filed on Jul. 28, 2020, granted, now 11,162,782.
Application 16/941,282 is a continuation of application No. 16/314,307, granted, now 10,782,121, previously published as PCT/US2017/038251, filed on Jun. 20, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/355,957, filed on Jun. 29, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0011094 A1, Jan. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. G01B 11/16 (2006.01); G01D 5/353 (2006.01)
CPC G01B 11/161 (2013.01) [G01D 5/3538 (2013.01); G01D 5/35306 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical measurement system for measuring an optical fiber sensor including multiple optical cores, the system comprising:
a tunable laser configured to sweep laser light over a measurement range of wavelengths;
an optical amplifier configured to amplify the swept laser light;
an optical network configured to provide the amplified swept laser light to the multiple optical cores, and to output optical signals comprising reflected light from the multiple optical cores;
detection circuitry configured to convert the optical signals into electrical signals associated with the multiple optical cores; and
control and data processing circuitry configured to:
cause the tunable laser to sweep the laser light over the measurement range of wavelengths, and
control a gain of the optical amplifier based on at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of: a sweep direction, a sweep rate, and an instantaneous wavelength of the swept laser light.