Alexis Te Mendez

US Patent:

6785443, Aug 31, 2004

Filed:

Jan 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/062577

Inventors:

Alexis Mendez - Fremont CA
Mario Pacheco - Fremont CA
Steve Montesanto - Palo Alto CA
Gershon Perelman - Cupertino CA
William Wang - Pleasanton CA
Jason Zweiback - Fremont CA

Assignee:

Teraxion Inc. - Sainte-Foy

International Classification:

G02B 634

US Classification:

385 37, 385 12, 385 13, 385 31, 385136, 385137

Abstract:

The present invention is directed to a system and method for tuning an optical fiber Bragg grating by using a circular mechanism which uniformly stretches the fiber along its length while at the same time preserving the minimal size for stretching.

US Patent:

7397976, Jul 8, 2008

Filed:

Jan 25, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/042850

Inventors:

Alexis Mendez - Alameda CA, US
Evangelos V. Diatzikis - Chuluota FL, US

Assignee:

Vetco Gray Controls Limited - Nailsea, Bristol

International Classification:

G02B 6/00
G02B 6/02

US Classification:

385 12, 385 13, 385128

Abstract:

An assembly senses fluid pressure variations within a passageway along a length of a flowline. A fiber optic cable is disposed axially within the passageway of the flowline. The fiber optic cable experiences a mechanical strain responsive to variations in the fluid pressure of the fluid communicating through the passageway of the flowline along the length of the flowline. The assembly also includes an enhancing layer surrounding the fiber optic cable. The enhancing layer is more responsive to the fluid pressure of the fluid communicating through the passageway of the cable than the fiber optic cable, which enhances the responsiveness of the fiber optic cable to the pressure by magnifying the mechanical strain associated with the fiber optic cable within a particular region of varying fluid pressure. Strain associated with the cable is communicated through back-reflected light.