Method and system for determining the location of a fiber optic channel along the length of a fiber optic cable

摘要

The location of one or more fiber optic channels (16) along the length of a fiber optic cable (12) is determined by: a) arranging an electrical conductor and a magnetic source at a known location adjacent to at least one of the channels (16); b) transmitting an electrical current through the electrical conductor, thereby deforming the electrical conductor by Lorenz forces in the vicinity of the magnetic source; c) conveying the deformation of the electrical conductor to deform an adjacent channel (16); d) transmitting light pulses through the fiber optic cable (12) and using variations in the light pulses back reflected by the deformed channel (16) and the known location of the magnetic source to determine the location of the deformed channel (16).