摘要 |
A telemetry system for receiving data from large arrays of sensors, in which the sensors are located in an unprotected environment, is implemented using fiber optic components. Laser sources, located in a protected environment, transmit light through the boundary separating the protected environment from the unprotected one. The light is then split into a number of beams and fed to electro-optical modulators, where it is modulated in response to electrical signals received from the sensors. The modulated light signals are then wavelength-division multiplexed and transmitted back through the environment boundary, where they are amplified, demultiplexed and converted to electrical signals. Multiplexing reduces the number of boundary penetrations, and the use of highly stable electro-optical modulators eliminates the need for signal conditioning electronics at each sensor. This optical approach is particularly beneficial in an underwater application, such as a submarine receiving data from a large array of acoustic sensors, where it is desired that hull penetrations be minimized and the underwater components be highly reliable and stable.
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