Optical fiber sensing is the foundation and key to realize integrated optical network of synaesthesia and computing
22 Feb 2024
The emergence of new applications driven by 5G/5G-A has been continuous, and 6G in the future will offer even richer business experiences. It's understood that carrier networks solely based on communication attributes are unable to meet application requirements. Thus, the deep integration of multiple systems such as communication, perception, and computation has become a new trend in technological development.
Optical fibers possess both information transmission and sensing functions, making optical communication networks the cornerstone of computational infrastructure. They can establish an integrated and efficient collaborative optical network architecture, providing large-bandwidth, low-latency communication, real-time status perception, and on-demand scheduling of computational resources. Optical fiber sensing, as the core technology of the perception layer, is gradually becoming a focus of industry attention.
Optical fiber sensing technology solutions can be classified into types based on fundamental principles, including those based on fiber scattering, polarization state monitoring, optical interference, and fiber array gratings. These solutions utilize various optical parameters (such as phase, intensity, polarization, transmission/reflection spectra, etc.) to sense specific physical and environmental parameters, each presenting unique technical characteristics and application scopes.
Currently, typical application scenarios include distributed perception, matching the integrated optical network architecture, enabling high-resolution, high-sensitivity real-time perception and monitoring of various physical and environmental parameters. This can be applied in scenarios such as optical cable operation management, oil and gas pipeline monitoring, power line monitoring, geological environment and fire monitoring and early warning, perimeter security, submarine cable monitoring and early warning, among others.
According to Wu Bingbing, the intersection of optical fiber sensing with communication and computation has presented new technical challenges and research hotspots in areas such as long-distance sensing, signal interference between sensing and communication signals, event pattern recognition algorithms, and networking technology solutions. The industry is actively exploring relevant solutions.
In terms of long-distance sensing, optical signal amplification is essential for applications such as communication cables, transmission lines, and oil pipelines, which often span hundreds of kilometers. Common solutions include optical signal amplification technologies such as Raman fiber amplifiers (RFA) and remote pumping amplifiers (ROPA).
Regarding signal interference between sensing and communication signals, integration of perception requires addressing interference caused by nonlinear effects when transmitting communication and sensing signals simultaneously through the same optical fiber. Techniques to address this include reducing peak power or wavelength interference and chirp pulse technology.
In event pattern recognition algorithms, the demand for classifying and determining event types has led to challenges in accuracy, granularity, and generality of event recognition. Efficient algorithms are needed, with current mainstream methods divided into traditional machine learning and deep learning, both of which have achieved good results, with deep learning achieving an average recognition rate of over 95%.
In collaborative networking, effective design of networking solutions is crucial to ensure the fusion transmission of perception and communication signals within the network and the enhancement of perception performance through collaborative digital signal processing or computational resources. Proposed solutions include architecture networking based on wavelength division multiplexing and PON-based architecture networking, which need to consider factors such as system cost and link budget comprehensively. Additionally, design considerations are needed at the unified control level.
Regarding key optoelectronic device products for optical fiber sensing, these mainly include lasers, modulators, detectors, fiber amplifiers, fiber filters, and specialty fibers. These devices play critical roles in various aspects of optical fiber sensing systems, such as generation, modulation, detection, amplification, filtering, and specialty functions.
It's noted that the development of key optoelectronic device products for optical fiber sensing is relatively mature, with many international manufacturers having mass production capabilities. Most domestic manufacturers also possess mass production capabilities for optoelectronic device products, with only a few products having small-batch production capabilities. In terms of optical fiber sensing equipment products, they are mainly concentrated in traditional areas such as OTDR, DTSS/BOTDR, DAS/DVS, DTS, and OFDR. Both domestic and international levels are comparable, with basic capabilities for mass/small-batch production. However, the commercialization level of COTDR, POTDR, BOTDA, and BOCDA is slightly lower, with disparities between domestic and international product levels, while SOP is still in the research and development stage.
In conclusion, the deep integration of communication, perception, and computation systems is driving the development of new technologies, helping information infrastructure move towards intelligence and digitization. The integrated optical network for perception and computation is currently in the hot exploration stage. Optical fiber sensing technology is the foundation and key to realizing the integrated optical network for perception and computation. To effectively address existing problems and challenges, all sectors of the industry need to collaborate on key technology research, core device breakthroughs, standard system construction, multi-domain integration, and massive data security.
Optical fibers possess both information transmission and sensing functions, making optical communication networks the cornerstone of computational infrastructure. They can establish an integrated and efficient collaborative optical network architecture, providing large-bandwidth, low-latency communication, real-time status perception, and on-demand scheduling of computational resources. Optical fiber sensing, as the core technology of the perception layer, is gradually becoming a focus of industry attention.
Optical fiber sensing technology solutions can be classified into types based on fundamental principles, including those based on fiber scattering, polarization state monitoring, optical interference, and fiber array gratings. These solutions utilize various optical parameters (such as phase, intensity, polarization, transmission/reflection spectra, etc.) to sense specific physical and environmental parameters, each presenting unique technical characteristics and application scopes.
Currently, typical application scenarios include distributed perception, matching the integrated optical network architecture, enabling high-resolution, high-sensitivity real-time perception and monitoring of various physical and environmental parameters. This can be applied in scenarios such as optical cable operation management, oil and gas pipeline monitoring, power line monitoring, geological environment and fire monitoring and early warning, perimeter security, submarine cable monitoring and early warning, among others.
According to Wu Bingbing, the intersection of optical fiber sensing with communication and computation has presented new technical challenges and research hotspots in areas such as long-distance sensing, signal interference between sensing and communication signals, event pattern recognition algorithms, and networking technology solutions. The industry is actively exploring relevant solutions.
In terms of long-distance sensing, optical signal amplification is essential for applications such as communication cables, transmission lines, and oil pipelines, which often span hundreds of kilometers. Common solutions include optical signal amplification technologies such as Raman fiber amplifiers (RFA) and remote pumping amplifiers (ROPA).
Regarding signal interference between sensing and communication signals, integration of perception requires addressing interference caused by nonlinear effects when transmitting communication and sensing signals simultaneously through the same optical fiber. Techniques to address this include reducing peak power or wavelength interference and chirp pulse technology.
In event pattern recognition algorithms, the demand for classifying and determining event types has led to challenges in accuracy, granularity, and generality of event recognition. Efficient algorithms are needed, with current mainstream methods divided into traditional machine learning and deep learning, both of which have achieved good results, with deep learning achieving an average recognition rate of over 95%.
In collaborative networking, effective design of networking solutions is crucial to ensure the fusion transmission of perception and communication signals within the network and the enhancement of perception performance through collaborative digital signal processing or computational resources. Proposed solutions include architecture networking based on wavelength division multiplexing and PON-based architecture networking, which need to consider factors such as system cost and link budget comprehensively. Additionally, design considerations are needed at the unified control level.
Regarding key optoelectronic device products for optical fiber sensing, these mainly include lasers, modulators, detectors, fiber amplifiers, fiber filters, and specialty fibers. These devices play critical roles in various aspects of optical fiber sensing systems, such as generation, modulation, detection, amplification, filtering, and specialty functions.
It's noted that the development of key optoelectronic device products for optical fiber sensing is relatively mature, with many international manufacturers having mass production capabilities. Most domestic manufacturers also possess mass production capabilities for optoelectronic device products, with only a few products having small-batch production capabilities. In terms of optical fiber sensing equipment products, they are mainly concentrated in traditional areas such as OTDR, DTSS/BOTDR, DAS/DVS, DTS, and OFDR. Both domestic and international levels are comparable, with basic capabilities for mass/small-batch production. However, the commercialization level of COTDR, POTDR, BOTDA, and BOCDA is slightly lower, with disparities between domestic and international product levels, while SOP is still in the research and development stage.
In conclusion, the deep integration of communication, perception, and computation systems is driving the development of new technologies, helping information infrastructure move towards intelligence and digitization. The integrated optical network for perception and computation is currently in the hot exploration stage. Optical fiber sensing technology is the foundation and key to realizing the integrated optical network for perception and computation. To effectively address existing problems and challenges, all sectors of the industry need to collaborate on key technology research, core device breakthroughs, standard system construction, multi-domain integration, and massive data security.