Optical fiber cable protected from animal bite

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10524466-B2
Application number	US-201616324000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 22, 2016
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for providing voltage to a metal layer of an optical cable are provided. The metal layer may be configured to provide an electric shock to an animal upon contact.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of optical fibers disposed within a first strength member;
an electrically-conductive, lightweight metal layer disposed about the first strength member;
an outer jacket disposed about the metal layer; and
a voltage source coupled to the metal layer,
wherein the voltage source is configured to provide a voltage to the metal layer relative to ground, and
wherein an electric shock, based on the voltage to the metal layer relative to ground, is provided to an animal when the animal touches the metal layer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises aluminum foil.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer comprises metal mesh.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the voltage is a pulsed high voltage.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the pulsed high voltage is greater than 5000 volts.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the average current carried on the metal layer is limited to less than 10 mA.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the metal layer is configured to provide an electric shock to an animal upon contact.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical pulse generator coupled to the plurality of optical fibers; and
a low reflection device coupled to the plurality of optical fibers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a receiving device coupled to the plurality of optical fibers, wherein the receiving device is configured to collect backscattered light.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a geophone sensor coupled to the optical cable.

11. A method comprising:
provisioning an optical cable,
wherein the optical cable comprises:
a plurality of optical fibers disposed within a metal layer; and
an outer jacket disposed about the metal layer; and

applying a voltage to the metal layer relative to ground; and
providing an electric shock, based on the voltage to the metal layer relative to ground, to an animal upon contact between the animal and the metal layer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the metal layer comprises aluminum foil.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the metal layer comprises metal mesh.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the voltage is a pulsed high voltage.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the pulsed high voltage is greater than 5000 volts.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the average current carried on the metal layer is limited to less than 10 mA.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
providing an electric shock to an animal upon contact between the animal and the metal layer.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
collecting data at a geophone sensor coupled to the optical cable.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
applying an optical signal to the plurality of optical fibers.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
receiving backscattered light at a receiving device.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Nitsche Wolfgang Hartmut
• Maida John Laureto

Classifications

• G02B6/44 Primary

  Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables (cables incorporating electric conductors and optical fibres {where features relating to the optical fibres are not of interest} H01B11/22) · CPC title

• A01M29/24 Primary

  using electric or magnetic effects, e.g. electric shocks, magnetic fields or microwaves · CPC title

• G01V1/181

  Geophones · CPC title

• G02B6/443

  Protective covering · CPC title

• G02B6/4416

  Heterogeneous cables · CPC title