Disclosure of Invention
In view of the above problems, an object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device and an optical fiber temperature demodulator, so as to solve the deficiencies of the prior art.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device is provided, which includes a laser, a reference ring and a signal processing module connected in sequence;
the laser is used for transmitting a laser signal to the optical fiber;
the reference ring is connected with the laser and used for receiving a reflected laser signal returned from the optical fiber and sending the reflected laser signal to the signal processing module;
the signal processing module is connected with the reference ring and used for determining a first current amplitude corresponding to a stokes signal and a second current amplitude corresponding to an anti-stokes signal in the reflected laser signal, calculating a difference value between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude, and continuously adjusting corresponding photoelectric parameters according to the difference value until the difference value meets a preset condition.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the device further comprises a signal modulation module connected with the laser, wherein the signal modulation module comprises a power control unit, a wavelength control unit and a synchronous pulse unit;
the power control unit is used for controlling the power of the laser signal, the wavelength control unit is used for controlling the wavelength of the laser signal, and the synchronous pulse unit is used for controlling the laser signal to be transmitted and received in a synchronous pulse mode, so that the laser device emits the laser signal of which the signal parameter meets the preset condition.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the device further comprises a signal amplification module:
the signal amplification module is connected between the reference ring and the signal processing module and used for transmitting the reflected laser signal to the signal processing module after amplification processing.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the signal processing module respectively performs photoelectric conversion on the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal to obtain corresponding electrical signals, and takes an amplitude of the electrical signal corresponding to the stokes signal in a predetermined region as a first current amplitude, and takes an amplitude of the electrical signal corresponding to the anti-stokes signal in the predetermined region as a second current amplitude.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the optical-electrical parameter includes a bias voltage in the optical-electrical conversion process;
and the signal processing module adjusts the bias voltage according to the difference until the difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude obtained after adjustment meets the preset condition.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the photoelectric parameter includes a temperature value of a device that collects the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal;
and the signal processing module adjusts the temperature value according to the difference value until the difference value between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude obtained after adjustment meets the preset condition.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the signal processing module further identifies the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal according to the reflected laser signal.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the device further comprises a wavelength division multiplexing module:
the wavelength division multiplexing module is connected between the reference ring and the laser and is connected with the signal amplification module;
the laser transmits the laser signal to a corresponding optical fiber through the wavelength division multiplexing module and the reference ring in sequence;
the reference ring sends the received reflected laser signal to the wavelength division multiplexing module;
the wavelength division multiplexing module is used for identifying the Stokes signal and the anti-Stokes signal in the received reflected laser signal and sending the Stokes signal and the anti-Stokes signal to the signal amplification module.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device further comprises an optical switch connected with the reference ring, and the optical switch is connected with a predetermined number of optical fibers;
the optical switch is used for switching the connection state of the reference ring and the optical fiber so as to transmit the laser signal sent by the reference ring to the corresponding optical fiber.
In the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device, the predetermined condition includes that the difference is smaller than a preset amplitude threshold.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an optical fiber temperature demodulator, which includes the above optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device.
The technical scheme provided by the embodiment of the disclosure can have the following beneficial effects:
according to the optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device and the optical fiber temperature demodulator, in a temperature measurement system based on a Raman scattering effect, the difference between a Stokes signal and an anti-Stokes signal in a Raman scattering photon signal is eliminated, accurate measurement parameters are provided for accurate temperature measurement, automatic adjustment of gains in current-limiting signals corresponding to the Stokes signal and the anti-Stokes signal is realized, different optical fibers can be accessed to obtain the optimal measurement parameters, and the accuracy degree of subsequent temperature value calculation is improved.
In order to make the aforementioned and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention comprehensible, preferred embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.
Detailed Description
The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. The components of embodiments of the present invention generally described and illustrated in the figures herein may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, presented in the figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Example 1
Fig. 1 shows a schematic structural diagram of an optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
The optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device 10 includes a laser 100, a reference ring 200 and a signal processing module 300.
The laser 100, the reference ring 200, and the signal processing module 300 are connected in sequence.
The laser 100 is used to emit a laser signal into an optical fiber.
Specifically, the laser 100 emits a laser signal that is incident on an optical fiber for which temperature measurement is desired.
The reference ring 200 is connected to the laser, and is configured to receive a reflected laser signal returned from the optical fiber and send the reflected laser signal to the signal processing module 300.
Specifically, when the laser signal propagates in the optical fiber, a part of the laser signal is reflected back in the optical fiber, and the incident laser signal is scattered in the optical fiber due to the micro-unevenness of the refractive index in the optical fiber. The reflected laser signal reflected back from the fiber also includes the reflected scattered optical signal.
The reflected laser signal passes through the reference ring 200 to the receiving device in the laser 100.
As scattering in the optical fiber includes rayleigh scattering, brillouin scattering and raman scattering. Therefore, the reflected laser light signal reflected from the optical fiber includes a rayleigh scattering signal, a brillouin scattering signal, and a raman scattering signal.
The reference ring 200 receives the reflected laser signal from the optical fiber and sends the reflected laser signal to the signal processing module 300 for processing.
The signal processing module 300 is connected to the reference ring 200, and configured to determine a first current amplitude corresponding to a stokes signal and a second current amplitude corresponding to an anti-stokes signal in the reflected laser signal, calculate a difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude, and continuously adjust corresponding photoelectric parameters according to the difference until the difference satisfies a predetermined condition.
Further, the signal processing module 300 also identifies the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal in the reflected laser signal.
Specifically, as shown in fig. 2, a curve S1 showing the same frequency as the laser signal emitted from the laser 100 is a spectrum curve corresponding to the rayleigh scattering signal, a curve S2 on both sides adjacent to the spectrum curve S1 of the rayleigh scattering signal is a spectrum curve of the brillouin scattering signal, and the frequency difference between the spectrum curve S2 of the brillouin scattering signal and the spectrum curve S1 of the rayleigh scattering signal is generally 10-1On the order of 100 cm. The spectrum curve farther from the spectrum curve S1 of the rayleigh scattering signal is the spectrum curve of the raman scattering signal.
After the raman scattering signal is determined according to the spectral range of the rayleigh scattering signal, the spectral range of the brillouin scattering signal and the spectral range of the raman scattering signal, a spectral curve S31 corresponding to the stokes signal and a spectral curve S32 corresponding to the anti-stokes signal are also determined according to the frequency range of the stokes signal and the frequency range of the anti-stokes signal.
For example, in the frequency domain, the raman scattering signal is divided into a stokes signal and an anti-stokes signal, wherein the frequency of the stokes signal is:
vs=v0-Δv
wherein v issIs the frequency, v, of the Stokes signal0Δ v is the frequency of the laser signal incident on the optical fiber, where Δ v is 1.32 × 1013Hz。
The frequency of the anti-stokes signal is:
va=v0+Δv
wherein v isaThe frequency of the anti-stokes signal.
And determining the Stokes signal and the anti-Stokes signal in the Raman scattering signal according to the corresponding frequencies of the Stokes signal and the anti-Stokes signal.
After the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal are determined, since the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal are uniform optical signals, in order to facilitate the subsequent analysis of the optical signals, the signal processing module 300 may first convert the optical signals into electrical signals through a photoelectric converter.
For example, the signal processing module 300 transfers the stokes signal energy to electrons by photoelectric conversion to make the electrons move to form a first current signal, and transfers the anti-stokes signal energy to the electrons to make the electrons move to form a second current signal. The two waveform curves shown in fig. 3 are a waveform curve corresponding to the first current signal and a waveform curve corresponding to the second current signal.
Further, in order to make the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal on the same time basis for subsequent analysis, the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal are synchronous sampling signals.
Since the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal both include frequency components sensitive to the fiber temperature and frequency components insensitive to the fiber temperature, the current signals corresponding to the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal also include frequency components sensitive to the fiber temperature and frequency components insensitive to the fiber temperature. For example, as shown in fig. 3, the first current signal has a waveform P31 corresponding to a frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature, and a waveform Q31 corresponding to a frequency component insensitive to the fiber temperature; the second current signal has a waveform P32 corresponding to a frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature and a waveform Q32 corresponding to a frequency component insensitive to the fiber temperature.
The waveform Q31 (partial waveform corresponding to the other time interval Δ t2 in the waveform of the first current signal) corresponding to the frequency component insensitive to the optical fiber temperature in the first current signal and the waveform Q32 (partial waveform corresponding to the other time interval Δ t2 in the waveform of the second current signal) corresponding to the frequency component insensitive to the optical fiber temperature in the second current signal are separated and not overlapped, and the separation degree is related to the optical fiber temperature, wherein the higher the optical fiber temperature is, the larger the separation degree is, the lower the optical fiber temperature is, and the smaller the separation degree is.
If the time interval corresponding to the waveform P31 of the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the first current signal is a first time interval, and the time interval corresponding to the waveform P32 of the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the second current signal is a second time interval, since the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal are synchronous sampling signals, the first time interval and the second time interval are the same time interval, for example, as shown in fig. 3, Δ t1 is the same time interval.
In the waveforms of the first current signal and the second current signal, a waveform region corresponding to the time interval Δ t1 is defined as a predetermined region. In the waveform of the predetermined region of the first current signal, the current amplitude of one point is selected as the first current amplitude, or the average value of the current amplitudes of all points in the predetermined region is selected as the first current amplitude. In the waveform of the predetermined region of the second current signal, the current amplitude of one point is selected as the second current amplitude, or the average value of the current amplitudes of all points in the predetermined region is selected as the second current amplitude.
Although the time intervals corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the optical fiber temperature in the first current signal and the frequency component sensitive to the optical fiber temperature in the second current signal are the same, the difference between the first current amplitude and the second power amplitude exists due to the self difference between the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal, so that the elimination of the difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude is a necessary process for realizing accurate temperature measurement.
Further, the signal processing module 300 calculates a difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude, and if the difference is not smaller than a preset amplitude threshold, the gain of the entire optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device 10 may be fine-tuned by adjusting a photoelectric parameter corresponding to the first current signal or the second current signal, so that a waveform (i.e., the waveform P31) corresponding to the optical fiber temperature sensitive frequency component in the first current signal and a waveform (i.e., the waveform P32) corresponding to the optical fiber temperature sensitive frequency component in the second current signal are overlapped with each other, so as to eliminate a difference between the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal.
Specifically, as an adjustment manner, the photoelectric parameter includes a bias voltage in a photoelectric conversion process;
the signal processing module 300 adjusts the bias voltage corresponding to the photoelectric conversion device or the photoelectric conversion circuit in the photoelectric conversion process within a predetermined range according to the difference value to obtain a difference value between the adjusted first current amplitude value and the adjusted second current amplitude value, re-determines whether the adjusted difference value meets a predetermined condition, continues to adjust the bias voltage corresponding to the photoelectric converter when the adjusted difference value still does not meet the predetermined condition, continues to adjust the first current signal and the second current signal, and repeatedly executes the steps of adjusting the bias voltage and determining whether the difference value meets the predetermined condition. It should be noted that the constraint condition of repeated execution is that the adjustment of the bias voltage cannot exceed a predetermined range, and the first current amplitude or the second current amplitude is trimmed within the predetermined range, so as to make the waveform corresponding to the first current signal and the waveform corresponding to the second current signal coincide with each other as much as possible on the basis of not changing the first current signal and the second current signal.
However, when the bias voltage is adjusted, an avalanche phenomenon may occur, which may cause the first current signal and/or the second current signal to change. Therefore, in the above-described adjustment method, the adjustment of the offset voltage is limited to a predetermined range set based on the occurrence of the avalanche phenomenon.
Further, the photoelectric parameters comprise temperature values of devices for acquiring the stokes signals and anti-stokes signals;
when the difference value does not meet the predetermined condition, the signal processing module 300 further adjusts a temperature value of a device that acquires the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal, for example, when the difference value is greater than a preset amplitude threshold value, a temperature value of a device that acquires the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal may be increased, when the difference value is smaller than the preset amplitude threshold value, a temperature value of a device that acquires the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal may be decreased, after the adjustment, a difference value between an adjusted first current amplitude value and a second current amplitude value is obtained, whether the adjusted difference value meets the predetermined condition is determined again, when the adjusted difference value does not meet the predetermined condition, a temperature value of a device that acquires the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal is further adjusted, and the first current signal and the second current signal are further adjusted, and repeatedly executing the adjusting steps until the difference obtained after adjustment meets the preset condition.
It should be noted that, if the difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude cannot satisfy the predetermined condition by adjusting the bias voltage in the photoelectric conversion process, the difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude may be made as close as possible to the predetermined condition by adjusting the bias voltage in the photoelectric conversion process within a predetermined range, the first current signal and the second current signal that are closest to the predetermined condition are determined, and then the first current signal and the second current signal are continuously debugged by adjusting the temperature value of the device that collects the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal until the difference obtained after adjustment satisfies the predetermined condition.
It is noted that the predetermined condition may be that the first and second current amplitudes are equal, or that the difference between the first and second current amplitudes is smaller than a preset amplitude threshold, most preferably the preset amplitude threshold is 0.
When the difference value satisfies a predetermined condition, it means that the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the first current signal and the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the second current signal coincide with each other, and after the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the first current signal and the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the second current signal completely coincide with each other, the current amplitudes of the first current signal and the second current signal in a predetermined region Δ t1 are equal, such as Num1 shown in fig. 3; or the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the first current signal and the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the second current signal are approximately overlapped, in other words, the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the first current signal and the waveform corresponding to the frequency component sensitive to the fiber temperature in the second current signal are adjusted to be overlapped to the maximum extent, and the difference between the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal is eliminated.
Example 2
Fig. 4 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating an optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
The optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device 10 comprises a laser 100, a reference ring 200, a signal processing module 300, a signal modulation module 400 and a signal amplification module 500.
The signal modulation module 400, the laser 100, the reference ring 200, the signal amplification module 500, and the signal processing module 300 are sequentially connected.
The signal modulation module 400 includes a power control unit 410, a wavelength control unit 420, and a synchronization pulse unit 430.
The power control unit 410 is configured to send a power control signal to control the power of a laser signal sent by the laser 100, the wavelength control unit 420 is configured to send a wavelength control signal to control the wavelength of the laser signal sent by the laser 100, the synchronization pulse unit 430 is configured to send a synchronization pulse control signal to control the laser signal sent by the laser 100 in a synchronization pulse manner, and the laser 100 sends out a laser signal with a signal parameter meeting a preset condition according to the power control signal, the wavelength control signal, and the synchronization pulse control signal, for example, the laser 100 can be controlled by the power control unit 410, the wavelength control unit 420, and the synchronization pulse unit 430 to continuously send a laser signal of 1550 nm.
It should be noted that, in different application scenarios, due to different conditions such as temperature, environment, etc. in each scenario, the content of the control signal sent by the power control unit 410, the wavelength control unit 420, or the synchronization pulse unit 430 in the signal modulation module 400 in different scenarios may be different.
Hereinafter, the power control signal is taken as an example, and the wavelength control signal and the synchronization pulse control signal are the same as the power control signal, and will not be described in detail here. For example, in a first scenario, if the laser 100 is enabled to emit a laser signal satisfying a predetermined condition, the power control unit 410 is configured to generate a power control signal for controlling the laser to emit the laser signal with a power M1. In the second scenario, due to the change of temperature, environment, etc., if the laser 100 is enabled to emit a laser signal satisfying the predetermined condition, the power control unit 410 must generate a power control signal to control the laser to emit a laser signal with the power M2.
The reference ring 200 is configured to receive a reflected laser signal returned from the optical fiber and send the reflected laser signal to the signal amplification module 500.
Because the raman scattering signal carrying temperature information in the reflected laser signal is very weak, the signal amplification module 500 further needs to amplify the reflected laser signal and then send the amplified reflected laser signal to the signal processing module 300.
The signal processing module 300 identifies a stokes signal and an anti-stokes signal in the reflected laser signal, and respectively performs photoelectric conversion on the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal to obtain corresponding electrical signals, where an amplitude of the electrical signal corresponding to the stokes signal in a predetermined region is used as a first current amplitude, and an amplitude of the electrical signal corresponding to the anti-stokes signal in the predetermined region is used as a second current amplitude.
The signal processing module 300 determines a first current amplitude corresponding to a stokes signal and a second current amplitude corresponding to an anti-stokes signal in the reflected laser signal, calculates a difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude, and continuously adjusts corresponding photoelectric parameters according to the difference until the difference meets a predetermined condition.
Example 3
Fig. 5 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating an optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
The optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device 10 includes a laser 100, a reference ring 200, a signal processing module 300, a signal modulation module 400, a signal amplification module 500, a wavelength division multiplexing module 600, and an optical switch 700.
The signal modulation module 400 is connected to the laser 100, the laser 100 is connected to the wavelength division multiplexing module 600, the wavelength division multiplexing module 600 is connected to the reference ring 200, the reference ring 200 is connected to the optical switch 700, and the optical switch 700 is connected to a plurality of optical fibers to be measured for temperature, for example, A, B, C, D four optical fibers in fig. 5.
The wavelength division multiplexing module 600 is further connected to the signal amplification module 500, and the signal amplification module 500 is connected to the signal processing module 300.
The signal modulation module 400 includes a power control unit 410, a wavelength control unit 420, and a synchronization pulse unit 430.
The power control unit 410 is configured to control the power of the laser signal, the wavelength control unit 420 is configured to control the wavelength of the laser signal, and the synchronization pulse unit 430 is configured to control the laser signal to be transmitted and received in a synchronization pulse manner, so that the laser 100 emits the laser signal with signal parameters meeting preset conditions.
The laser 100 sends the laser signal meeting the preset condition to the wavelength division multiplexing module 600, the wavelength division multiplexing module 600 transmits the received laser signal to the reference ring 200, the reference ring 200 sends the laser signal to the optical switch 700, and the optical switch 700 is configured to switch the connection state between the reference ring 200 and the optical fiber, so that the reference ring 200 sends the laser signal to the connected optical fiber.
The optical switch 700 may continuously switch the connection state between the plurality of optical fibers connected thereto and the reference ring 200 through an open/close state, so that the reference ring 200 transmits the laser signal to one of the plurality of optical fibers.
The laser signal is transmitted in the optical fiber, and is reflected, and the reflected laser signal passes through the reference ring 200.
The reference ring 200 receives the reflected laser signal returned from the optical fiber and transmits the reflected laser signal to the wavelength division multiplexing module 600.
The wavelength division multiplexing module 600 is configured to identify the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal in the received reflected laser signal, and send the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal to the signal amplifying module 500.
Specifically, the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal are identified in the reflected laser light signal in the same manner as in embodiment 1.
The signal amplification module 500 amplifies the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal and then sends the amplified signals to the signal processing module 300.
The signal processing module 300 respectively performs photoelectric conversion on the stokes signal and the anti-stokes signal to obtain corresponding electrical signals, and uses the amplitude of the electrical signal corresponding to the stokes signal in a predetermined region as a first current amplitude and the amplitude of the electrical signal corresponding to the anti-stokes signal in the predetermined region as a second current amplitude.
The signal processing module 300 determines a first current amplitude corresponding to a stokes signal and a second current amplitude corresponding to an anti-stokes signal in the reflected laser signal, calculates a difference between the first current amplitude and the second current amplitude, and continuously adjusts corresponding photoelectric parameters according to the difference until the difference meets a predetermined condition.
Further, as shown in fig. 6, the signal processing module 300 is further connected to the signal modulation module 400, and the signal processing module 300 sends a modulation instruction to the signal modulation module 400, so that the signal modulation module 400 controls the laser 100 to send a laser signal whose signal parameter meets a preset condition.
The embodiment of the invention also provides an optical fiber temperature demodulator which comprises the optical fiber temperature signal automatic gain device 10.
In the embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and method can be implemented in other ways. The apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative and, for example, the flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatus, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems which perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
In addition, each functional module or unit in each embodiment of the present invention may be integrated together to form an independent part, or each module may exist separately, or two or more modules may be integrated to form an independent part. The functions, if implemented in the form of software functional modules and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. Based on such understanding, the technical solution of the present invention or a part of the technical solution that contributes to the prior art in essence can be embodied in the form of a software product, which is stored in a storage medium and includes instructions for causing a computer device (which may be a smart phone, a personal computer, a server, or a network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present invention. And the aforementioned storage medium includes: a U-disk, a removable hard disk, a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk, and other various media capable of storing program codes.
The above description is only for the specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of the changes or substitutions within the technical scope of the present invention, and all the changes or substitutions should be covered within the scope of the present invention.