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A signal conditioner to measure the length of an interferometric gap in a Fabry-Perot sensor (interferometer). The invention includes a light source, a Fabry-Perot interferometer capable of spanning a range of gaps in response to physical changes in the environment, a second interferometer that is p

A signal conditioner to measure the length of an interferometric gap in a Fabry-Perot sensor (interferometer). The invention includes a light source, a Fabry-Perot interferometer capable of spanning a range of gaps in response to physical changes in the environment, a second interferometer that is placed in series with the Fabry-Perot interferometer which does not filter any particular wavelengths of light but acts as an optical cross-correlator, a detector for converting the correlated light signal into electronic signals, and an electronic processor which controls system elements and generates a signal indicative of the length of the gap spanned by the Fabry-Perot sensor.

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We claim: 1. An apparatus for measuring a length of an unknown gap, said unknown gap being in a static or dynamic state, the apparatus comprising: a light source; a Fabry-Perot sensor spanning a gap length, said Fabry-Perot sensor modulating light from the light source; means for optically cross-co

We claim: 1. An apparatus for measuring a length of an unknown gap, said unknown gap being in a static or dynamic state, the apparatus comprising: a light source; a Fabry-Perot sensor spanning a gap length, said Fabry-Perot sensor modulating light from the light source; means for optically cross-correlating the modulated light; detector means for generating signals from the cross-correlated light wherein the means for optically cross-correlating the modulated light is dynamically positionable relative to the detector means during operation in response to a previously generated signal; processor means for producing an output indicative of the gap length based upon signals generated by the detector means; and means for optically connecting the light source, the Fabry-Perot sensor, the means for cross-correlating and the detector means. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for cross-correlating includes at least one interferometer, said interferometer selected from the group consisting of: a Fabry-Perot interferometer and a Fizeau wedge interferometer. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the detector means includes at least one selected from the group consisting of: a charged coupled device array and a photodiode. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for optically connecting is selected from the group consisting of: single mode fiber and multimode fiber. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for optically cross-correlating includes at least one selected from the group consisting of: a focusing lens, a PZT element, a stepper motor, a linear actuator, a rotary actuator, a magnetostrictive actuator and a lever arm. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for cross-correlating receives a first beam of modulated light along a first beam-path distance and receives a second beam of modulated light along a second beam-path distance, said first beam-path distance not being equal to the second beam-path distance. 7. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the light source concurrently provides light at a first central wavelength and a second central wavelength, said first central wavelength not being equal to said second central wavelength. 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the detector means includes a first element capable of producing signals based on light of the first central wavelength and a second element capable of producing signals based on light of the second central wavelength. 9. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the modulated light has a center wavelength λ and wherein the first beam differs from the second beam by a distance of λ/x and x>4. 10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for cross-correlating receives the modulated light along a beam-path distance, said beam-path distance being varied so as to cause the detector means to produce two distinct signals. 11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the processor means includes controls for an initialization mode and a tracking mode. 12. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a laser having a bandwidth exceeding 0.5 nm. 13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the laser light source is selected from the group consisting of: a wideband laser and a VCSEL. 14. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said means for cross-correlating receives a first beam of modulated light along a first beam-path distance and receives a second beam of modulated light along a second beam-path distance, said first beam-path distance not being equal to the second beam-path distance. 15. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the means for cross-correlating receives the modulated light along a beam-path distance, said beam-path distance being varied so as to cause the detector means to produce two distinct signals. 16. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said light source is a single light source. 17. An apparatus for measuring the length of an unknown gap, said unknown gap being in a static or dynamic state, the apparatus comprising: a light source; a Fabry-Perot sensor spanning a gap length, said Fabry-Perot sensor modulating light from the light source; means for optically cross-correlating the modulated light; detector means for generating first and second signals from the cross-correlated light; means for processing the first and second signals to produce an output indicative of the gap length, said means for processing having a switching circuit and a comparator wherein the comparator controls the switching circuit to insure that either the first signal or the second signal is selected for processing to produce the output based on lowest absolute value. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the means for processing further comprises a first input divider providing the first signal to the switching circuit and to a first absolute value amplifier and a second input divider providing the second signal to the switching circuit and to a second absolute value amplifier and wherein the first absolute value amplifier is positioned between the first input divider and the comparator and the second absolute value amplifier is positioned between the second input divider and the comparator. 19. An apparatus for measuring a length of an unknown gap, said unknown gap being in a static or dynamic state, the apparatus comprising: a light source; a Fabry-Perot sensor spanning a gap length, said Fabry-Perot sensor modulating light from the light source; a first optical cross-correlator capable of cross-correlating the modulated light; a second optical cross-correlator capable of cross-correlating the modulated light, wherein the gap length is measured by fixing the first optical cross-correlator relative to the second optical cross-correlator such that cross-correlated light of the first optical cross-correlator is out of phase with the cross-correlated light of the second optical cross-correlator; a detector that generates signals from the cross-correlated light, wherein the first and second optical cross-correlators are dynamically positionable relative to the detector during operation in response to a previously generated signal; and a processor that produces an output indicative of the changes in the gap length based upon signals generated by the detector. 20. An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein changes in the gap length are measured by positioning the optical cross-correlator so one signal is on a steep slope and another signal is near its adjacent peak or valley. 21. An apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the modulated light has a center wavelength λ and wherein the first beam differs from the second beam by a distance of λ/x and x>8. 22. An apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the first and second optical cross-correlators includes at least one of a focusing lens, a PZT element, a stepper motor, a linear actuator, a rotary actuator, a magnetostrictive actuator, and a lever arm, and wherein said detector includes at least one of a charged coupled device array and a photodiode. 23. An apparatus for measuring a length of an unknown gap, said unknown gap being in a static or dynamic state, the apparatus comprising: no more than two light sources; a Fabry-Perot sensor spanning a gap length, said Fabry-Perot sensor optically connected to the light source and said Fabry-Perot sensor modulating light from the light source; an optical cross-correlator optically connected to the Fabry-Perot sensor; a detector capable of receiving signals from the cross-correlated light; a positioning device operably coupled to the optical cross-correlator, the positioning device capable of dynamically positioning the cross-correlator relative to the detector during operation in response to a previously generated signal; and a processor that produces an output indicative of the gap length based upon signals generated by the detector. 24. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the modulated light comprises first and second beams with different center wavelengths, the first beam has a center wavelength λ1 and the second beam has center wavelength λ2, and λ1 is detected by a silicon detector and λ2 is detected by a InGaAs detector. 25. An apparatus according to claim 24 wherein the positioning device includes at least one selected from the group consisting of: a focusing lens, a PZT element, a stepper motor, a linear actuator, a rotary actuator, a magnetostrictive actuator, and a lever arm. 26. An apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the optical cross-correlator receives a first beam of modulated light along a first beam-path distance and receives a second beam of modulated light along a second beam-path distance, said first beam-path distance not being equal to the second beam-path distance.