Bandgap modulation for underwater communications and energy harvesting
First Claim
1. An information collection system, comprising:
- a gateway node including an actuator configured to produce a light beam for propagation through a fluid, and a sensor configured to detect a reflection of the light beam; and
a terminal node disposed within the fluid and including an energy source and a photovoltaic layer adjacent to a reflective layer, the terminal node comprising a control unit configured to switchably control the photovoltaic layer between two modes, in response to interaction with the light beam, to convey a data stream associated with the reflected light beam to the sensor of the gateway node, the two modes including;
a transmission mode wherein the light beam incident on the photovoltaic layer is transmitted therethrough to and reflected by the adjacent reflective layer to the sensor of the gateway node, anda recharging mode wherein the photovoltaic layer is configured to capture photonic energy from the light beam and to direct the captured photonic energy for storage by the energy source, without reflecting the light beam, at least a portion of the terminal node being powerable from the photonic energy stored by the energy source.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided that includes a gateway node and terminal node. The gateway node includes an actuator configured to produce a light beam for propagation through a fluid, and a sensor configured to detect a reflection of the light beam. The terminal node is disposed within the fluid and includes an energy source and a photovoltaic layer adjacent to a reflective layer. The photovoltaic layer is switchably controlled between two modes, to convey a data stream associated with the reflected light beam to the sensor of the gateway node, the two modes including: a transmission mode wherein the light beam is transmitted through the photovoltaic layer and reflected by the adjacent reflective layer to the sensor of the gateway node, and a recharging mode wherein the photovoltaic layer is configured to capture photonic energy from the light beam for storage in the energy source.
17 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An information collection system, comprising:
-
a gateway node including an actuator configured to produce a light beam for propagation through a fluid, and a sensor configured to detect a reflection of the light beam; and a terminal node disposed within the fluid and including an energy source and a photovoltaic layer adjacent to a reflective layer, the terminal node comprising a control unit configured to switchably control the photovoltaic layer between two modes, in response to interaction with the light beam, to convey a data stream associated with the reflected light beam to the sensor of the gateway node, the two modes including; a transmission mode wherein the light beam incident on the photovoltaic layer is transmitted therethrough to and reflected by the adjacent reflective layer to the sensor of the gateway node, and a recharging mode wherein the photovoltaic layer is configured to capture photonic energy from the light beam and to direct the captured photonic energy for storage by the energy source, without reflecting the light beam, at least a portion of the terminal node being powerable from the photonic energy stored by the energy source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A terminal node comprising:
-
an energy source configured to store photonic energy and to power at least a portion of the terminal node from the photonic energy stored thereby; a reflective layer configured to reflect a light beam propagating through a fluid; a photovoltaic layer adjacent to the reflective layer; and a control unit in electrical communication with the photovoltaic layer to switchably control the photovoltaic layer between two modes, in response to interaction with the light beam, to convey a data stream associated with the reflected light beam to a sensor of a gateway node, the two modes including; a transmission mode wherein the light beam incident on the photovoltaic layer is transmitted therethrough to and reflected by the adjacent reflective layer to the sensor of the gateway node, and a recharging mode wherein the photovoltaic layer is configured to capture the photonic energy from the light beam and to direct the captured photonic energy for storage by the energy source, without reflecting the light beam. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method comprising:
-
receiving a light beam propagated through a fluid, the light beam being incident on a photovoltaic layer of a terminal node disposed within the fluid; and switchably controlling the photovoltaic layer between two modes, in response to interaction with the light beam, to convey a data stream associated with the reflected light beam to a sensor of a gateway node, the two modes including; a transmission mode, wherein the light beam incident on the photovoltaic layer is transmitted therethough to the reflective layer for reflection thereby, and wherein the reflected light beam is directed back through the photovoltaic layer to the sensor of the gateway node, and a recharging mode wherein the photovoltaic layer is configured to capture photonic energy from the light beam and to direct the captured photonic energy for storage by an energy source, and wherein at least a portion of the terminal node is powerable from the photonic energy stored by the energy source, without reflecting the light beam. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification