High-bandwidth underwater data communication system
First Claim
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1. A system to optically transfer seismic data through an aqueous medium, comprising:
- a retrieval device comprising;
a first optical transmitter to transmit light;
a first optical receiver;
one or more optical detectors to sense a relative angle of a second optical transmitter of an ocean bottom seismic (“
OBS”
) node; and
at least one controller to select, based on a signal from the one or more optical detectors of the retrieval device, an anode in a multiple-anode photomultiplier tube and align an angular field of view of the first optical receiver with the second optical transmitter of the OBS node;
the OBS node placed on an ocean bottom, the OBS node comprising;
a second optical receiver comprising one or more optical detectors to detect a presence of the retrieval device based on the light transmitted by the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device, and sense a relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device;
one or more controllers to adjust, responsive to identification of an underwater environmental condition, a transmission parameter used by the second optical transmitter to transmit light with the seismic data, and control the second optical transmitter to direct the light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium to the first optical receiver of the retrieval device based on the relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device sensed by the one or more optical detectors; and
the second optical transmitter of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom to transmit the light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium using the transmission parameter adjusted by the one or more controllers, the light with the seismic data directed towards the first optical receiver through the aqueous medium by the one or more controllers of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom;
the first optical receiver of the retrieval device to receive the light with the seismic data transmitted through the aqueous medium by the second optical transmitter of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom;
a photodiode of the first optical receiver that generates electrical output based on the light with the seismic data transmitted by the second optical transmitter and received by the first optical receiver; and
an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device that receives the electrical output from the first optical receiver and adjusts a level of the electrical output.
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Abstract
An apparatus is described which uses directly modulated InGaN Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) or InGaN lasers as the transmitters for an underwater data-communication device. The receiver uses automatic gain control to facilitate performance of the apparatus over a wide-range of distances and water turbidities.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system to optically transfer seismic data through an aqueous medium, comprising:
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a retrieval device comprising; a first optical transmitter to transmit light; a first optical receiver; one or more optical detectors to sense a relative angle of a second optical transmitter of an ocean bottom seismic (“
OBS”
) node; andat least one controller to select, based on a signal from the one or more optical detectors of the retrieval device, an anode in a multiple-anode photomultiplier tube and align an angular field of view of the first optical receiver with the second optical transmitter of the OBS node; the OBS node placed on an ocean bottom, the OBS node comprising; a second optical receiver comprising one or more optical detectors to detect a presence of the retrieval device based on the light transmitted by the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device, and sense a relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device; one or more controllers to adjust, responsive to identification of an underwater environmental condition, a transmission parameter used by the second optical transmitter to transmit light with the seismic data, and control the second optical transmitter to direct the light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium to the first optical receiver of the retrieval device based on the relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device sensed by the one or more optical detectors; and the second optical transmitter of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom to transmit the light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium using the transmission parameter adjusted by the one or more controllers, the light with the seismic data directed towards the first optical receiver through the aqueous medium by the one or more controllers of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom; the first optical receiver of the retrieval device to receive the light with the seismic data transmitted through the aqueous medium by the second optical transmitter of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom; a photodiode of the first optical receiver that generates electrical output based on the light with the seismic data transmitted by the second optical transmitter and received by the first optical receiver; and an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device that receives the electrical output from the first optical receiver and adjusts a level of the electrical output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of optically transferring seismic data through an aqueous medium, comprising:
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transmitting, by a retrieval device comprising a first optical transmitter and a first optical receiver, light; detecting, by an ocean bottom seismic (“
OBS”
) node placed on an ocean bottom and comprising a second optical receiver having one or more optical detectors, a presence of the retrieval device based on the light transmitted by the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device;sensing, by the OBS node, a relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device; adjusting, by one or more controllers of the OBS node, responsive to identification of an underwater environmental condition, a transmission parameter used by a second optical transmitter to transmit light with seismic data, controlling, by the one or more controllers of the OBS node, the second optical transmitter to direct the light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium to the first optical receiver of the retrieval device based on the relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device sensed by the one or more optical detectors; sensing, by one or more optical detectors of the retrieval device, a relative angle of the second optical transmitter of the OBS node; selecting, by at least one controller of the retrieval device, based on a signal from the one or more optical detectors of the retrieval device, an anode in a multiple-anode photomultiplier tube to align an angular field of view of the first optical receiver with the second optical transmitter of the OBS node; transmitting, by the second optical transmitter of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom, light with seismic data through the aqueous medium using the transmission parameter adjusted by the one or more controllers, the light with the seismic data directed towards the first optical receiver through the aqueous medium by the one or more controllers of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom; receiving, by the first optical receiver of the retrieval device, the light with the seismic data transmitted through the aqueous medium by the second optical transmitter of the OBS node placed on the ocean bottom; generating, by a photodiode of the first optical receiver, electrical output based on the light with the seismic data transmitted by the second optical transmitter and received by the first optical receiver; and adjusting, by an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device, a level of electrical output. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification