High-bandwidth underwater data communication system
First Claim
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1. A system to perform seismic exploration in an aqueous medium, comprising:
- an ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) unit placed on a seabed to receive seismic data;
a data conversion module of the OBS unit to convert the seismic data into an optical signal with a first format configured for optical transmission via the aqueous medium;
at least one of the OBS unit placed on the seabed and an underwater vehicle to;
establish, between the OBS unit and the underwater vehicle separated from the OBS unit by the aqueous medium, an optical link through the aqueous medium; and
determine a condition of the aqueous medium from a measurement of a characteristic of the optical link;
a controller of the OBS unit to adjust a parameter associated with the optical signal based on the characteristic of the aqueous medium;
an optical transmitter of the OBS unit placed on the seabed to transmit, via the optical link, the optical signal to an optical receiver of the underwater vehicle, the optical signal comprising the first format and the seismic data, the optical signal adjusted by the OBS unit based on the characteristic of the aqueous medium; and
the underwater vehicle to;
receive the optical signal transmitted by the optical transmitter of the OBS unit placed on the seabed via the optical link through the aqueous medium;
convert, responsive to receipt of the optical signal, the optical signal into a non-optical signal comprising a second format; and
provide the non-optical signal in the second format to a retrieval device.
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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
20 Claims
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1. A system to perform seismic exploration in an aqueous medium, comprising:
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an ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) unit placed on a seabed to receive seismic data; a data conversion module of the OBS unit to convert the seismic data into an optical signal with a first format configured for optical transmission via the aqueous medium; at least one of the OBS unit placed on the seabed and an underwater vehicle to; establish, between the OBS unit and the underwater vehicle separated from the OBS unit by the aqueous medium, an optical link through the aqueous medium; and determine a condition of the aqueous medium from a measurement of a characteristic of the optical link; a controller of the OBS unit to adjust a parameter associated with the optical signal based on the characteristic of the aqueous medium; an optical transmitter of the OBS unit placed on the seabed to transmit, via the optical link, the optical signal to an optical receiver of the underwater vehicle, the optical signal comprising the first format and the seismic data, the optical signal adjusted by the OBS unit based on the characteristic of the aqueous medium; and the underwater vehicle to; receive the optical signal transmitted by the optical transmitter of the OBS unit placed on the seabed via the optical link through the aqueous medium; convert, responsive to receipt of the optical signal, the optical signal into a non-optical signal comprising a second format; and provide the non-optical signal in the second format to a retrieval device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of performing seismic exploration in an aqueous medium, comprising:
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placing an ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) unit on a seabed; receiving, by the OBS unit, seismic data; converting, by a data conversion module of the OBS unit, the seismic data into an optical signal with a first format configured for optical transmission via the aqueous medium; establishing, between the OBS unit and an underwater vehicle separated from the OBS unit by the aqueous medium, an optical link through the aqueous medium; determining a condition of the aqueous medium from a measurement of a characteristic of the optical link; adjusting, by a controller of the OBS unit, a parameter associated with the optical signal based on the characteristic of the aqueous medium; transmitting, by an optical transmitter of the OBS unit placed on the seabed, via the optical link, the optical signal to an optical receiver of the underwater vehicle, the optical signal comprising the first format and the seismic data, the optical signal adjusted by the OBS unit based on the characteristic of the aqueous medium; receiving, by the underwater vehicle, the optical signal transmitted by the optical transmitter of the OBS unit placed on the seabed via the optical link through the aqueous medium; converting, by the underwater vehicle, responsive to receipt of the optical signal, the optical signal into a non-optical signal comprising a second format; and providing, by the underwater vehicle, the non-optical signal in the second format to a retrieval device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification