High-bandwidth underwater data communication system
First Claim
Patent Images
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 comprising;
a second optical receiver comprising one or more optical detectors to detect a presence of the retrieval device and sense a relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device;
one or more controllers to adjust 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; and
the second optical transmitter to enter a power up state responsive to detection, by the second optical receiver, of the presence of the retrieval device, and 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;
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;
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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Accused Products
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.
181 Citations
20 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 comprising; a second optical receiver comprising one or more optical detectors to detect a presence of the retrieval device and sense a relative angle of the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device; one or more controllers to adjust 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; and the second optical transmitter to enter a power up state responsive to detection, by the second optical receiver, of the presence of the retrieval device, and 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; 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; 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)
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9. A system to optically transfer seismic data through an aqueous medium, comprising:
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a retrieval device comprising; a first optical transceiver to transmit light and receive light; an ocean bottom seismic (“
OBS”
) node comprising;a second optical transceiver comprising one or more optical detectors to detect a presence of the retrieval device and sense a relative angle of the first optical transceiver; a controller to adjust a transmission parameter used by a second optical transceiver to transmit light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium, and select, based on a signal from the one or more optical detectors of the OBS node, an anode in a multiple-anode photomultiplier tube and align an angular field of view of the second optical transceiver with the first optical transceiver; and the second optical transceiver to enter a power up state responsive to detection, by a second optical receiver, of the presence of the retrieval device, and transmit the light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium using the transmission parameter adjusted by the controller; the retrieval device comprising; the first optical transceiver to receive the light with the seismic data transmitted through the aqueous medium by the second optical transceiver of the OBS node responsive to detection of the presence of the retrieval device; a photodiode of the first optical transceiver that generates electrical output based on the light with the seismic data transmitted by the second optical transceiver and received by the first optical transceiver; and an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device that receives the electrical output from the first optical transceiver and adjusts a level of the electrical output. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. 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 comprising a second optical receiver having one or more optical detectors, a presence of the retrieval device;adjusting, by one or more controllers of the OBS node 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; entering, by the second optical transmitter of the OBS node, a power up state responsive to detection, by the second optical receiver, of the presence of the retrieval device; selecting, by at least one controller of the retrieval device, based on a signal from 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, the light with the seismic data through the aqueous medium using the transmission parameter adjusted by the at least one controller, the light with the seismic data directed towards the first optical receiver through the aqueous medium by the one or more controllers; 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; generating, by a photodiode of the first optical receiver, electrical output based on the light received by the first optical receiver from the second optical transmitter; and adjusting, by an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device, a level of electrical output received from the first optical receiver. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification