Subsea Power and Data Communication Apparatus and Related Methods
First Claim
1. A subsea wireless connection hub, comprising:
- a plurality of substantially spaced apart wireless non-contact stationary connection members each configured to be operably electrically coupled with a different one of a plurality of data gathering devices;
a static member carrying the plurality of stationary connection members;
one or more wireless non-contact movable connection members configured to be operably electrically coupled with a remote power source and configured to perform one or more of the following functions;
selectively wirelessly provide electrical power to adjacent ones of the plurality of stationary connection members and selectively wirelessly receive gathered data therefrom when adjacent thereto; and
a non-static member carrying the one or more movable connection members and configured to provide for selective positioning the one or more movable connection members adjacent to and in power transfer and data communication range of a selected one or more of the plurality of stationary connection members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Subsea power and data communications apparatus, subsea wireless sensor hubs assemblies, subsea wireless sensor hubs, and methods of providing power to and receiving data from subsea data gathering devices, are provided. An exemplary apparatus can include subsea sensors/gauges, batteries to power the sensors/gauges, charging circuits for controlling charging of the batteries, one or more BOP control pods, an RTU, and a subsea wireless connection hub. The hub can include a stationary wheel carrying wireless stationary connection members each electrically connected to a battery and a respective subset of sensors/gauges. The hub can also include a rotatable wheel carrying a single wireless movable connection member configured to provide power to each of the stationary connection members and to receive data from the stationary connection members. A motor is provided to rotate the rotatable wheel to position the mobile connection member in front of a selected one of the stationary connection members.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A subsea wireless connection hub, comprising:
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a plurality of substantially spaced apart wireless non-contact stationary connection members each configured to be operably electrically coupled with a different one of a plurality of data gathering devices; a static member carrying the plurality of stationary connection members; one or more wireless non-contact movable connection members configured to be operably electrically coupled with a remote power source and configured to perform one or more of the following functions;
selectively wirelessly provide electrical power to adjacent ones of the plurality of stationary connection members and selectively wirelessly receive gathered data therefrom when adjacent thereto; anda non-static member carrying the one or more movable connection members and configured to provide for selective positioning the one or more movable connection members adjacent to and in power transfer and data communication range of a selected one or more of the plurality of stationary connection members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A subsea wireless connection hub assembly, the subsea wireless connection hub assembly comprising:
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a plurality of data gathering devices configured to gather data; a plurality of power supply members each comprising a power storage device and a charging circuit, each power supply member electrically coupled to one or more of the plurality of data gathering devices; and a subsea wireless connection hub, the subsea wireless connection hub comprising; a plurality of substantially spaced apart wireless non-contact stationary connection members each operably electrically coupled with a different one of the plurality of power supply members; a static member carrying the plurality of stationary connection members; one or more wireless non-contact movable connection members configured to be operably electrically coupled with a remote power source and configured to perform one or more of the following functions;
wirelessly provide electrical power to adjacent ones of the plurality of stationary connection members and wirelessly receive gathered data therefrom when adjacent thereto; anda non-static member carrying the one or more movable connection members and configured to provide for selective positioning the one or more movable connection members adjacent to and in power transfer and data communication range of a selected one or more of the plurality of stationary connection members, a number of the one or more movable connection members carried by the non-static member being substantially less than a number of the plurality of stationary connection members carried by the static member. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A subsea power and data communication apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of data gathering devices configured to gather data; a plurality of power supply members each comprising a power storage device and a charging circuit, each power supply member electrically coupled to one or more of the plurality of data gathering devices; a power source comprising one or more of a pair of blowout preventer control pods; a remote terminal unit electrically operably coupled with the pair of blowout preventer control pods; and a subsea wireless connection hub, the subsea wireless connection hub comprising; a plurality of substantially spaced apart power-receiving members each operably electrically coupled with a different one of the plurality of data gathering devices, a static member carrying the plurality of power-receiving members, a wireless non-contact power-transferring member operably electrically coupled with the remote terminal unit, and a non-static member carrying the power-transferring member and configured to provide for separately positioning the power-transferring member adjacent and in power transfer and data communication range of each of the plurality of power-receiving members.
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20. A method of providing power to charge a plurality of power storage devices providing power to a plurality of subsea data gathering devices and to retrieve data therefrom utilizing a plurality of power-receiving members operably coupled thereto and a limited number of wireless non-contact movable power transmitting and data receiving devices selectively positionable in communication therewith, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a remote subsea terminal unit and subsea wireless connection hub, the subsea wireless connection hub containing a static member carrying a plurality of power-receiving members, a non-static member carrying one or more wireless non-contact power-transferring members, and a motor for positioning the one or more wireless non-contact power-transferring members into power transferring and data receiving communication range of a corresponding one or more of the plurality of power-receiving members; operably coupling each of the plurality of power receiving members with a corresponding plurality of power supply members each powering one or more of a plurality of data gathering devices; operably coupling the remote terminal unit to the one or more wireless non-contact power-transferring member and to one or more blowout preventer control pods; rotating at least portions of the non-static member to selectively position the one or more wireless non-contact movable connection members adjacent to and in power transfer and data communication range of a corresponding one or more of the plurality of wireless non-contact stationary connection members; and rotating the at least portions of the non-static member again to position the one or more movable connection members adjacent to and in power transfer and data communication range of one or more other of the plurality of stationary connection members. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification