Acoustical underwater communication system for command control and data
First Claim
1. A method for emergency communication from a control platform comprising the steps of transmitting from a transmitter-receiver through a transducer in the water near said platform an acoustic code to arm a receiver-transponder adjacent said underwater equipment;
- transmitting from said receiver-transponder an acknowledgement code to said transmitter-receiver via said transducer to indicate that said receiver-transponder is ready to receive acoustic command codes;
transmitting one or more acoustic command codes from said transmitter-receiver to said receiver-transponder via said transducer;
transmitting from said receiver-transponder acoustic acknowledgement codes for each acoustic command code received, and launching a diving vessel having a transducer and a transmitter preprogrammed to transmit acoustic command codes to said receiver-transponder as said vessel descends through the water, whereby said diving vessel penetrates through any turbulence in the water near said platform that might occlude acoustic communications to water near said underwater equipment that is free of any turbulence for reliable transmission of acoustic communication codes to said receiver-transponder.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An acoustic communication system is disclosed as a secondary means for command control of underwater operations from a surface unit. The system includes a diving acoustic command control unit for use in the event of prime propagation path occlusion. Self-check verification as well as data read-out upon interrogation is provided from the surface unit to an underwater receiver-transponder. The latter will also respond to acoustic command signals from the diving unit. An early warning blowout detector employs sensors at the wellhead to detect seismic waves, mud pressure wave fronts and mud flow rates resulting from an emerging blowout and in response thereto, transmits an alert signal.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for emergency communication from a control platform comprising the steps of transmitting from a transmitter-receiver through a transducer in the water near said platform an acoustic code to arm a receiver-transponder adjacent said underwater equipment;
- transmitting from said receiver-transponder an acknowledgement code to said transmitter-receiver via said transducer to indicate that said receiver-transponder is ready to receive acoustic command codes;
transmitting one or more acoustic command codes from said transmitter-receiver to said receiver-transponder via said transducer;
transmitting from said receiver-transponder acoustic acknowledgement codes for each acoustic command code received, and launching a diving vessel having a transducer and a transmitter preprogrammed to transmit acoustic command codes to said receiver-transponder as said vessel descends through the water, whereby said diving vessel penetrates through any turbulence in the water near said platform that might occlude acoustic communications to water near said underwater equipment that is free of any turbulence for reliable transmission of acoustic communication codes to said receiver-transponder.
- transmitting from said receiver-transponder an acknowledgement code to said transmitter-receiver via said transducer to indicate that said receiver-transponder is ready to receive acoustic command codes;
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2. A method for testing a system for communicating actuate commands to underwater equipment from a transmitter-receiver at the water surface, said commands being communicated through the medium of said water to a receiver-transponder adjacent said underwater equipment, comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a test code from said transmitter-receiver to said receiver-transponder to prepare said receiver-transponder to receive one or more following actuate commands in a test mode without actuation of equipment in response to actuate codes received;
transmitting said one or more following actuate codes to said receiver-transponder from said transmitter receiver;
in response to each actuate code received by said receiver-transponder, transmitting from said receiver-transponder to said transmitter-receiver an acknowledgement code;
decoding acknowledgement codes received by said transmitter receiver;
displaying each acknowledgement code decoded by said transmitter receiver; and
transmitting a code from said transmitter-receiver to said receiver-transponder to cancel said test mode. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- transmitting a test code from said transmitter-receiver to said receiver-transponder to prepare said receiver-transponder to receive one or more following actuate commands in a test mode without actuation of equipment in response to actuate codes received;
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12. A method for communicating with underwater equipment from the water surface in the event of an emergency comprisng the steps of providing a self-powered transmitter in a vessel, preprogramming said self-powered transmitter to transmit acoustic codes in sequence, and selectively launching said vessel to permit it to free fall through the water toward said equipment while repeatedly transmitting said acoustic codes in sequence.
- 13. A system for communication between a transmitter-receiver in the vicinity of the surface of a body of water and a receiver-transponder adjacent to equipment near the bottom of a body of water, said transmitter-receiver including means for selectively generating any one of a plurality of unique command codes for transmission from said transmitter-receiver, and a transducer adapted to be immersed in said body of water for transmission of acoustic signals according to said command codes as selected and for receiving acoustic signals from said receiver-transponder, said receiver-transponder including means for receiving acoustic signals and decoding acoustic signal codes received to determine what command has been selected at said transmitter-receiver means responsive to said decoding means for encoding a unique acknowledgement code corresponding to the command code received and decoded to be transmitted to said transmitter-receiver, means for transmitting said acknowledgement code, means for carrying out action called for by the command code thus received and decoded, and means for receiving and decoding each acknowledgement code transmitted from said receiver-transponder, and means for displaying each acknowledgement code received and decoded.
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20. An acoustic communication system for controlling underwater equipment from the water surface, said system comprising
means for transmitting and receiving encoded acoustic command and control communication signals from said surface, means situated at the site of said underwater equipment for receiving encoded acoustic communication signals to initiate operations and for transmitting data in the form of encoded acoustic communication signals in response to encoded communication signals received, a vessel adapted to be free diving once it is launched into the water from said surface, and a back-up acoustic communication means contained in said vessel for transmitting preprogrammed encoded acoustic communication signals to said underwater site.
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22. An acoustic communication system for controlling equipment operating in water comprising remote means for transmitting and receiving encoded acoustic communication signals, said remote means having an acoustic transducer in said water, and underwater means for receiving and decoding acoustic communications signals, and for encoding and transmitting acoustic communications signals, said underwater means including means for decoding acoustic communications signals received as commands, means responsive to said decoding means for initiating operations specified by said signals thus received and decoded, means for encoding a response to be transmitted to acknowledge receipt of a command, and means for transmitting said response,
one of said commands being to test an actuation command channel without actuating apparatus of said equipment, and another of said commands being to actuate designated apparatus, said means responsive to said decoding means initiating a test mode of operation in response to said one of said commands in which mode actual operation of said apparatus is inhibited and said response encoding means encodes a test response, whereby actuation commands may be received and decoded by said decoding means and acknowledged by encoding a response through said encoding means without actuation of apparatus, and another one of said commands decoded by said decoding means being to terminate said test mode through said operations initiating means.
Specification