Wireless shipboard data coupler

• US 5,437,058 A
• Filed: 05/28/1993
• Issued: 07/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Miles, Ronald, Grosz, Francis, Griffin, Sean, Holland, Clifford R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WISLER, MARK
• Application Number:
  US08/068,816
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 114/270, 455/40, 455/41, 340/870.31, 340/4.32, 324/263
• US Class Current: 455/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/04 using magnetically coupled devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/24 Inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/73 for taking measurements, e.g. using sensing coils

Abstract

The wireless shipboard data coupler allows transmission of data through steel ship bulkheads and submarine pressure hulls without the need for special wiring penetrations. Shipboard sensing data with a 1.0 MHz current is injected into the steel plating adjacent to a ships bulkhead, or onto the pressure hull at any penetration providing an electrical path or discontinuity to the opposing side of the bulkhead or pressure hull through the use of copper-plated, threaded electrodes. The injected current flows as a surface, or "skin effect" current between the electrodes and in an indirect, spread, pattern wrapping around the edge of the penetration. This produces a pattern of surface currents on the opposite side of the ships bulkhead or submarine pressure hull. As the injected current is modulated, the data is received on the other side of the bulkhead or pressure hull using coupling loops to sensing the electrical field generated by the surface currents.

Claims

1. A wireless data coupler system comprised of:

means for generating an encoded digital data bit stream;

means for converting said data bit stream into a first modulated electrical current;

a structure conducting said first modulated electrical current having a first and second side and a preexisting discontinuity;

means for injecting said first modulated electrical current into said first side of said structure thereby causing an electrically induced field current to be generated which flows around the edge of said discontinuity to said second side of said structure;

means for detecting a pattern of surface current generated by said electrically induced field current on said second side of said structure, and producing a second modulated electrical current;

means for processing said second modulated electrical current to produce an output digital data bit stream; and

means for displaying and recording said output digital data bit stream.

2. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein said means for generating said encoded data bit stream and means for converting said data bit stream into a first modulated electrical current is a Manchester encoder.

3. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein said means of converting said modulated data bit stream into a modulated electrical current is a transmitter accepting the modulated data bit stream, amplifying said data bit stream and converting said modulated data bit stream into a first modulated electrical current.

4. A data coupler system, as in claim 3, wherein said transmitter is further comprised of a center-tapped transformer for producing the first modulated electrical current for injection into the structure.

5. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein said means for injecting the first modulated electrical current into the first side of the structure is a plurality of drive electrodes.

6. A data coupler system, as in claim 5, wherein the electrodes are made of copper-plated steel.

7. A data coupler system, as in claim 5, wherein the electrodes are stud welded to the structure.

8. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein said means for detecting the second modulated electrical current on a second side of the structure opposite to the first side of the structure is an induction coil sensing the magnetic field and converting the magnetic field into an electrical current.

9. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein said means for detecting the second modulated electrical current on a second side of the structure is a plurality of sensing probes.

10. A data coupler system, as in claim 9, wherein the electrodes are made of copper-plated steel.

11. A data coupler system, as in claim 10, wherein the electrodes are stud welded to the second side of said structure.

12. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein the processing means is a receiver.

13. A data coupler system, as in claim 12, wherein said receiver is further comprised of a multiple of low-noise amplifiers to amplify said electrical current detected by said detecting means.

14. A data coupler system, as in claim 12, wherein said receiver is further comprised of a means for band-pass filtering the electrical current detected by said detecting means and removing any undesired out-of-band frequencies present thereon.

15. A data coupler system, as in claim 12, wherein said receiver is further comprised of a Manchester decoder for demodulating said electrical current and producing an output data bit stream.

16. A data coupler system, as in claim 12, wherein said receiver is further comprised of a computer serial interface for transmitting said data bit stream to said means for displaying and recording the output data bit stream.

17. A data coupler system, as in claim 12, wherein said receiver is further comprised of a comparator means for demodulating the detected magnetic field to produce an output data bit stream.

18. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein said means for displaying and recording said output digital data bit stream is a computer.

19. A data coupler system, as in claim 1, wherein said means for displaying and recording said output digital data bit stream is an oscilloscope and a magnetic recording means.

20. A wireless data coupler system comprised of:

a sensor generating an input data bit stream and modulating the input data bit stream;

a transmitter for converting the modulated data bit stream into a first modulated electrical current;

a structure conducting the first modulated electrical current having a first and second side and a preexisting discontinuity;

a plurality of drive electrodes attached to the transmitter and the first side of the structure to inject the first modulated electrical current into the structure;

an induction coil on the second side of the structure to detect a magnetic field generated by the first modulated electrical current flowing to the second side of the structure through the discontinuity and producing a second modulated electrical current;

a receiver for processing the second modulated electrical current to produce an output data bit stream essentially the same as the input data bit stream;

a display for displaying the output data bit stream; and

a recorder for recording the output data bit stream.

21. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein said data sensor is a Manchester encoder.

22. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, said transmitter being further comprised of a multiple of amplification stages and a center-tapped transformer for raising the amperage of said first modulated electrical current to an optimum of from 1 to 3 amperes for injection into said structure.

23. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein said drive electrodes are made of copper-plated steel.

24. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein said drive electrodes are stud welded to the first side of said structure.

25. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, the receiver being further comprised of a multiple of low-noise amplifiers to amplify the second modulated electrical current and a means for band-pass filtration for filtering the second modulated electrical current to remove any undesired out-of-band frequencies.

26. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein the receiver is further comprised of a Manchester decoder for demodulating second modulated electrical current and producing an output data bit stream.

27. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein the receiver is further comprised of a computer serial interface to interface said output data bit stream to said display and recorder.

28. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein said receiver is further comprised of a means for demodulating the second modulated electrical current for converting said low-voltage electrical current into an unmodulated output data bit stream.

29. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein the display and recorder is a computer for displaying and recording the output data bit stream.

30. A data coupler system, as in claim 20, wherein the display is an oscilloscope and the recorder is a magnetic recorder for displaying and recording the output data bit stream.

31. A wireless data coupler system comprised of:

a sensor generating an input data bit stream and modulating the input data bit stream;

a transmitter for converting the modulated input data bit stream into a first modulated electrical current;

a structure conducting the first modulated current having a first side and a second side and a preexisting discontinuity;

a plurality of drive electrodes attached to the transmitter and the first side of the structure to inject the first modulated electrical current into the structure;

a multiple of sensing electrodes attached to the second side of the structure to detect a second modulated electrical current flowing around the structure through the discontinuity to the second side of the structure;

a receiver for processing the second modulated electrical current to produce an output data bit stream essentially the same as the input data bit stream;

a display for displaying the output data bit stream; and

a recorder for recording the output data bit stream.

32. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the data sensor is further comprised of a Manchester encoder for generating a data bit stream with a modulating carrier superimposed thereon.

33. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the transmitter is further comprised of a plurality of amplification stages and a center-tapped transformer for generating a first modulated electrical current having an amperage of an optimum of from 1 to 3 amperes for injection into the structure.

34. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the drive and sensing electrodes are made of copper-plated steel.

35. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the drive electrode is stud welded to the first side of the structure and the sensing electrode is stud welded to the second side of the structure.

36. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the receiver is further comprised of a plurality of low-noise amplifiers to amplify the second modulated electrical current and a means of band-pass filtering the second modulated electrical current to remove any undesired out-of-band frequencies.

37. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the receiver is further comprised of a Manchester decoder for demodulating the second modulated electrical current and producing an output data bit stream.

38. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the receiver is further comprised of a means for demodulating the modulated electrical current thereby producing an unmodulated output data bit stream.

39. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the receiver is further comprised of a computer serial interface to interface the output data bit stream to the display and recorder.

40. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the display is a computer for displaying and recording the output data bit stream.

41. A data coupler system, as in claim 31, wherein the display is an oscilloscope and the recorder is a magnetic recording device for respectively displaying and recording the output data bit stream.

42. A method for transmitting a data bit stream through a structure conducting electrical current having a preexisting discontinuity comprising, the steps of:

generating a data bit stream;

converting the data bit stream into a first modulated electrical current;

transmitting the first modulated electrical current into the structure on a first side of the structure so as to generate a magnetic field within the structure;

receiving the magnetic field within the structure on a second side of the structure;

converting the magnetic field into a second modulated electrical current;

filtering the second modulated electrical current to remove out-of-band signal components;

converting the filtered second modulated electrical current into an unmodulated output data bit stream;

transmitting the output data bit stream to a display and recording device; and

displaying and recording the output data bit stream.

43. A method for transmitting a data bit stream through a structure conducting electrical current having a preexisting discontinuity, comprising the steps of:

generating the data bit stream;

converting the data bit stream into a first modulated electrical current;

transmitting the first modulated electrical current into a first side of the structure so as to generate a second modulated electrical current within the structure;

detecting an electrical potential generated by the second modulated electrical current on a second side of the structure;

amplifying, demodulating, and filtering the second modulated electrical current to remove out-of-band signals that may be present thereon thereby producing a demodulated second electrical current;

converting the demodulated second electrical current to an output data bit stream; and

displaying and recording the output data bit stream.