Apparatus and method for data transfer through a substrate
First Claim
1. An apparatus for the communication of data through a solid rigid substrate, comprising:
- a first acoustic transducer mounted on one face of the substrate;
a second acoustic transducer, mounted on a second face of the substrate, positioned to receive acoustic signals emitted by the first acoustic transducer;
an energizing arrangement configured to energize the first transducer with a continuous wave carrier signal modulated with data; and
a demodulator for detecting data modulated in an acoustic signal detected by the second transducer;
wherein the dimensions of the first and second transducers and the frequency of the carrier signal are selected so as to reduce the interference by triple transit signals through the substrate to a level sufficiently low to enable continuous communication of data through the substrate at a bit rate of at least 1 MHz.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for transferring data through a submarine hull or other solid boundary using high frequency acoustic signals, so avoiding penetration of the hull or boundary. First and second transducers are mounted on opposed surfaces of the hull and aligned to communicate acoustic signals through the hull. The first transducer is driven by a continuous wave carrier signal modulated with data. A demodulator detects that data in the modulated acoustic signals received by the second transducer. Critically, the dimensions of the first and second transducers and the frequency of the carrier signal are selected so as to reduce the interference by triple transit signals through the hull to a level sufficiently low to enable continuous communication of data through the hull at a bit rate of at least 1 MHz. Carrier signals of the order of 40 MHz may be used to achieve data bit rates of the order of 15-18 MHz through the hull.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An apparatus for the communication of data through a solid rigid substrate, comprising:
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a first acoustic transducer mounted on one face of the substrate; a second acoustic transducer, mounted on a second face of the substrate, positioned to receive acoustic signals emitted by the first acoustic transducer; an energizing arrangement configured to energize the first transducer with a continuous wave carrier signal modulated with data; and a demodulator for detecting data modulated in an acoustic signal detected by the second transducer; wherein the dimensions of the first and second transducers and the frequency of the carrier signal are selected so as to reduce the interference by triple transit signals through the substrate to a level sufficiently low to enable continuous communication of data through the substrate at a bit rate of at least 1 MHz. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13)
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8. A method for communicating data through a solid rigid substrate using acoustic signals transmitted through the substrate between a first acoustic transducer and a second acoustic transducer mounted on opposed surfaces of the substrate, the method comprising:
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(i) energizing the first acoustic transducer with a continuous wave carrier signal that has been modulated with data; and (ii) detecting, at the second transducer, acoustic signals transmitted through the substrate by the first transducer and detecting data modulated therein; wherein the dimensions of the first and second transducers and the frequency of the carrier signal are selected so as to reduce the interference by triple transit signals through the substrate to a level sufficiently low to enable continuous communication of data through the substrate at a bit rate of at least 1 MHz.
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9. An apparatus for the communication of data through a solid rigid substrate, comprising:
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a first acoustic transducer mounted on one face of the substrate; a second acoustic transducer, mounted on a second face of the substrate, positioned to receive acoustic signals emitted by the first acoustic transducer; an energizing arrangement configured to energize the first transducer with a continuous wave carrier signal modulated with data; and a demodulator to detect data modulated in an acoustic signal detected by the second transducer; wherein dimensions of the first transducer and the second transducer and a carrier signal frequency are selected so as to attenuate triple transit signals by at least approximately 20 db relative to the main signal.
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10. An apparatus for the communication of data through a solid rigid substrate, comprising:
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a first acoustic transducer mounted on one face of the substrate; a second acoustic transducer, mounted on a second face of the substrate, positioned to receive acoustic signals emitted by the first acoustic transducer; an energizing arrangement configured to energize the first transducer with a continuous wave carrier signal modulated with data; and a demodulator for detecting data modulated in an acoustic signal detected by the second transducer; wherein dimensions of the first transducer and the second transducer and a carrier signal frequency are selected so that loss of signal strength due to spreading of the signal and loss of signal strength due to the acoustic attenuation of the substrate are approximately equal for a given acoustic path length.
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Specification