Wireless high capacity sub-sea communications system
First Claim
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1. A system for monitoring one or more operating conditions in a subsea environment, comprising:
- a plurality of sensor nodes each positioned in contact with corresponding portions of one or more structures or equipment located within the subsea environment, each sensor node comprising;
an acoustic transceiver for transmitting operating condition data and receiving acoustic signals within the subsea environment;
an optical transceiver for transmitting operating condition data and receiving optical signals containing operating condition data transmitted from one or more of the other of the plurality of sensor nodes within the subsea environment;
a sensor for sensing operating conditions of a portion of the portion of the structure or the equipment associated with the respective sensor node; and
a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver, the optical transceiver, and the sensor;
an optical communication network established between at least two of the plurality of sensor nodes;
an acoustic communication network established between a near surface gateway and at least one central controller in communication with the plurality of sensor nodes; and
the at least one central controller fixedly positioned within the subsea environment and operably coupled to each of the plurality of sensor nodes via the optical communication network, each central controller comprising;
an acoustic transceiver for transmitting signals to the near surface gateway and receiving acoustic signals from each of the plurality of sensor nodes within the subsea environment, the transmitted acoustic signals carrying operating condition data for the portion of the structure or equipment associated with each of the plurality of sensor nodes;
an optical transceiver for transmitting to and receiving optical signals from;
each of the plurality of sensor nodes within the subsea environment, the received optical signals carrying operating condition data of the portion of the structure or equipment associated with the respective sensor node; and
a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver and the optical transceiver.
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Abstract
A subsea monitoring system.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring one or more operating conditions in a subsea environment, comprising:
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a plurality of sensor nodes each positioned in contact with corresponding portions of one or more structures or equipment located within the subsea environment, each sensor node comprising; an acoustic transceiver for transmitting operating condition data and receiving acoustic signals within the subsea environment; an optical transceiver for transmitting operating condition data and receiving optical signals containing operating condition data transmitted from one or more of the other of the plurality of sensor nodes within the subsea environment; a sensor for sensing operating conditions of a portion of the portion of the structure or the equipment associated with the respective sensor node; and a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver, the optical transceiver, and the sensor; an optical communication network established between at least two of the plurality of sensor nodes; an acoustic communication network established between a near surface gateway and at least one central controller in communication with the plurality of sensor nodes; and the at least one central controller fixedly positioned within the subsea environment and operably coupled to each of the plurality of sensor nodes via the optical communication network, each central controller comprising; an acoustic transceiver for transmitting signals to the near surface gateway and receiving acoustic signals from each of the plurality of sensor nodes within the subsea environment, the transmitted acoustic signals carrying operating condition data for the portion of the structure or equipment associated with each of the plurality of sensor nodes; an optical transceiver for transmitting to and receiving optical signals from;
each of the plurality of sensor nodes within the subsea environment, the received optical signals carrying operating condition data of the portion of the structure or equipment associated with the respective sensor node; anda controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver and the optical transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17)
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14. A system for monitoring one or more operating conditions in a subsea environment, comprising
one or more sensor nodes positioned within the subsea environment, each sensor node comprising: -
an acoustic transceiver for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals within the subsea environment, an optical transceiver for transmitting and receiving optical signals within the subsea environment, a sensor for sensing operating conditions within the subsea environment, a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver, the optical transceiver, and the sensor, a housing for supporting the optical transceiver, a marine snow shield coupled to the housing for shielding the optical transceiver from the marine snow, and a vibrator coupled to the housing and the marine snow shield for vibrating the marine snow shield; a communication network established between the sensor nodes and at least one central controller; the at least one central controller positioned within the subsea environment and operably coupled to the sensor nodes via a communication network, each central controller comprising; an acoustic transceiver for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals within the subsea, environment, a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver and the optical transceiver, an optical transceiver for transmitting and receiving optical signals within the subsea environment, and a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver and the optical transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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18. A sensor node apparatus in contact with portions of a structure or equipment for monitoring one or more operating conditions of the structure or equipment located in a subsea environment, comprising:
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an acoustic transceiver for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals from a vertically spaced apart near surface gateway from within the subsea environment; an optical transceiver for transmitting to and receiving optical signals from at least one other sensor node apparatus within the subsea environment; a sensor for sensing operating conditions of the structure or equipment located within the subsea environment; a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver, the optical transceiver, and the sensor; and an actuator for actuating elements to control one or more aspects of the structure being monitored within the subsea environment operably coupled to the controller. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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19. A sensor node apparatus in contact with portions of a structure or equipment for monitoring one or more operating conditions of the structure or equipment located in a subsea environment, comprising:
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an acoustic transceiver for transmitting to and receiving acoustic signals from a vertically spaced apart near surface gateway from within the subsea environment; an optical transceiver for transmitting to and receiving optical signals from at least one other sensor node apparatus within the subsea environment, the optical transceiver comprising; one or more optical transmitters comprising; one or more light sources; and a plurality of sets of; optical wave guides operably coupled to each of the light sources; narrow band spectral filters operably coupled to each of the optical wave guides; and optical shutters operably coupled to each of the narrow band spectral filters; and one or more optical receivers comprising a plurality of sets of; narrow band spectral filters; optical wave guides operably coupled to each of the narrow band spectral filters; and optical detectors operably coupled to each of the optical wave guides; a sensor for sensing operating conditions of the structure or equipment located within the subsea environment; and a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver, the optical transceiver, and the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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27. A sensor node apparatus for monitoring, one or more operating conditions of a structure or equipment located in a subsea environment, comprising:
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an acoustic transceiver for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals within a subsea environment; an optical transceiver for transmitting and receiving optical signals within the subsea environment; a sensor for sensing operating conditions within the subsea environment; a controller operably coupled to the acoustic transceiver, the optical transceiver, and the sensor; a housing for supporting the optical transceiver; a marine snow shield coupled to the housing for shielding the optical transceiver from the marine snow; and a vibrator coupled to the housing and the marine snow shield for vibrating the marine snow shield. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification