Systems and methods for establishing an underwater optical communication network

• US 8,953,944 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• Original Assignee: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• Inventors: Machado, Casey, Freitag, Lee, Bowen, Andy, Farr, Norman E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sedighian, M. R.
• Application Number:
  US13/344,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20120170935A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 398/104, 398/105, 398/58, 398/115, 398/116, 398/117
• US Class Current: 398/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/02 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy

Abstract

The systems and methods described herein provide a reconfigurable, long-range, optical modem-based underwater communication network. In particular, the network provides a low power, low cost, and easy to deploy underwater optical communication system capable of being operated at long distances. Optical modem-based communication offer high data rate, omni-directional spatial communication in the visual spectrum. The omni-directional aspect of communication is advantageous because precise alignment of communication units may not be required. The optical modems may be deployed via unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and physically connected by tethers.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an underwater optical communication link between a first cabled observatory and a second cabled observatory, the method comprising:

disposing a first optical modem within an optical range of the first cabled observatory, wherein the first optical modem is mechanically coupled to a second optical modem by a tether;

disposing the second optical modem within an optical range of the second cabled observatory, wherein the second cabled observatory has a location different from that of the first cabled observatory;

establishing an optical connection between the first cabled observatory and the second cabled observatory, through the first optical modem, the tether and the second optical modem, wherein the first optical modem and second optical modem communicate by diffusing electromagnetic radiation of wavelength in the optical spectrum between 300 nm to 800 nm;

disposing a third optical modem within an optical range of the second cabled observatory;

disposing a fourth optical modem within an optical range of a third cabled observatory, wherein the third cabled observatory has a location different from the first and second cabled observatories.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second optical modems is disposed using an underwater vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first optical modem and second optical modem communicate with the first cabled observatory and second cabled observatory using a protocol including one of time division multiple access (TDMA), code division multiple axis (CDMA), space division multiple access (SDMA) and frequency division multiple access (FDMA).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a fault in the underwater optical communication link; and

determining if the fault occurs at the first optical modem, the second optical modem, or the tether.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

disposing a plurality of optical modems between the first optical modem and the second optical modem to re-establish the optical communication link,

wherein at least one of the plurality of optical modems is within an optical range of the first optical modem, at least one of the plurality of optical modems is within an optical range of the second optical modem, and each optical modem of the plurality of optical modems is located within an optical range of at least one other optical modem of the plurality of optical modems.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of optical modem communicates on at least two different communication channels.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

disposing a fifth optical modem within an optical range of the first cabled observatory;

disposing a sixth optical modem within an optical range of the second cabled observatory; and

retrieving the first and second optical modems.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an optical range of the first cabled observatory; and

determining an optical range of the second cabled observatory.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical range is at least about 100 meters.

10. A system for establishing an underwater optical communication link between a first cabled observatory and a second cabled observatory, the system comprising:

a first underwater vehicle including an integrated first optical modem;

a second underwater vehicle including an integrated second optical modem;

a tether mechanically coupled to the first optical modem and the second optical modem;

wherein each of the first optical modem and second optical modem comprises;

a transmitter having at least one optical source capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation of wavelength in the optical spectrum between 300 nm to 800 nm;

a diffuser capable of diffusing the electromagnetic radiation and disposed in a position surrounding a portion of the at least one source for diffusing the electromagnetic radiation in a plurality of directions;

wherein the first underwater vehicle is configured to;

dispose a third optical modem from an underside portion of the first underwater vehicle,

wherein the third optical modem is mechanically coupled to the first optical modem by a second tether; and

retrieve the disposed third optical modem into the underside portion of the first underwater vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the second underwater vehicle is configured to:

dispose a fourth optical modem from an underside portion of the second underwater vehicle,

wherein the fourth optical modem is mechanically coupled to the second optical modem by a third tether; and

retrieve the disposed fourth optical modem into the underside portion of the second underwater vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the first integrated optical modem is disposed on the forward surface of the first underwater vehicle, and the second integrated optical modem is disposed on the forward surface of the second underwater vehicle.

13. A method for establishing an underwater optical communication link between a first cabled observatory and a second cabled observatory, the method comprising:

disposing a first optical modem within an optical range of the first cabled observatory, wherein the first optical modem is mechanically coupled to a second optical modem by a tether;

disposing the second optical modem within an optical range of the second cabled observatory, wherein the second cabled observatory has a location different from that of the first cabled observatory;

establishing an optical connection between the first cabled observatory and the second cabled observatory, through the first optical modem, the tether and the second optical modem, wherein the first optical modem and second optical modem communicate by diffusing electromagnetic radiation of wavelength in the optical spectrum between 300 nm to 800 nm;

detecting a fault in the underwater optical communication link;

determining if the fault occurs at the first optical modem, the second optical modem, or the tether;

disposing a third optical modem within an optical range of the first optical modem; and

disposing a fourth optical modem within an optical range of the second optical modem, wherein the third optical modem and fourth optical modem are mechanically coupled by a second tether.