Underwater connector arrangement

• US 9,490,521 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2012
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WiSub AS (Transmark Subsea AS)
• Original Assignee: WiSub AS (Transmark Subsea AS)
• Inventors: Bokenfohr, Mark, Ciamulski, Tomasz
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tho G
• Application Number:
  US14/000,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 343/719
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/04 Adaptation for subterranean or subaqueous use
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2291 used in bluetooth or WI-FI devices of Wireless Local Area Networks [WLAN] H01Q1/241 takes precedence; WLAN in general H04W
• 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

An underwater connector includes a first component and a second component, wherein the components are operable to be coupled together in operation in a first coupled state, and operable to be mutually spatially separated in a second uncoupled state. The first and second components each include communication arrangements which are operable to provide wireless communication between the first and second components when in their first coupled state. The first and second components include a power transfer arrangement for transmitting power between the first and second components. The power transfer arrangement includes inductive coupling devices and/or capacitive coupling devices, wherein the power transfer arrangement is implemented substantially as an annulus, for example circular, elliptical, or polygonal, on the first and second components together with the communication arrangements being disposed within the annulus and/or around a periphery of the annulus. The wireless communication is operable to occur using a wireless signal whose carrier frequency is within a frequency range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz, wherein the wireless communication is implemented using microwave and millimeter wave technologies.

Claims

1. An underwater connector arrangement comprising:

a first component comprising a first non-coil antenna; and

a second component comprising a second non-coil antenna;

wherein the first non-coil antenna is configured to transmit data to the receiver via an electromagnetic carrier wave having a frequency of between 300 MHz and 300 GHz while the first component is underwater;

wherein the first non-coil antenna is received in a first submersible encapsulation having a maximum external dimension equal to or greater than one eighth of the wavelength of the electromagnetic carrier wave;

wherein the second non-coil antenna is configured to receive data from the first non-coil antenna via the electromagnetic carrier wave while the second component is underwater; and

wherein the second non-coil antenna is received in a second submersible encapsulation having a maximum external dimension equal to or greater than one eighth of the wavelength of the carrier wave.

2. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first non-coil antenna is configured to transmit data to the second non-coil antenna by means of radiation/propagation of the carrier wave when the second non-coil antenna is separated from the first non-coil antenna by a distance which is more than one-eighth of the wavelength of said carrier wave.

3. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier wave frequency is in the range of 1 GHz to 20 GHz, preferably 1 GHz to 6 GHz.

4. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein a submersible cable for carrying data extends from the encapsulation.

5. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second antenna has an active portion which has a maximum dimension larger than one-eighth of the wavelength of said carrier wave.

6. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein a submersible cable for carrying data extends from the second encapsulation.

7. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first component is arranged to transmit data using a predefined protocol for wireless data transmission in air.

8. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first component is arranged to adapt its transmission when the first component is temporarily in air.

9. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 configured to allow data transmission with the first and second components at a plurality of mutual rotational positions.

10. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first non-coil antenna is arranged to transmit directionally.

11. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said encapsulation comprises a non-metallic emission surface arranged to that in use said wave passes through said surface.

12. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second components include a power transfer arrangement for transferring electrical power between the first and second components.

13. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 12 wherein the power transfer arrangement comprises respective parts in the first and second components which cooperate to transfer power through inductive coupling and/or capacitive coupling.

14. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 12 wherein the power transfer arrangement is disposed to allow power to be transferred with the first and second components at a plurality of mutual rotational positions.

17. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an optical data communication arrangement and/or an acoustic communication arrangement for communicating data between the first and second components.

15. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim wherein said first and second components are provided with a latching arrangement for binding the first and second components together.

16. The underwater connector arrangement as claimed in claim 15, wherein the latching arrangement is implemented as a magnetic latching arrangement.

18. A transmit component of a connector for underwater wireless data transfer, the transmit component comprising a transmitting non-coil antenna configured for connection with a corresponding receiver and adapted to transmit data to the corresponding receiver while both the transmit component and receiver component are underwater by means of an electromagnetic carrier wave having a frequency of between 300 MHz and 300 GHz;

wherein the non-coil antenna is received in a submersible encapsulation having a maximum external dimension equal to or greater than one eighth of the wavelength of said carrier wave.

19. The transmit component as claimed in claim 18 wherein said antenna has an active portion which has a maximum dimension larger than one-eighth of the wavelength of said carrier wave.

20. A method of transferring data between a first underwater component and a second underwater component the method comprising:

transmitting an electromagnetic carrier wave having a frequency of between 300 MHz and 300 GHz from a first non-coil antenna in the first underwater component to a second non-coil antenna in the second underwater component;

wherein the first non-coil antenna is received in a first submersible encapsulation having a maximum external dimension which is equal to or greater than one eighth of the wavelength of the electromagnetic carrier wave; and

wherein the second non-coil antenna is received in a second submersible encapsulation having a maximum external dimension which is equal to or greater than one eighth of the wavelength of the electromagnetic carrier wave.