High-bandwidth underwater data communication system
First Claim
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1. A system to optically transmit and receive seismic data through an aqueous medium, comprising:
- a retrieval device comprising a first optical transmitter to transmit light and a first optical receiver;
an ocean bottom seismic (“
OBS”
) node comprising;
a second optical receiver to detect a presence of the retrieval device based on the light transmitted by the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device;
a controller configured to adjust, responsive to identification of an underwater environmental condition, a transmission parameter used by the second optical transmitter to transmit the seismic data; and
a second optical transmitter to enter a power up state responsive to detection, by the second optical receiver, of the presence of the retrieval device, and transmit the seismic data through the aqueous medium using light based on the transmission parameter adjusted by the controller;
the first optical receiver of the retrieval device configured to receive the light corresponding to the seismic data transmitted through the aqueous medium by the second optical transmitter of the OBS node;
the retrieval device further comprising;
one or more optical detectors to sense a relative angle of the second optical transmitter; and
at least one controller to select, based on a signal from the one or more optical detectors of the retrieval device, an anode in a multiple-anode photomultiplier tube and align an angular field of view of the first optical receiver with the second optical transmitter;
a photodiode of the first optical receiver that generates electrical output based on the light received by the first optical receiver from the second optical transmitter; and
an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device that receives the electrical output from the first optical receiver and adjusts a level of the electrical output.
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Abstract
An apparatus is described which uses directly modulated InGaN Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) or InGaN lasers as the transmitters for an underwater data-communication device. The receiver uses automatic gain control to facilitate performance of the apparatus over a wide-range of distances and water turbidities.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A system to optically transmit and receive seismic data through an aqueous medium, comprising:
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a retrieval device comprising a first optical transmitter to transmit light and a first optical receiver; an ocean bottom seismic (“
OBS”
) node comprising;a second optical receiver to detect a presence of the retrieval device based on the light transmitted by the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device; a controller configured to adjust, responsive to identification of an underwater environmental condition, a transmission parameter used by the second optical transmitter to transmit the seismic data; and a second optical transmitter to enter a power up state responsive to detection, by the second optical receiver, of the presence of the retrieval device, and transmit the seismic data through the aqueous medium using light based on the transmission parameter adjusted by the controller; the first optical receiver of the retrieval device configured to receive the light corresponding to the seismic data transmitted through the aqueous medium by the second optical transmitter of the OBS node; the retrieval device further comprising; one or more optical detectors to sense a relative angle of the second optical transmitter; and at least one controller to select, based on a signal from the one or more optical detectors of the retrieval device, an anode in a multiple-anode photomultiplier tube and align an angular field of view of the first optical receiver with the second optical transmitter; a photodiode of the first optical receiver that generates electrical output based on the light received by the first optical receiver from the second optical transmitter; and an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device that receives the electrical output from the first optical receiver and adjusts a level of the electrical output. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 42)
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32. A method of optically transmitting and receiving seismic data through an aqueous medium, comprising:
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providing a retrieval device comprising a first optical transmitter to transmit light and a first optical receiver; providing an ocean bottom seismic (“
OBS”
) node comprising a second optical transmitter, a second optical receiver, and a controller;detecting, by the second optical receiver, a presence of the retrieval device based on the light transmitted by the first optical transmitter of the retrieval device; adjusting, by the controller responsive to identification of an underwater environmental condition, a transmission parameter used by the second optical transmitter to transmit the seismic data; and entering, by the second optical transmitter, a power up state responsive to the second optical receiver detecting the presence of the retrieval device; optically transmitting, by the second optical transmitter, the seismic data through the aqueous medium using light based on the transmission parameter adjusted by the controller; optically receiving, by the first optical receiver of the retrieval device, the light transmitted by the second optical transmitter; sensing, by one or more optical detectors of the retrieval device, an angle of the second optical transmitter; selecting, by at least one controller of the retrieval device, based on a signal from the one or more optical detectors, an anode in a multiple-anode photomultiplier tube to align an angular field of view of the first optical receiver with the second optical transmitter; generating, by a photodiode of the first optical receiver, an electrical output based on the light received by the first optical receiver from the second optical transmitter; and adjusting, by an automatic gain control amplifier of the retrieval device, a level of the electrical output. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43)
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Specification