Subterranean system comprising wireless communication network and syntactic foam panels
First Claim
1. A subterranean system comprising:
- a tunnel network;
a plurality of syntactic foam panels; and
a wireless communications network;
whereinthe wireless communications network comprises a plurality of wireless transceivers positioned throughout the tunnel network,respective ones of the wireless transceivers are communicatively coupled to one or more additional wireless transceivers of the wireless communications network such that communicatively coupled transceivers of the wireless communications network lie within wireless communication range of each other,the wireless communication range defined by communicatively coupled transceivers is a function of signal strength attenuation in a wireless signal traveling between the communicatively coupled transceivers,the tunnel network comprises tunnel support structure that contributes to the signal strength attenuation and a plurality of support apertures formed in the tunnel support structure,the syntactic foam panels are secured to the tunnel support structure to cover at least some of the support apertures, andthe composition and configuration of the syntactic foam panels are such that the panels do not make a significant contribution to the signal strength attenuation between communicatively coupled transceivers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A subterranean system including a tunnel network, a plurality of syntactic foam panels, and a wireless communications network is disclosed. The wireless communications network comprises a plurality of wireless transceivers positioned throughout the tunnel network. The wireless communication range defined by communicatively coupled transceivers is a function of signal strength attenuation in a wireless signal traveling between the communicatively coupled transceivers. The tunnel network comprises tunnel support structure that contributes to the signal strength attenuation and a plurality of support apertures formed in the tunnel support structure. The syntactic foam panels are secured to the tunnel support structure to cover at least some of the support apertures and the composition and configuration of the syntactic foam panels are such that the panels do not make a significant contribution to the signal strength attenuation between communicatively coupled transceivers.
13 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A subterranean system comprising:
- a tunnel network;
a plurality of syntactic foam panels; and
a wireless communications network;
whereinthe wireless communications network comprises a plurality of wireless transceivers positioned throughout the tunnel network, respective ones of the wireless transceivers are communicatively coupled to one or more additional wireless transceivers of the wireless communications network such that communicatively coupled transceivers of the wireless communications network lie within wireless communication range of each other, the wireless communication range defined by communicatively coupled transceivers is a function of signal strength attenuation in a wireless signal traveling between the communicatively coupled transceivers, the tunnel network comprises tunnel support structure that contributes to the signal strength attenuation and a plurality of support apertures formed in the tunnel support structure, the syntactic foam panels are secured to the tunnel support structure to cover at least some of the support apertures, and the composition and configuration of the syntactic foam panels are such that the panels do not make a significant contribution to the signal strength attenuation between communicatively coupled transceivers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- a tunnel network;
-
22. A method of arranging a plurality comprising syntactic foam panels within a subterranean system comprising a tunnel network and a wireless communications network;
- wherein
the wireless communications network comprises a plurality of wireless transceivers positioned throughout the tunnel network; respective ones of the wireless transceivers are communicatively coupled to one or more wireless transceivers of the wireless communications network such that communicatively coupled transceivers of the wireless communications network lie within wireless communication range of each other; the wireless communication range defined by communicatively coupled transceivers is a function of signal strength attenuation in a wireless signal traveling between communicatively coupled transceivers; the tunnel network comprises tunnel support structure that contributes to the signal strength attenuation and a plurality of support apertures formed in the tunnel support structure; the arranging the syntactic foam panels comprises securing the panels to the tunnel support structure to cover at least some of the support apertures; and the composition and configuration of the syntactic foam panels are such that the panels do not make a significant contribution to the signal strength attenuation between communicatively coupled transceivers.
- wherein
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23. A subterranean system comprising;
- a tunnel network;
a plurality of syntactic foam panels; and
a wireless communications network;
whereinthe wireless communications network comprises a wireless frequency and a plurality of wireless transceivers positioned throughout the tunnel network, respective ones of the wireless transceivers are communicatively coupled to one or more wireless transceivers of the wireless communications network such that communicatively coupled transceivers of the wireless communications network lie within wireless communication range of each other, the wireless communication range defined by communicatively coupled transceivers is a function of signal strength attenuation in a wireless signal traveling between the communicatively coupled transceivers, the tunnel network comprises tunnel support structure that contributes to the signal strength attenuation and a plurality of support apertures formed in the tunnel support structure, the syntactic foam panels are secured to the tunnel support structure to cover at least some of the support apertures, and the composition and configuration of the syntactic foam panels are such that signal strength attenuation contributed by individual ones of the syntactic foam panels is less than 0.5 dB at a wireless frequency between about 155 MHz and about 1300 MHz and less than 2.0 dB at the wireless frequency between about 900 MHz and about 2.4 GHz.
- a tunnel network;
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24. A subterranean system comprising;
- a tunnel network;
a plurality of syntactic foam panels; and
a wireless communications network, wherein;the wireless communications network comprises a wireless frequency and a plurality of wireless transceivers positioned throughout the tunnel network, respective ones of the wireless transceivers are communicatively coupled to one or more wireless transceivers of the wireless communications network such that communicatively coupled transceivers of the wireless communications network lie within wireless communication range of each other, the wireless communication range defined by communicatively coupled transceivers is a function of signal strength attenuation in a wireless signal traveling between the communicatively coupled transceivers, the tunnel network comprises tunnel support structure that contributes to the signal strength attenuation and a plurality of support apertures formed in the tunnel support structure, the syntactic foam panels are secured to the tunnel support structure to cover at least some of the support apertures, and the composition and configuration of the syntactic foam panels are such that signal strength attenuation contributed by individual ones of the syntactic foam panels is at least one order of magnitude less than that of the signal strength attenuation introduced by the surrounding tunnel support structure to which the panel is secured at a wireless frequency between about 155 MHz and about 2.4 GHz.
- a tunnel network;
Specification