LU86877A1 - MARINE BUOY USING A TWO-WAY RELAY BETWEEN AN UNDERWATER CAPSULE TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING ULTRASONIC SIGNALS AND A LAND BASE - Google Patents

Description

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• Ba-vCIN ... ..... | ,.-i-v »n-r Monsieur it Minister -, A f - -: - du„ · - · w! . J w; Economy and the Middle Classes

Intellectual Property Service

Book title .............................;

_I_! * LUXEMBOURG

Application for Patent of invention here there. .

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European Atomic Energy Community (SÜRATOM) ^ 2i ... ........................ Ir-29.20. Luxembourg, Plateau du Kirchberg ........................... .................. .......................

removal) ntt this .............................................. ....... ........................................... .................................................. . ........... ..................... ............... (4 ) at, / S 'Op heures, at the Ministry of the Economy and the Middle Classes, in Luxembourg: 1. this request for obtaining a patent of invention concerning: "Marine buoy serving ... Bidirectional relay. between ..a capsule ......................... (5 ”submarine transmitter-receiver of ultrasonic signals and a __________ land base "_ _„ __ 2. description in French ..................... language ................. ................................... of the invention in triplicate; 3. 2 .... .................... drawing plates, in three copies:. _____ 4. receipt of the fees paid to the Registration Office in Luxembourg, on _ "" -. .n S "". "'; 5. the delegation of power, dated ________________________________ — ..... ................... ...................... the ....................._- .... ........... ..............; 6. the pre-cause document (authorization): declares) nt) assuming responsibility for this declaration, that the inventor (s) is (are): (6) ........ .......... Charles Ni cholas..MURRAY, via Milano 14, 1-21027 Ispra (VA) _______ ................. Marco ... ..Marie ..... Pierre NEÏBERT, Via Fermi, ...... Fontanone Inf. 8, 1-21027 ..... Ispra. (VA) '.................................. .................................................. ..........................-....................... ............................... Çx3pBz3gX3 & .................. ....................................... — .......... .................................................. ....

under N ° (10) ........................................... ............. *! “.................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .............................................

in the name of (11) ............................................ .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ................................................

elect (elect) domicile for him / her and, if designated, for his / her representative, in Luxembourg ............................. ....................................

Community ..... European ..... of ..... 11 energy ..... atomic, L-2920 ..... Luxembourg .............. ...................... (12) requests (s) the grant of a patent for the invention for the subject described and represented in the abovementioned annexes, with adjournment of this delivery to ........................................ 12 ... .................................................. .................................month. (13)

The depositor / igaîKfeiKgis: i ............................................ .................................................. .................................................. ............................................. (14) H. KRONZ, Founded ^ Power Π. Deposit Minutes

The above patent application ^ 'invention has been filed with the Ministry of Economy and Middle Classes, Intellectual Property Service in Luxembourg, dated: & λ 1 3 MA11887 f f. % \ Pr. The Minister of Economy and the Middle Classes, at ................................. hours | | j \ pjd.

ti: · 'a' r: The head of the intellectual property department, ^ K-% dJj 7> A 6S007 __ \%. _ _ A »f · / / / EXPLJCAT) 0K-S RELATIVES TO FOR'.ÎUî-AIÎ. Ï OAXÀPr ') / il ”if> takes place ~ I> pniûndt or ccrtificaî cbdCiib1! · Ti- c ia ât-niaridi · dt-' rirevei principal \ c. ... d / cu. .. inscnrt "esnon :, first name. prore "sion.

acresse du cié.'ntiîiûeur. when and? a particui-e · or a · 1- aern.-minritOi) soaait. legal form from the seat M> ra *. U-quc applicant is ulK moral moral ^ - (P'in’tcnri "* ♦ - ^ ψ 'W283 - 1 -

MARINE BUOY USING A TWO-WAY RELAY BETWEEN AN UNDERWATER CAPSULE TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING ULTRASONIC SIGNALS AND A LAND BASE

The invention relates to a marine buoy serving as a two-way relay between an underwater capsule transmitter and receiver of ultrasonic signals and a land base, comprising an acoustic transmitter for transmitting commands to the underwater capsule, hydrophones for receive acoustic signals from the capsule, amplification and coding means delivering in response to these signals -digital signals, a radio transmission / reception system and means of electrical supply.

In recent years, research vessels have undertaken oceanographic measurements to deepen knowledge of the deep sea floor. For these purposes, measuring capsules were placed on the ground and the data collected by the capsule were transmitted to the ship either by cable or by an ultrasonic transmission channel. The data thus acquired are of limited value because, on the one hand, they only give an instant image, the ship being able to remain in place only for a limited period, and on the other hand, the on-board equipment does not allow often only a preliminary evaluation of the acquired data, the final evaluation taking place only after the trip using the powerful computers of a terrestrial research center.

The object of the invention is therefore to propose a marine buoy which serves as a relay between an underwater source of ultrasonic signals and a terrestrial center, and which can remain operational without maintenance for years. This buoy must therefore be capable of transmitting - in real time - the results

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- ·> - 2 - measurement of the submarine capsule to a terrestrial evaluation center which can possibly be more than 5000 km away.

This goal is achieved by a marine buoy as specified. above, which is characterized in that the amplification and coding means are associated with a memory making it possible to store the most recent signals or their digital equivalents for a few hours under the control of a computer, which the system of The radio transmission comprises an omnidirectional antenna for connection with a geostationary satellite and that the means of supply comprise accumulators charged by solar panels.

With regard to preferred implementations, reference is made to the subclaims.

The invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of a preferred embodiment and the drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a communication diagram between a buoy according to the invention and a land base and between the buoy and an underwater capsule.

Fig. 2 schematically shows a buoy according to the invention.

Fig. 3 shows a diagram of the instrumentation equipment of said buoy.

In fig. 1, we see an instrumented capsule 1, which is placed in the sediment 2 at the bottom of the sea. Alternatively and depending on the object of research, the capsule can be placed on the seabed or float in water at a certain height.

This capsule includes a transmitter / receiver of ultrasonic signals which communicates with similar organs on an il '- 3 - buoy 3, namely ultrasonic transmitters 4 and ultrasonic hydrophones 5. The buoy floats on the surface of the sea and it is mechanically anchored. The buoy is provided with omnidirectional antennas making it possible to send measurement data to a satellite 6 in the microwave range and to communicate directly with a terrestrial base 7 in the short wave range.

In fig. 2, we see in more detail the mechanical structure of the buoy 3 of FIG. 1. This buoy comprises a metal tube 8, 5 meters long and 60 centimeters wide, which contains a weight of 1500 kg in its lower part and an apparatus chamber 9 in its upper part. This chamber houses storage batteries and electronics.

The tube 8 is fixed in a float 10 with a diameter of 2 meters and a height of 2 meters, which is filled with polyurethane foam. Above water level 11, a pestle 12 4 meters high is erected, which supports yellow warning signs 13, solar panels 14, a radar reflector 15 to warn boats, a light source 16 , an antenna 17 for a passive satellite navigation system, an omnidirectional antenna 18 for transmitting data signals; vets' satellite 6 and an antenna 19 for direct two-way shortwave communication with the earth base.

The instrumentation of the buoy is shown in fig. 3.

It is grouped around a computer 20, which supervises the flow of data to a certain number of peripheral units and vice-versa, namely - a transmission circuit 21 supplying the antenna 19 for connection with the satellite 6, - A transmission / reception circuit 22 establishing, through the antenna 18, the bidirectional short-wave link with the earth base 7, - sensors 23 placed directly on the buoy and measuring for example meteorological or geochemical values of.

% - 4 - water, - a system 24 for transmitting or receiving high frequency or microwave location signals for locating the buoy and for its possible recovery, - a memory 25 such as a magnetic tape recorder or a disc for storing the most recent signals or their digital equivalents coming from the capsule for a certain time such as a few days or a few weeks, a generator 26 of control signals sending signals by the ultrasonic transmitter 4 to the capsule to transmit control signals to it, - amplification and coding means 27 transmitting the signals coming from the hydrophone 5 to the computer 20, - and supply means composed of a battery d 'accumulators 28 and solar panels 14 for recharging.

The computer is programmed so that it automatically collects the data from the hydrophone 4 and the sensors 23 and it automatically transmits them to the transmission circuit 21 and the antenna 19. The transmission of a sequence of data incorrectly received at ground base 7 through the satellite triggers a diagnostic program. According to this program, control signals are sent by the direct shortwave route to the buoy to repeat the data sequence in question. If the error persists, the diagnostic procedure can be extended by the same communication channel to computer 20 and even to capsule 1.

By using this communication channel, it is also possible to interrogate sensors 23 or via the transmitter 4 the capsule to obtain additional information or to change the operation of the sensors.

The supply means on the buoy comprise the panels 14 and a storage battery 28 of 12 V / 105 Ah each, which can supply the buoy for more than a month without, h -. * - 5 - recharge. The solar panels 14 provide 30 W, which is sufficient to regularly recharge the batteries.

Such a buoy can serve as a relay for years between one or more instrumented capsules placed at the bottom of the deep sea, and a distant land base to provide data concerning long-term phenomena in the deep sea and even phenomena in sediments under -seamen, in case the capsule or a part of it has penetrated into these sediments.

Claims (4)

1. Marine buoy serving as a bidirectional relay between a land base and an underwater capsule transmitting / receiving ultrasonic signals, comprising an acoustic transmitter to transmit commands to the underwater capsule, hydrophones to receive acoustic signals from the capsule , amplification and coding means delivering in response to these signals digital signals, a radio transmission system and power supply means, characterized in that the amplification and coding means (27) are associated to a memory (25) enabling the most recent signals or their digital equivalents to be stored for at least a few weeks under the control of a computer (20), that the radio transmission means comprise an omnidirectional link antenna (19) with a geostationary satellite (6) and that the supply means comprise accumulators (28) recharged by solar panels (14). 2. Buoy according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a high frequency transmitter / receiver (18) for a direct bidirectional link of remote control and remote diagnosis between the ground base (7) and said computer (20). '' 3. Buoy according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a transmitter (4) of ultrasonic signals which cooperates under the control of the computer (20) with a corresponding receiver placed in said capsule (1) to transmit to it control signals, and hydrophones (5) for receiving ultrasonic signals from said capsule. 4. Buoy according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a system (24) for satellite location. 'S \\ Luxembourg, le .S' J.C & 'For the Commission iiu ^