JP2900336B2 - Data transmission buoy - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data transmission buoy detachably attached to an underwater station or the like on which an observation device for sea bottom observation is mounted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a device for observing crustal movement on the deep sea floor along a trench where an oceanic plate sinks, a seafloor station equipped with a device for observing crustal deformation is installed on the deep sea floor. A data transmission buoy which is detachably attached to the submarine station and stores observation data sent from the submarine station therein, and transmits the stored data to a communication satellite when it is separated from the submarine station and rises to the sea surface. Have been proposed.

[0003] The data transmission buoy in this proposal is provided with a device for executing the above-mentioned function inside a sealed container such as a glass container, and prevents the glass container from being broken by an impact or the like. For this reason, a small ventilation hole covers the periphery of the glass container with a hard hat which is a closed container formed at the upper part and the lower part. The equipment provided inside the data transmission buoy is not only equipment for communicating with a communication satellite, but also when a precise time indicating the transmission time is required due to data analysis, a GPS antenna and its reception are required. It has been proposed to equip the inside of a glass container together with the device.

[0004]

However, when the data transmission buoy having the above configuration is used, the following problems have occurred.

Since the data transmission buoy has been attached to the submarine station for a long period of time, seawater has entered the gap between the hard hat and the glass container, and this seawater is generated when the data transmission buoy rises to the sea surface. Then, the air is gradually discharged to the outside from the air holes formed in the hard hat. On the other hand, a communication satellite antenna cannot operate normally when seawater exists within the range of its directional characteristics, and it is necessary to wait at least for seawater that has entered the upper hemisphere to be drained. However, drainage takes time because it only drains through minute vents,
Communication cannot start immediately upon ascent on the sea surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a data transmission buoy capable of starting data transmission promptly when it ascends to the sea surface. To provide.

To solve the above problem, a data transmission buoy according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an airtight container through which radio waves can pass,
A drain hole that covers the periphery of the airtight container and is permeable to radio waves, and that drains water in a space between the airtight container and the space above the water surface while floating on the water surface is opened. A hard hat and a satellite communication antenna provided inside the airtight container, and when the water surface position in a state of floating on the water surface is defined as a specified water surface position, the satellite communication antenna is provided at a specified water surface position. It is located above and has directivity in the direction above the prescribed water surface position.

[0008]

In the data transmission buoy according to the first aspect, since the drain hole is formed in the hard hat, at least the water above the prescribed water surface position is quickly drained from the inside of the hard hat to the outside. Therefore, a communication satellite antenna having a directional characteristic that is not affected by the operation of water below the specified water surface position operates without being affected by the water due to the drainage.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a data transmission buoy according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a long-term ocean bottom observation system in which one embodiment of the data transmission buoy according to the present invention is used. The outline of this system will be described below.

[0010] In the figure, the seabed to be observed is
The ocean floor (83) along the trench 82 where the ocean plate sinks
Etc.), an underwater station in which a frame formed in a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape is a structural member, and 16 data transmission buoys 11 are attached to each of the frames in a detachable manner, and a device for observing crustal deformation is attached. 81 are installed.

The data observed by the observation equipment is stored inside the data transmission buoy 11 attached to the undersea station 81, and is stored in the undersea station 81.
The data transmission buoy 11 which has been separated from and floated on the sea surface (the water surface according to claim 1) transmits observation data to the communication satellite (Inmarsat-C) 84.

Therefore, the transmitted observation data is relayed by the communication satellite 84 and received by the ground station 85. Then, the observation data received by the ground station 85 is guided to a ground station 86 mainly including an arithmetic unit for processing the observation data via a data line such as a telephone line and analyzed.

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a data transmission buoy according to the present invention.

A pair of hemispherical glass containers 152 having openings facing each other and a sealing member 151 for hermetically sealing the edges of the glass containers 152 are provided. At the center, there is provided a reflector 16 using a thin disc-shaped metal as a reflector.

A helical portion 17 is mounted on the center upper side of the reflector 16 via a support member 181. The communication satellite antenna 18 for transmitting data to the communication satellite 84 is connected to the reflector portion. 16 and a helical portion 17.

In the vicinity of the edge of the reflector 16, there is formed a deficient portion 19 in which a reflecting material is deficient in a square shape according to the shape of the square GPS antenna 20.
9 has a positional relationship such that the surface thereof is substantially the same as the reflecting surface 161 of the reflecting material, and the directional direction thereof is upward.
The S antenna 20 is attached.

Inside the airtight container 15 and below the reflection plate 16, a device 21 required for operation as the data transmission buoy 11 is fixed by a mounting member (not shown). A connector 22 for electrically connecting these devices 21 to the undersea station 81 when attached to the undersea station 81 is provided at the lowermost portion of the lower glass container 152.

In order to prevent the hermetic container 15 from being destroyed by impact, the hard hat 12 covering the periphery of the hermetic container 15 is made of high-strength plastic, and a ring-shaped convex vein 123 is formed on the top. In addition, a pair of substantially hemispherical containers having a flange portion 121 formed along the periphery of the opening and having the openings facing each other are attached.

When the data transmission buoy 11 floats on the surface of the sea, the seawater that has entered the inside of the hardhat 12 from the upper part of the substantially central part of the seawater is quickly sent to the outside. In order to discharge the water, a substantially oval drain hole 14 is formed at an angular interval of about 45 degrees.

The glass container 1 constituting the airtight container 15
On the upper side of 52, a pair of minute metal members provided at a predetermined interval, and a seawater detection pin 23 made of a corrosion-resistant metal penetrating the glass is attached (for details of the attachment position). Will be described later).

The ring-shaped buoyancy member attached along the outer periphery of the hard hat 12 and providing buoyancy to the data transmission buoy 11 is not shown.

The drain hole 14 has a sufficient opening area for drainage so that the airtight container 15 can be protected from impact. In order to prevent the hermetic container 15 from being broken by an impact, it has an elongated elliptical shape.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an embodiment of the underwater station 81 and the data transmission buoy 11. First, the connection of each block will be described.

The output from the observation device is given to a control unit 43 to which an optical disk 44 is bidirectionally connected. The output of the control unit 43 is transmitted via the connector 22 to the data storage unit 3.
6 The output of the GPS receiving unit 37 to which the GPS antenna 20 is connected and the output of the data storage unit 36 are introduced into the data transmitting unit 38 to which the satellite communication antenna 18 is connected.

The output from the battery 32 is connected via a switch 34 to a block 41 composed of a data transmitting section 38 and a GPS receiving section 37. The output of the resistance value detection unit 31 to which the seawater detection pin 23 is connected is the inclination signal 391
The output of the switch control unit 35 is guided to the switch 34.

In the above configuration, a block 45 composed of the observation device 42, the control unit 43, and the optical disk 44
Is a block mounted on the underwater station 81, and includes a satellite communication antenna 18, a GPS antenna 20,
Connector 22, seawater detection pin 23, 31-38
Each block indicated by is a block provided in the airtight container 15.

The transmission control section 40 is composed of two blocks, a switch 34 and a switch control section 35. The inclination detection section 39 is composed of the seawater detection pin 23 and the resistance value detection section 31. ing.

The details of the configuration of each block will be described below.

The observation device 42 is used for observing crustal movements on the sea floor, and includes a seismometer, a hydrophone, an inclinometer, a current velocimeter,
The control unit 43 is a block composed of a salinity meter, a thermometer, a water depth meter, a heat flow meter, and the like. The control unit 43 performs operations such as transmitting data from the observation device 42 to the data storage unit 36, and the like. And a block for controlling the function. The optical disk 44 is a large-capacity storage device capable of writing and erasing.

The data storage unit 36 stores data transmitted from the control unit 432 when the data transmission buoy 11 is attached to the underwater station 81, and stores the data when the data transmission buoy 11 floats on the sea surface. The data is transmitted to the data transmitting unit 38.

The data transmission section 38 is provided with the GPS reception section 3.
And the data storage unit 36 indicating the time given from
The battery 32 is provided in the hermetic container 15 and supplies power to blocks that require power.

When both of the pair of seawater detection pins 23 are submerged in seawater, the resistance value detection section 31
Since the resistance between the seawater detection pins 23 is low, the resistance between the seawater detection pins 23 is detected. When the average value is smaller than a preset value, the airtight container 15
Is a block for transmitting the tilt signal 391 on the assumption that is swinging.

The switch 34 is a switch for supplying power from the battery 32 to a block 41 comprising a data transmitting unit 38 and a GPS receiving unit 37. The switch 34 outputs a tilt signal 391. Sometimes, the switch is opened by the switch control unit 35.

The operation of one embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described below.

In the underwater station 81 installed on the deep sea floor 83, the observation device 42 collects data every moment. These data are guided to the optical disk 44 via the control unit 43 and stored. Then, every time the operation of data collection and data storage is performed over January, an operation for transmitting these data to the communication satellite 84 is started.

Since the data storage unit 36 of the data transmission buoy 11 designated as the flying object is supplied with the latest one month data of the data stored on the optical disk 44 via the control unit 43. , The data storage unit 36 stores the given data. Then, the data transmission buoy 11 is separated from the underwater station 81 and floats toward the sea surface.

When the data transmission buoy 11 floats on the sea surface, the seawater that has entered between the hard hat 12 and the airtight container 15 is quickly discharged to the outside through the drain hole 14. Therefore, the data transmission buoy 11 stably floats on the sea surface with a sinking state balanced with the buoyancy provided by the airtight container 15 and the buoyancy material.

At this time, the position of the sea surface with respect to the data transmission buoy 11 is a specified water surface position 41 which is the sea surface height at which the seawater does not affect the operation of the satellite communication antenna 18, as shown by 41 in FIG. I have. That is, the satellite communication antenna 18 is located above the prescribed water surface position 41. Therefore, the position and shape of the lower end of the drain hole 14 are determined so that the lower end of the drain hole 14 reaches at least below the specified water surface position 41.

In this state, data transmission to the communication satellite 84 is performed. However, when the data transmission buoy 11 swings at a large angle due to strong waves on the rising sea surface, the range of the directivity of the communication satellite antenna 18 is limited. May be out of the direction of the communication satellite 84, and the error rate in data transmission may increase.

In this data transmission, the limit value of the oscillating angle of the satellite communication antenna 18 which can transmit data without causing a data error with a high incidence rate is shown in FIG. (For this reason, the position of the seawater detection pin 23 is set in accordance with the maximum permissible angle of oscillation of the communication satellite antenna 18). ).

From the above, when the seawater detection pins 23 are both immersed in seawater and the resistance between the seawater detection pins 23 becomes extremely low, the satellite communication antenna 18 swings beyond the allowable range. Although it is shown that the occurrence rate of the data error is extremely high, since the sea surface has undulation, the resistance value detection unit 31 in this embodiment calculates the average value of the resistance value between the seawater detection pins 23. When the detected value falls below the set value, it is determined that a swing exceeding the allowable range has occurred, and the resistance value detecting section 31 sends the inclination signal 391.

The switch control unit 35 to which the tilt signal 391 has been given keeps the switch 34 open so that the battery 32 is not consumed. When the sea surface becomes calm, the swing of the data transmission buoy 11 decreases, and when the inclination signal 391 is no longer sent from the resistance value detection unit 31, the switch control unit 35 closes the switch 34, and the data transmission unit 38 and GPS receiver 37
And start the operation.

The directional characteristic of the GPS antenna 20 is such that although the helical portion 17 is located diagonally above, the omnidirectional characteristic of the GPS antenna 20 is slightly deformed. And so on, a period during which the GPS signal can be normally received is generated by this movement. So G
The PS receiving section 37 receives the GPS signal during this period, and sends data indicating an accurate time to the data transmitting section 38.

On the other hand, regarding the satellite communication antenna 18,
Although the GPS antenna 20 is provided on the reflector 16, since the GPS antenna 20 operates as a part of the reflector 16, the directional characteristics of the satellite communication antenna 18 or the gain as an antenna are not equal to those of the GPS antenna 20. 2
0 is not affected.

Therefore, the data transmitting section 38 generates a signal corresponding to the data indicating the time given from the GPS receiving section 37 and the data stored in the data storage section 36 and sends the signal to the satellite communication antenna 18. From the satellite communication 84 via satellite communication antenna 18
Will be sent to

Since the data transmitted to the satellite communication 84 is relayed by the satellite communication 84 and received by the ground station 85, the received data is transmitted to the ground station 8.
6 and the data is analyzed at the ground station 86.

When the data transmission buoy 11 rises to the sea surface, the sea surface is calm, and when the fluctuation is within the allowable range, it is natural that the data transmission is started immediately.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
The tilt detection unit 39 has been described as being configured by the seawater detection pin 23 and the resistance value detection unit 31. However, as another optional configuration, for example, an angular velocity meter (or an inclinometer) is provided and each of the speedometers is provided. By integrating the output, the inclination of the data transmission buoy 11 is detected, and when the inclination angle exceeds an allowable range, the inclination signal 391 may be transmitted.

Since there is no significant change in the state of the sea surface waves in a short period, the operation of the inclination detection unit 39 and the transmission control unit 40 is intermittent, so that the battery 3
2 can be further reduced.

Although the case where the drain hole 14 is formed only on the upper side of the hard hat 12 has been described,
As another configuration, a configuration or the like can also be provided on the lower side of the hard hat 12.

Although the drain hole 14 has been described as having eight elongated elliptical shapes, any other number of arbitrary shapes can be used (however, the lower end of the drain hole is located at the specified water surface position 41). Must be reached).

Although the underwater station 81 has been described as being installed on the sea floor, it may be installed underwater.

Although the data transmission buoy 11 has been described as being applied to a buoy separated from the undersea station 81, the present invention is similarly applied to other devices such as a buoy separated from a navigating body traveling in the sea. It is possible.

[0054]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data transmission buoy which has an airtight container through which radio waves can pass, and a space between the airtight container which covers the airtight container and allows radio waves to pass therethrough. And a hard hat having a drain hole for draining water in a space above the water surface while floating on the water surface, and a satellite communication antenna provided inside the airtight container, When the water surface position in the floating state is set as a specified water surface position, the satellite communication antenna is located above the specified water surface position and has directivity in an upward direction from the specified water surface position. For this reason, when the data transmission buoy comes to a state of floating on the water surface, the water in the space between the airtight container and the hard hat, which is above the prescribed water surface position, is quickly drained from the drain hole. Therefore, the directivity characteristics of the satellite communication antenna are not hindered. Therefore, with this data transmission buoy, it becomes possible to immediately start data transmission when it floats on the water surface.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view partially broken away showing an embodiment of a data transmission buoy according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an embodiment of an undersea station and a data transmission buoy.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a specified water surface position.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a tilt of a satellite communication antenna and a water surface.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a long-term ocean bottom observation system using one embodiment of the data transmission buoy according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Data transmission buoy 12 Hard hat 14 Drainage hole 15 Airtight container 16 Reflector part 17 Helical part 18 Satellite communication antenna 19 Deficit part 20 GPS antenna 38 Data transmission part 39 Inclination detection part 40 Transmission control part 161 Reflection surface 391 Inclination signal

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hisayoshi Kishimoto 9-52, Ashihara-cho, Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Matsumoto 2-15, Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa Marine Science and Technology Center (56) References: Jikken 43-25454 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B63B 22/00 B63B 22/06 B63B 22/18 B63B 45/00 B63B 49 / 00 B63B 51/00 H04B 7/26

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] An airtight container through which radio waves can pass, and a space between the airtight container, which covers the airtight container and allows radio waves to pass therethrough, and is a space between the airtight container and a floating state above the water surface. A hard hat provided with a drain hole for draining water in an upper space, and a satellite communication antenna provided inside the hermetic container, wherein a water surface position in a state of floating on the water surface is defined. A data transmission buoy, wherein the satellite communication antenna is located above a prescribed water surface position and has a directional characteristic in an upward direction above the prescribed water surface position.