JP4869182B2 - Underwater communication system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an underwater communication system that transmits and receives various data between underwater devices.

Conventionally, communication between underwater devices has been studied mainly in the field of ocean observation and the like.
For example, on the website of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, the research plan for new research projects (http://www.jamtec.go.jp/jamtech-j/hyouka/old/h14/pre/psheet14/psheet14 -1. pdf) is described in the chapter "Research and development of advanced technology: (3) Research on underwater acoustic technology".
* Transmission speeds of 32 kbps have already been realized through the development of high-speed image transmission devices for the submarines “Shinkai 6500”, “Shinkai 2000” and AUV “Urashima” and the development of the acoustic command system for “Urashima”.
* In addition, research and development will be conducted in five years from fiscal 2003 with the goal of using a frequency of 100 kHz, a transmission distance of 500 m or more, and a transmission speed of 64 kbps or more.

In addition, research on underwater wireless communication using optical communication has also been conducted in the past, and research reports on data communication using red LEDs, gas lasers, etc. [Http://www.jamtec.go.jp/jamtec-j/hyouka/old/h12/eva/12interim&result-jico/tech4/tech4.pdf], etc. However, the current situation is that it has not been put into practical use because of the lack of or a large-scale device.
However, in recent years, the development of blue semiconductor lasers and blue LEDs having a wavelength of around 450 nm, the best transmission in water, has progressed, and new developments are expected in the field of underwater communications using laser light and visible light. It has become to.

The “FY2000 post-evaluation self-assessment slip” is described as follows.
* Blue light centered at 450nm can extend the transmission distance, but blue LED was developed for electric decoration, so response characteristics (100kHz or less) are very bad, and even if this is used, a large amount of data can be transmitted. Is difficult. Recent survey and observation equipment has a much larger data capacity to process, and many storage capacity can reach several gigabytes. Therefore, priority is given to the transmission speed over the transmission distance, and the near-infrared rays often used for communication. We decided to use LED.
* In 1998 and 1999, a pressure vessel capable of accommodating this near-infrared modem was manufactured, and an underwater experiment was conducted in 1999, assuming an actual machine. As a result, the operation was performed at a predetermined transmission speed from 0 to 130 cm without any problem. After exceeding 130 cm, data errors increased and the transmission capacity rapidly decreased.
* In the future, downsizing of equipment and extension of transmission phase distance (use of short wavelength range) can be said to be issues.
2003 New Research Project Plan (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology) 2000 ex-post evaluation self-evaluation vote (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology)

With the technology shown in “2003 New Research Project Research Plan”, which is Non-Patent Document 1, there is a problem that large-capacity data communication such as image data is difficult between underwater devices.
In addition, the technique shown in the “2000 post-evaluation self-evaluation form” of Non-Patent Document 2 has a problem that the data transmission distance between underwater devices is insufficient and the apparatus cannot be downsized. .
In order to perform large-capacity data communication such as image data with a sufficient transmission distance between underwater devices, communication using laser light is necessary.
Communication using laser light is a technology already established on the ground.
The laser has a strong directivity, and the reception sensitivity decreases just a little from the center of the beam.
Therefore, in laser communication, data communication cannot be performed unless the directions of the laser light beams transmitted and received are matched, so that there is an advantage that secrecy is high.
On the ground, once the transmitter and receiver are adjusted and fixed, the problem that “data communication cannot be performed without matching the direction of the laser beam” is solved.

However, the transmitter and the receiver cannot be fixed underwater, and it is difficult to perform stable laser communication even if the conventional terrestrial laser communication system is used as it is.
That is, in communication using laser light, the mutual positional accuracy between the transmitting device and the receiving device (that is, the matching accuracy between the laser transmitting direction of the transmitting device and the laser receiving direction of the receiving device) is important. Due to movement of individual underwater devices and mutual position fluctuations (oscillations) due to water flow, the laser transmission direction of the transmitting device and the laser receiving direction of the receiving device are not consistent and the communication accuracy is sufficiently maintained. It was difficult to perform stable communication.

  The present invention has been made to solve the problems as described above. Even if the mutual position fluctuates between the underwater devices due to swinging or the like, the communication accuracy is sufficiently maintained, and laser light communication is used. It is an object of the present invention to provide an underwater communication system capable of stably transmitting or receiving a large amount of data.

The underwater communication system according to the present invention is an underwater communication system for transmitting data to be transmitted from a first underwater device to a second underwater device as a laser light signal,
The first underwater device has a transmission direction movable laser transmitter that transmits data to be transmitted to the second underwater device as a laser light signal, and transmission direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device. A transmission direction control data receiver for receiving, and a control unit for receiving the transmission direction control data and controlling the transmission direction of the laser transmitter and controlling the data to be transmitted,
The second underwater device includes a laser receiver movable in a reception direction for receiving a laser light signal transmitted from the laser transmitter, and a transmission direction control data transmission for transmitting transmission direction control data to the first underwater device. Equipped with a machine
The color of the laser light signal to be used is changed according to underwater conditions for performing communication.

The underwater communication system according to the present invention is an underwater communication system that transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received as a laser light signal between the first underwater device and the second underwater device,
The first underwater device has a movable data transmission / reception direction, transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, receives data transmitted from the second underwater device, and receives received data A first laser transceiver that detects a direction with good sensitivity, and a transmission direction control that transmits transmission direction control data corresponding to the direction with good reception sensitivity detected by the first laser transceiver to the second underwater device. A data transmitter and a control unit for controlling the data to be transmitted by the first laser transceiver and causing the transmission direction control data transmitter to transmit the transmission direction control data;
The second underwater equipment is provided with a second laser transceiver for transmitting and receiving direction moving data should be transmitted and received, a transmission direction control data receiver for receiving a transmission direction control data from said transmission direction control data transmitter, wherein controls the transmission direction of the data to be transmitted from the second laser transceiver based on the transmission direction control data received by the transmission direction control data receiver in accordance with the conditions of the water communicating, the laser used It is characterized by changing the color of the optical signal.

The underwater communication system according to the present invention is an underwater communication system that transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received as a laser light signal between the first underwater device and the second underwater device,
The first underwater device transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal to the second underwater device, and receives data transmitted from the second underwater device as a laser light signal. One laser transceiver, a first transmission / reception direction control data transceiver that receives transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device and transmits its own positional information data, and is movable in the transmission / reception direction, and the transmission / reception A first control unit that receives direction control data and controls the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and controls data to be transmitted;
The second underwater device receives a laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transceiver, transmits a data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, and the first underwater device; A second transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver for transmitting the transmission / reception direction control data to the first underwater device and receiving the position information data transmitted from the device; and the first transmission device transmitted from the first underwater device. While receiving position information data and controlling the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transmitter / receiver, comprising a second control unit for controlling data to be transmitted ,
The color of the laser light signal to be used is changed according to underwater conditions for performing communication.

Further, the underwater communication system according to the present invention is an underwater communication system that transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received as a laser light signal between the first underwater device and the second underwater device,
The first underwater device transmits data to be transmitted to the second underwater device as a laser light signal, receives data transmitted from the second underwater device as a laser light signal, and further transmits its own position. A first laser transmitter / receiver that transmits / receives information data as laser light and receives transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device, and a transmission direction transmitted from the second underwater device. Comprising a first control unit for receiving control data and controlling the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and controlling data to be transmitted;
The second underwater device receives the laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transmitter / receiver, transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, and is further transmitted / received to the first underwater device. A second laser transmitter / receiver movable in a transmission / reception direction for transmitting direction control data and receiving the position information data transmitted from the first underwater device, and the position information data transmitted from the first underwater device. And a second control unit for controlling the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transceiver and controlling data to be transmitted ,
The color of the laser light signal to be used is changed according to underwater conditions for performing communication.

  According to this invention, the first underwater device transmits the data to be transmitted as a laser light signal to the second underwater device, the transmission direction movable laser transmitter, and the transmission direction transmitted from the second underwater device. A transmission direction control data receiver for receiving control data; and a control unit for controlling the transmission direction of the laser transmitter upon receiving the transmission direction control data and controlling the data to be transmitted. Since it is equipped with a laser receiver that is movable in the reception direction for receiving the laser light signal transmitted from the transmitter and a transmission direction control data transmitter for transmitting the transmission direction control data to the first underwater device, Therefore, even if the mutual position of the first underwater device and the second underwater device fluctuates, large data can be transmitted from the first underwater device to the second underwater device with sufficient communication accuracy. Stable It can be carried out.

According to the invention, the first underwater device has a movable data transmission / reception direction, transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, and receives data transmitted from the second underwater device. The first laser transmitter / receiver that detects the direction in which the reception sensitivity of the data to be received is good, and the transmission direction control data corresponding to the direction in which the first laser transmitter / receiver detects the good reception sensitivity are transmitted to the second underwater device. A transmission direction control data transmitter, and a control unit for controlling the data to be transmitted by the first laser transceiver and transmitting the transmission direction control data to the transmission direction control data transmitter, the second underwater device, A second laser transmitter / receiver movable in the transmission / reception direction of data to be transmitted / received, and transmission direction control data reception for receiving transmission direction control data from the first transmission direction control data transmitter The provided, to control the transmission direction of the data to be transmitted from the second laser transceiver based on the transmission direction control data received by the transmission direction control data receiver.
Therefore, even if the mutual position of the first underwater device and the second underwater device fluctuates due to rocking or the like, sufficient communication accuracy can be maintained between the first underwater device and the second underwater device. A large amount of data can be transmitted and received stably.

According to the invention, the first underwater device transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal to the second underwater device, and receives data transmitted from the second underwater device as a laser light signal. A first laser transmitter / receiver movable in the transmission / reception direction, and a first transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver movable in the transmission / reception direction for receiving transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device and transmitting its own position information data And receiving the transmission / reception direction control data, controlling the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and controlling the data to be transmitted, the second underwater device is the first laser transceiver A second laser transmitter / receiver that receives the laser light signal transmitted from the transmitter and transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, and the position information transmitted from the first underwater device. A second transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver that receives data and transmits transmission / reception direction control data to the first underwater device; and a second laser transmitter / receiver that receives position information data transmitted from the first underwater device. And a second control unit for controlling data to be transmitted.
Therefore, even if the mutual position of the first underwater device and the second underwater device fluctuates due to rocking or the like, sufficient communication accuracy can be maintained between the first underwater device and the second underwater device. Large-capacity data can be transmitted and received more stably.

Further, according to the present invention, the first underwater device transmits data to be transmitted to the second underwater device as a laser light signal and receives data transmitted from the second underwater device as a laser light signal. Further, the first laser transmitter / receiver movable in the transmission / reception direction for receiving the transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device and transmitting the own position information data as laser light, and the second underwater device In response to the transmission direction control data to be transmitted, the first laser transmitter / receiver controls the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and controls the data to be transmitted. Transmit / receive direction control that receives the laser light signal transmitted from the machine, transmits the data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, and then transmits it to the first underwater device A second laser transmitter / receiver that is movable in the transmission / reception direction for transmitting data and receiving position information data transmitted from the first underwater device, and corresponding to the position information data transmitted from the first underwater device. A second control unit is provided for controlling the transmission / reception direction of the two laser transceivers and controlling data to be transmitted.
Therefore, since the first laser transceiver and the second laser transceiver respectively transmit and receive data to be transmitted and received and position information data, the first underwater device and the second underwater device are mutually connected for rocking or the like. Even if the position fluctuates, a large amount of data can be stably transmitted and received between the first underwater device and the second underwater device with a simpler configuration and sufficiently maintaining communication accuracy.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The present invention relates to a communication system between underwater devices or between an underwater device and an underwater portion of a surface device (for example, a ship's bottom that is a surface device). A transmitter / receiver that is underwater and performs communication underwater will be hereinafter referred to as an underwater device even if a device other than the transmitter / receiver is on the water.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration example of an underwater communication system according to the first embodiment.
As shown in the figure, the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment has various data to be transmitted by laser from the first underwater device 101 to the second underwater device 111 (for example, captured image data, underwater temperature, depth). , Observation data such as water pressure).
The first underwater device 101 is a laser transmitter having a movable transmission direction for transmitting various data (for example, image data) as data to be transmitted to the laser receiver 112 of the second underwater device 111 as a laser light signal. 102, transmission for receiving transmission direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device 111 (that is, data used for controlling the transmission direction and for detecting the direction of the laser beam coming from the other party). Based on the transmission direction control data received by the direction control data receiver 103 and the transmission direction control data receiver 103, the transmission direction of the laser transmitter 102 should be controlled and transmitted to the laser receiver 112 of the second underwater device 111. It is comprised by the control part 104 which controls data.

Further, the first underwater device 101 includes, for example, an imaging device 107 that captures (captures) a surrounding situation, and data processing that compresses image data captured (captured) by the imaging device 107 into a form suitable for communication. And a data storage unit 105 for temporarily storing the image data compressed by the data processing unit 106.
Also, the second underwater device 111 includes a transmission direction control data transmitter 113 that transmits transmission direction control data to the transmission direction control data receiver 103 of the first underwater device 101, and laser transmission of the first underwater device 101. The laser receiver 112 is movable in the receiving direction for receiving various data (image data and the like) transmitted from the machine 102.
The data storage unit 105 disposed in the first underwater device 101 may be configured by a storage device such as a volatile or nonvolatile memory (for example, DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, etc.), or a CD, A recording device using a magnetic medium such as a DVD or an HDD of a PC may be used.
The contents stored or recorded in the data storage unit 105 are typically image data captured by the imaging device 107, data compression software, compressed image data, other observation data, communication protocols, and the like. can give.

In the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment, laser light transmitted from the laser transmitter 102 of the first underwater device 101 (ie, laser light signals of various data to be transmitted) is received by the second underwater device 111. The direction (that is, the transmission direction of the laser transmitter 102) in which the reception sensitivity is the best when received by the receiver 112 is detected, and the data (reception direction control data) of the laser receiver 112 is detected by a control unit (not shown). It converts into the data for moving the movable optical lens mentioned later.
Then, the movable optical lens of the laser receiver 112 is mechanically directed toward the laser transmitter 102 based on the converted data.

Next, similar data (transmission direction control data) is transmitted from the transmission direction control data transmitter 113 of the second underwater device 111 this time by an acoustic signal or laser light to the transmission direction control data receiver 103 of the first underwater device 101. Send to.
The control unit 104 drives the movable optical lens of the laser transmitter 102 based on the transmission direction control data received by the transmission direction control data receiver 103 to change the transmission direction of the laser transmitter 102 to the second underwater device 111. Direct toward the laser receiver 112.
As a result, the laser transmitter 102 of the first underwater device 101 and the laser receiver 112 of the second underwater device 111 face each other's directions (that is, the directions coincide), and the laser light Transmission / reception becomes easy.
By repeatedly performing this operation, even if each device moves underwater due to rocking or the like, communication is continuously performed without interruption.

Note that the control unit 104 also performs processing for placing the compressed image data on the carrier laser light, along with adjustment of the movable optical lens described later.
Note that “controlling data to be transmitted” performed by the control unit 104 refers to processing for placing compressed image data or the like, which is data to be transmitted by the control unit 104, on the carrier laser beam. (The same applies to other embodiments described later)
The transmission of the image data may be performed simultaneously with the imaging, or may be transmitted after being temporarily stored in the data storage unit 105.
The data to be transmitted from the first underwater device 101 to the second underwater device 111 is not limited to the image data captured by the imaging device 107. For example, various observation data such as underwater temperature and depth are included. May be included.

The laser transmitter 102 of the first underwater device 101 has a movable optical lens, and the laser transmitter 102 irradiates (transmits) laser light to a predetermined wide-angle range with respect to the second underwater device 111. .
And the laser beam irradiated by the laser transmitter 102 is arrange | positioned at the 2nd underwater apparatus 111, and is similarly received by the laser receiver 112 with a movable optical lens.
The laser receiver 112 detects the direction with the highest reception sensitivity of the received laser light, and directs its movable optical lens in that direction (that is, the direction with the highest reception sensitivity).
Here, the movable optical lens disposed in the laser transmitter 102 or the laser receiver 112 will be described.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the movable optical lens.
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the movable optical lens has a structure in which the emitted laser beam can have a spread of an angle θ1 and the lens portion can be moved within a range of θ2 with respect to the central axis. It is a lens having
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a structure example of a lens portion of the movable optical lens.
As shown in FIG. 3, the lens portion of the movable optical lens has a biconvex shape shown in FIG. 3 (a), a plano-convex shape shown in FIG. 3 (b), and a meniscus convex shape shown in FIG. 3 (c). 3 (d), a meniscus type shown in FIG. 3 (e), a Fresnel type shown in FIG. 3 (f), or a structure in which these are combined. It is often manufactured by mechanical cutting or injection molding.

The movable optical lens shown in FIG. 2 is a lens in which the optical lenses shown in FIGS. 3A to 3F are arranged so as to be movable.
When the movable optical lens only receives laser light from the underwater device, the movable optical lens may be configured by a lens that can receive the laser light at a wide angle as much as possible, or a mechanical structure having a condensing function.
As a driving method for moving the movable optical lens of the laser transmitter 102 and the movable optical lens of the laser receiver 112, any of all motors including an electrostatic motor, a magnetic motor, and an ultrasonic motor can be selected. Anything can be used as long as the lens can be moved. Adding a gyroscope to the movable part of the movable optical lens of the laser transmitter 102 and the laser receiver 112 also corrects the amount of shaking in the water, and laser tracking performance. It is effective to increase
The gyroscope includes a rotation type, a vibration type, a gas type, an optical fiber type, and a ring laser type. The current technology is advantageous in terms of size and cost, and the ring laser type is advantageous in terms of performance.

Further, information received by the laser receiver 112 of the second underwater device 112 (that is, data such as reception direction control data, image data, underwater temperature, depth, etc.) is received by, for example, an unillustrated control unit on the water. , Transmitted from the transmission direction control data transmitter 113 to the transmission direction control data receiver 103 of the first underwater device 101, and the angle of the laser transmitter 102 is directed toward the second underwater device 111 via the control unit 104. After that, for example, high-capacity data communication such as image data is performed from the laser transmitter 102 of the first underwater device 101 to the laser receiver 112 of the second underwater device 111, thereby performing underwater communication with high-precision laser light. It can be carried out.
The technique for adjusting the mutual angle of the laser transmitter / receiver described above is already known, for example, a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-035704 and the like.
Furthermore, as another method, in order to maintain the angles of the laser transmitters and receivers that have been adjusted to some extent, once adjusted by, for example, a radar conical scan method as described in JP-A-2006-270806. It is also possible to maintain the directivity control state between the laser transceivers.

Here, with respect to the wide-angle range of the movable optical lens, there is an optimum range according to the amount of shaking in water.
For example, if the time required for the laser directivity control is assumed to be 0.1 second, the amount of shaking of the first underwater device 101 in this 0.1 second is assumed to be Xdeg, and the amount of shaking of the second underwater device 111 is In the case of Ydeg, the total value “Xdeg + Ydeg” of Xdeg and Ydeg is the wide angle range.
In order to extend the communication distance, it is necessary to make this wide-angle range the smallest.
Since the minimum wide-angle range changes according to the amount of shaking, it is necessary to change the wide-angle range depending on the underwater environment.
That is, the angle θ1 is preferably diffused in the range of 5 degrees to 120 degrees, and the movable angle range angle θ2 at the center position of the diffusion is preferably variable from 0 degrees to ± 90 degrees.
Further, in the movable optical lens in the laser transmitter and the laser receiver, the angles θ1 and θ2 do not have to be the same angle, and are optimal depending on the assumed communication distance and the amount of change in the positional relationship between the underwater device A101 and the surface device B111. It is necessary to select an appropriate angle.

Here, the distance between the laser transmitter 102 of the first underwater device 101 and the laser receiver 112 of the second underwater device 111 is a range from a minimum of 0 to sin (θ1) × α, where α is the minimum communication distance. It is good to do.
Furthermore, transmission of transmission direction control data from the transmission direction control data transmitter 113 to the transmission direction control data receiver 103 is performed by laser light irradiated to a wide-angle range in the same manner as communication from the laser transmitter 102 to the laser receiver 112. May be used, or transmission by sound waves using an acoustic transceiver may be used.
Acoustic transceivers have line speeds of 100 bps to 100 kbps in water, but information communication using sound waves is currently widely performed, and even if there are obstacles in the linear communication path, the position of the transceiver is shifted. However, stable communication is possible and optimal.
The communication link thus formed (that is, a communication system that constantly adjusts the positions of the transceivers of each other) is suitable for communication of large-capacity data such as image data.

In addition, the underwater device itself is movable, and also swings due to the influence of a water flow or the like, so the direction of the movable lens of the transceiver is corrected at regular intervals.
The acoustic receiver may have a structure having an array antenna (multiple antennas).
By using an array antenna, it is possible to find character position information between communication devices from the phase difference of a plurality of received sounds, so that the error of position accuracy is reduced and a high C / N is secured. it can.
Here, as the source of laser light used in the present invention, those shown in Table 1 below can be considered.

Generally, the communication speed in water is assumed to be 1 Mbps to 100 Mbps, and further, the laser light diffusion angle is assumed to be 5 degrees at the minimum.
For this reason, the semiconductor laser is the most excellent as the communication means of the present invention. However, although the performance is partially deteriorated, an LED may be used in consideration of cost and the like.
The laser transmitter 102 of the first underwater device 101 and the laser receiver 112 of the second underwater device 111 use turquoise for relatively clean underwater communication, and turquoise in dirty water depending on the degree of contamination. By using a reddish color, the attenuation of laser light in water can be reduced as much as possible.
That is, communication quality can be improved by selecting a laser in accordance with the underwater conditions to be used.

Further, by changing the color (wavelength) of the laser, large-capacity communication by laser from the first underwater device 101 to the second underwater device 111, and laser from the second underwater device 111 to the first underwater device 101. With regard to transmission direction control data communication using the communication, it is possible to prevent interference with each other.
Furthermore, it is also effective in avoiding interference when operating a plurality of devices at the same time.
The imaging device 107 can be remotely controlled from the second underwater device 111 side by transmitting all the control such as the imaging direction and zoom / focus simultaneously with the transmission direction control data.
The captured (imaged) image data may be directly stored in the data storage unit 105 by the data processing unit 106 or may be compressed and stored in the data storage unit 105.
Further, these data and other observation data are sent to the laser transmitter 102 by the control unit 104 and laser-transmitted to the second underwater device 111.

As described above, the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment is an underwater communication system that transmits data to be transmitted from the first underwater device 101 to the second underwater device 111 as a laser light signal. The underwater device 101 receives the transmission direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device 111 and the laser transmitter 102 which is movable in the transmission direction for transmitting data to be transmitted to the second underwater device 111 as a laser light signal. A transmission direction control data receiver 103 that receives the transmission direction control data, and a control unit 104 that controls the transmission direction of the laser transmitter 102 and controls the data to be transmitted. Transmitting laser light signal transmitted from the transmitter 102 to the laser receiver 112 movable in the receiving direction and the first underwater device 101 And a transmission direction control data transmitter 113 for transmitting direction control data.
Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even if the mutual position of the first underwater device and the second underwater device fluctuates due to rocking or the like, the transmission direction of the laser transmitter is determined based on the transmission direction control data. The receiving direction of the laser receiver can be matched, and a large amount of data can be stably transmitted from the first underwater device to the second underwater device with sufficient communication accuracy.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration example of the underwater communication system according to the second embodiment.
In the first embodiment described above, data to be transmitted such as image data is transmitted from the first underwater device to the second underwater device. Data to be transmitted can be transmitted to the second underwater device 131, and data such as image data can be transmitted from the second underwater device 131 to the first underwater device 121.
That is, the first laser transmitter / receiver 122 of the first underwater device 121 and the second laser transmitter / receiver 132 of the second underwater device 131 shown in FIG. 4 have the above-described movable optical lens, and are determined in advance. Laser light is irradiated (transmitted) in the wide-angle range, and is received by the second laser transceiver 132 or the first laser transceiver 122 having a movable optical lens.
In addition, the above-mentioned Embodiment 1 assumes the underwater communication system in the case of maneuvering, and this Embodiment assumes the underwater communication system in the case of maneuvering unmanned.

The first laser transmitter / receiver 122 of the first underwater device 121 detects the direction with the best reception sensitivity and directs its movable optical lens in that direction.
Further, information indicating the most sensitive direction detected by the first laser transceiver 122 (that is, transmission direction control data) is transmitted from the transmission direction control data transmitter 123 via the control unit 124 to the second underwater device 131. Is transmitted to the transmission direction control data receiver 133 and the angle (transmission direction) of the second laser transceiver 132 is set based on the transmission direction control data received by the transmission direction control data receiver 133. The communication with the laser beam with high accuracy can be performed by turning to the direction.
The first laser transmitter / receiver 122 and the second laser transmitter / receiver 132 may be configured separately from a transmitter and a receiver, respectively. (In FIG. 4, the fact that two single arrow symbols are shown instead of double-ended arrow symbols between the laser transceiver 122 and the laser transceiver 132 means this.)
Further, the imaging device 127, the data processing unit 126, and the data storage unit 125 illustrated in FIG. 4 have the same functions as the imaging device 107, the data processing unit 106, and the data storage unit 105 illustrated in FIG. .

As shown in FIG. 4, the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received such as image data between the first underwater device 121 and the second underwater device 131 as a laser light signal. It is a communication system.
The first underwater device 121 includes a first laser transmitter / receiver 122 that is movable in a direction in which data to be transmitted / received is transmitted, and a transmission direction control data transmitter that transmits transmission direction control data to the second underwater device 131. 123 and the transmitted transmission / reception direction control data (that is, data used for controlling the transmission / reception direction and data for allowing the other party to detect the direction in which the laser beam comes) of the first laser transceiver 122. A control unit 124 is provided for controlling the transmission / reception direction and the data to be transmitted / received.

The second underwater device 131 receives the transmission direction control data from the second transmission / reception device 132 that can move the data transmission / reception and the transmission direction control data from the first transmission direction control data transmitter 123. A transmission direction control data receiver 133 is provided.
Also in this embodiment, the transmission direction control data may be either an acoustic signal or a laser light signal.
Although not shown, the second underwater device 131 also has the same functions as those of the imaging device 127, the data processing unit 126, and the data storage unit 125 provided in the first underwater device 121. A data processing unit and a data storage unit may be provided.

As described above, the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment is an underwater communication system that transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received between the first underwater device 121 and the second underwater device 131 as a laser light signal. The first underwater device 121 has a movable data transmission / reception direction, transmits the data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, receives the data transmitted from the second underwater device 131, and transmits the data to be received. First laser transmitter / receiver 122 that detects a direction with good reception sensitivity, and transmission that transmits transmission direction control data corresponding to the direction with good reception sensitivity detected by first laser transmitter / receiver 122 to second underwater device 131. The direction control data transmitter 123 and the first laser transceiver 122 control data to be transmitted and the transmission direction control data transmitter 123. The second underwater device 131 includes a control unit 124 that transmits transmission direction control data. The second underwater device 131 includes a second laser transmitter / receiver 132 that is movable in a transmission / reception direction of data to be transmitted / received and a first transmission direction control data transmitter 123. A transmission direction control data receiver 133 for receiving transmission direction control data is provided, and the transmission direction of data to be transmitted from the second laser transceiver 132 is determined based on the transmission direction control data received by the transmission direction control data receiver 133. Control.
Therefore, even if the mutual position of the first underwater device and the second underwater device fluctuates due to rocking or the like, the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and the second laser transmission / reception based on the transmission direction control data The transmission / reception direction of the device can be matched, and transmission / reception of large-capacity data can be performed stably with sufficient communication accuracy between the first underwater device and the second underwater device.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration example of the underwater communication system according to the third embodiment.
The first underwater device 201 includes a first laser transmitter / receiver 202, a first transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver 203, a first control unit 204, an imaging device 207, a deheter processing unit 206, and a first data storage unit 205. It has.
The first laser transmitter / receiver 202 transmits data to be transmitted to the second underwater device 211 as a laser light signal, receives data transmitted from the second underwater device 211 as a laser light signal, and is movable optically. The receiving direction is movable by the lens.
The first transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver 203 is movable in the transmission / reception direction by a movable optical lens, receives transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device 211, and transmits its own position information data. .
The first control unit 204 receives the transmission / reception direction control data from the first transmission / reception direction control data transceiver 203, controls the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver 202, and controls data to be transmitted.

Note that “transmission / reception direction control data” means “data used for transmission / reception direction control”, and is data that is sent to allow the other party to detect the direction in which the laser comes regardless of the contents of the data. .
On the other hand, “position information data” refers to “data in which a direction with the highest reception sensitivity of the transmitted laser light is detected and the detected direction is recognized as an angle”.
A method for obtaining such “position information data” is also disclosed in, for example, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-035704.

The second underwater device 211 includes a second laser transceiver 212, a second transmission / reception direction control data transceiver 213, a second control unit 214, and a second data storage unit 215.
The second laser transceiver 212 receives the laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transceiver 202 and transmits data to be transmitted from the second underwater device 211 as a laser light signal.
The second transmission / reception direction control data transceiver 213 receives position information data transmitted from the first underwater device 201 and transmits the transmission / reception direction control data to the first underwater device 201.
The second control unit 214 receives the positional information data transmitted from the first underwater device 201, controls the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transceiver 212, and controls data to be transmitted.

In the present embodiment, the first control unit 204 and the second control unit 214 basically perform the same operation. That is, the second control unit 214 receives the laser beam transmitted from the first laser transceiver 202, drives the movable optical lens of the second laser transceiver 212, and controls the second transmission / reception direction. Instructs the data transceiver 213 to send transmission / reception direction control data.
Although not shown, the second underwater device 211 has the same functions as the imaging device 207, the data processing unit 206, and the first data storage unit 205 provided in the first underwater device 201. An imaging device, a data processing unit, and a data storage unit may be provided.
By providing the second underwater device 211 with an imaging device, a data processing unit, and a data storage unit, the second underwater device 211 captures peripheral image data, processes it into data suitable for communication, and stores it. The data can be transmitted to the first underwater device 201, and the image data captured by the imaging device 207 of the first underwater device 201 is transmitted to the second underwater device 211. It is also possible to store the data in the data storage unit (second data storage unit 215) of the underwater device 211.

As described above, the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment is an underwater communication system that transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received between the first underwater device 201 and the second underwater device 211 as a laser light signal. The first underwater device 201 transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal to the second underwater device 211, and receives data transmitted from the second underwater device 211 as a laser light signal. One laser transceiver 202, a first transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver 203 that is movable in the transmission / reception direction and receives the transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device 211; 1st which controls the data which should be transmitted while receiving the transmission / reception direction control data and controlling the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver 202 The second underwater device 211 includes a control unit 204, receives a laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transceiver 202, and transmits a data to be transmitted as a laser light signal. A second transmission / reception direction control data transceiver 213 that receives the position information data transmitted from the first underwater device 201 and transmits transmission / reception direction control data to the first underwater device 201, and the first underwater device. A second control unit 214 that receives the positional information data transmitted from 201 and controls the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transceiver 212 and controls the data to be transmitted is provided.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, since position information data (angle data) is used, even if the mutual position of the first underwater device and the second underwater device fluctuates due to swinging or the like, the first The transmission / reception direction of the first laser transmitter / receiver and the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transmitter / receiver can be surely matched, and the communication accuracy between the first underwater device and the second underwater device is sufficiently kept large. Data can be transmitted and received more reliably and stably.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration example of the underwater communication system according to the fourth embodiment.
In the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment, the transmission / reception direction control data and the position information data in the above-described third embodiment are laser light signals, and the first laser transceiver 302 and the second laser light signal of the first underwater device 301 are used. The second laser transceiver 312 of the underwater device 311 is
It is configured to transmit and receive data to be transmitted (laser light signal) such as image data, and to transmit and receive transmission / reception direction control data and position information data (laser light signal).

The first underwater device 301 is provided with a first laser transceiver 302 and a first control unit 304.
The first laser transmitter / receiver 302 is movable in the transmission / reception direction by a movable optical lens, and transmits data to be transmitted such as image data captured by the imaging device 307 to the second underwater device 311 as a laser light signal. Data transmitted from the second underwater device 311 is received as a laser light signal.
Furthermore, the first laser transmitter / receiver 302 transmits its own position information data as laser light and receives transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device 311.
The first control unit 304 receives transmission direction control data (laser optical signal) transmitted from the second underwater device 311 and controls the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver 302 and controls data to be transmitted. To do.
Further, the first underwater device 301 includes an imaging device 307 that captures the surrounding situation, a data processing unit 306 that compresses image data captured by the imaging device 307 into a form suitable for communication, and a data processing unit 306 that compresses the image data. A first data storage unit 305 and the like for temporarily storing the image data thus arranged are arranged.

The second underwater device 311 is provided with a second laser transceiver 312, a second control unit 314, and a second data storage unit 315.
The second laser transmitter / receiver 312 is movable in the transmission / reception direction by a movable optical lens, and receives the laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transmitter / receiver 302 and transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal.
Further, the second laser transmitter / receiver 312 transmits transmission / reception direction control data (laser light signal) transmitted to the first underwater device 301, and positional information data (laser light) transmitted from the first underwater device 301. Signal).
The second control unit 314 controls the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transmitter / receiver 312 and the data to be transmitted corresponding to the position information data transmitted from the first underwater device 301.
Although not shown, the second underwater device 311 includes an image pickup device 307 and a data processing unit having functions equivalent to those of the image pickup device 307 and the data processing unit 306 of the first underwater device 301. It may be.

As described above, the underwater communication system according to the present embodiment is an underwater communication system that transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received between the first underwater device 301 and the second underwater device 311 as a laser light signal. The first underwater device 301 transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal to the second underwater device 311 and receives data transmitted from the second underwater device 311 as a laser light signal. The position information data is transmitted as laser light and the transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device 311 is received. In response to the transmission direction control data, the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver 302 is controlled and the data to be transmitted is controlled. The second underwater device 311 receives the laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transceiver 302 and transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal. From the first underwater device 301 and the second laser transmitter / receiver 312 movable in the transmission / reception direction for transmitting the transmission / reception direction control data transmitted to the device 301 and receiving the positional information data transmitted from the first underwater device 301. Corresponding to the transmitted position information data, a second control unit 314 is provided for controlling the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transceiver 312 and controlling the data to be transmitted.
Accordingly, the first laser transceiver and the second laser transceiver transmit and receive data to be transmitted and received and position information data, respectively. Even if the position fluctuates, it is possible to reliably match the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transceiver between the first underwater device and the second underwater device. With a simpler configuration, it is possible to stably transmit and receive large amounts of data while maintaining sufficient communication accuracy.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for realizing an underwater communication system that can maintain a sufficient communication accuracy between rocking underwater devices and can stably transmit or receive large amounts of data.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the underwater communication system by Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating a movable optical lens. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the lens part of a movable optical lens. It is a figure which shows the structure of the underwater communication system by Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the underwater communication system by Embodiment 3. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the underwater communication system by Embodiment 4. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 1st underwater apparatus 102 Laser transmitter 103 Transmission direction control data receiver 104 Control part 105 Data storage part 106 Data processing part 107 Imaging device 111 2nd underwater apparatus 112 Laser receiver 113 Transmission direction control data transmitter 121 1st One underwater device 122 First laser transceiver
123 transmission direction control data transmitter 124 control unit 125 data storage unit 126 data processing unit 127 imaging device 131 second underwater device 132 second laser transceiver 133 transmission direction control data receiver 201 first underwater device 202 first Laser transceiver 203 first transmission / reception direction control data transceiver 204 first control unit 205 first data storage unit 206 data processing unit 207 imaging device 211 second underwater device 212 second laser transceiver 213 second Transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver 214 second control unit 215 second data storage unit 301 first underwater device 302 first laser transmitter / receiver 304 first control unit 305 first data storage unit 306 data processing unit 307 Imaging device 311 Second underwater device 312 Second laser transmission / reception Machine 314 Second control unit 315 Second data storage unit

Claims (18)

An underwater communication system for transmitting data to be transmitted as a laser light signal from a first underwater device to a second underwater device,
The first underwater device has a transmission direction movable laser transmitter that transmits data to be transmitted to the second underwater device as a laser light signal, and transmission direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device. A transmission direction control data receiver for receiving, and a control unit for receiving the transmission direction control data and controlling the transmission direction of the laser transmitter and controlling the data to be transmitted,
The second underwater device includes a laser receiver movable in a reception direction for receiving a laser light signal transmitted from the laser transmitter, and a transmission direction control data transmission for transmitting transmission direction control data to the first underwater device. Equipped with a machine
An underwater communication system, wherein the color of the laser light signal to be used is changed according to underwater conditions for performing communication. An underwater communication system for transmitting and receiving data to be transmitted and received between a first underwater device and a second underwater device as a laser light signal,
The first underwater device has a movable data transmission / reception direction, transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, receives data transmitted from the second underwater device, and receives received data A first laser transceiver that detects a direction with good sensitivity, and a transmission direction control that transmits transmission direction control data corresponding to the direction with good reception sensitivity detected by the first laser transceiver to the second underwater device. A data transmitter and a control unit for controlling the data to be transmitted by the first laser transceiver and causing the transmission direction control data transmitter to transmit the transmission direction control data;
The second underwater equipment is provided with a second laser transceiver for transmitting and receiving direction moving data should be transmitted and received, a transmission direction control data receiver for receiving a transmission direction control data from said transmission direction control data transmitter, wherein Control the transmission direction of data to be transmitted from the second laser transceiver based on the transmission direction control data received by the transmission direction control data receiver ,
An underwater communication system, wherein the color of the laser light signal to be used is changed according to underwater conditions for performing communication. An underwater communication system for transmitting and receiving data to be transmitted and received between a first underwater device and a second underwater device as a laser light signal,
The first underwater device transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal to the second underwater device, and receives data transmitted from the second underwater device as a laser light signal. One laser transceiver, a first transmission / reception direction control data transceiver that receives transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device and transmits its own positional information data, and is movable in the transmission / reception direction, and the transmission / reception A first control unit that receives direction control data and controls the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and controls data to be transmitted;
The second underwater device receives a laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transceiver, transmits a data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, and the first underwater device; A second transmission / reception direction control data transmitter / receiver for transmitting the transmission / reception direction control data to the first underwater device and receiving the position information data transmitted from the device; and the first transmission device transmitted from the first underwater device. While receiving position information data and controlling the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transmitter / receiver, comprising a second control unit for controlling data to be transmitted ,
An underwater communication system, wherein the color of the laser light signal to be used is changed according to underwater conditions for performing communication. An underwater communication system that transmits and receives data to be transmitted and received as a laser light signal between a first underwater device and a second underwater device,
The first underwater device transmits data to be transmitted to the second underwater device as a laser light signal, receives data transmitted from the second underwater device as a laser light signal, and further transmits its own position. A first laser transmitter / receiver that transmits / receives information data as laser light and receives transmission / reception direction control data transmitted from the second underwater device, and a transmission direction transmitted from the second underwater device. Comprising a first control unit for receiving control data and controlling the transmission / reception direction of the first laser transceiver and controlling data to be transmitted;
The second underwater device receives the laser light signal transmitted from the first laser transmitter / receiver, transmits data to be transmitted as a laser light signal, and is further transmitted / received to the first underwater device. A second laser transmitter / receiver movable in a transmission / reception direction for transmitting direction control data and receiving the position information data transmitted from the first underwater device, and the position information data transmitted from the first underwater device. And a second control unit for controlling the transmission / reception direction of the second laser transceiver and controlling data to be transmitted ,
An underwater communication system, wherein the color of the laser light signal to be used is changed according to underwater conditions for performing communication.   The underwater communication system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission direction control data is an acoustic signal.   The underwater communication system according to claim 1, wherein the transmission direction control data is a laser light signal. The underwater communication system according to claim 3, wherein the transmission / reception direction control data is an acoustic signal. The underwater communication system according to claim 4, wherein the transmission / reception direction control data is a laser light signal. The laser transmitter and laser receiver transmit and receive each other in a wide-angle range that allows the receiver to receive the laser beam, and the receiver detects the most sensitive direction. The underwater communication system according to claim 1, wherein the underwater communication system is determined as described above. The transmission direction and the reception direction of the first laser transmitter / receiver and the second laser transmitter / receiver irradiate laser light in a wide-angle range that allows the other laser transmitter to receive from one laser transmitter / receiver , The underwater communication system according to claim 3, wherein the underwater communication system is determined by detecting the most sensitive direction with the other laser transceiver. The control unit of the first underwater device outputs the data to be transmitted from the data processing unit to the laser transmitter so as to convert the data into a laser light signal suitable for communication. Underwater communication system. The control unit of the first underwater device outputs the data to be transmitted from the data processing unit to the first laser transceiver or the second laser transceiver in order to convert the data into a laser light signal suitable for communication. The underwater communication system according to claim 2. The first control unit and the second control unit are configured to convert the data to be transmitted from the data processing unit into a laser light signal suitable for communication. The underwater communication system according to claim 3, wherein the underwater communication system is output to a transceiver. The underwater communication system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data to be transmitted is image data captured by an imaging device provided in the first underwater device or compressed data of the image data. . The data to be transmitted is image data captured by an imaging device provided in the first underwater device and / or the second underwater device or compressed data of the image data. Item 5. The underwater communication system according to item 3 or 4. The underwater communication system according to claim 1, wherein the laser transmitter and / or the laser receiver is movable in a transmission direction or a reception direction by a movable optical lens connected thereto. 5. The underwater according to claim 2, wherein the first laser transceiver and / or the second laser transceiver is movable in a transmission / reception direction by a connected movable optical lens. Communications system. The underwater communication system according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the imaging device is controlled in direction by the transmission direction control data.

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