RU98660U1 - WIRELESS UNDERWATER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

 A wireless underwater communication system comprising a hydroacoustic communication channel including a surface transceiver telephone station and an underwater transceiver station, characterized in that the system further comprises an electromagnetic communication channel including a surface transmitter connected to an antenna and a microphone, and a receiver connected to an antenna and a telephone, which are placed inside the diving suit, while the antenna is made in the form of a flexible metal conductor and is covered with insulation from a dielectric, When in use, the diameter of the insulation is not more than 2 diameters of the conductor.

Description

A useful model of a wireless underwater communication system for fresh water relates to radio engineering, in particular to radio communication systems using a communication channel in the form of air and water.

In recent years, the volume of underwater engineering, including diving, has been significantly increased during the laying and repair of pipelines in fresh water. Therefore, it is necessary to have reliable underwater communication, which ensures efficiency in the exchange of information.

Currently, such communication is provided by wire communication using a four-wire line. Stable underwater communication is provided by the complete separation of microphone and telephone paths [1].

The electrical circuitry of the equipment should ensure a constant connection of the microphone communication line of the diver to the mode of voice transmission from the diver. Thanks to this, the personnel on board the vessel can continuously monitor the diver's well-being, as well as detect possible defects in the operation of his equipment by the nature of the noise from the working units [1, p. 112].

However, the presence of a wired connection limits the diver's range of activity, fetters his movement.

Known wireless underwater communication system SWL (Japan), based on the use of conduction currents. However, this system provides only simplex communication and is used only in seawater [1, p.209-211].

For wireless communication in fresh water, sonar communication can be used.

Progress in the development of sonar hardware has made it possible to create reliable and compact sonar telephone communication systems for divers.

Water is an excellent conductor of sound signals, which allows communication of divers at fairly large distances. The main components of the diver’s telephone sonar communication system are the surface unit of the descent manager, which performs the functions of a transceiver and the underwater unit (blocks), which performs the functions of a transceiver or only a receiver located on a diver. The initial message of the operator or diver, having the form of an acoustic signal of the acoustic range, is converted into a high-frequency sound signal having a special shape and is radiated into the water.

In the receiving device, the reverse sequence of the signal conversion occurs. Both surface and underwater units include an electronic module, a power source, a transceiver (or only a receiver) and a telephone-microphone headset.

A characteristic feature of hydroacoustic communication is that the main communication mode is simplex - one says, everyone else listens.

In a wireless underwater communication system, divers ’transceiver devices are constantly turned on for reception during operation, and for the time of transmission, which is carried out by command from a surface device, the device is manually switched using a return key [1, p. 210]. Thus, in the event of an emergency, the diver cannot interrupt the transmission from the surface device.

As an analogue, an underwater sonar communication system can be adopted, which contains a set of equipment from Ocean Texnology Sistems (OTS). The equipment provides simplex wireless communication of a surface object with a diver. The system includes a surface transceiver telephone station with a hydroacoustic antenna and an underwater transceiver station with a hydroacoustic antenna.

A disadvantage of the known system is simplex communication.

The objective of the utility model is duplex communication in fresh water.

This is achieved by the fact that in a wireless underwater communication system comprising a hydro-acoustic communication channel including a surface transceiver telephone station and an underwater transceiver station, according to the proposal, an electromagnetic communication channel including a surface transmitter connected to an air antenna and a microphone and a diver receiver is introduced, connected to the antenna and telephone, which are located inside the diving suit, while the antenna is made in the form of a flexible metal conductor and is covered zolyatsiey dielectric, wherein the insulation diameter of not more than 2 diameters of the conductor.

The essence of the invention lies in the fact that the proposed wireless underwater communication system containing a hydroacoustic communication channel is additionally equipped with an electromagnetic communication channel containing a surface transmitter with an air antenna and a diver receiver with an antenna and a telephone, which are placed in a diver's suit.

During operation, the diver’s sonar communication transmitter is constantly transmitting, which makes it possible to monitor the diver’s well-being and to detect possible defects in his equipment’s performance.

Information is transmitted to the diver via an electromagnetic communication channel. In case of poor communication via the electromagnetic communication channel, the diver gives the command “I will go to the reception” and receives information via the sonar communication channel.

The drawing shows a functional diagram of a wireless underwater communication system.

The system comprises a surface object 1, comprising a sonic transceiver 2 connected to a sonar antenna 3 located in an aqueous medium 4.

The composition of the surface object 1 includes an electromagnetic coupling transmitter 5 connected to an antenna 6 located in the air.

The underwater object 7 contains a diver’s wetsuit 7, a sonar transceiver 8 connected to a sonar antenna 9, a microphone 10 and a telephone 11. Inside the diver’s wetsuit 7, an electromagnetic coupling receiver 12 is connected to the electromagnetic coupling antenna 13 and telephone 14. An electromagnetic coupling antenna 13 is made in the form of a flexible metal conductor and is coated with dielectric insulation, the insulation diameter of not more than 2 diameters of the conductor [3].

The electromagnetic coupling receiver 12 is housed in a moisture-proof plastic housing, which is connected via connectors to the telephone and antenna.

Microphone 10, phones 11 and 14 are placed inside the diver's suit

During operation, the diver’s sonar communication transmitter is constantly transmitting, which makes it possible to monitor the diver’s well-being and to detect possible defects in his equipment’s performance.

Information is transmitted to the diver via an electromagnetic communication channel.

In case of poor communication via the electromagnetic communication channel, the diver gives the command “I will go to the reception” and receives information via the sonar communication channel.

For sonar communication can be applied, for example, devices for underwater sonar communication, manufactured by the American company Ocean Texnology Sistems (OTS). The equipment provides simplex wireless communication of a surface object with a diver. The system includes a surface transceiver telephone station with a hydroacoustic antenna and an underwater transceiver station with a hydroacoustic antenna.

For electromagnetic communication, devices for transmitting and receiving a telephone signal operating in the frequency range 1500-2000 kHz can be used.

The communication system operates as follows.

At the surface of the object 1 sonar antenna 3 is placed in the aquatic environment 4.

When conducting underwater work with a diver, the transceiver device of hydroacoustic communication 8 is included in the transmission. The electromagnetic communication receiver 12 is included in the reception.

At the surface of the object 1 transceiver sonar connection 2 is included to receive a signal from a diver. The maintenance staff at the facility continuously monitors the diver’s well-being, as well as the operation of his equipment according to the nature of the noise from operating units. To transmit information to the diver, the electromagnetic communication transmitter 5 is constantly turned on, while an electric signal is supplied to the emitting antenna 6 and through the aquatic environment enters the receiving antenna 10, and then to the input of the receiver 9.

An amplified electrical signal is sent to the telephone.

Thus, the proposed wireless communication system provides duplex communication between a diver and a surface object.

In case of unstable communication at the diver’s reception via the electromagnetic communication channel, the diver gives the command “I’m going to the reception” to the shore and switches the transceiver 9 to the reception. Under normal interference conditions, information is exchanged in the normal mode - information is transmitted to a surface object via a sonar channel, and information is transmitted to a diver through an electromagnetic channel. The presence of two types of communication eliminates interference, increases the reliability of communication, and increases the safety of underwater operations.

The technical result of the proposal is to provide duplex communication.

The proposed communication system can be used for diagnostic work on various pipelines running along the bottom of the rivers. When carrying out rescue operations on rivers and lakes by units of the Ministry of Emergencies.

Information sources:

1. N. A. Stoptsov et al. Communication under water. - L.,: Shipbuilding, 1990.

2. G.M.Sverdlin. Applied sonar. - L .: Shipbuilding, 1976.

Claims (1)

A wireless underwater communication system comprising a hydroacoustic communication channel including a surface transceiver telephone station and an underwater transceiver station, characterized in that the system further comprises an electromagnetic communication channel including a surface transmitter connected to the antenna and microphone, and a receiver connected to the antenna and telephone, which are placed inside the diving suit, while the antenna is made in the form of a flexible metal conductor and is covered with insulation from a dielectric, When in use, the diameter of the insulation is not more than 2 diameters of the conductor.