WO2012079559A2

WO2012079559A2 - Transmitting device

Info

Publication number: WO2012079559A2
Application number: PCT/DE2011/002053
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jürgen Rudolph; Ivor Nissen
Original assignee: L-3 Communications Elac Nautik Gmbh
Priority date: 2010-12-07
Filing date: 2011-12-01
Publication date: 2012-06-21
Also published as: EP2648969A2; EP2648969B1; WO2012079559A3; DE102010053614A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a transmitting device (1), consisting of a driving body (2) and a towed body (3), which are both connected to a connecting cable (4), wherein the driving body (2) has means for terrestrial communication (5) and for satellite navigation (6) and means for supplying energy (7), the towed body (3) has means for generating signals in water and means (S) for receiving signals in water (9), and the connecting cable (4) has means for transmitting data (10), wherein the driving body (2) has means for moving (11) both on water and in water and at least one control and evaluating electronics unit (12) and means for exchanging data (13) with the control and evaluating electronics unit (12), and the transmitting device has means for sinking and surfacing (14) in the water and means for measuring depth (15).

Description

The invention relates to a transmission device for transmitting signals from the underwater region to the overwater region and vice versa.

Above-water underwater communication is particularly important in the military sector. Conceivable are scenarios such as the communication between submarines and surface units or even divers who need to be dropped off and communicate with ships. In these special applications, transmission devices for transmission from the underwater area to the overwater area and vice versa must not only have a pure gateway function, but also tactically adapt to different application scenarios.

From EP 0 291 041 B1 a sea buoy is known which serves as a bidirectional relay station between an underwater capsule emitting and receiving ultrasonic signals

Ground station on the mainland serves. The sea buoy has an acoustic transmitter to transmit commands to the underwater capsule and a hydrophone to receive acoustic signals from the underwater capsule. Here, the underwater capsule is either deposited on the seabed, introduced into the sediments on the seabed or suspended in the water. The sea buoy floats on the water surface and must be mechanically anchored to avoid drifting. From DE 94 00 691 U1 a transmission device for transmitting radio signals between a mobile underwater station and a headwater station is known in which an underwater signal generator and / or signal receiver is coupled by means of a waterproof flexible cable with a transmitting and or receiving device, which in a free-floating movable buoy is arranged. Through currents, tides or wind, the buoy drifts out of the initially deliberately chosen exposure location. The invention is based on the object to provide a transmission device for transmitting signals from the underwater area in the over-water area, which independently holds their position and is self-sufficient over a longer period of time. This object is achieved by the transmission device having the features of claim 1. The subclaims reflect advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The basic idea of the invention is inter alia to form the transmission device of a drive body and a towed body, which are both connected to each other by a connecting cable. In this case, the drive body means for terrestrial

Communication and satellite navigation. The arrangement to terrestrial

Communication of suitable transmitting and receiving means, such as antennas, allows the transmitting device to maintain a radio link to ships, aircraft, satellites or land-based facilities. Satellite navigation takes place via a known satellite navigation transmitting and / or receiving device, such as a GPS

Transmitter-receiver. Advantageously, the transmission device uses the satellite navigation transmitting and / or receiving device for its own position determination and navigation.

An energy supply allows a self-sufficient use of the transmission device over a longer period. Energy supply means may in a specific embodiment also include means for obtaining electrical energy from solar or other forms of energy.

The towed body is located below the water surface and therefore has means for signal generation in the water and means for signal reception in the water. This is done regularly by hydrophones or probes. Means for signal generation in the water and means for

Signal reception in the water may, in a specific embodiment, also include amplification and coding means which convert acoustic signals into digital signals. One

Data transmission cable ensures the exchange of data between both bodies and serves

fiction, according to the energy supply of the towed body.

The drive body has means for locomotion both on the water and in the water and at least one control and an evaluation and means for data exchange with the Control and evaluation electronics: on. The drive body can thus act as an autonomous unmanned surface and underwater vehicle. In conjunction with the navigation capability, it is thus possible to correct any drift and to keep the position of the transmission unit. It is also possible to drive to various locations and to remain there. The drive body no longer needs to be anchored time consuming and noisy at the place of use and is no longer affected by sea conditions, wind or tides in its effect, since he can correct his position at any time.

Advantageously, the transmission device has means for sinking and emergence in the water and means for depth measurement. This allows the transfer device to operate both above and below the water surface. The transmission device can sink to the seabed and thus bridge, for example, bad weather periods. It is also possible to perform either position corrections or the actual approach to the place of work under water. Advantageously, the influence of the swell is minimized, which also has a positive impact on energy consumption. In a special embodiment, the drive body tows the underwater body behind it. The connecting cable acts according to the invention equally as drag connection.

Furthermore, the transmission device has sensors for measuring the water temperature, the conductivity and / or the water pressure. From this density, salinity and / or

Water depth calculated grazing. The transmission device can thus the depth and

Determine the speed of sound and communicate when finding a speed of sound minimum in the Schalkanal over long distances. It is thus possible for a

Transfer function to determine optimal depth.

Advantageously, the anti-body on a receptacle, which can be flooded and in which a cable winder zui receiving the connection cable is arranged. According to the cable winder is designed as a coil and provided with a drive, so that the

Connection cable can be wound up and unwound. This results in the possibility of changing the length of the cable connection between the drive body and the towed body during operation and thus to adapt to a desired depth of use. At the end of an assignment the

Transmission device, for example, received by a ship, can advantageously be wound up the entire connection cable. Damage to the connection cable can thus be avoided. It is also possible during a mission the distance of

To change the towed body to the drive body and adapt operating conditions with respect to an optimal transmission depth. In an advantageous embodiment, the drive body and towed body have means for mutual coupling. During transport of the transfer device are

Drive body and towed body coupled together. So is, for example, a

Shipment by aircraft into a field of application possible. The transfer device can be dropped at the desired location in the coupled state and then decoupled automatically in or under water. Basically, the coupled form has the

Transmission device has the advantage that it can be spent in any conceivable way to the place of use or in the vicinity of the place of use. Here is a shipment directly from the mainland, ships, submarines or aircraft possible. Advantageously, the towed body in the coupled state with the drive body on a cavity which surrounds the receptacle of the drive body. This protects the cable winder and the data connection cable during transport or, for example, from being dropped from an aircraft. In a further advantageous embodiment, drive body and towed body on additional sensors such as turbidity meter, oxygen meter and / or acoustic flow meter. A use of the transmission device as an early warning system for

Natural disasters or even just to monitor or measure underwater data is thus possible.

In the following, various embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Showing:

Fig. 1 is a simplified representation of a transmission device;

Fig. 2a is a simplified plan view of the transfer device outside the

Destination;

2b is a simplified representation of the Übertragungsvomchtung in

Abtauchvorgang; Fig. 2c is a simplified representation of the transfer device in

Submarine ride;

Fig. 2d is a simplified representation of the transfer device in the emerged

Status; and

Fig. 3 is a simplified representation of the use of the transmission device.

Fig. 1 shows a possible embodiment of a transmission device 1 in a simplified representation. A drive body 2, which is designed as a pressure body, has means for terrestrial communication 5. By means of a radio antenna and a radio modem, which are not shown in detail in Figure 1, the transmission device can connect to surface water units, which are also not shown in Fig. 1 hold. Alternative to

Radio communication is also a communication via laser possible. In contrast to

High-frequency technology enables laser technology to transfer large amounts of data such as live video in real time.

By way of a GPS transmitter / receiver, shown in simplified form in FIG. 1 as means for satellite navigation 6, the drive body can determine its position. The drive body has its own power supply 7, with which a towed body 3 is supplied with energy via a connection cable 4. The towed body 3 acts as an acoustic transducer and therefore has a not shown in Fig. 1 acoustic modem.

The drive body has its own drive 11 with its own control 12, so that this, like an autonomous surface and underwater vehicle, can move autonomously above water and under water. Here is the use of a jet propulsion conceivable. A separate software allows the drive body 2 to evaluate all the determined data itself and either to hold a predetermined position or to drive to a predetermined position. In this case, the drive body 2 is able to respond to weather conditions and swell and also to submerge. 2a to 2d show the transmission device 1 in a simplified representation in a conceivable application scenario. In this case, Fig. 2a, the transfer device 1 floating as a plan view of the water. Furthermore, a possible target position 30 is shown as a cross. In this embodiment, around the target position 30 is a circle with a radius of 150 m exemplified. In this radius, the transmission device 1 should stay. For this purpose, the transmission device 1, after having been discontinued and having water contact, determines its position and travels to the possible destination 30. In the situation illustrated in Fig. 2a, the transmission device 1 is already out of the permissible range, the target position

drifts out and floats at a distance of 500 m to the target position 30

Transmission device 1 therefore travels back to the destination position 30.

In Fig. 2b, the immersion of the transfer device 1 is shown. Fig. 2c shows the

Transmission device on the way back to the target position 30. Drive body 2 and

Towing bodies 3 are decoupled, so that the drive body 2 pulls the towed body 3 behind it. The towed body 3 is therefore passive. It is also conceivable here to use wings on the towed body in order to adapt to the depth of the water. Has the transmission device reaches the original target position, the drive body 2 appears again and provides the

Radio connection restored. Fig. 2d shows the transfer device 1 in the emerged ready for use state. Depending on the depth of use, the length of the connecting cable 4 is released, so that the towed body 3 drops to the intended depth of use. The drive body 2 holds its positions against any drifting.

Depending on the sea state and weather and other influences, such as in conceivable military operations, a descent of the transmission device 1 on the seabed is possible. The transfer device 1 places himself with drive body 2 and towed body 3 on the seabed and can go into a time-defined sleep mode. The maximum depth is always dependent on the nature of the pressure hull. Fig. 3 shows the transmission device 1 in a simplified representation in operation.

The towed body 3, which is designed as a streamlined acoustic transducer hangs below the water surface under the drive body 2. The depth of use depends on

Application scenario. When using divers 23, for example, a depth of 15 m would be conceivable. The drive body 2 is located at the water surface. GPS and radio operation are recorded. If it is determined by the drive body 2 that it is located by drift from a predetermined radius of his place of use outside of a few hundred meters, he dives off and moves with the towed towed body 3 to the original position, emerges and begins again with the gateway functionality.

After a predetermined period of use, the transmission device 1 sets for a preset time on the seabed. The resting of the transfer device 1 on the seabed can also have tactical reasons. For example, it is conceivable that the

Transfer device 1 first dives after weaning on the seabed and then appears at the appropriate time and perceives their gateway function. It is always possible to bridge bad weather by diving and resting on the seabed. This is not shown in Fig. 3.

To record the transfer device emerges to the water surface, resumes operation or can be recovered via a pickup device, not shown in Fig. 3.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 transmission device

2 drive body

3 towed bodies

4 connection cable

5 means for terrestrial communication

6 means of satellite navigation

7 means of energy supply

8 Signal generation means in the water

9 Signal reception in water

10 means of data transfer

11 means of locomotion both on the water and in the water

12 control and evaluation electronics

13 means for data exchange with the control and evaluation electronics

14 Means to sink and emerge in the water

15 means for depth measurement

16.1 Sensors for measuring the water temperature

16.2 sensors for measuring water conductivity

16.3 Sensors for measuring the water pressure

17 receptacles

18 cable winder

19 Means of mutual coupling

20 cavity

21 means for automatic decoupling

22 sensors

23 divers

24 submarine

25 ship

26 aircraft

27 satellite

28 Establishment on the mainland

29 target position

Claims

1. transmission device (1), consisting of a drive body (2) and a

Towing body (3), both of which are connected to a connecting cable (4), wherein

- The drive body (2) means for terrestrial communication (5) and the

Satellite navigation (6) and means for supplying energy (7),

- The towed body (3) means for signal generation in the water and means (S) for

Signal received in the water (9),

- the connection cable (4) center] for data transmission (10), characterized in that

- The drive body (2) means for locomotion (11) both on the water and in the water, at least one control and an evaluation (12) and means for data exchange (13) with the control and evaluation electronics (12), and

- the transmission device means for sinking and emergence (14) in the water and means for depth measurement (15)

having.

2. Transmission device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the

Transmission device (1) Sensors for measuring the water temperature (16.1), the water conductivity (16.2) and the water pressure (16.3).

3. transmission device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drive body (2) has a receptacle (17) which can be flooded and in which a cable winder (18) for receiving the connecting cable (4) is.

4. Transmission device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the drive body (2) and the towed body (3) have means for mutual coupling (19).

5. Transmission device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the

Towing body (3) in the coupled state with the drive body (2) has a cavity (20) and encloses the receptacle (18) of the drive body (2).

6. Transfer device (1) according to one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the drive body (2) and the towed body (3) means for automatic

Have decoupling (21).

7. Transmission device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the drive body (2) and the towed body (3) sensors (22).