Optical Transceiver Coupling for Sewer Inspection Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional data transmission systems for sewer inspection and maintenance systems face challenges in achieving high bandwidths while maintaining robustness and signal integrity, especially due to limited plug contacts and requirements for explosion protection.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing optical transceiver devices integrated into coupling elements that allow for bidirectional optical data transmission between components, enabling high bandwidth data transfer while also facilitating the transmission of electrical energy, and allowing for rotational mechanical coupling without affecting the data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional plug contacts or slip rings are used for data transmission, then the connection is mechanically robust, but the bandwidth is limited and signal integrity deteriorates at high data rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical electrical contact system (plug contacts or slip rings) with an optical transmission system. Light guides transmit data optically between the camera module and feed unit, eliminating the need for electrical plug contacts. This substitution enables high bandwidth data transmission (supporting 4k camera modules at 12 Gbit/s and higher) while maintaining mechanical connection robustness through the physical coupling of the light guide assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the transmission medium parameter from electrical conductors to optical waveguides. By using light instead of electrical signals through plug contacts, the system achieves significantly higher bandwidth capacity while maintaining signal integrity over the transmission path, resolving the contradiction between connection robustness and data transmission capability.
2Productivity
If digital interfaces with high bandwidth requirements are used, then data transmission capacity increases, but connector complexity and air/creepage distance requirements increase, negatively affecting signal integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex electrical connectors required for high-speed digital interfaces with a simplified optical coupling mechanism. The light guide assembly with its coupling element eliminates the need for complex coaxial or twisted pair connectors, air gaps, and creepage distance specifications, while supporting extremely high data transmission rates.
3Productivity
If data compression is applied before transmission to reduce bandwidth requirements, then transmission bandwidth requirements decrease, but processing power requirements increase, requiring space and cooling design
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of compressing data before transmission to reduce bandwidth needs (which requires adding processors), the patent inverts the approach by using optical transmission to provide sufficient bandwidth for uncompressed or lightly processed data. This eliminates the need for integrating processor modules, FPGAs, or associated cooling systems in the camera module, as the optical interface naturally supports the required data rates.
4Device complexity
If wireless transmission is used to eliminate physical connections, then mechanical complexity is reduced, but bandwidth is limited and signal integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes wireless electromagnetic transmission with optical waveguide transmission through physical coupling. The light guide provides a dedicated optical path between components, achieving high bandwidth (comparable to wired electrical connections) while maintaining mechanical simplicity through a single integrated coupling element that aligns optical paths without complex electrical connector assemblies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high bandwidth data transmission efficiently and robustly, eliminating the need for complex slip rings and allowing for compact, gas- and fluid-tight designs, which enhances signal integrity and operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
the two transceiver devices are each adapted to carry out an optical data transmission between them
Implementation Method 2
the two electrical interfaces are adapted to carry out the transmission of electrical energy on an inductive basis
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided for data transmission between a first component and a second component of a channel inspection and/or maintenance system, wherein coupling elements of the components can be connected to one another in such a way that, when the coupling elements are connected to one another, transceiver devices comprised by the two coupling elements can be operatively coupled, and wherein the two transceiver devices are each adapted to carry out an optical data transmission between them.