UV Undersea Communication System Mitigating Signal Attenuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Underwater acoustic communication systems face significant challenges due to factors like multipath propagation, signal attenuation, and low data rates, limiting communication distance and reliability.
Innovation Solution
The use of ultraviolet (UV) light for extended range communication systems in water, employing UV encoder and decoder blocks, wave front optical components, and isotropic transmitter and receiver clusters to mitigate absorption and scattering, enabling data transmission at higher rates and longer distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acoustic waves are used for underwater communication, then communication can be established in water, but communication distance is limited to about 200 meters and data rates are limited to 10 kbps or less
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces acoustic wave transmission (mechanical wave) with optical wave transmission (electromagnetic wave) for underwater communication. This substitution enables communication distances exceeding 1 km and data rates of 1 megabit or higher, fundamentally overcoming the distance and speed limitations of acoustic-based systems while maintaining reliable communication in the underwater environment
2Reliability
If acoustic waves are used for underwater communication, then communication can be established, but signal attenuation is strong especially over long ranges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental transmission parameter from acoustic frequency to optical wavelength (blue-green region of electromagnetic spectrum). This parameter change exploits the optical window in water where absorption is minimized, dramatically reducing signal attenuation over long distances compared to acoustic wave transmission
3Ease of operation
If electromagnetic waves in blue-green region are used for underwater communication, then wireless communication can be provided, but signal attenuation is high in the 535 nanometer region
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting specific wavelengths within the blue-green region (450-550 nanometers) where water absorption is minimized. Rather than using the entire electromagnetic spectrum, the system focuses on the optimal optical window in water, creating a localized frequency band with superior transmission characteristics and reduced attenuation
4Reliability
If acoustic waves are used for underwater communication, then communication can be established, but multipath propagation and time variations of the communications channel occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces acoustic wave transmission with optical wave transmission, which fundamentally changes the propagation characteristics. Optical waves in water experience less multipath propagation and channel variation compared to acoustic waves, resulting in a more stable communication channel with reduced distortion and improved reliability
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
This approach allows for reliable underwater communication over ranges exceeding 1 km at data rates of 1 megabit or higher with a low bit error rate, overcoming traditional limitations of acoustic and electromagnetic wave transmission.
Implementation Method 1
The wave front optical component employs refraction compensation to mitigate absorption and scattering of the output beam in a liquid medium
Implementation Method 2
A transmitter includes an ultraviolet (UV) encoder conversion block that receives network data from a network interface to generate a conversion output. The UV encoder conversion block converts the network data to a modulated signal that drives a plurality of multi-spectrum sources to generate the conversion output
Implementation Method 3
An isotropic transmitter cluster transmits the output beam received from the wave front optical component as photon energy in the liquid medium
Implementation Method 4
The isotropic receiver cluster includes at least two receiving nodes to facilitate reception of the photon energy from a plurality of directions in the liquid medium
Implementation Method 5
The photon receiver includes a multi-spectrum discriminator to filter and separate the received photon energy into individual spectrum bands
Data Source
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AI summary
A transmitter includes an ultraviolet (UV) encoder conversion block that receives network data from a network interface to generate a conversion output. The UV conversion block converts the network data to a modulated signal that drives a plurality of multi-spectrum sources to generate the conversion output. A wave front optical component receives the conversion output from the UV conversion block and generates an output beam. The wave front optical component employs refraction compensation to mitigate absorption and scattering of the output beam in a liquid medium. An isotropic transmitter cluster transmits the output beam received from the wave front optical component as photon energy in the liquid medium. The isotropic transmitter cluster includes at least two transmitting nodes to facilitate transmission of the photon energy in a plurality of directions in the liquid medium.