US 11,952,082 B2
Covert data delivery system for sub-surface oceanographic moorings
James A. Cappellini, Falmouth, MA (US); William D. Watling, Rochester, MA (US); and Jeffrey A. Kinder, Venice, FL (US)
Assigned to Mooring Systems, Incorporated, Cataumet, MA (US)
Filed by Mooring Systems, Incorporated, Cataumet, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/500,144.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/204,565, filed on Oct. 13, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0111943 A1, Apr. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. B63B 22/28 (2006.01); B63B 21/50 (2006.01); B63B 22/04 (2006.01); B63B 22/06 (2006.01); B63B 22/08 (2006.01); B63B 22/12 (2006.01); B63B 22/24 (2006.01); B63G 8/00 (2006.01); B63G 8/24 (2006.01); H04B 1/40 (2015.01)
CPC B63B 22/28 (2013.01) [B63B 21/50 (2013.01); B63B 22/04 (2013.01); B63B 22/06 (2013.01); B63B 22/08 (2013.01); B63B 22/12 (2013.01); B63B 22/24 (2013.01); B63G 8/001 (2013.01); B63G 8/24 (2013.01); H04B 1/40 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for deploying a transmitter to a water surface from a sub-surface location, the system comprising:
a main vessel having a main vessel housing having a longitudinal axis and an inner chamber;
a sub-surface attachment point;
a bellhousing having an open end and a sealed end, wherein the bellhousing is disposed within the chamber of the main vessel housing and configured to retain air in its sealed end when the main vessel housing is oriented in the water column with the longitudinal axis substantially vertical such that the sealed end of the bellhousing is closed to the water surface than the open end;
a motorized payout-and-retrieval system disposed within the bellhousing for deploying and retracting a length of cable connecting the bellhousing to the sub-surface attachment point, wherein the cable comprises a jacketed wire rope and is operative as a data link connecting one or more sub-surface sensors to the main vessel;
a surface transmitter operative to transmit electromagnetic signals and coupled to the main vessel housing by an electromechanical (EM) cable, wherein the EM cable is operative to transfer signals from the main vessel to the surface transmitter; and
a system controller operative to control the motorized payout-and-retrieval system to raise and lower the main vessel within the water column from a first position in which the surface transmitter is below the water surface to a second position in which the surface transmitter is at the water surface.