Mockup, mockup system, underwater vessel or sinker, together with a transfer mechanism, vessel and training method

Abstract

The invention relates to a mockup with an optical transmission path, which optically connects the optical entrance to the optical exit, wherein an optical attenuator is arranged in the optical transmission path, wherein an optical condition of the transmission path is adjusted by means of the optical attenuator so that an optical transmission behavior of a wound optical fiber is simulated. The invention also relates to a mockup system, underwater vessel and/or sinker, a transfer mechanism, and a vessel, together with a training method with a mockup, which is deployed in an underwater vessel and/or in a sinker.

Claims

1. A mockup for simulating optical transmission behavior of a wound fiber-optic cable comprising an optical entrance, an optical exit and an optical transmission path, which optically connects the optical entrance with the optical exit, an optical attenuator arranged in the optical transmission path, wherein an optical condition of the transmission path is adjusted by means of the optical attenuator so that an optical transmission behavior of a wound fiber-optic cable is simulated.

2. The mockup according to claim 1, wherein the optical transmission path features a partial or complete fiber-optic cable.

3. The mockup according to claim 2, wherein the mockup further comprises strain relief elements for the fiber-optic cable.

4. The mockup according to claim 1, wherein the attenuator comprises an active attenuator, a passive attenuator, or both an active attenuator and a passive attenuator.

5. The mockup according to claim 4, wherein the attenuator comprises a passive attenuator, and the optical condition is adjusted by means of the passive attenuator by: (a) changing a refractive index, a light absorption, or a light diffusion, or a combination of any thereof; (b) stipulating a number of modes; (c) changing a critical angle in a fiber-optic cable; or a combination of any thereof.

6. The mockup according to claim 4, wherein the attenuator comprises a passive attenuator having (i), (ii), or a combination of any thereof, wherein (i) features a material or multiple materials, which (a) have a refractive index, (b) absorb light, or (c) scatter light, or a combination of any thereof; and (ii) is an optical filter, optionally a gray scale optical filter.

7. The mockup according to claim 4, wherein the attenuator comprises an active attenuator having an optical receiver, an electronic circuit and an optical transmitter, wherein the optical receiver, the optical transmitter and the electronic cables are arranged so that a coupled optical signal is measured at the optical entrance and an optical signal to be transmitted is determined by the electronic circuit, based on the measured optical signal, wherein the optical signal to be transmitted is transmitted by the optical transmitter.

8. The mockup according to claim 1, wherein the mockup is connected to a connecting fiber-optic cable or to multiple connecting fiber-optic cables.

9. A mockup system comprising a first mockup and a second mockup, wherein the mockups are connected via a fiber-optic cable and at least one of the mockups or both the first and the second mockups is a mockup according to claim 1.

10. A mockup system according to claim 9, wherein the fiber-optic cable has a connection plug.

11. An underwater vessel and/or sinker, wherein the underwater vessel has one mockup according to claim 1, or the sinker has one mockup according to claim 1, or the underwater vessel has one mockup according to claim 1 and the sinker has one mockup according to claim 1.

12. A transfer mechanism having a mockup system or multiple mockup systems according to claim 9.

13. A vessel having a transfer mechanism according to claim 12.

14. A training method with a mockup according to claim 1, wherein said training method the mockup is utilized in an underwater vessel, a sinker, or in both an underwater vessel and a sinker.

15. The training method according to claim 14, wherein the training method includes the steps of transferring the underwater vessel, the sinker, or both the underwater vessel and the sinker into a body of water; and optionally thereafter recovering the underwater vessel, the sinker or both the underwater vessel and the sinker.

16. The training method according to claim 14, wherein the training method further comprises removing a spool with a wound fiber-optic cable beforehand from the underwater vessel, the sinker, or from the underwater vessel and from the sinker.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is outlined in more detail in the following by reference to exemplary embodiments. It shows

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic representation of a wound optical fiber reel in a cartridge according to the prior art,

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic representation of a first mockup of the cartridge with a gray scale introduced into an optical transmission path,

(4) FIG. 3 a schematic representation of a second mockup of the cartridge with an electronic circuit,

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic representation of a mockup system with two mockups and a connecting cable and

(6) FIG. 5 a schematic representation of a transfer system on board a ship with a sinker, an underwater vessel and a mockup system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) In FIG. 1, a cartridge 101 according to the prior art has a spool with the cross-wound glass fiber cable 106 with an optical entrance connector 103 and an optical exit connector 105. The wound glass fiber cable 106, which forms the optical transmission path 104 over its length, is arranged between the optical entrance connector 103 and the optical exit connector 105.

(8) FIGS. 2-5, as further discussed below, illustrate aspects of the present inventions.

(9) In use, a light signal 102 with a data stream enters the glass fiber cable 106 via the optical entrance connector 103, is attenuated on transmission through the glass fiber cable 106 and exits again at the optical exit connector 105.

(10) A mockup 207 has a cartridge 201, which is structurally identical to the cartridge 101 of the wound glass fiber cable 106. The light (signal) 202 with a data stream enters a synthetic fiber cable 208 via the optical entrance connector 203. The synthetic fiber cable 208 forms the entire optical transmission path 204 between the optical entrance connector 203 and the optical exit connector 205, which are both structurally identical to the optical entrance connector 103 and optical exit connector 105. A gray scale 206 is arranged in the center of the synthetic fiber cable 208, which attenuates the light intensity. The attenuated light exits at the optical exit connector 205.

(11) The cartridge 201 is deployed in an unmanned underwater vessel. A light signal 202 is injected for a functional test. The gray scale 206 in the synthetic fiber cable 208 is inserted so that the intensity of the attenuated light exiting at the optical exit connector 205 is consistent with the intensity of the light, which exits at the optical exit connector 105 of the wound glass fiber cable 106. Hence, the mockup 207 simulates the wound glass fiber cable 106.

(12) Another mockup 307 has a cartridge 301. The light 302 entering via the optical entrance connector 303 strikes a photodiode 308. From this, an electronic cable 310 leads to an electronic circuit 311, which is connected to another electronic cable 312 with a light-emitting diode 309. The light-emitting diode 309 emits light to the optical exit connector 305.

(13) After the optical entrance connector 303, the irradiation intensity of the light entering 302 is measured. As an optical receiver, the photodiode 308 converts the light into an electronic (measuring) signal, which is conveyed to the electronic circuit 311 via the electronic cable 310. Based on the measured irradiation intensity of the optical signal, the electronic circuit 311 determines an electronic signal to be emitted, which is conducted via the electronic cable 312 to the light-emitting diode 309 as an optical transmitter. The light-emitting diode 309 converts the electronic signal into an optical signal, which is emitted as light, via the optical exit connector 305.

(14) In one application, a cartridge 101 has been removed from the stern of a remotely controlled underwater vessel and, in place of this, the cartridge 301 with the mockup 307 is inserted. A light signal 302 is coupled in between a surface vessel and the remotely controlled underwater vessel, to test the data cable. In actual operation (with the cartridge 101), the intensity of the light between the optical entrance connector 103 and the optical exit connector 105 is decreased by 20% by the wound glass fiber cable 106. For this reason, the electronic circuit 311 in the mockup 307 adjusts the light intensity so that the intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitting diode 309 at the optical exit connector 305 is also reduced by 20%.

(15) Following this functional test, a data signal from a programmable logic controller is injected via the mockup 307, which starts up the drive of the remotely controlled underwater vessel for test operation.

(16) A mockup system 427 has a first mockup 407 in a sinker 411, a connecting glass fiber cable 413 and a second mockup 419 in an underwater vessel 426.

(17) By means of a launching cable 409, the light signal 402 enters the mockup 407 of the sinker 411 through a cable connector 408 and an optical entrance connector 403. The light is conducted by the glass fiber cable 410, which forms the overall optical transmission path 404 of the mockup 407. An infrared filter 406 is located in the center of the glass fiber cable. The filtered light leaves the mockup 407 via the optical exit connector 405 and enters the connecting glass fiber cable 413 via a cable connector 412. Two connection plugs 414 and 415 are located in the center of the connecting glass fiber cable 413. The light enters the optical entrance connector 417 in the mockup 419 via the cable connector 416 of the connecting glass fiber cable 413. The mockup 419 has a cartridge 420, located in the stern of an underwater vessel 426. A glass fiber cable 421 is installed between the optical entrance connector 417 and the optical exit connector 423, which forms the optical transmission path 418 and is longer than the direct, shortest route between the optical entrance connector 417 and the optical exit connector 423.

(18) The attenuation takes place by the fluorine-doped glass fiber cable 421 in the mockup 419. The glass fiber cable 421 is equipped with strain relief elements 422. The attenuated light then leaves the mockup 419 via the optical exit connector 423 and enters the glass fiber cable 425 of the underwater vessel 426 via the cable connector 424.

(19) In a training session, the light from the launching cable 402 is initially attenuated in the mockup 407 after the transfer for the functional test and is then transmitted into the mockup 419 of the underwater vessel 426 via the connecting glass fiber cable 413, by which the light is again attenuated.

(20) Following the functional test, a launch signal 402 is conveyed to the underwater vessel 426 via the mockup system 427. Due to the strain relief elements 422, the glass fiber cable 421 in the mockup 419 is designed in a high-tensile manner. If the tension due to the drive of the underwater vessel 426 is too great in the test operation, the connection plugs 414 and 415 of the connecting glass fiber cable disengage. As a result, the two mockups 407 and 419 are not damaged and can be used again after the underwater vessel and the sinker have been recovered. In an alternative, the connection plugs 414 and 415 disengage under intense force, without triggering the launch of the underwater vessel 426.

(21) A transfer mechanism 501 has a transport and launching mechanism 503 on a ship 502, a mockup system 516, a sinker 509 and an underwater mobile unit 511.

(22) The transfer mechanism 501 is equipped with a crane 505, which has a lifting cradle 506. An underwater mobile unit 511 is transferred into a body of water 517 using this. At the same time, the lifting cradle 506 is kept at a distance by the control line 507 in order to prevent it from hitting against the ship 502.

(23) The underwater mobile unit 511 is lowered into the water 517, together with the sinker 509. The sinker 509 is connected to the launching cable 508. The sinker incorporates a mockup 510, which is also connected to a second mockup 512 of the underwater mobile unit 511 via the connecting glass fiber cable 513.

(24) Together with the connecting cable 513 and the mockup 512 in the underwater mobile unit 511, the mockup 510 in the sinker 509 constitutes a mockup system 516.

(25) For training in the transfer procedure, the underwater mobile unit 511, together with the sinker 509, is lowered into the water by the crane 505 and the lifting cradle 506. The operating personnel trains in transfers by means of the control device 504. The mockup 510 in the sinker 509 and the mockup 512 in the underwater mobile unit 511 are used for functional tests of the data transfer. After the training, the connecting glass fiber cable 513 is released at the connection plugs 514 and 515. The underwater mobile unit 511 and the sinker 509 are recovered. The mockup 510 and the mockup 512 are removed and are replaced by wound glass fiber cable spools for actual operation.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(26) 101, 201, 301 Cartridge 102, 202, 302 Light 103, 203, 303 Optical entrance connector 104, 204, 304 Optical transmission path 105, 205, 305 Optical exit connector 106 Wound glass fiber cable 206 Gray scale 207, 307 Mockup 208 Plastic fiber cable 308 Photodiode 309 Light-emitting diode 310 Electronic cable 311 Electronic circuit 312 Electronic cable 401 Cartridge 402 Light from launching cable 403 Optical entrance connector 404 Optical transmission path 405 Optical exit connector 406 Infrared Filter 407 Mockup 408 Cable connector 409 Starter cable 410 Glass fiber cable 411 Sinker 412 Cable connector 413 Connecting glass fiber cable 414 Connection plug 415 Connection plug 416 Cable connector 417 Optical entrance connector 418 Optical transmission path 419 Mockup 420 Cartridge 421 Glass fiber cable 422 Strain relief elements 423 Optical exit connector 424 Cable connector 425 Glass fiber cable 426 Underwater vessel 427 Mockup system 501 Transfer mechanism 502 Ship 503 Transport and launching mechanism 504 Control device 505 Crane 506 Lifting cradle 507 Control line 508 Launching cable 509 Sinker 510 Mockup 511 Underwater mobile unit 512 Mockup 513 Connecting glass fiber cable 514 Connection plug 515 Connection plug 516 Mockup system 517 Water