Diver communication system

Claim 2

A communications system, comprising in combination: a heterodyne transmitter for broadcasting a first signal within a first predetermined frequency range throughout a predetermined environmental medium; means connected to said transmitter for effecting the actuation thereof in response to a second signal within a second predetermined frequency range; a heterodyne receiver, having a pair of receiving channels, each of which includes a voltage controlled amplifier, contiguously disposed with said heterodyne receiver, for receiving signals within said first predetermined frequency range and heterodyning them back within said second frequency range; and means connected between the outputs and control inputs of the voltage controlled amplifiers of said pairs of receiving channels for regulating the respective amplifications thereof in proportion to the peak of the sum of the output signals from said voltage controlled amplifiers.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein said communication system is a binaural underwater communication system, and wherein said predetermined environmental medium is water.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1, wherein said communication system is a binaural underwater communication system, wherein said predetermined environmental medium is water, and wherein said second signal within a second predetermined frequency is a signal that is generated by and proportional to the sonic energy produced by the human voice.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1, wherein said heterodyne transmitter comprises: a microphone; a low pass filter connected to the output of said microphone; a balanced modulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to the output of said low pass filter; a normally closed gate having a data signal input, a control signal input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said balanced modulator, and with the control signal input thereof adapted for effecting the opening thereof in response to a control signal within a predetermined frequency range; a band pass filter connected to the output of said normally closed gate; and a transmitting transducer effectively connected to the output of said band pass filter.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1, wherein said heterodyne transmitter comprises: a microphone; a low pass filter connected to the output of said microphone; a balanced modulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to the output of said low pass filter; a normally closed gate having a data signal input, a control signal input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said balanced modulator, and with the control signal input thereof adapted for effecting the opening thereof in response to a control signal within a predetermined frequency range; a band pass filter connected to the output of said normally closed gate; a transmitting transducer effectively connected to the output of said band pass filter; and a local oscillator connected to the other input of said balanced modulator.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1, wherein said heterodyne transmitter comprises: a microphone; a low pass filter connected to the output of said microphone; a balanced modulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to the output of said low pass filter; a normally closed gate having a data signal input, a control signal input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said balanced modulator, and with the control signal input thereof adapted for effecting the opening thereof in response to a control signal within a predetermined frequency range; a band pass filter connected to the output of said normally closed gate; a transmitting transducer effectively connected to the output of said band pass filter; a local oscillator connected to the other input of said balanced modulator; and means effectively connected between the output of said low pass filter and the voltage control input of the aforesaid normally closed gate for effecting the opening thereof in response to the signal received from the output of said low pass filter.

Claim 8

The device of claim 1, wherein said heterodyne transmitter comprises: a microphone; a low pass filter connected to the output of said microphone; a balanced modulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof effectively connected to the output of said low pass filter; a normally closed gate having a data signal input, a control signal input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said balanced modulator, and with the control signal input thereof adapted for effecting the opening thereof in response to a control signal within a predetermined frequency range; a band pass filter connected to the output of said normally closed gate; a transmitting transducer effectively connected to the output of said band pass filter; and means effectively connected between the output of said low pass filter and the voltage control input of the aforesaid normally closed gate for effecting the opening thereof in response to the signal received from the output of said low pass filter.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1, wherein said means connected between the outputs and control inputs of the voltage control amplifiers of said pairs of receiving channels for regulating the respective amplifications thereof in proportion to the peak of the sum of the output signals from said voltage controlled amplifiers comprises: a summing amplifier having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said voltage controlled amplifiers; and a direct current peak detector connected between the output of said summing amplifier and the control inputs of said voltage control amplifiers.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 1, further characterized by a face mask means surrounding said communication system for the housing thereof therein when said face mask means is worn by a swimmer-diver.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 1, further characterized by a face mask means surrounding the transmitter and transmitter actuation means of said communication system for the housing thereof therein when said face mask means is worn by a swimmer-diver.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 1, further characterized by a local oscillator connected to said heterodyne transmitter and each of said pair of receiving channels of said heterodyne receiver for supplying a predetermined heterodying signal thereto.

Claim 13

The device of claim 1, wherein each of said pair of receiving channels of the aforesaid heterodyne receiver comprises: a receiving hydrophone; a band pass filter effectively connected to the output of said receiving hydrophone; a voltage controlled amplifier having a data signal input, a control input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said band pass filter, and with the control input responsive to a voltage control signal; a balanced demodulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said voltage controlled amplifier; a low pass filter connected to the output of said balanced demodulator; and an earphone effectively connected to the output of the aforesaid low pass filter.

Claim 14

The device of claim 12, wherein the hydrophones of said pair of receiving channels are physically disposed in such diametrically opposed manner as to be responsive to acoustical energy arriving thereat from predominantlY opposite directions.

Claim 15

The device of claim 12, wherein the hydrophones of said pair of receiving channels are physically disposed in such manner as to be responsive to acoustical energy arriving thereat from within similar oppositely directed cardioid response patterns.

Claim 16

An underwater communication system, comprising in combination: a microphone; a first low pass filter connected to the output of said microphone; a first preamplifier connected to the output of said low pass filter; a balanced modulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said first preamplifier; a gate having a data signal input, a control input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said balanced modulator; a voice operated switch connected between the output of the aforesaid first preamplifier and the control input of said gate; a first band pass filter connected to the output of said gate a first power amplifier connected to the output of said first band pass filter; a transmitting transducer connected to the output of said first power amplifier; a first hydrophone; a second preamplifier connected to the output of said hydrophone; a second band pass filter connected to the output of said second preamplifier; a first voltage controlled amplifier having a data signal input, a control input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said second band pass filter; a first balanced demodulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said first voltage controlled amplifier; a second low pass filter connected to the output of said first balanced demodulator; a second power amplifier connected to the output of said second low pass filter; a first earphone connected to the output of said second power amplifier; a second hydrophone; a third preamplifier connected to the output of said second hydrophone; a third band pass filter connected to the output of said third preamplifier; a second voltage controlled amplifier having a data signal input, a control input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said third band pass filter; a second balanced demodulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said second voltage controlled amplifier; a third low pass filter connected to the output of said second balanced demodulator; a third power amplifier connected to the output of said third low pass filter; a second earphone connected to the output of said third power amplifier; an oscillator connected to the other inputs of said first and second balanced demodulators and the aforesaid balanced modulator; a summing amplifier having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second voltage controlled amplifiers; and a direct current voltage peak detector having an input and an output, with the input thereof connected to the output of said summing amplifier, and with the output thereof connected to the control inputs of the aforesaid first and second voltage controlled amplifiers.

Claim 17

An underwater communication system, comprising in combination: a microphone; a first low pass filter connected to the output of said microphone; a first preamplifier connected to the output of said low pass filter; a balanced modulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said first preamplifier; a gate having a data signal input, a control input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said balanced modulator; a voice operated switch connected between the output of the aforesaid first preamplifier and the control input of said gate; a first band pass filter connected to the output of said gate a first power amplifier connected to the output of said first band pass filter; a transmitting transducer connected to the output of said first power amplifier; a first hydrophone; a second preamplifier connected to the output of said hydrophone; a second band pass filter connected to the output of said second preamplifier; a first voltage controlled amplifier having a data signal input, a control input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said second band pass filter; a first balanced demodulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said first voltage controlled amplifier; a second low pass filter connected to the output of said first balanced demodulator; a second power amplifier connected to the output of said second low pass filter; a first earphone connected to the output of said second power amplifier; a second hydrophone; a third preamplifier connected to the output of said second hydrophone; a third band pass filter connected to the output of said third preamplifier; a second voltage controlled amplifier having a data signal input, a control input, and an output, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said third band pass filter; a second balanced demodulator having a pair of inputs and an output, with one of the inputs thereof connected to the output of said second voltage controlled amplifier; a third low pass filter connected to the output of said second balanced demodulator; a third power amplifier connected to the output of said third low pass filter; a second earphone connected to the output of said third power amplifier; an oscillator connected to the other inputs of said first and second balanced demodulators and the aforesaid balanced modulator; a summing amplifier having a pair of inputs and an output, with the inputs thereof respectively connected to the outputs of said first and second voltage controlled amplifiers; and a direct current voltage peak detector having an input and an output, with the input thereof connected to the output of said summing amplifier, and with the output thereof connected to the control inputs of the aforesaid first and second voltage controlled amplifiers.

Claim 18

The invention of claim 15, further characterized by means for housing said underwater communication system in a waterproof manner and in contiguous disposition with the mouth and ears of an underwater swimmer-diver.