Data pod release system
A data pod release system includes a base frame with a mooring weight, a central column with one or more central pod attachments and an electronic pod, one or more data pod attachments, and one or more electrical connections. The electronic pod encases a master electronic underwater housing unit with master electronics to control the data pod release system. The one or more data pod attachments attach one or more data pods to the central column, have a data pod release mechanism, and include electrical connections from master electronics to each data pod attachment. The data pod release system also includes data pods, underwater housing units, electronic storage devices, and sensors. The data pods are attached to the base frame via the data pod attachment. Each underwater housing unit is encased in the data pod. Each electronic storage device is enclosed within the underwater housing unit.
1 . A data pod release system for long-term underwater data collection, comprising:
a base frame, wherein the base frame includes:
a mooring weight configured to maintain the base frame on a water body floor;
a central column with one or more central pod attachments, floating plates, and
an electronic pod with an electronic pod release mechanism,
wherein the electronic pod encases a master electronic underwater housing unit,
wherein the master electronic underwater housing unit contains master electronics configured to collect data from one or more sensors, store cumulative collected data, and control sequential release of one or more data pods;
one or more data pod attachments configured to releasably attach the one or more data pods to the base frame via respective data pod release mechanisms;
one or more electrical connections configured to connect each underwater housing unit with the master electronics within the master electronic underwater housing unit;
the one or more data pods attached to the base frame via the one or more data pod attachments, wherein each data pod of the one or more data pods includes a respective data pod release mechanism configured to release the data pod from the base frame, and a buoyancy element configured to cause the data pod to surface upon release;
one or more underwater housing units, wherein each underwater housing unit of the one or more underwater housing units is encased in a respective data pod of the one or more data pods and connected to the master electronics via the one or more electrical connections;
one or more electronic storage devices, wherein each electronic storage device of the one or more electronic storage devices is located within a respective underwater housing unit, connected to the master electronics via the electrical connections, and configured to store cumulative data collected by the data pod release system;
the one or more sensors configured to collect data and transfer the data to at least one of the master electronics, each underwater housing unit, or a combination thereof;
wherein the data pod release system is configured to operate such that upon release of a data pod from the base frame, the released data pod surfaces to a water body surface while the base frame with the master electronic underwater housing unit and any unreleased data pods remain deployed on the water body floor, wherein the electronic storage device in each released data pod contains cumulative data collected by the data pod release system from deployment up to a time of release of that data pod, and
wherein the master electronics continues to collect data and control release of remaining data pods after release of each data pod.
2 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , further including a microbial fuel cell attached to the base frame, wherein the microbial fuel cell is configured to provide continuous power to the master electronics to enable long-term deployment of the data pod release system.
3 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein the base frame is a neutrally buoyant material.
4 . The data pod release system of claim 2 , wherein the microbial fuel cell includes an anode, a cathode, and circuitry configured to harvest power that the microbial fuel cell generates.
5 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein the master electronic underwater housing unit is made of the same material as the one or more data pods.
6 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic pod release mechanism or the data pod release mechanism is a passive release mechanism, an active release mechanism, or a combination thereof.
7 . The data pod release system of claim 6 , wherein the active release mechanism is selected from an electrically-activated burn wire release mechanism triggered by at least one of a sensor input, a signal from the master electronics, or an acoustic signal from the water body surface.
8 . The data pod release system of claim 6 , wherein the passive release mechanism is a passive galvanic release mechanism or a timed-release mechanism.
9 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein the floating plates include buoy bags, syntactic foam, or a combination thereof.
10 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein the master electronics include a battery, one or more storage devices, sensors, energy harvesting or energy conversion electronics, and a digital controller configured to control the data pod release system.
11 . The data pod release system of claim 10 , wherein the digital controller is configured to control sequential release of the one or more data pods based on at least one of: a predetermined time schedule, a sensor input, or a signal from the water body surface.
12 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein the master electronics is configured to deploy in sleep mode and wake when the data pod release system rests on the water body floor.
13 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein each underwater housing unit includes a port that is an easy-release underwater connector rigidly mounted to the respective data pod, with a matching mate easy-release underwater connector mounted to the base frame, wherein the port is configured to disconnect upon release of the data pod from the base frame.
14 . The data pod release system of claim 1 , wherein each data pod and the respective electronics include at least one of a satellite tracking module or a satellite communication module configured to facilitate location of the data pod or electronic pod after surfacing.