Patent ID: 8340526

Claim:
A reconfigurable, long-range, underwater data-communication network comprising, a cabled ocean observatory, deployed underwater and connected to a surface buoy, a plurality of removable underwater sensors, disposed at underwater locations at distances greater than 10 km from the cabled ocean observatory; a plurality of fiber optic cables, having a protective covering capable of guarding against corrosion and damage, for linking the cabled ocean observatory to the plurality of underwater sensors, wherein each fiber optic cable is at least 10 km long; and a plurality of fiber optic extension modules, including a first module and a second module, each module permanently connected to one end of each of the plurality of fiber optic cables, and each module comprising an optical transceiver, and a power supply, wherein the first module includes a first inductive unit for removably coupling a first one of the plurality of sensors to a first one of the fiber optic cables, and wherein the second module includes a second inductive unit for removably coupling the cabled ocean observatory to the first one of the fiber optic cables.