Patent ID: 7613074

Claim:
A system for communications from an in-air platform to a submerged platform in a water medium, said system comprising: a modulator positioned on the in-air platform above the water medium with said modulator capable of creating a communications signal for underwater propagation as part of a communication scheme; a laser positioned on the in-air platform and electronically connected to said modulator with said laser provided to send a pulsed laser beam in a non-linear regime with the laser beam containing the communications signal; a laser beam expander positioned on the on-air platform and within the path of the laser beam; a mirror positioned on the on-air platform between said laser beam expander and the water medium such that said mirror reflects the laser beam from said laser at an angle for the laser beam to impact the water medium substantially perpendicular to a surface of the water medium; a focusing lens positioned on the in-air platform between said mirror and the water medium and within the path of the pulsed laser beam such that said focusing lens is capable of producing a laser spot on the water medium with the pulsed laser beam; a telemetry receiver positioned in the water medium, said telemetry receiver including a sensor to detect oscillations within the water medium and a demodulator-decoder electronically connected to said sensor; wherein the laser beam is sent to the water medium by said laser at an air/water interface with the laser beam vaporizing and optically breaking-down a portion of the water medium and generating bubble oscillations measurable by said telemetry receiver proximate to the vaporized portion of the water medium such that the communications signal is recognized.