Communication link between moving bodies

Apparatus for providing a data-link between a first moving body to be controlled via control data and a second moving body for controlling the first moving body in response to sensed motion data, the apparatus comprising elements:

• (a) at least one continuous strand of data-carrying optical fiber;
• (b) a first fiber bobbin carried by said first moving body;
• (c) a second fiber bobbin carried by said second moving body, respective parts of said continuous optical fiber strand being wound on each of said first and second fiber bobbins, the winding direction on said first bobbin being opposite the winding direction on said second bobbin, and an unwound fiber strand part interconnecting said first and second bobbins;
• (d) means for deploying said wound optical fiber strand from each of said first and second bobbins during relative separation motion between said first and second bodies;
• (e) first and second data input/output means respectively carried by said first and second moving bodies and being operatively connected to the respective optical fiber strand portions remaining on said first and second fiber bobbins during deployment;
• (f) means for controlling the motion of said first moving body in response to control data, said motion controlling means being carried by said first body, being operatively connected to said first input/output means, and being responsive to control data transmitted from said second body;
• (g) means for sensing motion of said first moving body and generating sensed motion data, said motion sensing means being carried by said first body and being operatively connected to said first input/output means;
• and
• (h) controller means responsive to said sensed motion data for generating control data, said controller means being carried by said second moving body and being operatively connected to said second input/output means.

A method for providing data communication between two moving bodies, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous strand of data-carrying fiber respective parts of which are wound on each of two separate bobbins, one of the bobbins being carried by each of the two bodies, and an unwound part of the fiber strand interconnecting the bobbins;
• deploying wound fiber simultaneously from each of the two bobbins during relative separating motion between the two bodies, the fiber strand continuing to interconnect the bobbins during said deploying step;
• and
• communicating with the unwound portions of fiber strand remaining on each of the bobbins during deployment, said communicating step including the step of transmitting data to the unwound fiber strand portion on at least one of the bobbins and receiving the transmitted data from the unwound fiber strand portion on the other bobbin.

Apparatus for deploying optical fiber from a moving platform such as a helicopter, comprising:

• a housing carried by the platform and having a relief formed in a housing surface facing outwardly from the platform;
• a bobbin pre-wound with optical fiber, said bobbin having a preferred deployment axis;
• and
• means for attaching said bobbin to said housing in said relief, said bobbin deployment axis extending outwardly from said relief and being movable along with each bobbin by said attaching means within a predetermined conical sector.