Observations from below a rough water surface to determine conditions of or above the surface waves

A method for collecting above-water data, based upon optical observations made from a distance below the surface;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• from below the water surface, preliminarily observing through the water directly the respective light intensity of each of a large number of areas of the irregular water surface;
• based on the observed light intensity for each of the areas, preliminarily estimating surface-slope magnitudes and orientations for at least some of the areas;
• based on the observed light intensities and on the slope-magnitude and slope-orientation estimates, predicting a time and a limited water-surface region at which conditions will be particularly favorable for collecting above-water data;
• after the predicting step, from below the water surface applying the predictions to control selective observation, through the water directly, of the respective light intensity of each of a large number of areas of the irregular water surface in the predicted region at the predicted time.

A method for obtaining and using above-water-surface information, when the water surface is irregular, based upon optical observations made from a distance below the surface;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• from below the water surface, observing through the water directly the respective light intensity of each of a large number of areas of the irregular water surface;
• based on the observed light intensity for each of the areas, estimating surface-slope magnitudes and orientations for at least some of the areas;
• associating said respective light intensity with respective above-water elevation and azimuth, for said at least some areas, through use of the estimated surface-slope magnitudes and orientations;
• assembling the light-intensity information as a function of said elevation and azimuth, at least for selected areas, to form an above-water representation;
• and
• applying the representation to control a physical process selected from the group consisting of:
• selectively collecting and interpreting optical information from a portion of what is above the surface that includes an optical information source, to receive information from the source,
• based upon said representation, deciding whether to move from below the surface to the surface, and then moving or not moving from below the surface to the surface in accordance with said deciding,
• based upon said representation, determining whether to move or not move below the surface, so as to avoid or encounter an object that is at least partly underwater and is at a distance, and then moving or not moving in accordance with said determining, and
• displaying a visible image that has light intensity as a function of elevation and azimuth substantially in accordance with said representation.

Apparatus for obtaining and using an above-water-surface representation, when the water surface is irregular, based upon optical observations made from a distance below the surface;

• said irregular surface having the effect of scrambling what is above the water as viewed from said distance below the surface;
• said apparatus comprising:
• optical sensor means, for disposition at a distance below the surface to receive light from the surface, through the water directly, and in response generate signals corresponding to intensity of the received light as a function of reception angle;
• programmed processor means for processing said signals to analyze and correct for at least part of the scrambling effect of the surface and so form a representation of at least part of what is above the water;
• and
• utilization means for applying the representation to control a physical process.