Communication networks, relay nodes for communication networks, and methods of transmitting data among a plurality of relay nodes

摘要

The communication networks include an elongate tubular body (30) and a wireless data transmission network (50) including a plurality of relay nodes (100). The relay nodes include an electro-acoustic transmitter array (112, 122, 132) and an electro-acoustic receiver (114, 124, 134). The methods include inducing a first non-dispersive guided acoustic wave within the elongate tubular body with a first relay node (110), conveying said first non-dispersive guided acoustic wave along the elongate tubular body to a second relay node (120), and receiving said first non-dispersive guided acoustic wave with the second relay node (120), further inducing a second non-dispersive guided acoustic wave within the elongate tubular body with the second relay node (120), conveying the second acoustic wave along the elongate tubular body to a third relay node (130), and receiving the second acoustic wave with the third relay node (130).