WO2015040418A1 - A system for monitoring a remote underwater location - Google Patents
A system for monitoring a remote underwater location Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2015040418A1 WO2015040418A1 PCT/GB2014/052860 GB2014052860W WO2015040418A1 WO 2015040418 A1 WO2015040418 A1 WO 2015040418A1 GB 2014052860 W GB2014052860 W GB 2014052860W WO 2015040418 A1 WO2015040418 A1 WO 2015040418A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- unmanned
- location
- underwater
- communication
- vessel
- Prior art date
Links
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 32
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 114
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 18
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims description 18
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 238000003032 molecular docking Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000012546 transfer Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001939 inductive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003079 width control Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
- B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
- B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
- B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
- B63C11/52—Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
- B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
- B63G8/42—Towed underwater vessels
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16L1/00—Laying or reclaiming pipes; Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
- F16L1/12—Laying or reclaiming pipes on or under water
- F16L1/20—Accessories therefor, e.g. floats, weights
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
- G01S15/88—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S3/00—Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received
- G01S3/80—Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
- G01S3/802—Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
- G01S3/808—Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction using transducers spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
- G05B23/00—Testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
- G05D1/02—Control of position or course in two dimensions
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
- G05D—SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G05D1/00—Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots
- G05D1/02—Control of position or course in two dimensions
- G05D1/0206—Control of position or course in two dimensions specially adapted to water vehicles
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
- H04B10/50—Transmitters
- H04B10/501—Structural aspects
- H04B10/503—Laser transmitters
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B10/00—Transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio-waves, e.g. infrared, visible or ultraviolet light, or employing corpuscular radiation, e.g. quantum communication
- H04B10/80—Optical aspects relating to the use of optical transmission for specific applications, not provided for in groups H04B10/03 - H04B10/70, e.g. optical power feeding or optical transmission through water
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04B—TRANSMISSION
- H04B13/00—Transmission systems characterised by the medium used for transmission, not provided for in groups H04B3/00 - H04B11/00
- H04B13/02—Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B2203/00—Communication means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B2211/00—Applications
- B63B2211/02—Oceanography
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
- B63B35/03—Pipe-laying vessels
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
- B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
- B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
- B63G2008/002—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned
- B63G2008/005—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned remotely controlled
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63G—OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
- B63G8/00—Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted therefor
- B63G8/001—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations
- B63G2008/002—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned
- B63G2008/005—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned remotely controlled
- B63G2008/007—Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations unmanned remotely controlled by means of a physical link to a base, e.g. wire, cable or umbilical
Definitions
- the present invention is concerned with a system for monitoring a remote underwater location using an unmanned underwater vehicle or the like.
- Particular embodiments of the present invention are particularly advantageous for monitoring the touchdown point in underwater pipe laying with an underwater vehicle which moves autonomously to near the touchdown point but can then be operated remotely at or near the touchdown point.
- the touchdown point or area in underwater pipe-laying is the area at which the section of pipe being fed out from the back of a pipe-laying barge contacts the seabed as the pipe is laid.
- the monitoring of the touchdown area is typically done using cameras and sonar mounted on an ROV (remotely operated vehicle).
- An ROV is a remotely operated vehicle controlled by an operator on, for example, the pipe-laying vessel.
- the ROV is connected back to a mother ship or location via an umbilical which includes power and communication cables.
- ROVs typically do not have their own power supply but are supplied with power via the umbilical.
- Such umbilical power cables are heavy. There is in fact a vicious circle as the heavier the umbilical, the more power is required to move the ROV and hence the larger the diameter (and weight) of cable that is required.
- the necessary umbilical cables would be particularly long, heavy and liable to tangle where the touchdown point is a significant distance (because, for example, the pipe is being laid in deep water) from the pipe-laying barge on which the ROV operator is based as a significant length of umbilical is required. Therefore there are clear advantages to, if possible, avoiding the need for an ROV with an umbilical when monitoring the touchdown point in deep water pipe laying. In deep water where the touchdown point is a long distance from the pipe-laying vessel, it is not desirable to have an ROV with an extremely long umbilical back to the pipe-laying vessel.
- the touchdown point may be 1 to 2 kilometres away from the pipe laying vessel (when measured in a direction parallel to the water surface) and of course much longer when one considers the actual distance from the pipe laying ship to the touchdown area deep underwater.
- the length of umbilical in deepwater pipe laying is still sufficient for a heavy umbilical to be necessary for an ROV monitoring the touchdown area.
- the umbilical for deep water touchdown monitoring may weigh 5 to 10 tonnes even when it runs back to a touchdown monitoring ship at the surface above the touchdown area rather than back to the pipe laying vessel itself.
- Umbilicals of such a weight require a large dedicated vessel for their storage and deployment and the provision of such a dedicated vessel to support the pipe- laying vessel greatly increases the cost of pipe-laying.
- the provision of a suitable dedicated ROV mother ship or control vessel may cost £75,000 to 150,000 per day. The need for such a ship therefore greatly increases the cost of deepwater pipe laying.
- the present invention provides a a system for monitoring a remote underwater location, the system including: an unmanned surface vessel, a communication unit for submerged location connected to the unmanned surface vessel, wherein the unmanned surface vessel has a position tracking and control system for controlling the position of the unmanned surface vessel on a body of water and relative to the unmanned underwater vehicle; the communication unit has a first wireless communication arrangement for communication with the unmanned underwater vehicle, and a second wired communication arrangement for communication with the unmanned surface vessel, and the unmanned surface vessel has a third communication arrangement for communication with an operator or observer remote from the unmanned surface vessel and the unmanned underwater vehicle, wherein the three communication arrangements are arranged in series such that, in use, the operator or observer may communicate with the unmanned/autonomous underwater vehicle via the unmanned surface vessel, the wired connection between the unmanned surface vessel and the communication unit, and the wireless connection between the communication unit and the unmanned underwater vehicle.
- the control system is for communicating with and/or controlling an autonomous underwater vehicle.
- autonomous underwater vehicle is used typically, and in this application, to describe a vehicle which can be programmed to travel between locations without operator input as it travels.
- the subject invention allows one to produce what is effectively a hybrid AUV/ROV system in that the vehicle can autonomously move or be deployed (i.e. without remote control as it so moves) to the vicinity of the location to be monitored, but once at that location can be remotely controlled via the communications unit.
- Autonomous underwater vehicles have previously not been used for monitoring touchdown as they have been unable to communicate the necessary information through water back the relatively long distances to the pipe laying vessel.
- the subject invention now allows one to use AUVs where previously the more expensive and complicated ROVs with their heavy umbilicals were required. This has clear cost, deployment and operational advantages.
- the communications system is for monitoring the pipe touchdown point during underwater pipe or cable laying.
- the system does away with the need for heavy umbilicals with their attendant disadvantages.
- the control system is for controlling an unmanned underwater vehicle with an on board power supply.
- the provision of an on board power supply eliminates the need for a power umbilical connected to the underwater vehicle.
- the first wireless communication arrangement is an optical communication arrangement.
- Optical communication arrangements can allow for high band width communication through water at distances of 100m to 150m in deepwater, and 200m in ultra clear water.
- Optical communication systems using bright LEDS turned on and off extremely quickly to represent 1 and 0 and thereby digitally send information can transmit data up to 200 times faster than acoustic systems can although they can only do so over shorter distances.
- Underwater optical laser communications systems using blue-green lasers are also known and capable of transmitting 1 to 100s of bps through water.
- the unmanned surface vehicle includes a position tracking system for tracking the unmanned underwater vehicle and an autopilot arrangement for automatically controlling movement of the unmanned surface vehicle in response to movement of the unmanned underwater vehicle.
- This arrangement means that the unmanned surface vehicle and the communications unit connected to it will remain in positions to ensure that there is effective communication between the unmanned underwater vehicle and the operator or observer.
- the present invention also provides a method of monitoring a remote underwater location using an unmanned underwater vehicle, including the steps of: deploying an unmanned surface vessel from the first manned vessel to a location remote from the first manned vessel; deploying an underwater communications unit from the unmanned surface vessel; deploying an unmanned underwater vehicle to a first starting or standby location in the vicinity of the first manned vessel; guiding the unmanned underwater vessel from the first starting or standby location to a second location in the vicinity of the underwater communications unit where the unmanned underwater vehicle and communicate can communicate using a wireless high band width communications system; communicating with and controlling the unmanned underwater vehicle from the first unmanned vessel, when the unmanned underwater vehicle is in the vicinity of the communications unit, via the wireless high band width communications system.
- the high band width communications system is an optical communications arrangement.
- optical communication systems using bright LEDS turned on and off extremely quickly to represent 1 and 0 and thereby digitally send information can transmit data up to 200 times faster than acoustic data transfer arrangement systems.
- the inventor has appreciated that a system using bright LEDs transmits up to 5 Mbps and that is enough band width for transmitting real time video of sufficient quality. A few Mbps is enough band width.
- Figure 1 illustrates a touchdown monitoring arrangement including a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- a pipe laying vessel 1 with an acoustic tracking system 2 has pipe 3 being laid from its rear deck in the known manner (see, for example, US 5,452,507). Acoustic tracking systems for use in tracking underwater are well known to the skilled man and will therefore not be described further.
- the touchdown of that pipe 3 on the seabed 4 is monitored by an autonomous underwater vehicle 5.
- An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is a robot which travels underwater without requiring input from an operator and, typically, has its own onboard power supply.
- the autonomous underwater vehicle 5 located at or near the pipe touchdown area 6 communicates with a communication unit or pod 7 which is suspended from a winch on an unmanned surface vehicle 8.
- the unmanned surface vehicle has an autopilot navigation system allowing it to move itself to a pre-defined location, and to maintain such a position.
- the USV is also equipped with a remote control arrangement allowing an operator on the pipe laying vessel 1 to control the position of the USV and/or to programme the autopilot arrangement, as well as control the winch from which the communication unit 7 is suspended.
- the communications unit 7 can therefore be located at a desired underwater location by deployment of the USV to a particular location on the surface of a body of water and then the winching or suspension of the communications unit 7 at a defined depth at that location.
- the unmanned surface vehicle and pipe laying vessel both have acoustic tracking systems 2 to track the AUV 5 and determine its location when it is in range of the respective acoustic tracking systems.
- the tracking system on the pipe laying vessel tracks the AUV when the AUV is in the region of the pipe laying vessel, and the tracking system on the USV tracks the AUV when it is in the region of the USV.
- An underwater garage 9 for the autonomous underwater vehicle 5 is suspended from the pipe laying vessel 1.
- two autonomous underwater vehicles 5 and corresponding garages 9 are provided so that one underwater vehicle can be garaged and charged while the other is monitoring the touchdown location 6.
- the garages may also have acoustic tracking systems to track the AUV when it is their vicinity.
- a suitable AUV may be the Sabretooth AUV available from Saab Seaeye Limited.
- Sabretooth is a trade mark of Saab Seaeye Limited.
- Such AUVs have an onboard battery to provide power for about twenty hours at slow speeds.
- the Sabretooth AUV has a hovering capability with cameras and sonar to monitor the area around the AUV.
- a high band width optical communication arrangement is provided aliowing communication between the AUVs 5 and the communication unit 7 when they are within about 100 metres of each other.
- the AUVs 5 are also provided with auto-pilot control and acoustic position tracking arrangements so that an operator on the pipe laying vessel can track the AUVs.
- Underwater optical communications systems using bright LEDs, or blue-green lasers are known. The laser arrangements allow for higher band width communication than the LED arrangements but are more expensive (and typically used in military applications). The cheaper LED arrangements provide sufficient band width (a few Mbps) for real time video transmission of reasonable quality and are therefore preferred for touchdown monitoring.
- the communication unit or pod 7 is suspended from the unmanned surface vehicle 8.
- the USV 8 has an auto-pilot navigation arrangement and can be remotely controlled from the pipe laying vessel or barge.
- the acoustic positioning system on the USV and auto-pilot navigation can be used to locate the USV above the approximate touchdown point.
- the communication unit can then be dropped by winch to within about 100 metres of the touchdown point 6 and monitoring location for the AUV.
- the optical communication system for communication between the communication unit 7 and AUV 5 allows for wireless high band width communication between the AUV and the communication unit when these are close to each other (perhaps 50 to 150 m apart).
- the arrangement shown in figure 1 then allows for high band width control and communication between an operator on the pipe laying vessel 1 and the AUV 5 via wireless communication through the air above the water surface between the pipe laying vessel 1 and USV 8, then through a wired communication inside the cable 10 between the USV 5 and communication unit 7 and thence via the optical communication between the communication unit 7 and the AUV 5 through the water and across the relatively short distance between the communication unit 7 and AUV 5 at the touchdown location 6.
- Communication and information also flows in the opposite direction from the AUV 5 (collected, for example, from cameras and sonar mounted on the AUV and monitoring the touchdown) to the pipe laying vessel 1.
- the location of the AUVs 5 is monitored by one or more of the acoustic tracking systems 2on the underside of the pipe laying vessel, underside of the USV, the AUV garages or on the AUVs themselves.
- Each of the AUV garages 9 has an optical communication unit similar to that on the communication pod for communication with an AUV when it is in the vicinity of the garage. This enables real time control of the AUV by an operator for docking and operation near the garage.
- the garages include acoustic communication with the operator and auto-pilot control to maintain separation between the garages and to help the docking of an AUV in its respective garage.
- the garages may also be provided with sonar and cameras, and/or a heave compensation arrangement, to ease or aid docking.
- the preferred embodiment described above uses optica! communication in the vicinity of the garages and touchdown area for the communication of the large amount of information (i.e. high band width) necessary for control and observation at those points.
- Other communications arrangements including radio and acoustic communication arrangements which allow for the transfer of sufficient information in real time may also be used.
- the unmanned support vehicle 8 is launched from the pipe laying vessel 1 and its autopilot set to move to and then maintain position at the surface approximately above the point of touchdown 6.
- the approximate touchdown position can be determined by the operators of the pipe laying vessel and depends on parameters such as the depth of the water, the weight of the pipe and the speed of the pipe laying vessel.
- the communication unit 7 is then dropped to a working depth (about 50 metres from the sea floor) where it is tracked by the acoustic position system 2 on the underside of the unmanned surface vehicle.
- the position of the USV 8 is then adjusted using the information supplied by the acoustic tracking system until the communication unit is within about 100 metres of the touchdown point.
- an AUV garage 9 with an AUV 5 inside it is launched from the pipe laying vessel 1 to a point 50 - 200 metres from the seafloor 4.
- the position of the garage 9 is tracked by an acoustic positioning system 2 on the pipe laying vessel or barge.
- the AUV is then programmed to go to a waypoint near the communication unit 7.
- its navigation system is initialised with acoustic positioning data and during transit to the location unit touchdown point it is tracked using the acoustic tracking systems 2 on the pipe laying vessel, USV and garage when it is within their range.
- the waypoint data may be updated as needed.
- the operator on the pipe laying vessel 1 can then take control of the AUV and is in communication with it via the communication unit and USV. Then, the operator on the pipe laying vessel 1 can pilot the AUV 5 to monitor touchdown.
- the USV 8 is under autopilot control and will follow the AUV 5 as this is moved by the operator. The AUV will then move as pipe is laid and the touchdown point moves. That movement is slow as the pipe is laid slowly.
- the USV will normally be on autopilot to follow the AUV.
- the autopilot must take into account the AUV movements in addition to the offset effects that sea current may have.
- the AUV may also be on autopilot. Since the whole operation is very slow it is likely to be in station keeping mode for periods.
- the second garage 9 is launched from the pipe laying vessel 1 as the battery of the first AUV runs down.
- the second AUV is then launched in the same way as the first AUV to take over monitoring from the first AUV.
- the battery life is such that the launch of the second AUV is 15-20 hours after the first has launched.
- the first AUV When the second AUV arrives at the touchdown point, then the first AUV is commanded to go to a waypoint near its garage and real time control by the operator is switched to the newly arrived second AUV which then goes into operation in the manner described above for the first AUV.
- the first AUV arrives back near its garage, real time control of it is taken by the operator using optical communication with the garage.
- the first AUV is then docked in the garage assisted by onboard cameras and sailors on the vehicle and garage.
- the AUV can then be recharged in the garage using inductive power transfer until it is needed to replace the second AUV in operation.
- the provision of alternating AUVs allows for continuous monitoring of the touchdown or other remote underwater location.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
- Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
- Remote Sensing (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
- Control Of Position, Course, Altitude, Or Attitude Of Moving Bodies (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP14772211.0A EP3049325B1 (en) | 2013-09-23 | 2014-09-19 | A system for monitoring a remote underwater location |
BR112016006510-7A BR112016006510B1 (en) | 2013-09-23 | 2014-09-19 | System for monitoring a remote underwater location |
US15/023,818 US11091239B2 (en) | 2013-09-23 | 2014-09-19 | System for monitoring a remote underwater location |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB1316919.8A GB2520670B (en) | 2013-09-23 | 2013-09-23 | A system for monitoring a remote underwater location |
GB1316919.8 | 2013-09-23 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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WO2015040418A1 true WO2015040418A1 (en) | 2015-03-26 |
Family
ID=49553308
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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PCT/GB2014/052860 WO2015040418A1 (en) | 2013-09-23 | 2014-09-19 | A system for monitoring a remote underwater location |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US11091239B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3049325B1 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112016006510B1 (en) |
GB (1) | GB2520670B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2015040418A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
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WO2016190761A1 (en) | 2015-05-26 | 2016-12-01 | Biskup Michał | Unit for monitoring underwater objects |
WO2019193340A1 (en) | 2018-04-05 | 2019-10-10 | Subsea 7 Limited | Communication with unmanned underwater vehicles |
CN111245523A (en) * | 2020-01-08 | 2020-06-05 | 中国电子科技集团公司电子科学研究院 | Underwater data transmission system |
CN111427009A (en) * | 2020-04-19 | 2020-07-17 | 中国电子科技集团公司电子科学研究院 | Underwater positioning method and system for remote control unmanned underwater vehicle |
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US10291071B2 (en) * | 2016-01-19 | 2019-05-14 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy | Wireless power and data transfer for unmanned vehicles |
WO2017152173A1 (en) * | 2016-03-04 | 2017-09-08 | Leidos, Inc. | System and method for implementing adaptive pulse position modulation (appm) for improved optical communications performance |
US10279825B2 (en) | 2017-01-10 | 2019-05-07 | General Electric Company | Transfer of vehicle control system and method |
CN106314740B (en) * | 2016-08-27 | 2018-03-16 | 武汉理工大学 | A kind of unmanned ferryboat system of wind light mutual complementing based on internet |
WO2018112045A1 (en) * | 2016-12-13 | 2018-06-21 | Oceaneering International, Inc. | System and method for using a combination of multiple autonomous vehicles with different abilities, working together as a system for subsea oil and gas exploration |
WO2018211575A1 (en) * | 2017-05-16 | 2018-11-22 | 日本電気株式会社 | Control apparatus, monitoring system, and monitoring method |
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GB2520670A (en) | 2015-06-03 |
GB201316919D0 (en) | 2013-11-06 |
EP3049325A1 (en) | 2016-08-03 |
BR112016006510B1 (en) | 2022-05-17 |
GB2520670B (en) | 2018-10-10 |
EP3049325B1 (en) | 2018-08-29 |
BR112016006510A2 (en) | 2017-08-01 |
US11091239B2 (en) | 2021-08-17 |
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