Communication with unmanned underwater vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11273891-B2
Application number	US-201917044992-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2019
Priority date	Apr 5, 2018
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A task such as inspection is performed at a subsea location by positioning a functional unit such as an unmanned underwater vehicle to perform the task. When positioned to perform the task, the unit is then in a shadow region where wireless control signals from a subsea control transmitter are obscured by a subsea obstacle. Consequently, control signals are transmitted wirelessly through water from the control transmitter to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) positioned outside the shadow region and are relayed from the AUV to the unit to control the unit to perform the task. The unit can be tethered to the AUV or can communicate with the AUV wirelessly. The AUV can move itself to improve wireless communication with the subsea control transmitter and optionally also with the unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of performing a task at a subsea location, the method comprising:
positioning a unit to perform the task, the unit then being in a shadow region where wireless control signals from a subsea control transmitter are obscured by a subsea obstacle;
transmitting control signals wirelessly through water from the control transmitter to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) positioned outside the shadow region;
relaying the control signals from the AUV to the unit to control the unit to perform the task;
monitoring signal quality of the control signals transmitted wirelessly from the control transmitter to the AUV; and
moving the AUV to improve the signal quality of the control signals.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising moving the AUV toward the control transmitter to improve the signal quality of the control signals.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the AUV monitors the signal quality of the control signals transmitted wirelessly from the control transmitter and moves itself autonomously to improve the signal quality of the control signals.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
carrying the unit, attached to the AUV, toward the subsea location; and
with the AUV hovering in an accessible region where the AUV can receive wireless control signals from the control transmitter, detaching the unit from the AUV to enter the shadow region and to perform the task at the subsea location.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising relaying the control signals from the AUV to the unit along a tether that connects the unit to the AUV.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising extending the tether from the unit or the AUV as the unit moves away from the AUV or vice versa.

7. The method of claim 5 , comprising retracting the tether onto the unit or the AUV as the unit moves toward the AUNT or vice versa.

8. The method of claim 5 , comprising moving the AUV closer to the subsea location than a deployed length of the tether.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising relaying the control signals wirelessly through water from the AUV to the unit.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising transmitting feedback signals wirelessly through water from the unit to the AUV.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
monitoring signal quality of the feedback signals; and
moving the AUV to improve the signal quality of the feedback signals.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising moving the AUV toward the unit to improve the signal quality of the feedback signals.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the AUV monitors the signal quality of the feedback signals and moves itself autonomously to improve the signal quality of the feedback signals.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising moving the AUV to avoid a secondary shadow region where wireless signals from the unit are obscured by a subsea obstacle.

15. The method of claim 1 , comprising conveying the control signals to the subsea control transmitter along a wired or wireless link from a surface source.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the control signals comprise instructions issued by a human operator in real time.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unit is an armed underwater vehicle (UUV).

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising moving the UUV and the AUV independently of each other's movements while relaying the control signals from the AUV to the UUV.

19. The method of claim 1 , comprising moving the AUV autonomously and automatically.

20. A system for performing a task at a subsea location, the system comprising:
a subsea control transmitter for transmitting wireless control signals through water;
a unit that is positionable to perform the task in response to the control signals transmitted by the control transmitter;
an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that is positionable to receive the control signals from the control transmitter and to relay the control signals to the unit to control the unit to perform the task;
a signal monitor that is arranged to monitor signal quality of the control signals received by the AUV; and
a controller that is responsive to the signal monitor to move the AUV to improve the signal quality of the control signals received by the AUV.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the signal monitor and the controller are implemented on board the AUV.

22. The system of claim 20 , comprising a wireless link that connects the unit to the AUV to convey the control signals to the unit and to receive feedback signals from the unit.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the signal monitor is arranged to monitor signal quality of the feedback signals received by the AUV and the controller is responsive to the signal monitor to move the AUV to improve the signal quality of the feedback signals received by the AUV.

24. The system of claim 20 , comprising a tether that connects the unit to the AUV to convey the control signals to the unit and to receive feedback signals from the unit.

25. The system of claim 24 , comprising a reel on the unit or the AUV from which the tether can be extended as the unit moves away from the AUV or vice versa, and onto which the tether can be retracted as the unit moves toward the AUV or vice versa.

26. The system of claim 20 , wherein the control transmitter is located on or integrated with a structure installed permanently subsea.

27. The system of claim 20 , wherein the control transmitter is static.

28. The system of claim 20 , wherein the unit is an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).

29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the UUV is dockable with and detachable from the AUV.

30. The system of claim 20 , further comprising a dock for the AUV, the dock being provided on a structure installed permanently subsea.

31. The system of claim 20 , wherein the AUV is movable autonomously and automatically.

32. An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) comprising:
a first signal receiver for receiving control signals wirelessly;
a communications interface for relaying the received signals to a separate unit;
a signal monitor that is arranged to monitor signal quality of the received signals received by the receiver; and
a controller that is responsive to the signal monitor to move the AUV to improve the signal quality of the received signals.

33. The AUV of claim 32 , further comprising a tether for relaying the received signals to the unit.

34. The AUV of claim 33 , further comprising a reel from which the tether can be extended as the unit moves away from the AUV or vice versa, and onto which the tether can be retracted as the unit moves toward the AUV or vice versa.

35. The AUV of claim 32 , further comprising a first signal transmitter for relaying the received signals to the separate unit wirelessly.

36. The AUV of claim 32 , wherein the communications interface is arranged to relay feedback signals received from the unit.

37. The AUV of claim 36 , further comprising a second signal receiver for receiving the feedback signals from the unit wirelessly.

38. The AUV of claim 37 , wherein the signal monitor is arranged to monitor signal quality of the received feedback signals and the controller is responsive to the signal monitor to move the

Assignees

• Subsea 7 Ltd

Inventors

• Sherry Wayne
• Hendawy Mostafa
• Main William

Classifications

• G05D1/0022

  characterised by the communication link (data switching networks in general H04L12/00) · CPC title

• B63G8/001 Primary

  Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations (self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42) · CPC title

• B63B35/40

  for transporting marine vessels {(load accommodation for floating barges and the like B63B25/006)} · CPC title

• B63G2008/008

  Docking stations for unmanned underwater vessels, or the like · CPC title

• B63C11/48

  Means for searching for underwater objects (means for indicating the location of sunken objects B63C7/26; locating by use of the reflection or reradiation of radio or other waves G01S {; mountings of acoustic transducers in underwater equipment G10K11/006}) · CPC title