Working method using autonomous underwater vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11952089-B2
Application number	US-201917049824-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2019
Priority date	Apr 26, 2018
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A working method using an AUV includes a step of working on a work object with a work device included in the AUV while causing the AUV to sail along the work object, a step of dropping and sinking a transponder to the bottom of water, a step of causing the AUV to sail toward a return destination, and a step of resuming work on the work object by causing the AUV to sail from a return destination to the vicinity of a work suspended position, at which work on the work object is suspended, based on information obtained by acoustic positioning using the transponder that is sunk to the bottom of water.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A working method using an autonomous underwater vehicle for working on a work object located underwater or at a bottom of water by using the autonomous underwater vehicle while reciprocating the autonomous underwater vehicle between the work object and a return destination, the working method comprising:
working on the work object with a work device included in the autonomous underwater vehicle while causing the autonomous underwater vehicle to sail along the work object;
dropping and sinking a transponder to the bottom of water when one of the two following conditions is satisfied:
(i) a remaining battery amount of the autonomous underwater vehicle falls below a set value; and
(ii) remaining data capacity that can be stored by the autonomous underwater vehicle falls below a set amount, where work performed by the autonomous underwater vehicle includes storing of predetermined data;

causing the autonomous underwater vehicle to sail toward the return destination; and
resuming work on the work object by causing the autonomous underwater vehicle to sail from the return destination to a vicinity of a work suspended position, at which the work on the work object is suspended, based on information obtained by acoustic positioning using the transponder that is sunk to the bottom of water.

2. The working method using an autonomous underwater vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the dropping the transponder is performed toward a vicinity of a position at which the work is scheduled to be suspended or a vicinity of a position at which the work is suspended.

3. The working method using an autonomous underwater vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising storing a work suspended position at which the work on the work object is suspended based on information obtained by acoustic positioning using the transponder that is sunk to the bottom of water, prior to the causing the autonomous underwater vehicle to sail toward the return destination.

4. The working method using an autonomous underwater vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising towing an underwater station by a surface ship that navigates above the autonomous underwater vehicle, wherein
the underwater station is the return destination, and
in the dropping the transponder, the transponder is dropped from the surface ship or the underwater station.

5. The working method using an autonomous underwater vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising floating the transponder on the water, after the resuming the work on the work object.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Mukaida Minehiko
• Okaya Noriyuki
• Fukui Koichi
• Tachinami Fumitaka
• Kaga Yuki

Classifications

• 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

• 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

• G01S5/18

  using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• B63G2008/004

  autonomously operating · CPC title

• B63G2008/007

  by means of a physical link to a base, e.g. wire, cable or umbilical · CPC title