Autonomous underwater system for a 4D environmental monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718524-B2
Application number	US-201214117520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2012
Priority date	May 17, 2011
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

An autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring including a multidisciplinary underwater station including onboard instrumentation, at least one autonomous modular underwater vehicle movable inside an area to be monitored along an assigned route, and at least one external instrumental modulus which can be connected to the vehicle, wherein the multidisciplinary underwater station includes a docking area, an interface system, an equipping system for supplying the vehicle with instrumental moduli, and a management system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring, comprising:
a multidisciplinary underwater station including onboard instrumentation;
at least one external instrumented module that is attachable to an autonomous modular underwater vehicle; and
at least one autonomous modular underwater vehicle movable inside an area to be monitored along an assigned route comprising electromechanically activated attaching means for allowing the hooking of the at least one external instrumented module to the autonomous modular underwater vehicle;
the multidisciplinary underwater station includes:
at least one docking area configured to accommodate the autonomous modular underwater vehicle;
at least one interface system configured to communicate with the docked autonomous modular underwater vehicle;
at least one carousel structure configured to provide the docked autonomous modular underwater vehicle with the at least one external instrumented module and including at least one parking area configured for storage of the at least one external instrumented module; and
management circuitry including a processor that is configured to manage operations of the multidisciplinary underwater station,

wherein the at least one autonomous modular underwater vehicle comprises communication means with the at least one external instrumented module allowing bidirectional exchange of information when the external instrumented module is connected to the autonomous modular underwater vehicle.

2. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous modular underwater vehicle inspects the area to be monitored moving along the assigned route according to tracks pre-programmed or autonomously calculated by the autonomous modular underwater vehicle.

3. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous modular underwater vehicle carries out monitoring campaigns in the monitoring area, collecting data on a submarine environment and on integrity of infrastructures operating therein, by instruments installed onboard the autonomous modular underwater vehicle and/or by the external instrumented module.

4. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one external instrumented module is kept in the at least one parking area present inside the multidisciplinary underwater station including a connection between the at least one external instrumented module and the multidisciplinary underwater station.

5. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the multidisciplinary underwater station includes onboard instrumentation, which is fixed or movable, configured to measure at least one of following parameters:
temperature;
electric conductivity;
concentration and/or saturation percentage of dissolved oxygen;
turbidity;
concentration and/or profile of the particulate in suspension;
fluorescence;
pH;
concentration of dissolved gas;
concentration of hydrocarbons;
concentration of nutrients;
concentration of trace metals;
velocity profile and direction of the sea current;
height and direction of the waves;
tide level;
sound wave pressure; and
biological responses of living organisms.

6. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 5 , wherein a fixed onboard instrumentation is fully contained inside a structure, and includes at least one sensor and at least one controller configured to manage the at least one sensor.

7. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 5 , wherein a movable onboard instrumentation is different with respect to a fixed onboard instrumentation in that it can move away from the multidisciplinary underwater station by a floating unit containing inside it at least one sensor and a cable which prevents its disconnection from the multidisciplinary underwater station.

8. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the management circuitry is connected to a surface structure by at least one umbilical cable which allows transmission of data and/or energy feeding of the multidisciplinary underwater station.

9. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein entrance and exit of the autonomous modular underwater vehicle in the docking area are facilitated by guiding devices, selected from: acoustic positioning systems, video cameras, lights, proximity sensors, funnels.

10. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein, when the autonomous modular underwater vehicle is positioned in the docking area, the interface system of the multidisciplinary underwater station allows at least one of the following operations to be effected:
data communication between the autonomous modular underwater vehicle and the multidisciplinary underwater station, and
recharging of the batteries of the autonomous modular underwater vehicle.

11. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 10 , wherein the interface system includes connection sockets.

12. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 10 , wherein the interface system between the multidisciplinary underwater station and the autonomous modular underwater vehicle includes wireless communication.

13. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the management circuitry is configured to communicate with the onboard instrumentation in the multidisciplinary underwater station.

14. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the management circuitry is configured to interface between the multidisciplinary underwater station and a surface structure.

15. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the management circuitry is configured to monitor predetermined parameters of the autonomous underwater system.

16. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the management circuitry is configured to collect and store data obtained by instrumentation on the multidisciplinary underwater station and obtained by the at least one external instrumented module.

17. The autonomous underwater system for environmental monitoring according to claim 1 , wherein the management circuitry is configured to select the at least one external instrumented module to attach to the autonomous modular underwater vehicle and program a monitoring mission for the autonomous modular underwater vehicle along the assign route.

Assignees

• Gasparoni Francesco
• Favaretto Mauro
• Grasso Tiberio
• Eni Spa

Inventors

• Gasparoni Francesco
• Favaretto Mauro
• Grasso Tiberio

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

• B63C11/42 Primary

  with independent propulsion or direction control · CPC title

• B63C11/52 Primary

  Tools specially adapted for working underwater, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B63G2008/005

  remotely controlled · CPC title

• B63G8/08

  Propulsion ({schnorkels B63G8/36;} nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12) · CPC title