Abstract

A method of deploying autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), the method comprising loading the AUVs into a deployment device; submerging the deployment device containing the AUVs after the AUVs have been loaded into the deployment device; towing the submerged deployment device containing the AUVs with a surface vessel; deploying the AUVs from the submerged deployment device as it is towed by the surface vessel; and operating a thruster of each AUV after it has been deployed so that it moves away from the submerged deployment device. A method of retrieving autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is also disclosed, the method comprising towing a submerged retrieval device with a surface vessel; loading the AUVs into the submerged retrieval device as it is towed by the surface vessel; and after the AUVs have been loaded into the submerged retrieval device, lifting the submerged retrieval device containing the AUVs out of the water and onto the surface vessel.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63B 21/66 - Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables
• B63B 27/16 - Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of lifts or hoists
• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines
• B63G 8/42 - Towed underwater vessels
• B63G 8/08 - Propulsion

Abstract

The present application relates to a method of deploying seismic sensors in a marine environment. The method includes operating a deployment vessel to move in a first, inline, direction and deploying a plurality of self-propelled receiver nodes from the deployment vessel as the deployment vessel moves in the first, inline, direction. The method further comprises operating the self-propelled receiver nodes to locate on a seabed in a predetermined receiver array. A spacing in a second, crossline, direction, transverse to the first, inline, direction, between the receiver nodes in the receiver array is denser than a spacing in the first, inline, direction between the receiver nodes in the receiver array.

IPC Classes  ?

• G01V 1/38 - SeismologySeismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting specially adapted for water-covered areas

Abstract

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for sensing at a seabed is provided. The AUV is configured to be grounded in a stationary condition on the seabed. The AUV comprises a body (100), a sensing module configured to acquire data when the vehicle is grounded on the seabed, and a multiplane wing configuration (200) extending from the body. The multiplane wing may be a box wing.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines

Abstract

A method of obtaining data with a sensor of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the AUV comprising a bladder which contains a gas and is exposed to ambient water pressure. A downward thrust force is generated which causes the AUV to descend through a body of water, wherein the bladder contracts as the AUV descends due to an associated increase in the ambient water pressure, the contraction of the bladder causing the gas to compress and the AUV to become negatively buoyant. Next the AUV lands on a bed of the body of water. After the AUV has landed on the bed, the sensor is operated to obtain data with the AUV stationary and negatively buoyant and a weight of the AUV supported by the bed. After the data has been obtained, an upward thrust force is generated which overcomes the negative buoyancy of the AUV and causes the AUV to ascend through the body of water, the ascent of the AUV causing the bladder to expand due to the associated decrease in the ambient water pressure, the expansion of the bladder causing the gas to decompress and the AUV to become neutrally buoyant.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines
• G05D 1/04 - Control of altitude or depth
• B63G 8/22 - Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballastingEmptying equipment for ballast tanks
• G01V 1/18 - Receiving elements, e.g. seismometer, geophone
• G01V 1/38 - SeismologySeismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting specially adapted for water-covered areas

Abstract

A method of deploying autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), the method comprising loading the AUVs into a deployment device; submerging the deployment device containing the AUVs after the AUVs have been loaded into the deployment device; towing the submerged deployment device containing the AUVs with a surface vessel; deploying the AUVs from the submerged deployment device as it is towed by the surface vessel; and operating a thruster of each AUV after it has been deployed so that it moves away from the submerged deployment device. A method of retrieving autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is also disclosed, the method comprising towing a submerged retrieval device with a surface vessel; loading the AUVs into the submerged retrieval device as it is towed by the surface vessel; and after the AUVs have been loaded into the submerged retrieval device, lifting the submerged retrieval device containing the AUVs out of the water and onto the surface vessel.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines
• B63B 21/66 - Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables
• B63B 27/16 - Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of lifts or hoists
• B63G 8/42 - Towed underwater vessels
• B63G 8/08 - Propulsion

Abstract

b), wherein each platform is configured to carry two or more of the AUVs; a port (300, 310); and a transfer mechanism (200) comprising a transfer device (210) arranged to load or unload the AUVs onto or from the platforms, and an actuator arranged to move the transfer device between the platforms and the port in order to transfer the AUVs between the platforms and the port.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63B 35/40 - Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for for transporting marine vessels
• B63B 27/36 - Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers for floating cargo
• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines
• G01V 1/38 - SeismologySeismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting specially adapted for water-covered areas
• B63B 21/66 - Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables
• B63B 27/16 - Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of lifts or hoists

Abstract

An underwater vehicle comprising: port and starboard thrusters spaced apart in a port- starboard direction, each thruster being oriented to generate a thrust force in a fore-aft direction perpendicular to the port-starboard direction; a vertical thruster which is oriented to generate a thrust force substantially perpendicular to the fore-aft and port- starboard directions; port, starboard and vertical ducts which contain the port, starboard and vertical thrusters respectively, each duct providing a channel for water to flow through its respective thruster; and a moving mass which can be moved relative to the thrusters in the fore-aft direction to control a pitch of the underwater vehicle.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63G 8/22 - Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballastingEmptying equipment for ballast tanks
• B63G 8/16 - Control of attitude or depth by direct use of propellers or jets
• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines
• B63G 8/14 - Control of attitude or depth
• B63B 27/36 - Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers for floating cargo

Abstract

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for sensing at a seabed is provided. The AUV is configured to be grounded in a stationary condition on the seabed. The AUV comprises a body (100), a sensing module configured to acquire data when the vehicle is grounded on the seabed, and a multiplane wing configuration (200) extending from the body. The multiplane wing may be a box wing.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines

Abstract

An underwater vehicle comprising: port and starboard thrusters spaced apart in a port- starboard direction, each thruster being oriented to generate a thrust force in a fore-aft direction perpendicular to the port-starboard direction; a vertical thruster which is oriented to generate a thrust force substantially perpendicular to the fore-aft and port- starboard directions; port, starboard and vertical ducts which contain the port, starboard and vertical thrusters respectively, each duct providing a channel for water to flow through its respective thruster; and a moving mass which can be moved relative to the thrusters in the fore-aft direction to control a pitch of the underwater vehicle.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63G 8/16 - Control of attitude or depth by direct use of propellers or jets
• B63G 8/22 - Adjustment of buoyancy by water ballastingEmptying equipment for ballast tanks

Abstract

A submersible device (2) for deploying or retrieving autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), the submersible device comprising: two or more platforms (130) arranged in a stack (3a, 3b), wherein each platform is configured to carry two or more of the AUVs; a port (300, 310); and a transfer mechanism (200) comprising a transfer device (210) arranged to load or unload the AUVs onto or from the platforms, and an actuator arranged to move the transfer device between the platforms and the port in order to transfer the AUVs between the platforms and the port.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63B 27/36 - Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers for floating cargo

Abstract

A method of deploying autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), the method comprising loading the AUVs into a deployment device; submerging the deployment device containing the AUVs after the AUVs have been loaded into the deployment device; towing the submerged deployment device containing the AUVs with a surface vessel; deploying the AUVs from the submerged deployment device as it is towed by the surface vessel; and operating a thruster of each AUV after it has been deployed so that it moves away from the submerged deployment device. A method of retrieving autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) is also disclosed, the method comprising towing a submerged retrieval device with a surface vessel; loading the AUVs into the submerged retrieval device as it is towed by the surface vessel; and after the AUVs have been loaded into the submerged retrieval device, lifting the submerged retrieval device containing the AUVs out of the water and onto the surface vessel.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63B 27/16 - Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of lifts or hoists
• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines

Abstract

A method of obtaining data with a sensor of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the AUV comprising a bladder which contains a gas and is exposed to ambient water pressure. A downward thrust force is generated which causes the AUV to descend through a body of water, wherein the bladder contracts as the AUV descends due to an associated increase in the ambient water pressure, the contraction of the bladder causing the gas to compress and the AUV to become negatively buoyant. Next the AUV lands on a bed of the body of water. After the AUV has landed on the bed, the sensor is operated to obtain data with the AUV stationary and negatively buoyant and a weight of the AUV supported by the bed. After the data has been obtained, an upward thrust force is generated which overcomes the negative buoyancy of the AUV andcauses the AUV to ascend through the body of water, the ascent of the AUV causing the bladder to expand due to the associated decrease in the ambient water pressure, the expansion of the bladder causing the gas to decompress and the AUV to become neutrally buoyant.

IPC Classes  ?

• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines
• G01V 1/38 - SeismologySeismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting specially adapted for water-covered areas

Abstract

A method of communicating with an underwater vehicle comprising a propulsion system for propelling the vehicle through the water. A series of data sets are encoded and transmitted to the underwater vehicle in a series of signal bursts, and decoded at the underwater vehicle. The propulsion system is operated in a series of thrust pulses separated by drift periods such that the propulsion system operates at a relatively high rate during the thrust pulses and at a relatively low (or zero) rate during the drift periods. The drift periods are timed such that each signal burst arrives at the underwater vehicle during a drift period and not during a thrust pulse. The method may be performed with a single vehicle or a plurality of underwater vehicles. The encoded data signals are broadcast simultaneously to the underwater vehicles in the series of signal bursts.

IPC Classes  ?

• H04B 11/00 - Transmission systems employing ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
• G01S 19/14 - Receivers specially adapted for specific applications
• G01S 5/00 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
• G01S 5/30 - Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• H04B 13/02 - Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy
• B63G 8/08 - Propulsion
• B63G 8/00 - Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines
• H04L 25/49 - Transmitting circuitsReceiving circuits using code conversion at the transmitterTransmitting circuitsReceiving circuits using predistortionTransmitting circuitsReceiving circuits using insertion of idle bits for obtaining a desired frequency spectrumTransmitting circuitsReceiving circuits using three or more amplitude levels