# US 11,442,190 B2 · Autonomous marine survey nodes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,442,190 B2 - Document ID: US11442190B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/385,800 - Filed: 2019-04-16 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-16 - Assignees: PGS Geophysical AS - Applicants: PGS Geophysical AS - Inventors: Matthew Eric Lyssy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11442190B2 ## CPC - G01V 1/3835: {measuring position, e.g. by GPS or acoustically} - G01V 1/3808: {Seismic data acquisition, e.g. survey design} - G01V 1/3843: {Deployment of seismic devices, e.g. of streamers (equipment for marine deployment in general B63B)} - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) ## Abstract An example autonomous marine survey node can include a circuitry component including circuitry of a marine survey receiver, a ballast tank coupled to the circuitry component, and a maneuvering system coupled to the circuitry component. The ballast tank can be configured to adjust a buoyancy of the autonomous marine survey node. The maneuvering system can be configured to autonomously perform aerial maneuvers and autonomously perform submersed maneuvers near an underwater surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An autonomous marine survey node, comprising: a circuitry component including circuitry of a marine survey receiver; a ballast tank coupled to the circuitry component and configured to adjust a buoyancy of the autonomous marine survey node; a maneuvering system coupled to the circuitry component and configured to: autonomously perform aerial maneuvers when the autonomous marine survey node is airborne; and autonomously perform submersed maneuvers when the autonomous marine survey node is submerged in a body of water; and a location control system configured to: determine a position of the autonomous marine survey node relative to another autonomous marine survey node via acoustic communication when the autonomous marine survey node is submerged in the body of water and before it comes to rest on an underwater surface; and maneuver the autonomous marine survey node relative to the other autonomous marine survey node to establish a set spacing from the other node as the nodes descend in the body of water toward the underwater surface, such that the nodes form a marine survey node array exhibiting the set spacing when they come to rest on the underwater surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 1: wherein the set spacing comprises a first set spacing in an x direction and a second set spacing in a y direction; and wherein the x direction and the y direction are both orthogonal to a depth direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 1, wherein the ballast tank comprises a composite material and a plurality of structural support members providing an operating depth of three thousand meters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 1, wherein the maneuvering system comprises a plurality of rotors configured to: operate in a first orientation during aerial maneuvers; and operate in a second orientation during submersed maneuvers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 4, wherein the maneuvering system is configured to perform submersed maneuvers at an operating depth of three thousand meters. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 1: further comprising an anchoring system configured to secure the autonomous marine survey node to the underwater surface; and wherein the anchoring system is further configured to release the autonomous marine survey node from the underwater surface in response to a sensed condition in the autonomous marine survey node. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 6: wherein the sensed condition comprises a data storage system in the autonomous marine survey node being at or above a threshold level of fullness. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 6: wherein the sensed condition comprises a power supply in the autonomous marine survey node being at or below a threshold level of power. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 6: wherein the anchoring system comprises a spike configured to be driven into the underwater surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 9: wherein the spike is stationary relative to the autonomous marine survey node and the anchoring system is configured to drive the spike into the underwater surface by spinning rotors on the node to urge the node toward the underwater surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 9: wherein the spike is configured to move relative to the autonomous marine survey node and the anchoring system is configured to drive the spike into the underwater surface by extending the spike from the node toward the underwater surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 1: further comprising an autonomous auxiliary station configured to deploy or retrieve the autonomous marine survey node without human intervention. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 12: wherein the autonomous auxiliary station is further configured to recharge a power supply of the autonomous marine survey node after the node has landed on the autonomous auxiliary station. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The autonomous marine survey node of claim 12: wherein the autonomous auxiliary station is further configured to transfer stored marine survey data from the autonomous marine survey node after the node has landed on the autonomous auxiliary station.