# US 12,110,086 B2 · Methods and systems for surveying using deep-water vessels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,086 B2 - Document ID: US12110086B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/508,575 - Filed: 2021-10-22 - Published: 2022-05-26 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-11-20 - Assignees: Aqua Satellite, Inc. - Applicants: Aqua Satellite, Inc. - Inventors: Robert Alan Eustace - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110086B2 ## CPC - B63G 8/39: Arrangements of sonic watch equipment, e.g. low-frequency, sonar - B60L 8/003: {Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems} - B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) - B60L 53/66: Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles - B63G 8/001: {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)} - B63G 8/04: Superstructure - B63G 8/08: Propulsion ({schnorkels B63G8/36;} nuclear propulsion B63H21/18; submerged exhausting apparatus F01N13/12) - B63G 8/14: Control of attitude or depth (of torpedoes F42B19/00) - B64D 1/02: Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles (jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12) - G01C 21/3807: {characterised by the type of data} - G01C 21/3841: {Data obtained from two or more sources, e.g. probe vehicles} - G01S 7/003: {Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations} - G01S 15/04: Systems determining presence of a target - G01S 15/87: Combinations of sonar systems - G01S 15/89: for mapping or imaging - G01S 15/8902: {Side-looking sonar} - G05D 1/0875: {specially adapted to water vehicles} - G05D 1/43: Control of position or course in two dimensions [2D] - H02J 7/35: with light sensitive cells - B60L 2200/32: Waterborne vessels - B60L 2240/622: by satellite navigation - B60L 2240/66: Ambient conditions - B63B 22/003: {adapted for being launched from an aircraft or water vehicle;, e.g. with brakes deployed in the water} - B63G 2008/004: {autonomously operating} - G01S 15/93: for anti-collision purposes - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - B63G: OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H) - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method for surveying a body of water includes providing a plurality of vehicles to a body of water. Each the plurality of vehicles includes a vehicle body, an electric-propulsion motor system mounted on the vehicle body, a rechargeable battery, at least one sonar device attached to the vehicle body, and a first communication device. The method also includes submerging each of the plurality of vehicles in the body of water, surveying an area, using the at least one sonar device, to map the body of water and to determine a location of each of the plurality of vehicles, and determining, based on the surveying, that a target object is detected within the area. The method also includes resurfacing each of the plurality of vehicles and transferring data, using the first communication device, between at least two of the plurality of vehicles at the surface of the body of water. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for surveying a body of water, the method comprising: providing a plurality of vehicles to a body of water, each of the plurality of vehicles comprising: a vehicle body; an electric-propulsion motor system mounted on the vehicle body; a rechargeable battery configured to provide electrical power to the electric-propulsion motor system; at least one sonar device attached to the vehicle body; and a first communication device; submerging each of the plurality of vehicles below a surface of the body of water; surveying an area, using the at least one sonar device, to map the body of water and to determine a location of each of the plurality of vehicles; determining, based on the surveying, that a target object is detected within the area; resurfacing each of the plurality of vehicles to the surface; transferring sonar data, using the first communication device, between at least two of the plurality of vehicles at the surface of the body of water; and processing the sonar data transferred between the at least two of the plurality of vehicles to: generate point data based on the sonar data; and generate a map based on the point data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is configured for communication between each of the plurality of vehicles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device comprises a Wi-Fi device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of vehicles further comprises a second communication device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising, after resurfacing each of the plurality of vehicles, sending a data set from the one or more of the plurality of vehicles to a satellite network using the second communication device, wherein the second communication device is a satellite communication device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the data set comprises at least some of the data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: assigning a location to each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles; and deploying a subset of vehicles at a specific water depth. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein submerging each of the plurality of vehicles further comprises: submerging a first vehicle to a first depth; and submerging a second vehicle to a second depth. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles comprises: a processor; and a memory comprising a plurality of program instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive the sonar data from the at least one sonar device disposed on each of the plurality of vehicles, wherein the at least one sonar device includes a plurality of transducer elements spaced apart at one or more distances and configured to receive respective sonar signals for conversion into the sonar data; generate the point data based on the received sonar data; and generate the map based on the point data, wherein the map includes a depth line representing an underwater floor of the body of water. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to generate a virtual model in real time based on the generated map. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where at least one of the plurality of vehicles is one of an autonomous underwater vehicle or a remotely operated underwater vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of vehicles comprises an autonomous underwater vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a roll, a pitch, or a yaw of each of the plurality of vehicles such that sound waves produced from the at least one sonar device are oriented towards a floor of the body of water. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein providing the plurality of vehicles to the surface of the body of water comprises air-dropping the plurality of vehicles from an aircraft or an unmanned aerial vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein submerging each of the plurality of vehicles in the body of water is performed without removable weights. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, after resurfacing, charging the rechargeable battery of each of the plurality of vehicles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of vehicles comprises one or more solar panels operable to recharge the rechargeable battery.