Navigation system for underwater vehicles
AssigneeFraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
InventorsGunnar BRINK, Edwin DEVASSYKUTTY, Christian LANGEN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a navigation system which, on the one hand, is arranged on sides of the underwater vehicle/AUV and, on the other hand, includes a surface transmitter as a counterpart. The two units communicate with each other such that the surface transmitter emits its signal directed to the position of the underwater vehicle and/or that the surface transmitter follows the underwater vehicle to improve the position determination capability.
Claims18
Surface transmitter for an underwater vehicle movable in the three-dimensional underwater space in the x-, y- and z-direction, comprising:
- a controller for moving the surface transmitter in the x- and y-direction on the water surface;
- a receiver for receiving position information for the position of the underwater vehicle;
- a control computer for controlling the controller, wherein the control computer is configured to control the surface transmitter such that the surface transmitter follows the x- and y-direction of the underwater vehicle in the x- and y-direction,
- wherein the surface transmitter comprises a transmitting apparatus configured to emit a first signal such that a runtime of the first signal can be determined by the underwater vehicle;
- wherein the control is performed such that the surface transmitter is positioned substantially perpendicularly above the underwater vehicle to emit the first signal substantially perpendicularly in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle;
- or
- wherein the transmitting unit transmits the first signal directed in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle.
Surface transmitter movable in the three-dimensional underwater space in the x-, y- and z-direction, comprising:
- a receiver for receiving position information for the position of the underwater vehicle;
- and
- a transmitting unit that is configured to emit a first signal such that a runtime of the first signal can be determined by the underwater vehicle, wherein the transmitting unit transmits the first signal directed in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle.
Method for controlling a surface transmitter with a controller configured for moving the surface transmitter in the x- and y-direction on the water surface, comprising:
- transmitting a first signal such that the first signal is directed in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle and that a runtime of the first signal can be determined by the underwater vehicle;
- receiving position information for the position of an underwater vehicle movable in the three-dimensional underwater space in the x-, y- and z-direction;
- and
- controlling the controller of the surface transmitter such that the surface transmitter follows the x- and y-direction of the underwater vehicle in the x-and y-direction, wherein the control is performed such that the surface transmitter is positioned substantially perpendicularly above the underwater vehicle to emit the first signal substantially perpendicularly in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle;
- or
- wherein transmitting the first signal is performed directed in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle.
A non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method for controlling a surface transmitter with a controller configured for moving the surface transmitter in the x- and y-direction on the water surface, the method comprising:
- transmitting a first signal such that the first signal is directed in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle and that a runtime of the first signal can be determined by the underwater vehicle;
- receiving position information for the position of an underwater vehicle movable in the three-dimensional underwater space in the x-, y- and z-direction;
- and
- controlling the controller of the surface transmitter such that the surface transmitter follows the x- and y-direction of the underwater vehicle in the x-and y-direction, wherein the control is performed such that the surface transmitter is positioned substantially perpendicularly above the underwater vehicle to emit the first signal substantially perpendicularly in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle;
- or
- wherein transmitting the first signal is performed directed in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle,
- when said computer program is run by a computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.