US 5,995,882 AGranted

Modular autonomous underwater vehicle system

OwnerMark R. Patterson, James H. Siasinventors

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

An autonomous underwater vehicle system for ocean science measurement and reconnaissance is about six feet long and 13 inches in diameter and includes various improvements which make turn-key, networkable, autonomous or tethered operation in aquatic environments possible. The improvements include a platform independent computer and I/O architecture which permits use of CISC or RISC CPUs and turn-key vehicle operation by persons unversed in computer programming, a floating launch and recovery frame which protects the vehicle and also provides for correct and safe vehicle assembly, an external battery charging port and high speed serial port with provision for optional control of the vehicle and data acquisition in real-time through connection of a lightweight electrically conducting tether, a four part hull assembly including an integrated strobe and antennae tower on the forward hull section which emerges from the water when the vehicle is at the surface, a modular, removable nose cone to carry sensors, and a motor mount which protects the main hull from flooding in the event of thruster failure, and flexible control surfaces with dive planes located on the forward hull and rudder fins on the stern hull section. These features are combined to produce a versatile and flexible platform for making oceanographic observations during complex behaviors executed by the vehicle and for providing duplex computer network connections when the vehicle is at the surface.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A modular autonomous underwater vehicle system having a vehicle and launch and recovery frame assembly comprising:

a removable nose cone adapted for mounting standard or custom sensors;
a plurality of sensors mounted in said nose cone;
a pressure forward hull section, connected to said nose cone, and having internal mounting for a navigation and data collection computer, for a power supply, and for dive plane actuator mechanisms;
a pressure aft hull section, connected to said forward hull section and having internal mounting for a power supply, for a power control module, and for rudder actuator mechanisms;
a motor mount section, connected to but pressure isolated from, said pressure aft hull, containing electrical drive motor and associated electrical connections;
a strobe and antennae tower containing packet modem antenna, GPS antenna, and high intensity strobe light;
a packet modem and GPS receiver module located inside said forward hull;
a plurality of batteries mounted inside said forward hull section;
a navigation and data collection computer mounted inside said forward hull section;
dive planes located on and extending horizontally from both sides of said forward hull section;
rudder fins located on and extending vertically from both sides of said aft hull section;
a DC thruster motor mounted in said motor mount section;
a battery charging port and high speed serial port located on said motor mount section;
an array of interconnected internal components comprising four stepping motors, one for each of said dive planes and rudder fins located in the forward and aft hulls, respectively,
an I/O block, located on said forward hull, for connection to said sensors located in the nose cone or elsewhere in the vehicle;
and
a floating launch and recovery frame, attachable to said vehicle, for assembling and launching said underwater vehicle.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.