Variable buoyancy apparatus for controlling the movement of an object in water

A depth, motion, and buoyancy device comprising:

• a buoyancy chamber, wherein the buoyancy chamber is an ambient pressure container;
• gas control means for adding gas to and removing gas from the container;
• water level means for detecting a level of water in the container and outputting a signal indicative of the water level;
• depth means for determining the depth of the container and outputting a signal indicative of the depth;
• processor means for receiving the signals output by the water level means and the depth means, calculating gas volume within the container, and ascent or descent rate based thereon, comparing the gas volume within the chamber, the depth, and the ascent or descent rate to acceptable values, based on the instruction received, and sending command signals to the gas control means based on the calculated gas volume, and ascent or descent rate for controlling the volume of gas withing the buoyancy chamber in order to control the buoyancy, depth, and motion of the buoyancy chamber and an object associated with the buoyancy chamber;
• and
• input means in communication with the processor means for allowing a user to select an operation mode of the apparatus for controlling the buoyancy, depth, and motion of the object.

A method of controlling the depth and motion of an object in water, using apparatus associated with the object including a buoyancy chamber that is an ambient pressure container, water level means for determining a level of water within the buoyancy chamber, gas control means for adding gas to and removing gas from the buoyancy chamber;

• a depth measuring sensor for determining the depth of the buoyancy chamber, a power source, a gas source, a processor, and an input device to send instructions to the processor, the processor being in communication with the water level means, the gas control means, the depth measuring sensor, the power source, and the input device, the method comprising the steps of:
• using the processor to initialize control of the gas control means in response to instructions received from the input device;
• at regular intervals using the processor to process readings from the water level and the depth measuring sensor to determine the volume of gas within the buoyancy chamber, and to determine depth and ascent or descent rate;
• using the processor to compare the volume of gas within the buoyancy chamber, the depth, and the ascent or descent rate to acceptable values based on the instruction received;
• and
• using the processor to control the gas control means, based on corrections, to manipulate the volume of gas within the buoyancy chamber to control the rate of ascent, rate of descent, level of buoyancy, and depth of the buoyancy chamber and the object.