System and Method for Automated Rendezvous, Docking and Capture of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

[摘要] A system for automated rendezvous, docking, and capture of autonomous underwater vehicles at the conclusion of a mission comprising of comprised of a docking rod having lighted, pulsating (in both frequency and light intensity) series of LED light strips thereon, with the LEDs at a known spacing, and the autonomous underwater vehicle specially designed to detect and capture the docking rod and then be lifted structurally by a spherical end strop about which the vehicle can be pivoted and hoisted up (e.g., onto a ship). The method of recovery allows for very routine and reliable automated recovery of an unmanned underwater asset.

[发布日期] 2018-01-23

[学科分类] 人工智能

[关键词] AUTONOMY;AUTONOMOUS DOCKING;LIGHT EMITTING DIODES;POSITION (LOCATION);RENDEZVOUS GUIDANCE;RODS;TRANSMITTER RECEIVERS;UNDERWATER VEHICLES;PATENTS;ANCHORS (FASTENERS);INERTIAL NAVIGATION;LUMINOUS INTENSITY;SHAFTS (MACHINE ELEMENTS);SIGNAL TRANSMISSION;STRUCTURAL MEMBERS