Underwater vehicle operation and control system and method using the same

Abstract

Some embodiments disclosed herein provide an underwater vehicle operation and control system, including a display device, an operating device, and a processor. The processor includes an operation control module, a signal conversion module, and a signal transmission module. The operation control module provides navigation control signals. The signal conversion module converts the navigation control signals into signals that allow the motor to adjust its speed and direction using techniques including pulse width modulation (PWM), analog current regulation (ACD), or combinations thereof. The signal transmission module transmits the motor-adjustable speed and direction signals to the underwater vehicle to control the operation of at least one thruster of the underwater vehicle using these motor-adjustable speed and direction signals, wherein the motor-adjustable speed and direction signals include serial communication signals.

Claims

1. An underwater vehicle operation and control system, comprising: A display device configured to display underwater information; an operating device electrically connected to the display device and configured to provide a control signal; A plurality of transceivers are disposed at a seabed or at a sea surface, each transceiver being configured to transmit an answer signal; and a transponder is disposed on or within the underwater vehicle, wherein the transponder is configured to transmit an answer signal; and a processor is electrically connected to the display device and the operating device, and signal-connected to the underwater vehicle, configured to operate and control the underwater vehicle, wherein the underwater vehicle includes a sonar detection module, and the processor includes: an operation control module configured to provide a navigation control signal; and a signal conversion module signal-connected to the operation control module, configured to convert the navigation control signal into a motor-adjustable speed and steering signal using a pulse width modulation technique, an analog current adjustment technique, or a combination thereof; A signal transmission module is connected to the signal conversion module and configured to transmit the adjustable speed and direction signal of the motor to the underwater vehicle so as to control the operation of at least one thruster of the underwater vehicle through the adjustable speed and direction signal of the motor, wherein the signal transmission module is further configured to provide a closed network communication. A signal receiving module, signal-connected to the sonar detection module, configured to receive a reflected sonar signal from the sonar detection module; and an underwater positioning module, signal-connected to the signal receiving module, configured to issue a response request to request a transponder mounted on the underwater vehicle to issue a response signal, wherein when the transponder on the underwater vehicle issues the response signal, transponders mounted on the seabed or the sea surface are configured to receive and transmit the response signal to the underwater positioning module, and wherein the underwater positioning module is further configured to obtain a plurality of relative positions between the underwater vehicle and the transponders mounted on the seabed or the sea surface based on a plurality of the response signals from a plurality of transponders mounted on a seabed or the sea surface.

2. The underwater vehicle operation and control system as described in claim 1, wherein the sonar detection module emits a sonar signal and receives the reflected sonar signal from the seabed, wherein the sonar detection module includes a single-beam sonar, a multi-beam sonar, a Doppler velocity meter, or a combination thereof.

3. The underwater vehicle operation and control system as described in claim 2, wherein the underwater positioning module is further configured to locate the underwater vehicle using an inertial navigation technology and based on the reflected sonar signal, and to generate an underwater positioning signal, wherein the underwater positioning module is configured to locate the underwater vehicle using an acceleration, a displacement, a displacement azimuth, an angular velocity, or a combination thereof.

4. The underwater vehicle operation and control system as described in claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises: A global navigation satellite module is signal-connected to the underwater positioning module and configured to receive a mothership position provided by a global satellite navigation system, wherein the mothership position includes a longitude, a latitude, an altitude, or a combination thereof, and wherein the underwater positioning module is further configured to obtain a vehicle position of the underwater vehicle by means of a distance measurement technology and the relative positions between the underwater vehicle and a transceiver located on the seabed or the sea surface, and the mothership position.

5. The underwater vehicle operation and control system as described in claim 1, wherein the signal transmission module is further configured to send a function signal or a status signal to the underwater vehicle at a time interval to confirm that the underwater vehicle is still operating normally.

6. The underwater vehicle operation and control system as described in claim 5, wherein the processor further comprises: A global navigation satellite module is signal-connected to the display device and configured to update the time of the display device according to a standard time provided by a global navigation satellite system; wherein when the processor, the display device, and the operating device each include a clock, the signal transmission module is further configured to correct the time of the processor, the display device, the operating device, and the underwater vehicle respectively according to a timestamp of each clock.

7. The underwater vehicle operation and control system as described in claim 1, wherein the processor further comprises: A personalization module is signal-connected to the display device and configured to provide a personalization setting, wherein the personalization setting includes a dominant hand operation adjustment, a left-right visual difference adjustment, an information display screen position and size adjustment, a day / night brightness change, or a combination thereof.

8. A method for operating and controlling an underwater vehicle, adapted to perform a plurality of steps via a processor, wherein the steps include: Provide a navigation control signal; convert the navigation control signal into a motor adjustable speed and steering signal using a pulse width modulation technique; transmit the motor adjustable speed and steering signal to an underwater vehicle, wherein the motor adjustable speed and steering signal includes a serial communication signal, wherein transmitting the motor adjustable speed and steering signal to the underwater vehicle includes: the processor issuing a response request to request a transponder installed on the underwater vehicle to issue a response signal; When the transponder on the underwater vehicle sends a response signal, each of a plurality of transponders located at a seabed or a sea surface receives and transmits a response signal to the processor. The processor then obtains a plurality of relative positions between the underwater vehicle and the transponders located at the seabed or the sea surface based on the response signals from the plurality of transponders at the seabed or the sea surface. When the underwater vehicle receives a signal indicating that the motor can adjust its speed and direction, at least one thruster of the underwater vehicle changes a speed, a direction, or a combination thereof of a motor of the at least one thruster according to the signal indicating that the motor can adjust its speed and direction.

9. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the steps further include: Determine whether a system failure event has occurred or whether control has been altered due to intrusion; When a system failure event is detected or control is altered due to intrusion, a control system interruption function is executed to interrupt the operation of the underwater vehicle. The control system interruption function includes shutting off a power supply to the underwater vehicle, transmitting a termination command to forcibly terminate the operation of the underwater vehicle, receiving a destruction command to destroy data, or a combination thereof.

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