Monitoring module

Abstract

A method for controlling a robot configured to clean the hull of a vessel while traveling on the hull of the vessel, the method comprising: receiving at least one signal indicating the speed of the vessel; while cleaning is being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused based on (i) determining that the speed of the vessel exceeds a predetermined speed threshold based on the at least one signal or (ii) predicting that the speed of the vessel will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within a predetermined time period using the at least one signal; in response to detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, outputting a pause cleaning signal indicating that cleaning is to be paused; when cleaning is paused, detecting that cleaning performed by the robot is to be restarted based on determining that the speed of the vessel has dropped below the predetermined threshold, and in response, outputting a restart cleaning signal indicating that cleaning performed by the robot is to be restarted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to monitoring modules. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a monitoring module for controlling a robot configured to clean a hull of a vessel while traveling on the hull. Background Art

[0002] All surfaces immersed in seawater will suffer from the pollution of organisms (such as bacteria, diatoms, algae, mussels, tubeworms and barnacles). Marine pollution is the undesirable accumulation of microorganisms, algae and animals on the structure immersed in seawater. Polluting organisms can be divided into micro-polluting organisms (bacteria and diatomic biofilms) and large-scale polluting organisms (for example large algae, barnacles, mussels, tubeworms, bryozoans), and they live together to form a polluted community. In the simplified overview of the pollution process, the first step is to form an adjustment film, in which organic molecules adhere to the surface. This occurs immediately when the surface is immersed in seawater. Primary colonizers (bacteria and diatoms) will be deposited in one day. Secondary colonizers (spores of macroalgae and protozoa) will be deposited in one week. Finally, tertiary colonizers (larvae of large-scale polluting organisms) will be deposited in 2 weeks to 3 weeks.

[0003] Prevention of marine pollution is a known problem. Pollution of the hull of a ship will result in increased drag and increased fuel consumption or reduced speed. Increased fuel consumption will result in increased CO 2 、NO x and sulfur emissions. Severe contamination may also result in reduced maneuverability of the vessel. Many commercial vessels (e.g., container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, passenger ships) trade around the world. If the hull of a ship becomes contaminated, organisms will be transferred from their original ecosystem to a different ecosystem. This is problematic because new species may be introduced into sensitive ecosystems and eliminate native species.

[0004] Traditionally, antifouling coatings have been used to prevent the deposition and growth of marine organisms. The most effective antifouling coatings contain a biocide which will leak from the coating film and thereby reduce the amount of fouling.

[0005] Robots (sometimes also called "crawlers" or ROVs (remotely operated vehicles)) have previously been used to clean surfaces immersed in water, for example for use on the hulls of ships. Background art can be found in WO2014043411, US8506719 and WO2014043395. Summary of the invention

[0006] The inventor has recognized that the application of antifouling coating to ships is restrictive. In particular, commercial ships often operate in different waters, in different trades, and under different activities (including idle time). The risk of pollution is higher when the object is stationary or at low speed, because the organism has a longer time to settle on the surface. The typical maintenance interval of commercial ships is from 24 months to 90 months. When the ship enters the dry dock for maintenance and repair, the antifouling coating is usually specified according to the planned trade of the next period. However, the trade of the ship may change during the maintenance interval. Therefore, it is difficult to design and specify the antifouling coating that will be the best for all possible situations. The use of biocides is strictly regulated. In some ports with low water circulation, with the accumulation of biocide concentration, the use of biocides containing antifouling coatings is also restricted.

[0007] The inventors have also realised that while robots have previously been used to clean surfaces immersed in water, the cleaning process was initiated manually, determined according to a predetermined frequency or triggered by contamination of the vessel (e.g. increased chlorophyll levels measured by the robot). These are inefficient, complex and error-prone methods that result in a high risk of contamination of the surface. It is also difficult to achieve an optimal cleaning method with a predetermined cleaning frequency, as the trade of the vessel may change and the cleaning process will no longer be optimal for the vessel's trade and subject to a risk of contamination.

[0008] The inventors have realised that if the robot could effectively clean the surface of the vessel on which it is used, antifouling coatings with lower amounts of biocide, or even biocide-free coatings, could be used.

[0009] Due to the fact that the robot performs cleaning of the vessel's hull only when conditions are conducive for cleaning, embodiments of the present disclosure enable the robot to be advantageously used without the use of any wires or tethers between the robot and the mooring station (or other parts of the vessel), which might otherwise require the use of wires or tethers between the robot and the mooring station (or other parts of the vessel) to prevent the robot from becoming detached from the vessel and lost.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to reduce the amount of contamination on the hull of a vessel, the robot performs continuous cleaning while traveling on the vessel.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present application, a method for controlling a robot is provided, wherein the robot is configured to clean the hull of a ship while traveling on the hull of the ship, the method comprising: receiving at least one signal indicating the speed of the ship; while cleaning is being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot will be paused based on (i) determining that the speed of the ship exceeds a predetermined speed threshold based on the at least one signal or (ii) predicting that the speed of the ship will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within a predetermined time period using the at least one signal; in response to detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot will be paused, outputting a pause cleaning signal indicating that cleaning will be paused; when the cleaning is paused, detecting that cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted based on determining that the speed of the ship has dropped below the predetermined threshold, and in response, outputting a restart cleaning signal indicating that cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted.

[0012] During high speeds the robot will have a higher risk of being damaged or lost. The contamination risk is also lower at high speeds because most marine organisms cannot settle to the surface at high speeds. Thus in embodiments of the present disclosure, if the vessel reaches a certain speed or it is predicted that the vessel will soon reach this speed, the continuous cleaning will be suspended.

[0013] The at least one signal may include a sensor signal received from at least one sensor, the sensor signal including sensor data output by the at least one sensor.

[0014] The at least one sensor may include one or more sensors located on the robot.

[0015] The at least one sensor may include one or more sensors located on the vessel.

[0016] The at least one sensor may include an anchor sensor and sensor data indicating that an anchor of the vessel is raised or lowered.

[0017] The at least one sensor may comprise one or more of: a speed sensor and the sensor data comprises speed data indicative of the speed of the vessel; a vibration sensor and the sensor data comprises vibration data indicative of the speed of the vessel.

[0018] The at least one signal may include a signal received from a remote computing device external to the robot.

[0019] The signal received from the remote computing device may include one or more of: speed data indicative of the speed of the vessel; and an indication that the anchor of the vessel is raised or lowered.

[0020] The at least one signal may be indicative of a ground speed of the vessel.In these embodiments, the predetermined speed threshold has a value between 0.1 knots and 40 knots.

[0021] The at least one signal may be indicative of a speed through the water of the vessel.In these embodiments, the predetermined speed threshold has a value between 0.1 knots and 40 knots.

[0022] The method may further include: during cleaning being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot will be paused based on (i) determining that the robot is at risk of damage, and in response, outputting a pause cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning will be paused; when the cleaning is paused, detecting that the object is no longer at risk of damage, and in response, outputting a resume cleaning signal indicating that cleaning performed by the robot will be resumed.

[0023] Determining that the robot is at risk of damage may include: receiving a camera signal from a camera, the camera signal including image data; and detecting an object located in the path of the robot based on an analysis of the image data. In these embodiments, the camera may be located on the robot or on the vessel.

[0024] Determining that the robot is at risk of damage may include receiving a signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage.

[0025] The signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage may include wind information or wave information.

[0026] The signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage may be received from a sensor on the robot, a sensor on the vessel, or from a remote computing device external to the robot.

[0027] The method may further include: calculating a pollution risk value based on receiving a signal indicating the risk of pollution on the hull of the vessel, and comparing the pollution risk value with the pollution risk threshold; during cleaning being performed by the robot, detecting that the cleaning being performed by the robot will be paused based on determining that the pollution risk value is less than the pollution risk threshold, and in response, outputting the pause cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning will be paused; when the cleaning is paused, detecting that the cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted based on determining that the pollution risk value has increased to above the predetermined threshold, and in response, outputting the restart cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted.

[0028] The signal indicative of contamination on the hull of the vessel may include information relating to one or more of: (i) the amount of chlorophyll in the water environment of the vessel; (ii) the pH level of the water environment; (iii) the nutrient level in the water environment; (iv) the sensed light intensity in the water environment; (v) the salinity level of the water environment; (vi) the temperature of the water environment; (vii) the amount of carbon dioxide in the water environment; (viii) the geographic location of the vessel; (ix) the amount of gaseous oxygen dissolved in water in the water environment of the vessel; and (x) the depth of the water environment.

[0029] When the cleaning is paused, the robot may be configured to be stationary.

[0030] When it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the robot may be configured to move to a docking station on the vessel.

[0031] The method can be executed by a monitoring module on the robot, and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the method may include outputting the pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning; and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method may include outputting the restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to restart the cleaning.

[0032] The method can be executed by a monitoring module on the robot, and when it is detected that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the method may include outputting the pause cleaning signal to a remote computing device outside the robot for user verification; and when it is detected that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method may include outputting the restart cleaning signal to the remote computing device outside the robot for user verification.

[0033] The method may be performed by a monitoring module on a remote computing device external to the robot.

[0034] When it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the method may include automatically transmitting the pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning; and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method may include automatically transmitting the restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to restart the cleaning.

[0035] When it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the method may include outputting the pause cleaning signal to the user for verification before transmitting the pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning; and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method may include outputting the restart cleaning signal to the user for verification before transmitting the restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to restart the cleaning.

[0036] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, which includes instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the device to perform the method steps described herein.

[0037] The device may correspond to the robot referred to herein or a computing device external to the robot (eg, a computing device on a vessel or on shore and in communication with the robot).

[0038] The instructions may be provided on a carrier such as a disk, CD- or DVD-ROM, a programming memory such as a read-only memory (firmware), or a data carrier such as an optical or electrical signal carrier. The code (and / or data) implementing the embodiments of the present disclosure may include source, object or executable code in a conventional programming language (interpreted or compiled), such as C language or assembly code, code for setting or controlling an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) or FPGA (field programmable gate array), or code for a hardware description language.

[0039] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a robot is provided, the robot being configured to clean the hull of a ship while travelling on the hull of the ship, the robot comprising a processor configured to: receive at least one signal indicating the speed of the ship; during cleaning being performed by the robot, detect that cleaning being performed by the robot will be paused based on (i) determining that the speed of the ship exceeds a predetermined speed threshold based on the at least one signal or (ii) predicting that the speed of the ship will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within a predetermined time period using the at least one signal; in response to detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot will be paused, output a pause cleaning signal indicating that cleaning will be paused; when the cleaning is paused, detect that cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted based on determining that the speed of the ship has dropped below the predetermined threshold, and in response, output a restart cleaning signal indicating that cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted.

[0040] The processor may be configured to: output the pause cleaning signal to a cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning; and output the resume cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to resume the cleaning.

[0041] The processor may be configured to output the pause cleaning signal to a remote computing device external to the robot for user verification; and output the resume cleaning signal to a remote computing device external to the robot for user verification.

[0042] These and other aspects will become apparent from the embodiments described hereinafter.The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by this summary, nor to implementations that necessarily solve any or all disadvantages noted. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] For a better understanding of the present disclosure and to show how embodiments may be implemented, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0044] Figure 1 showing a ship and a robot;

[0045] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the robot;

[0046] Figure 3a A monitoring module and a cleaning module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure are shown;

[0047] Figure 3b A monitoring module and a cleaning module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure are shown;

[0048] Figure 3c A monitoring module and a cleaning module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure are shown;

[0049] Figure 4 showing the process of controlling the robot performed by the monitoring module; and

[0050] Figure 5 An exemplary hull cleaning robot is shown; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Embodiments will now be described by way of example only.

[0052] Figure 1 A watercraft 100 is shown, such as a container ship, a bulk carrier, a tanker or a passenger ship. The watercraft comprises a hull 101 .

[0053] Prior to operation, the robot 102 will be fixed at a robot station 104 (mooring station), which can be used to charge the robot 102. The robot station 104 will be positioned on the vessel above sea level. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the robot station 104 allows the robot 102 to be parked when the cleaning operation performed by the robot is paused. During the cleaning of the surface of the hull 101, the robot 102 can traverse any surface of the hull 101 where marine contamination may form (e.g., the flat bottom or side bottom of the hull).

[0054] like Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1 , a computing device 106 may be disposed in a deckhouse of the vessel to communicate with the robot 102. In addition, an anchor sensor 108 coupled to an anchor 110 of the vessel may be disposed, the anchor sensor 108 communicating with the computing device 106.

[0055] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the monitoring module is configured to control the cleaning of the hull 101 of the vessel 100 when the robot 102 travels on the hull 101. In contrast to known techniques, in the embodiments described herein, the default state of the robot 102 is to continuously clean the hull 101, and the cleaning operation is only paused when the robot 102 needs to recharge its power supply (e.g., by returning to the robot station 104) or when it is unsafe for the robot to perform its cleaning, such as when the vessel 100 is traveling at high speed. When the vessel 100 is traveling at high speed, there is a higher risk that the robot will be damaged or lost during high speed. The risk of contamination is also lower at high speeds because most marine organisms cannot settle on the surface at high speeds.

[0056] References to "cleaning" as used herein refer to the removal of fouling organisms from the surface of the hull 101, such cleaning sometimes being referred to as "scrubbing" or "active cleaning." By performing a continuous cleaning of the surface of the hull 101, the robot 102 typically performs the removal of an initial conditioning film in which organic molecules have adhered to the surface of the hull 101 and / or primary colonizers before secondary colonizers have had a chance to settle. However, it will be understood that the cleaning performed by the robot 102 may also involve the removal of secondary colonizers and any subsequent colonizers.

[0057] The duration of the continuous cleaning operation performed by the robot 102 described herein may vary. The continuous cleaning operation may be continuous because the cleaning is only suspended when the robot returns to the mooring station 104 to be recharged. Alternatively, the continuous cleaning operation may have a set duration, after which the robot returns to the mooring station 104 before starting a new continuous cleaning operation. If, for example, the vessel is idle for a week and the robot has spent half a day cleaning the hull, it is not necessary for the robot to continuously clean the hull for the rest of the day. Thus, the continuous cleaning operation may end and the robot may then start a new continuous cleaning operation again the next day (e.g., to reduce wear and tear on the robot).

[0058] Although for simplicity, Figure 1 A single robot 102 is shown on the vessel, but it will be appreciated that there may be multiple robots on the vessel. Figure 1 A single robotic station 102 is shown in FIG. 1 , but it will be understood that there may be multiple robotic stations on the vessel.

[0059] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of the robot 102. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the robot 102 includes a central processing unit (“CPU”) 202. The CPU 202 includes a cleaning module 204, which is configured to control a cleaning device 208 (the cleaning device 208 may take the form of a rotating cylindrical brush) that is coupled to the CPU 202 and performs removal of fouling organisms from the surface of the hull 101. The cleaning module 204 is configured to pause the cleaning being performed by the cleaning device 208 in response to receiving a pause cleaning signal. The cleaning module 204 is configured to cause the cleaning device 208 to resume performing cleaning in response to receiving a restart cleaning signal.

[0060] The CPU 202 may also include a monitoring module 206. As will be understood below, although the robot 102 may include the monitoring module 206, in alternative embodiments (hereinafter Figure 3c In more detail), the monitoring module can be a component of the computing device 106.

[0061] The CPU 202 is coupled to a power source 214 (eg, one or more batteries). The power source 214 may be recharged, for example, using the robotic station 104. The robot 102 also includes a memory 210 for storing data, as is known in the art.

[0062] like Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the robot 102 may include one or more sensors 212 configured to output sensor signals to the monitoring module 206. Each of the sensors described herein may be a physical sensor (i.e., a physical measuring instrument) or a virtual sensor (i.e., software that combines sensory data from multiple physical sensors to calculate a measurement result).

[0063] The sensors 212 may include one or more sensors configured to output a sensor signal indicating the speed of the vessel 100. The sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicating the speed of the vessel 100 may include a speed sensor (e.g., a speed log) configured to output speed data indicating the speed of the vessel 100. The speed sensor may be configured to perform a "speed over ground" or "speed over water" measurement. A speed sensor configured to perform a "speed over ground" measurement may use GPS information, which may be extracted from the vessel's navigation system or other onboard GPS sensors (e.g., a GPS sensor in the mooring station 104). A speed sensor configured to perform a "speed over water" may use one or more onboard sensors (typically, a Doppler effect based sensor or an electromagnetic sensor). The robot 102 may also be used as a virtual sensor for "speed over water" measurements.

[0064] Alternatively or in addition, the sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of the speed of the vessel 100 may include a vibration sensor configured to output vibration data indicative of the speed of the vessel 100. For example, the vessel's engine will generate varying levels of vibration on the hull 101 based on the operating state of the vessel's engine (e.g., whether the vessel is stationary with the engine turned off, whether the vessel is stationary with the engine turned on, and whether the vessel is about to start a journey, traveling at a low speed, traveling at a high speed, etc.).

[0065] Although sensors configured to output sensor signals indicative of the speed of the vessel 100 have been described as being located on the robot 102 , these sensors may be located on the vessel 100 .

[0066] Another example of a sensor located on the vessel that is configured to output a sensor signal indicative of the speed of the vessel 100 is the anchor sensor 108. The anchor sensor 108 is configured to output a sensor signal indicating that the vessel's anchor 110 is in a raised state (from which it can be inferred that the vessel is moving or about to move) or a lowered state (from which it can be inferred that the vessel is stationary or about to stop).

[0067] A sensor located on the vessel 100 that outputs a sensor signal indicative of the speed of the vessel 100 may output the sensor signal directly to the monitoring module 206 on the robot 102 via the interface 216. Alternatively, a sensor located on the vessel 100 may output the sensor signal to the computing device 106 via the interface 216, which relays the sensor signal to the robot 102.

[0068] The sensors 212 may include one or more sensors configured to output a sensor signal indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage. The sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage may include a camera configured to output a camera signal including image data. The camera may output the camera signal directly to the monitoring module 206, which is configured to detect objects in the path of the robot and thus determine that the robot 102 is at risk of damage based on an analysis of the image data. Alternatively, the camera may output the camera signal to the computing device 106 and a user operating the computing device 106 may confirm that the robot 102 is at risk of damage (e.g., by observing the image data captured by the camera) and transmit a signal to the monitoring module 206 indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage.

[0069] Underwater, cameras may be difficult to use due to poor visibility. Thus, the sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage may additionally or alternatively include a sensor that emits light (e.g., a lidar sensor) or emits sound (e.g., acoustic) and measures reflected pulses to detect objects in the robot's path.

[0070] Alternatively or additionally, the sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage may include a wave sensor configured to sense the degree of waves in the water environment of the vessel 100 and output wave information.

[0071] Although the wave sensor may be located on the robot 102, it may alternatively be located on the vessel 100. In addition, the monitoring module 206 may receive wave information from a computing device external to the robot 102 (e.g., a computing device 106 on the vessel, a computing device on shore (e.g., at a weather station), or a computing device in the water (e.g., from a buoy weather station or a computing device on a semi-submersible platform)).

[0072] The sensors 212 may include one or more sensors configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a risk of contamination on the hull of the vessel.

[0073] The sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of a risk of contamination on the hull of the vessel may include one or more of the following sensors: (i) a chlorophyll sensor configured to sense an amount of chlorophyll in a water environment of the vessel; (ii) a pH sensor configured to sense a pH level of a water environment of the vessel; (iii) a nutrient sensor configured to sense a nutrient level in a water environment of the vessel; (iv) a light intensity sensor configured to sense light intensity in a water environment of the vessel; (v) a salinity sensor (e.g., a conductivity sensor) configured to sense a salinity level in a water environment of the vessel; sensing a salinity level of the sensed water environment of the vessel; (vi) a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the water environment of the vessel; (vii) a carbon dioxide sensor configured to sense the amount of carbon dioxide in the water environment of the vessel; (viii) a location sensor (e.g., a GPS sensor) configured to sense the geographic location of the vessel; (ix) a dissolved oxygen sensor configured to sense the amount of gaseous oxygen dissolved in water in the water environment of the vessel; and (x) a depth sensor (e.g., a pressure sensor) configured to sense the depth of the water environment of the vessel. Such sensors are known to those skilled in the art and are therefore not described in further detail herein.

[0074] Although sensors configured to output sensor signals indicative of a risk of contamination on the hull of the vessel have been described as being located on the robot 102 , these sensors may be located on the vessel 100 .

[0075] In addition, a signal indicating the risk of contamination on the hull of the ship can be directly received at the monitoring module 206 from a satellite (for example, in an embodiment where the computing device 106 on the ship includes the monitoring module 206) or a signal indicating the risk of contamination on the hull of the ship can be received from the computing device 106 on the ship (for example, based on the computing device 106, the computing device 106 receives data from a satellite and / or from sensors located on the ship 100 and provides a signal indicating the risk of contamination to the monitoring module 206 on the robot 102).

[0076] In some embodiments, an interface 216 is provided to enable the robot 102 to receive and send data. The interface 216 may include a wired and / or wireless interface. Figure 3a A monitoring module 206 and a cleaning module 204 are shown, wherein both the monitoring module 206 and the cleaning module 204 are located on the robot 102 , according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] exist Figure 3a In the embodiment of the present invention, the monitoring module 206 is configured to communicate with the cleaning module 204.

[0078] In this embodiment, the monitoring module 206 is configured to receive input signals, and the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect based on these input signals that the cleaning being performed by the robot will be paused and output a pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102, and is also configured to detect based on these input signals that the cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted and output a restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102.

[0079] exist Figure 3a In an embodiment of the present invention, the input signal includes at least one signal indicating the speed of the vessel, which signal may be received from one or more of: a sensor on the robot, a sensor on the vessel, or a remote computing device.

[0080] Figure 3b A monitoring module 206 and a cleaning module 204 are shown according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein both the monitoring module 206 and the cleaning module 204 are located on the robot 102. However, in this embodiment, the monitoring module 206 is configured to communicate with the computing device 106 rather than the cleaning module 204 to provide a "man-in-the-middle" function.

[0081] In this embodiment, the monitoring module 206 is configured to receive input signals, and the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect based on these input signals that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused and output a pause cleaning signal to the remote computing device 106 for verification by the user of the remote computing device 106 (e.g., via a display on the remote computing device 106). If the user of the remote computing device 106 confirms that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused (using the input device of the remote computing device 106), the user makes appropriate inputs to the remote computing device 106, thereby causing the pause cleaning signal to be output from the remote computing device 106 to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102.

[0082] The monitoring module 206 is also configured to detect based on these input signals that the cleaning being performed by the robot will be restarted and output a restart cleaning signal to the remote computing device 106 for verification by the user of the remote computing device 106. If the user of the remote computing device 106 confirms that the cleaning being performed by the robot will be restarted, the user makes appropriate inputs to the remote computing device 106, so that the restart cleaning signal is output from the remote computing device 106 to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102.

[0083] exist Figure 3b In an embodiment of the present invention, the input signal includes at least one signal indicating the speed of the vessel, which signal may be received from one or more of: a sensor on the robot, a sensor on the vessel, or a remote computing device.

[0084] Figure 3c A monitoring module 206 and a cleaning module 204 are shown according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the monitoring module 206 is located on the robot 102 and the monitoring module 206 is located on the remote computing device 106 .

[0085] like Figure 3c As shown in FIG. 1 , the remote computing device 106 includes a CPU 302 coupled to a memory 310. The CPU 302 includes the monitoring module 206. Figure 3c In the embodiment of the present invention, the monitoring module 206 on the remote computing device 106 is configured to communicate with the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102 .

[0086] In this embodiment, the monitoring module 206 is configured to receive input signals, and the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended based on these input signals. In response to detecting that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended, the monitoring module 206 can be configured to automatically transmit a pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102 to suspend the cleaning. Alternatively, in response to detecting that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended, the monitoring module 206 can be configured to output a pause cleaning signal for verification by the user of the remote computing device 106 (e.g., via a display on the remote computing device 106). If the user of the remote computing device 106 confirms that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended, the user makes appropriate inputs to the remote computing device 106, so that the pause cleaning signal is output from the remote computing device 106 to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102.

[0087] The monitoring module 206 is also configured to detect based on these input signals that the cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted. In response to detecting that the cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted, the monitoring module 206 can be configured to automatically transmit a restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102 to restart the cleaning.

[0088] Alternatively, in response to detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be resumed, the monitoring module 206 may be configured to output a resume cleaning signal for verification by a user of the remote computing device 106. If the user of the remote computing device 106 confirms that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be resumed, the user makes appropriate input to the remote computing device 106, causing the resume cleaning signal to be output from the remote computing device 106 to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102.

[0089] exist Figure 3c In an embodiment of the present invention, the input signal comprises at least one signal indicative of a speed of the vessel, which signal may be received from one or more of: a sensor on the robot or a sensor on the vessel.

[0090] Figure 4 An example process 400 performed by the monitoring module 206 for controlling the robot is shown.

[0091] As noted above, the default state of the robot 102 is to continuously clean the hull 101 while traveling on the hull 101. The monitoring module 206 is configured to perform the process 400 once a continuous cleaning operation has been initiated.

[0092] At step S402, the monitoring module 206 receives a signal indicating the speed of the vessel 100. Figure 3a to Figure 3c As noted, the signal indicative of the speed of the vessel 100 may be received from a sensor on the robot, a sensor on the vessel, or the remote computing device.

[0093] At S404, the monitoring module 206 determines whether the detected speed is greater than a predetermined speed threshold. The value of the predetermined speed threshold may be stored in the memory 210 (in Figure 3a and Figure 3b In the embodiment of Figure 3c in the embodiment of FIG. 1 ).

[0094] The detected speed may include a measurement of the ground speed of the vessel 100. In these embodiments, the predetermined speed threshold may be in the range of 0.1 knots to 40 knots. Preferably, the predetermined speed threshold is in the range of 0.5 knots to 3.5 knots. For example, the predetermined speed threshold may be 2 knots. It will be appreciated that this value of the predetermined speed threshold is merely an example and other values ​​may be used.

[0095] The detected speed may include a measurement of the speed of the vessel 100 through the water. In these embodiments, the predetermined speed threshold may be in the range of 0.1 knots to 40 knots. Preferably, the predetermined speed threshold is in the range of 2 knots to 10 knots. For example, the predetermined speed threshold may be 6 knots. It will be appreciated that this value of the predetermined speed threshold is merely an example and other values ​​may be used.

[0096] If the monitoring module 206 determines that the detected speed is greater than the predetermined speed threshold, the process 400 proceeds to step S406 where the monitoring module 206 outputs a pause cleaning signal.

[0097] exist Figure 3a and Figure 3c In the embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning pause signal is output from the monitoring module 206 to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102. Figure 3b In the embodiment of the present invention, the pause cleaning signal is output from the monitoring module 206 to the computing device 106 .

[0098] In response to receiving the pause cleaning signal, the cleaning module 204 is configured to pause the cleaning being performed by the cleaning device 208 by communicating with the cleaning device 208 .

[0099] When the continuous cleaning is paused, the robot can be configured to remain stationary at its current position on the hull of the vessel. Alternatively, when it is detected that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the robot can be configured to move to the mooring station 104 or other location on the vessel designated as a safe location, whereby the robot will not be damaged or lost during high speeds.

[0100] When the continuous cleaning is paused, the monitoring module 206 will continue to monitor the speed of the vessel based on the input signals it receives. During the process 400, the monitoring module 206 can be configured to detect the speed of the vessel at predetermined intervals, such as several times per second or every 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes. It will be understood that these values ​​are examples only and other values ​​can be used.

[0101] If the monitoring module 206 determines at step S410 that the speed of the vessel remains above the predetermined speed threshold, the cleaning will not be restarted.

[0102] If the monitoring module 206 determines at step S410 that the speed of the vessel has decreased below the predetermined threshold, the process 400 proceeds to step S412 where the monitoring module 206 outputs a restart cleaning signal indicating that continuous cleaning by the robot is to be restarted.

[0103] exist Figure 3a and Figure 3c In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the restart cleaning signal is output from the monitoring module 206 to the cleaning module 204 on the robot 102. Figure 3b In the embodiment of FIG. 4 , the resume cleaning signal is output from the monitoring module 206 to the computing device 106 and the process 400 returns to step S402 where the monitoring module 206 continues to monitor the speed of the vessel.

[0104] By combining a cleaning capable robot 102 with the monitoring module 206, the robot will clean when it is safe and when the risk of contamination is highest and will thereby reduce the amount of contamination on the surface. The process 400 provides an efficient and safe method to reduce the amount of contamination on the hull of a vessel.

[0105] Although the process 400 shows a reactive mode of operation in which the monitoring module 206 determines at step S404 that the detected speed is greater than the predetermined speed threshold, in an alternative embodiment, the monitoring module 206 may operate in an active mode of operation. In the active mode of operation, the monitoring module 206 uses the signal indicative of the speed of the vessel 100 received at step S402 to predict at step S404 whether the speed of the vessel will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within a predetermined time period. If the monitoring module 206 predicts that the speed of the vessel will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within the predetermined time period, the process 400 proceeds to step S406 and continues according to the process described above.

[0106] In embodiments where the robot is configured to move to the mooring station 104 upon detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the prediction used by the monitoring module 206 in the active operating mode allows sufficient time for the robot to travel to the mooring station 104 before the vessel reaches the predetermined speed and the robot 102 is at risk of being damaged or lost. It will be appreciated that the predetermined time period may be set depending on the size of the vessel and / or the speed at which the robot 102 is able to travel on the hull 101.

[0107] exist Figure 3a to Figure 3c In an embodiment, the input signal may further include at least one signal indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage.

[0108] In these embodiments, during cleaning being performed by the robot, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that cleaning being performed by the robot will be suspended based on determining that the robot is at risk of damage, and in response, output the pause cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning will be suspended. When the cleaning is suspended, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the robot is no longer at risk of damage, and in response, output the resume cleaning signal indicating that cleaning performed by the robot will be resumed.

[0109] The monitoring module 206 may receive a camera signal from a camera, the camera signal comprising image data, and detect objects in the robot's path (and thereby detect that the robot is at risk of damage) based on an analysis of the image data. For example, the robot 102 may maneuver from the robot station to a waterline above a fuel barge alongside the vessel. The camera may be located on the robot itself (e.g., one of the sensors 212). Alternatively, the camera may be located on the vessel or configured to communicate with the robot via an interface 216. In these embodiments, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the robot is no longer at risk of damage based on the camera signal.

[0110] Alternatively, the camera (on the robot or on the vessel) may transmit a camera signal to the computing device 106, and a user observing the image data may detect an object in the robot's path (thus detecting that the robot is at risk of damage) and transmit a message from the computing device 106 to the monitoring module 206 to pause the cleaning performed by the robot. When the user observing the image data captured by the camera detects that the robot is no longer at risk of damage, the user may transmit a message from the computing device 106 to the monitoring module 206 to resume the continuous cleaning.

[0111] As noted above, in addition to or instead of using a camera, a lidar sensor or an acoustic sensor may be used to detect that the robot is at risk of damage. Such sensors may be located on the robot or on the vessel.

[0112] The monitoring module 206 may determine that the robot is at risk of damage based on receiving a signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage.

[0113] The signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage may include wave information related to the degree of waves in the water environment of the vessel. The signal including the wave information may be received by the monitoring module 206 from a wave sensor on the robot, a wave sensor on the vessel, the computing device 106, or a computing device on shore (e.g., at a weather station). During high waves, the robot is at risk of being damaged or lost, and thus the monitoring module 206 may take steps to suspend the cleaning to prevent such risk. In these embodiments, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the robot is no longer at risk of damage based on receiving the signal including the wave information.

[0114] The signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage may include wind information related to wind levels in the environment of the vessel. The monitoring module 206 may use the wind information and detect that the robot is at risk of damage based on the wind being a precursor to high wave levels. The signal including the wind information may be received by the monitoring module 206 from a wind sensor on the robot, a wind sensor on the vessel, the computing device 106, or a computing device on shore (e.g., at a weather station). In these embodiments, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the robot is no longer at risk of damage based on receiving the signal including the wind information.

[0115] The signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage may not include environmental information, and instead may simply be a message received from a computing device (e.g., the computing device 106 or a computing device on shore (e.g., at a weather station) to pause cleaning based on the computing device detecting that the robot is at risk of damage due to high waves. In these embodiments, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the robot is no longer at risk of damage based on receiving a message received from the computing device to resume cleaning.

[0116] Although embodiments have been described herein regarding the use of at least one signal indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage in addition to at least one signal indicating the speed of the vessel to control the pause of the continuous cleaning performed by the robot and the subsequent resumption of cleaning, in other aspects of the present disclosure, at least one signal indicating that the robot 102 is at risk of damage may be used independently of such speed information to control the pause of the continuous cleaning performed by the robot and the subsequent resumption of cleaning.

[0117] exist Figure 3a to Figure 3c In an embodiment of the invention, the input signal may further comprise at least one signal indicating a risk of contamination on the hull of the vessel.

[0118] In these embodiments, the monitoring module 206 is configured to calculate the contamination risk based on receiving a signal indicating the risk of contamination on the hull of the vessel, and compare the contamination risk value with a contamination risk threshold value. During cleaning being performed by the robot, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended based on determining that the contamination risk value is less than the contamination risk threshold value, and in response, output the pause cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning is to be suspended.

[0119] When the cleaning is paused, the monitoring module 206 is configured to detect that the cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted based on determining that the contamination risk value has increased above the predetermined threshold, and in response, output the restart cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning performed by the robot will be restarted.

[0120] The signal indicative of contamination on the hull of the vessel may include information relating to one or more of: (i) the amount of chlorophyll in the water environment of the vessel; (ii) the pH level of the water environment; (iii) the nutrient level in the water environment; (iv) the sensed light intensity in the water environment; (v) the salinity level of the water environment; (vi) the temperature of the water environment; (vii) the amount of carbon dioxide in the water environment; (viii) the geographic location of the vessel; (ix) the amount of gaseous oxygen dissolved in water in the water environment of the vessel; and (x) the depth of the aquatic marine environment.

[0121] The signal indicative of contamination on the hull of the vessel may be received from one or any combination of: one or more sensors located on the robot 102, one or more sensors located on the vessel 100, a computing device 106 located on the vessel, or a satellite.

[0122] Although embodiments have been described herein regarding the use of at least one signal indicating the risk of contamination on the hull of the vessel in addition to at least one signal indicating the speed of the vessel to control the pause of the continuous cleaning performed by the robot and the subsequent resumption of cleaning, in other aspects of the present disclosure, at least one signal indicating the risk of contamination on the hull of the vessel may be used independently of such speed information to control the pause of the continuous cleaning performed by the robot and the subsequent resumption of cleaning.

[0123] Figure 5 An exemplary robot 102 is shown for cleaning the painted hull of a marine vessel. The wheels 4 of the robot are magnetic to adhere to the iron hull. The robot 102 is driven by the wheels 4, and the wheels 4 are driven by an electric motor (not shown). Figure 5 , the robot 102 is shown in perspective in a fully assembled state. The chassis 2 of the robot 1 is a peripheral frame that holds a sealed container 3 that encloses a power source (e.g., a battery) and may include Figure 2 1. The container 3 is waterproof and sealed to prevent water ingress. Two beams "axles" 5 are fixed to the chassis 2 and these beams 5 support the wheels 4 and the associated elements of the suspension arrangement and steering mechanism for the wheels 4. The robot 102 includes a cleaning mechanism 208, which can take the form of a rotating cylindrical brush and is also fixed to the chassis 2. The cleaning mechanism 208 is controlled by the cleaning module 204.

[0124] will understand, Figure 5 Just one example form that the robot 102 may take is shown, and other examples are possible.

[0125] Typically, any of the functions described herein can be implemented using software, firmware, hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuits) or a combination of these implementations. The terms "function" and "module" as used herein generally represent software, firmware, hardware or a combination thereof. In the case of a software implementation, the function or module represents a program code that performs a specified task when on a processor (e.g., one or more CPUs). The program code can be stored in one or more computer-readable storage devices (e.g., memory 210 or memory 310). The features of the technology described below are platform-independent, which means that the technology can be implemented on various commercial computing platforms with various processors.

[0126] While the present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a robot configured to clean a hull of a vessel while traveling on the hull, the method comprising: receiving at least one signal indicative of a speed of the vessel; During cleaning being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended based on (i) determining that the speed of the vessel exceeds a predetermined speed threshold based on the at least one signal or (ii) predicting that the speed of the vessel will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within a predetermined time period using the at least one signal; in response to detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended, outputting a pause cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning is to be suspended; When the cleaning is paused, based on determining that the speed of the vessel has dropped below the predetermined threshold, it is detected that cleaning performed by the robot is to be resumed, and in response, a resume cleaning signal is output indicating that cleaning performed by the robot is to be resumed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one signal includes a sensor signal received from at least one sensor, the sensor signal including sensor data output by the at least one sensor.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one sensor includes one or more sensors located on the robot.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one sensor comprises one or more sensors located on the vessel.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The at least one sensor comprises an anchor sensor, and the sensor data indicates whether an anchor of the vessel is raised or lowered.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one sensor comprises one or more of the following sensors: a speed sensor, and the sensor data includes speed data indicative of a speed of the vessel; and A vibration sensor is provided, and the sensor data includes vibration data indicative of a speed of the vessel.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one signal comprises a signal received from a remote computing device external to the robot.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The signal received from the remote computing device includes one or more of the following: speed data indicative of the speed of the vessel; and An indication that the anchor of the vessel is raised or lowered.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one signal is indicative of a ground speed of the vessel.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one signal is indicative of a speed through the water of the vessel.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The predetermined speed threshold has a value between 0.1 knots and 40 knots.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: during cleaning being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended based on (i) determining that the robot is at risk of damage, and in response, outputting a suspended cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning is to be suspended; When the cleaning is paused, it is detected that the object is no longer at risk of damage, and in response, a resume cleaning signal is output indicating that cleaning performed by the robot is to be resumed.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: Determining that the robot is at risk of damage includes: receiving a camera signal from a camera, the camera signal comprising image data; and Objects located in a path of the robot are detected based on an analysis of the image data.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The camera is located on the robot.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The camera is located on the vessel.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein: Determining that the robot is at risk of damage includes receiving a signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The signal indicating that the robot is at risk of damage includes wind information and wave information.

18. The method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein: A signal is received from a sensor on the robot, a sensor on the vessel, or from a remote computing device external to the robot indicating that the robot is at risk of damage.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating a contamination risk value based on receiving a signal indicative of a risk of contamination on a hull of the vessel, and comparing the contamination risk value to the contamination risk threshold; during cleaning being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended based on determining that the contamination risk value is less than the contamination risk threshold, and in response, outputting the suspended cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning is to be suspended; When the cleaning is paused, it is detected that cleaning performed by the robot will be resumed based on determining that the contamination risk value has increased above the predetermined threshold, and in response, the resume cleaning signal indicating that cleaning performed by the robot will be resumed is output.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein: The signal indicative of contamination on the hull of the vessel includes information relating to one or more of: (i) the amount of chlorophyll in the water environment of the vessel; (ii) the pH level of the water environment; (iii) the nutrient level in the water environment; (iv) the sensed light intensity in the water environment; (v) the salinity level of the water environment; (vi) the temperature of the water environment; (vii) the amount of carbon dioxide in the water environment; (viii) the geographic location of the vessel; (ix) the amount of gaseous oxygen dissolved in water in the water environment of the vessel; and (x) the depth of the water environment.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein: When the cleaning is paused, the robot is configured to remain stationary.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein: When it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the robot is configured to move to a mooring station on the vessel.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The method is executed by a monitoring module on the robot, and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the method includes outputting the pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning; and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method includes outputting the restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to restart the cleaning.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The method is executed by a monitoring module on the robot, and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the method includes outputting the pause cleaning signal to a remote computing device outside the robot for user verification; and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method includes outputting the restart cleaning signal to the remote computing device outside the robot for user verification.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein: The method is performed by a monitoring module on a remote computing device external to the robot.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein: When it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be paused, the method includes automatically transmitting the pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning; and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method includes automatically transmitting the restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to restart the cleaning.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein: When it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is about to be paused, the method includes outputting the pause cleaning signal to the user for verification before transmitting the pause cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning; and when it is detected that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be restarted, the method includes outputting the restart cleaning signal to the user for verification before transmitting the restart cleaning signal to the cleaning module on the robot to restart the cleaning.

28. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

29. A robot configured to clean a hull of a vessel while traveling on the hull, the robot comprising a processor configured to: receiving at least one signal indicative of a speed of the vessel; During cleaning being performed by the robot, detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended based on (i) determining that the speed of the vessel exceeds a predetermined speed threshold based on the at least one signal or (ii) predicting that the speed of the vessel will exceed the predetermined speed threshold within a predetermined time period using the at least one signal; in response to detecting that cleaning being performed by the robot is to be suspended, outputting a pause cleaning signal indicating that the cleaning is to be suspended; When the cleaning is paused, based on determining that the speed of the vessel has dropped below the predetermined threshold, it is detected that cleaning performed by the robot is to be resumed, and in response, a resume cleaning signal is output indicating that cleaning performed by the robot is to be resumed.

30. The robot according to claim 29, wherein: The processor is configured to output the pause cleaning signal to a cleaning module on the robot to pause the cleaning, and output the resume cleaning signal to a cleaning module on the robot to resume the cleaning.

31. The robot according to claim 29, wherein: The processor is configured to output the pause cleaning signal to a remote computing device external to the robot for user verification, and to output the resume cleaning signal to a remote computing device external to the robot for user verification.

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