An autonomous underwater vehicle docking device control system and method

Through the hierarchical architecture design of the autonomous underwater robot docking device control system, the autonomous operation and long-term residence of the docking device have been realized, solving the problem that existing technologies cannot operate autonomously without the mother ship, improving the working area and operational continuity of the AUV, and reducing resource consumption and development complexity.

CN119322525BActive Publication Date: 2025-12-05SHENYANG INST OF AUTOMATION - CHINESE ACAD OF SCI
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411422495.7
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-10-12
Publication Date
2025-12-05
Estimated Expiration
2044-10-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing docking device control system cannot operate autonomously and requires continuous connection with the mother ship, which limits the working area and continuity of the AUV and makes it impossible to complete the operation with the AUV underwater.

Method used

The control system, employing a layered architecture, includes an interaction layer, a deliberation layer, a response layer, and a software framework layer. By implementing data transmission, it solves specific problems unresolved in existing technologies, realizing a docking device control system. This addresses unresolved technical issues and challenges in existing technologies, enabling autonomous operation and long-term residence of the docking device.

Benefits of technology

It has achieved autonomous operation and long-term residence of the docking device, and can cooperate with AUV to complete multiple underwater exploration missions, handle various situations during operation, and has the ability to autonomously plan exploration paths and control equipment, thus reducing resource consumption and development complexity.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present application relates to underwater robot control technical field, specifically say a kind of autonomous underwater robot docking device control system and method, comprising: interactive layer, with water surface display control software and AUV are communicated, for realizing the data intercommunication and command forwarding between docking device and AUV, and the state information of docking device and AUV is fed back to water surface display control software, while responding to the equipment control instruction of docking device and AUV, receive task and configuration file;Deliberate layer, for generating the action sequence that docking device control system needs to complete during AUV mission according to the equipment control instruction of docking device and AUV, receive task and configuration file;And the control instruction corresponding to action sequence is sent to reaction layer, cooperates AUV to complete mission task;While the state information of docking device and AUV, sensor data, detection data are recorded to file, are fed back to interactive layer;Reaction layer, for executing the control instruction from deliberate layer, call executor device driver module to provide the device driver of corresponding device;Software framework layer, for supporting the function module operation of each level.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater robot control technology, specifically to a control system and method for an autonomous underwater robot docking device. Background Technology

[0002] Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are commonly used for deep-sea exploration and can carry a variety of sensors, playing an important role in many fields. However, due to limitations in the amount of energy they can carry, after completing a mission, AUVs need to surface and be recovered to their mother ship for refueling, data exchange, and maintenance. This process consumes a significant amount of time and disrupts the continuity of operations.

[0003] Recent domestic and international research has found that establishing docking devices underwater or on the seabed can solve a series of problems related to data transmission, energy replenishment, and loitering, showing broad application prospects. A docking device, also known as a base station, docking rig, or garage, refers to a cage-like or open structure that houses an AUV. It can be equipped with, but is not limited to, the following devices: guidance and docking mechanisms for guiding the AUV into the dock; limiting and locking mechanisms for securing the AUV; acoustic communication and positioning mechanisms for acoustic communication and ultra-short-range positioning; and charging and optical communication mechanisms for energy replenishment and data transmission.

[0004] Most existing docking devices require power from fiber optic cables from the mother ship and are operated via the mother ship's surface control system, serving as relay nodes. The existing docking device control systems themselves lack a control system or only possess rudimentary control capabilities, and cannot operate autonomously independently of the mother ship. This method requires constant connection to the mother ship, suitable for short-term operations or testing, but suffers from low system autonomy, limited AUV operating area, and inability to achieve long-term stays. Currently, there is no suitable control system for docking devices that can replace humans and autonomously interact with AUVs underwater to complete operational tasks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention proposes a control system for a docking device. This system operates on the main control computer of the docking device, which can reside on the seabed for extended periods. Based on this control system, the docking device can operate autonomously for extended periods without operator control. During operation, it interacts and collaborates with an AUV to complete multiple underwater exploration operations, handling various possible situations during the operation. The main functions of this control system include: guiding the AUV into the dock, backing up AUV exploration data, replenishing AUV power, monitoring the health status of the docking device and AUV system, autonomously planning exploration tasks, distributing exploration tasks, and monitoring the operational status.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to achieve the above objectives is: an autonomous underwater robot docking device control system, comprising: an interaction layer, a deliberation layer, a reaction layer, and a software framework layer for mutual information exchange;

[0007] The interaction layer communicates with the surface display and control software and the AUV to realize data exchange and command forwarding between the docking device and the AUV, as well as to provide feedback on the status information of the docking device and the AUV to the surface display and control software, and respond to the equipment control commands of the docking device and the AUV, and receive tasks and configuration files.

[0008] The deliberation layer is used to generate the action sequence that the docking device control system needs to complete during the AUV mission, based on the equipment control instructions, received tasks and configuration files of the docking device and AUV; and send the control instructions corresponding to the action sequence to the response layer to cooperate with the AUV to complete the mission task; at the same time, it records the status information, sensor data and detection data of the docking device and AUV into files and feeds them back to the interaction layer.

[0009] The reaction layer is used to execute control commands from the deliberation layer, call the actuator device driver module to provide the device driver for the corresponding device, and realize closed-loop control between devices.

[0010] The software framework layer supports the operation of functional modules at each level, serves as an information interaction center to realize data transmission between functional modules, uniformly manages global data read and write operations, and connects the modules in each level in a loosely coupled manner.

[0011] The interaction layer includes: an agent collaboration module and a human-computer interaction module;

[0012] The intelligent agent collaboration module is used to realize data exchange and command forwarding between the docking device control system and the AUV;

[0013] The human-machine interface module is used by operators to interact with the docking device control system through the surface display and control software. This includes providing the surface display and control software with status information of the docking device control system and AUV, responding to equipment control commands from the docking device control system and AUV, and receiving tasks and configuration files.

[0014] The data exchange is as follows: the AUV uploads the detection data to the docking device control system, or the docking device control system sends the mission and configuration file to the AUV.

[0015] The command forwarding is as follows: when the AUV cannot communicate directly with the surface display and control software, the control system of the docking device acts as a relay to forward the operator's control commands to the AUV, or forward the AUV's status information to the surface display and control software.

[0016] The deliberation layer includes: a task planning module, a data recording module, a navigation and positioning module, and a mission management module;

[0017] The task planning module is used to autonomously plan detection tasks based on the current position of the docking device control system and the AUV, as well as the position of the work point, to realize the autonomous planning of the AUV area coverage detection path, and generate the detection path that minimizes the detection cost, thereby generating the action sequence that the docking device control system needs to complete during the AUV mission.

[0018] The data recording module is used to record the status information, sensor data, and detection data of the receiving device and AUV into a file at set intervals.

[0019] The navigation and positioning module is used to calculate the position of the AUV itself by means of an inertial navigation device mounted on it and a Kalman filter algorithm.

[0020] The mission management module, based on the action sequence generated by the mission planning module, performs different missions before the AUV leaves the docking device, while the AUV is performing a detection mission, and after the AUV returns to the docking device control system, thus cooperating with the AUV to complete its mission tasks.

[0021] The reaction layer includes: a sensor device driver module, a communication device driver module, an actuator device driver module, a data acquisition module, a fault diagnosis module, and an execution control module;

[0022] The sensor device driver module is used to provide device drivers for inertial navigation, Doppler, depth gauge, altimeter, camera and position sensor, and realize device parameter configuration and data reading functions;

[0023] The communication equipment driver module is used to provide drivers for communication equipment including acoustic communication devices, underwater optical communication devices, radios, and ultra-short positioning devices, enabling device parameter configuration and communication functions;

[0024] The actuator device driver module is used to drive the locking mechanism, the wake-up mechanism, the guide light, and the lighting light, so as to realize the device parameter configuration and the execution of the corresponding device actions.

[0025] The data acquisition module periodically sends data from each device to the data recording module in the thought process layer.

[0026] The fault diagnosis module obtains device data from the data acquisition module in real time. When the device data is abnormal, it handles the fault by restarting the switch, resending the configuration command, or logging the fault according to the user's fault handling method configuration.

[0027] The execution control module receives control commands from the mission management module of the thought layer, calls the actuator device driver module to provide the device driver for the corresponding device, and realizes the control between the devices.

[0028] The software framework layer includes: a thread management module, a global data management module, a publish-subscribe message bus module, and a dual-threaded base class;

[0029] The thread management module is responsible for starting each functional module in sequence when the docking device control system starts running, when the mission is executed, and when the mission is completed, and for maintaining the life cycle of each thread.

[0030] The global data management module is used to store and retrieve global data from various modules of the device control system.

[0031] The publish-subscribe message bus module, based on a message queue, is used for one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many data and command interaction between modules.

[0032] A dual-threaded base class is used to abstract each module of the control system into a class, and each class inherits from this base class. This base class constructs a message loop receiving thread and a periodic execution thread to read the information sent to this module from the message bus, and executes the method according to a fixed period to realize the functions of timely message processing and periodic execution.

[0033] A control method for an autonomous underwater robot docking device control system includes the following steps:

[0034] 1) After the docking device control system is started, the thread management module starts the functional modules at each level in sequence. Then, the operator connects to the interaction layer of the docking device control system through the network, operates the surface display and control software to edit and plan multiple batches of mission tasks, and downloads the mission files and configuration files to the docking device main control computer. The human-machine interaction module of the interaction layer is responsible for receiving, parsing, verifying and storing them.

[0035] 2) Operators operate the surface display and control software to issue on / off commands to various devices. Data and command interaction between multiple modules is achieved through the subscription-publishing message bus module. The human-machine interaction module collects the on / off status and data of each device and uploads them to the surface display and control software for display. Operators observe the status and data to determine whether each device of the docking device is working properly.

[0036] 3) The operator disconnects the network connection with the docking device control system and deploys the docking device and the AUV fixed on the docking device from the mother ship deck into the sea. The docking device then descends to the seabed without power. The operator sends a mission execution command to the docking device control system through acoustic communication equipment. After receiving the command, the docking device control system begins to perform autonomous exploration.

[0037] 4) After the autonomous exploration mission begins, the docking device control system plans the mission according to the pre-made mission document and the current position. The docking device and AUV jointly carry out autonomous mission planning and compare and verify each other. Through multiple batches of exploration missions, a large area coverage exploration is achieved.

[0038] 5) The docking device control system releases the locking mechanism, and the AUV departs from the docking device to perform the detection task. The dual-threaded base class of the software framework layer extracts the common functions of each module into the base class for implementation. The base class is responsible for driving the process, and the functional modules of each subclass in the reaction layer implement the specific functions. At the same time, the message processing and periodic execution functions are realized according to the fixed period execution method.

[0039] 6) After completing the exploration mission, return to the docking device, lock the AUV in place, and perform data synchronization;

[0040] 7) During the autonomous exploration mission, the data acquisition module and the data recording module are responsible for the data acquisition of the device itself and the storage of hydrological data acquired by the AUV itself.

[0041] 8) After completing one autonomous exploration mission, the docking device control system and AUV enter a dormant state, waiting for the next voice communication remote control command issued by the mother ship operators to begin the next autonomous exploration mission.

[0042] Step 2) involves using a publish-subscribe message bus module to enable data and command interaction between many modules, specifically:

[0043] The publish-subscribe message bus module is implemented based on the message queue of the IPC function in the Linux system. The content to be subscribed to and published is called a Topic. Each Topic holds a message identifier queue of subscribers. The message bus TopicBus maintains multiple Topics.

[0044] When a module publishes a topic through the message bus, the message bus sends the message to all subscribers through that topic object;

[0045] Each functional module of the docking device control system subscribes to a specific topic. When a new message is published on that topic, the module receives an immediate notification and can also publish new messages to that topic.

[0046] Based on this message bus, the various units within the program can communicate with each other simply by subscribing to or publishing a topic, thus realizing a message-driven operation mechanism.

[0047] Step 5) specifically includes:

[0048] The base class runs in two threads, creating a message receiving thread that blocks to receive messages sent to itself from the publish-subscribe message bus module.

[0049] When a new message arrives, the OnTopic() function is called to respond, and the specific functionality of this function is implemented by the subclass.

[0050] The base class runs in a dual-threaded manner, and a periodic execution thread is created to call the Iterator() function at a fixed period according to the user's settings. The specific functionality of this function is implemented by the subclass, with a default period of 500ms.

[0051] Resource locks are used between the two threads to protect shared member data in order to avoid conflicts.

[0052] Step 6) specifically includes:

[0053] The docking device control system outputs critical logs to a log file. A default log file is created each time the system is powered on, and the current log is backed up after each mission is completed.

[0054] Record the raw communication data of the hardware device of the AUV corresponding to the reaction layer, including serial port, CAN and network communication protocols, and record the raw data read and written in the form of hexadecimal characters.

[0055] The docking device control system uses an sqlite3 database to store important data including: periodic sampling data from each sensor, communication data, status information sent by the AUV, and status information of the docking device itself.

[0056] The present invention has the following beneficial effects and advantages:

[0057] 1. The docking device control system of the present invention consists of multiple layers and functional modules, has a clear structure, has a certain degree of autonomy, and can replace humans in completing underwater tasks in cooperation with AUVs.

[0058] 2. The dual-thread base class technology proposed in this invention encapsulates the complexity of thread creation, execution, and message-driven processes, effectively improving development efficiency, code execution efficiency, and reducing resource consumption of the docking device control system.

[0059] 3. The subscription-publish message bus technology proposed in this invention encapsulates the complexity of message passing between modules, realizes many-to-many message distribution between modules, effectively improves code execution efficiency, reduces coupling between modules, and enhances the scalability of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0060] Figure 1This is a diagram of the control system architecture for the autonomous underwater robot docking device of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the dual-threaded execution base class technology of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the subscription-publishing message bus technology of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the message queue implementation principle of the IPC function of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0064] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0065] The technical solution of the present invention consists of four parts: the design of the docking device control system, the dual-thread operation base class technology, and the subscription-publishing message bus technology.

[0066] I. Design

[0067] The core idea of ​​this control system design is to treat the docking device as a special type of AUV, employing a layered architecture design, specifically including: an interaction layer, a deliberation layer, a response layer, and a software framework layer. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the main functions and modules included in each layer are as follows:

[0068] The interaction layer communicates with the surface display and control software and the AUV to realize data exchange and command forwarding between the docking device and the AUV, as well as to provide feedback on the status information of the docking device and the AUV to the surface display and control software, and respond to the equipment control commands of the docking device and the AUV, and receive tasks and configuration files.

[0069] The interaction layer includes: 1. Intelligent agent collaboration module, which realizes data transmission and command forwarding between the docking device and the AUV. Data transmission is the AUV uploading detection data to the docking device, or the docking device sending missions and configuration files to the AUV. Command forwarding is when the AUV cannot communicate directly with the surface display and control software, the docking device acts as a relay to forward the operator's control instructions to the AUV, or forward the AUV's status information to the surface display and control software.

[0070] 2. Human-machine interaction module: Operators interact with the docking device using the surface display and control software, including providing the surface display and control software with status information of the docking device and AUV, responding to equipment control commands of the docking device and AUV, and receiving tasks and configuration files.

[0071] The deliberation layer is used to generate the action sequence that the docking device control system needs to complete during the AUV mission, based on the equipment control instructions, received tasks and configuration files of the docking device and AUV; and send the control instructions corresponding to the action sequence to the response layer to cooperate with the AUV to complete the mission task; at the same time, it records the status information, sensor data and detection data of the docking device and AUV into files and feeds them back to the interaction layer.

[0072] The Shensi layer is responsible for the long-term, overall planning and decision-making of the docking device, and for formulating specific actions to be taken in order to complete the exploration mission or avoid risks.

[0073] Includes: 1. Task planning module, which autonomously plans detection tasks based on the current position and operation point position of the docking device and AUV, realizes autonomous planning of AUV area coverage detection path, generates detection path that minimizes detection cost, and generates action sequence that the docking device needs to complete during the AUV mission.

[0074] 2. The data recording module records the system status, sensor data, and detection data to a file every 500ms. This data comes from the navigation and positioning module and the data acquisition module of the reaction layer.

[0075] 3. Navigation and positioning module: Utilizing its own inertial navigation equipment and Kalman filter algorithm, it calculates its own position.

[0076] 4. Mission Management Module: Based on the results generated by the mission planning module, the AUV performs different missions before leaving the docking device, during the AUV's exploration mission, and after the AUV returns to the docking device, in order to cooperate with the AUV to complete the mission tasks.

[0077] The reaction layer is responsible for handling immediate, low-latency reaction behaviors, taking rapid actions based on sensor data, handling changes and emergencies in the external environment, executing control commands from the deliberation layer, calling the actuator device driver module to provide device drivers for the corresponding devices, and realizing closed-loop control between devices.

[0078] Includes: 1. Sensor device driver module, which drives inertial navigation, Doppler, depth gauge, altimeter, camera and position sensor, and realizes device parameter configuration and data reading functions;

[0079] 2. Communication equipment driver module, which drives the acoustic communication device, underwater optical communication device, radio, and ultra-short positioning device, and realizes the device parameter configuration and communication function;

[0080] 3. The actuator device drive module is the device driver for the locking mechanism, the wake-up mechanism, the guide light, and the lighting light, realizing the device parameter configuration and action and brightness adjustment functions;

[0081] 4. The data acquisition module periodically sends data from each device to the data recording module in the thought process layer;

[0082] 5. Fault diagnosis module: It obtains device data from the data acquisition module in real time. When the device data is abnormal, it handles the fault by restarting the switch, resending the configuration command, or logging the fault according to the user's fault handling method configuration.

[0083] 6. The execution control module receives control commands from the mission management module of the thoughtful layer, calls the device control methods provided by the actuator device driver module, and realizes the control of each device.

[0084] The software framework layer provides a set of reusable, standardized code structures, tools, and components for the development and operation of the control system, enabling rapid software system construction and efficient operation. The control system is designed using an object-oriented approach, and the software framework layer provides inheritable and reusable software functional modules.

[0085] The software framework layer specifically includes: 1. Thread management module, which controls each functional module in the system as an independent thread. The thread management module is responsible for starting each functional module in sequence when the system starts running, when the mission is executed, and when the mission is completed, and maintaining the life cycle of each thread.

[0086] 2. The global data management module is implemented based on the singleton design pattern and uses resource locks to protect each data member. It is used by various modules of the system to store and read global data.

[0087] 3. The publish-subscribe message bus module provides a convenient and efficient inter-thread communication method, based on message queues, and can be used for one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many data and instruction interaction between modules;

[0088] 4. Dual-threaded base class: Each module of the control system is abstracted into a class, and each class inherits from this base class. This base class constructs a message loop receiving thread and a periodic execution thread to read the information sent to this module on the message bus. At the same time, it executes a method according to a fixed period. This method is implemented by the inherited module, which can realize timely message processing and periodic execution functions, thereby improving the development and operation efficiency of the control system.

[0089] II. Control Methods for Autonomous Underwater Robot Docking Devices

[0090] like Figure 1 The flowchart shown illustrates the control method for autonomous underwater robot navigation according to the present invention. The control method for an autonomous underwater robot docking device control system according to the present invention is characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0091] 1) After the docking device control system is started, the thread management module starts the functional modules at each level in sequence. Then, the operator connects to the interaction layer of the docking device control system through the network, operates the surface display and control software to edit and plan multiple batches of mission tasks, and downloads the mission files and configuration files to the docking device main control computer. The human-machine interaction module of the interaction layer is responsible for receiving, parsing, verifying and storing them.

[0092] 2) Operators operate the surface display and control software to issue on / off commands to various devices. Data and command interaction between multiple modules is achieved through the subscription-publishing message bus module. The human-machine interaction module collects the on / off status and data of each device and uploads them to the surface display and control software for display. Operators observe the status and data to determine whether each device of the docking device is working properly.

[0093] 3) The operator disconnects the network connection with the docking device control system and deploys the docking device and the AUV fixed on the docking device from the mother ship deck into the sea. The docking device then descends to the seabed without power. The operator sends a mission execution command to the docking device control system through acoustic communication equipment. After receiving the command, the docking device control system begins to perform autonomous exploration.

[0094] 4) After the autonomous exploration mission begins, the docking device control system plans the mission according to the pre-made mission document and the current position. The docking device and AUV jointly carry out autonomous mission planning and compare and verify each other. Through multiple batches of exploration missions, a large area coverage exploration is achieved.

[0095] 5) The docking device control system releases the locking mechanism, and the AUV departs from the docking device to perform the detection task. The dual-threaded base class of the software framework layer extracts the common functions of each module into the base class for implementation. The base class is responsible for driving the process, and the functional modules of each subclass in the reaction layer implement the specific functions. At the same time, the message processing and periodic execution functions are realized according to the fixed period execution method.

[0096] 6) After completing the exploration mission, return to the docking device, lock the AUV in place, and perform data synchronization;

[0097] 7) During the autonomous exploration mission, the data acquisition module and the data recording module are responsible for the data acquisition of the device itself and the storage of hydrological data acquired by the AUV itself.

[0098] 8) After completing one autonomous exploration mission, the docking device control system and AUV enter a dormant state, waiting for the next voice communication remote control command issued by the mother ship operators to begin the next autonomous exploration mission.

[0099] III. Subscription-Publish Message Bus Technology

[0100] Subscribe-publish message bus such as Figure 3 As shown, it enables message and data transmission between modules, making the system more efficient and flexible in responding to changes. It supports many-to-many message transmission between modules, effectively decoupling the various functional modules, making the system easy to expand, and providing strong support for the operation of the AUV intelligent recognition algorithm.

[0101] This technology is based on the message queue function of IPC (Inter-Process Communication) in the Linux system, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the content that is subscribed to and published is called a Topic. Each Topic holds a message identifier queue for subscribers. The TopicBus maintains multiple Topics. When a module publishes a Topic through the TopicBus, the TopicBus will send the message to all subscribers through the Topic object.

[0102] In a docking device control system, each functional module (usually a thread) can subscribe to a specific topic and receive an immediate notification when a new message is published on that topic. They can also publish new messages to a topic. This publish-subscribe design enables one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many message sending and receiving. The publisher and subscribers of a topic are independent of each other's existence. For example, if a depth meter driver publishes real-time depth values ​​to the "depth" topic at a frequency of 2Hz, then all functional modules interested in the "depth" topic, such as the navigation and positioning module and the real-name management module, will receive a notification at the same frequency, obtaining the latest depth value. Based on this message bus, communication between units within the program can be achieved simply by subscribing to or publishing to a specific topic, realizing a message-driven operating mechanism.

[0103] IV. Dual-threaded base class execution technology

[0104] In step 5), the operation and interaction methods of each module in the system form the basis of the docking device control system. To improve development efficiency, the common functions of each module are extracted and implemented in a base class, which is responsible for driving the system. The specific functions are implemented by the functional modules of each subclass, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0105] A dual-threaded base class is used, creating a message receiving thread. This thread blocks to receive messages from the publish-subscribe message bus. When a new message arrives, it calls the `OnTopic()` function to respond; the specific functionality of this function is implemented by subclasses. A periodically executing thread is also created within the dual-threaded base class. This thread calls the `Iterator()` function at a fixed interval, as defined by the user. The specific functionality of this function is implemented by subclasses, with a default interval of 500ms. Resource locks are used between the two threads to protect shared member data and prevent conflicts.

[0106] In existing control systems, periodically executed functions cannot receive and process new messages while sleeping, especially long-cycle functions that execute every few seconds or tens of seconds, resulting in message processing delays. The dual-threaded base class technique separates message sending and receiving from periodic execution, allowing messages to be received even while the periodically executed function is sleeping. This invention balances the periodicity of long-running tasks with improved real-time message response, preventing blocking and untimely message delivery, and offering greater flexibility and robustness.

[0107] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this invention can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated units described above can be implemented in hardware or as software functional units. The above are merely embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of this application, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An autonomous underwater vehicle docking device control system, characterized by, The application relates to a docking device control system for an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), which comprises an interaction layer, a deliberation layer, a reaction layer and a software framework layer. The interaction layer communicates with the water surface display control software and the AUV, and is used for realizing data intercommunication and command forwarding between the docking device and the AUV, feeding back the state information of the docking device and the AUV to the water surface display control software, and responding to the equipment control instructions of the docking device and the AUV, receiving tasks and configuration files. The deliberation layer is used for generating the action sequence required by the docking device control system during the AUV mission according to the equipment control instructions of the docking device and the AUV, receiving tasks and configuration files, sending the control instructions corresponding to the action sequence to the reaction layer, cooperating with the AUV to complete the mission task, and recording the state information, sensor data and detection data of the docking device and the AUV into files and feeding back to the interaction layer. The reaction layer is used for executing the control instructions from the deliberation layer, calling the device driver of the corresponding equipment provided by the actuator equipment driving module to realize the closed-loop control between the equipment. The software framework layer is used for supporting the running of the functional modules of each layer, realizing the data transmission of the functional modules as the information interaction center, uniformly managing the read-write operation of global data, and connecting the modules in each layer in a loose coupling mode. The interaction layer comprises an intelligent agent cooperation module and a man-machine interaction module.

2. The control system for an AUV docking system of claim 1, wherein, The intelligent agent cooperation module is used for realizing the data intercommunication and command forwarding between the docking device control system and the AUV. The man-machine interaction module is used for the interaction between the operator and the docking device control system through the water surface display control software, including providing the state information of the docking device control system and the AUV to the water surface display control software, responding to the equipment control instructions of the docking device control system and the AUV, receiving tasks and configuration files. The data intercommunication is that the AUV uploads the detection data to the docking device control system or the docking device control system issues the mission and configuration files to the AUV.

3. The AUV docking device control system of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The command forwarding is that when the AUV cannot directly communicate with the water surface display control software, the docking device control system is used as a transfer station to forward the control instructions of the operator to the AUV or forward the state information of the AUV to the water surface display control software. The deliberation layer comprises a task planning module, a data recording module, a navigation positioning module and a mission management module.

4. The control system for an AUV docking system of claim 1, wherein, The task planning module is used for autonomously planning the detection task according to the current positions of the docking device control system and the AUV and the positions of the work points, realizing the autonomous planning of the AUV regional coverage detection path, generating the detection path minimizing the detection cost, and further generating the action sequence required by the docking device control system during the AUV mission. The data recording module is used for recording the state information, sensor data and detection data of the docking device and the AUV into files every set interval. The navigation positioning module is used for realizing the calculation of the position of the AUV by the inertial navigation equipment arranged thereon through the Kalman filtering algorithm. ​ The mission management module, based on the action sequence generated by the mission planning module, performs different missions before the AUV leaves the docking device, while the AUV is performing a detection mission, and after the AUV returns to the docking device control system, thus cooperating with the AUV to complete its mission tasks.

5. The AUV docking device control system of claim 1, wherein, The reaction layer includes: a sensor device driver module, a communication device driver module, an actuator device driver module, a data acquisition module, a fault diagnosis module, and an execution control module; The sensor device driver module is used to provide device drivers for inertial navigation, Doppler, depth gauge, altimeter, camera and position sensor, and realize device parameter configuration and data reading functions; The communication equipment driver module is used to provide drivers for communication equipment including acoustic communication devices, underwater optical communication devices, radios, and ultra-short positioning devices, enabling device parameter configuration and communication functions; The actuator device driver module is used to drive the locking mechanism, the wake-up mechanism, the guide light, and the lighting light, so as to realize the device parameter configuration and the execution of the corresponding device actions. The data acquisition module periodically sends data from each device to the data recording module in the thought process layer. The fault diagnosis module obtains device data from the data acquisition module in real time. When the device data is abnormal, it handles the fault by restarting the switch, resending the configuration command, or logging the fault according to the user's fault handling method configuration. The execution control module receives control commands from the mission management module of the thought layer, calls the actuator device driver module to provide the device driver for the corresponding device, and realizes the control between the devices.

6. The control system for an autonomous underwater vehicle docking apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The software framework layer includes: a thread management module, a global data management module, a publish-subscribe message bus module, and a dual-threaded base class; The thread management module is responsible for starting each functional module in sequence when the docking device control system starts running, when the mission is executed, and when the mission is completed, and for maintaining the life cycle of each thread. The global data management module is used to store and retrieve global data from various modules of the device control system. The publish-subscribe message bus module, based on a message queue, is used for one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many data and command interaction between modules. A dual-threaded base class is used to abstract each module of the control system into a class, and each class inherits from this base class. This base class constructs a message loop receiving thread and a periodic execution thread to read the information sent to this module from the message bus, and executes the method according to a fixed period to realize the functions of timely message processing and periodic execution.

7. The control method of claim 1, wherein, Includes the following steps: 1) After the docking device control system is started, the thread management module starts the functional modules at each level in sequence. Then, the operator connects to the interaction layer of the docking device control system through the network, operates the surface display and control software to edit and plan multiple batches of mission tasks, and downloads the mission files and configuration files to the docking device main control computer. The human-machine interaction module of the interaction layer is responsible for receiving, parsing, verifying and storing them. 2) Operators operate the surface display and control software to issue on / off commands to various devices. Data and command interaction between multiple modules is achieved through the subscription-publishing message bus module. The human-machine interaction module collects the on / off status and data of each device and uploads them to the surface display and control software for display. Operators observe the status and data to determine whether each device of the docking device is working properly. 3) The operator disconnects the network connection with the docking device control system and deploys the docking device and the AUV fixed on the docking device from the mother ship deck into the sea. The docking device then descends to the seabed without power. The operator sends a mission execution command to the docking device control system through acoustic communication equipment. After receiving the command, the docking device control system begins to perform autonomous exploration. 4) After the autonomous exploration mission begins, the docking device control system plans the mission according to the pre-made mission document and the current position. The docking device and AUV jointly carry out autonomous mission planning and compare and verify each other. Through multiple batches of exploration missions, a large area coverage exploration is achieved. 5) The docking device control system releases the locking mechanism, and the AUV departs from the docking device to perform the detection task. The dual-threaded base class of the software framework layer extracts the common functions of each module into the base class for implementation. The base class is responsible for driving the process, and the functional modules of each subclass in the reaction layer implement the specific functions. At the same time, the message processing and periodic execution functions are realized according to the fixed period execution method. 6) After completing the exploration mission, return to the docking device, lock the AUV in place, and perform data synchronization; 7) During the autonomous exploration mission, the data acquisition module and the data recording module are responsible for the data acquisition of the device itself and the storage of hydrological data acquired by the AUV itself. 8) After completing one autonomous exploration mission, the docking device control system and AUV enter a dormant state, waiting for the next voice communication remote control command issued by the mother ship operators to begin the next autonomous exploration mission.

8. The control method of claim 7, wherein, Step 2) involves using a publish-subscribe message bus module to enable data and command interaction between many modules, specifically: The publish-subscribe message bus module is implemented based on the message queue of the IPC function in the Linux system. The content to be subscribed to and published is called a Topic. Each Topic holds a message identifier queue of subscribers. The message bus TopicBus maintains multiple Topics. When a module publishes a topic through the message bus, the message bus sends the message to all subscribers through that topic object; Each functional module of the docking device control system subscribes to a specific topic. When a new message is published on that topic, the module receives an immediate notification and can also publish new messages to that topic. Based on this message bus, the various units within the program can communicate with each other simply by subscribing to or publishing a topic, thus realizing a message-driven operation mechanism.

9. The control method of claim 7, wherein, Step 5) specifically includes: The base class runs in two threads, creating a message receiving thread that blocks to receive messages sent to itself from the publish-subscribe message bus module. When a new message arrives, the OnTopic() function is called to respond, and the specific functionality of this function is implemented by the subclass. The base class runs in a dual-threaded manner, and a periodic execution thread is created to call the Iterator() function at a fixed period according to the user's settings. The specific functionality of this function is implemented by the subclass, with a default period of 500ms. Resource locks are used between the two threads to protect shared member data in order to avoid conflicts.

10. The control method of claim 7, wherein, Step 6) specifically includes: The docking device control system outputs critical logs to a log file. A default log file is created each time the system is powered on, and the current log is backed up after each mission is completed. Record the raw communication data of the hardware device of the AUV corresponding to the reaction layer, including serial port, CAN and network communication protocols, and record the raw data read and written in the form of hexadecimal characters. The docking device control system uses an sqlite3 database to store important data including: periodic sampling data from each sensor, communication data, status information sent by the AUV, and status information of the docking device itself.

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