An underwater robot cooperative operation system and operation method

Abstract

The application provides an underwater robot cooperative operation system and operation method, and belongs to the technical field of underwater unmanned systems. The system comprises a master underwater robot and a slave underwater robot. The master underwater robot comprises a master machine cabin and a master control assembly. The master control assembly comprises a power supply, a master control cabin powered by the power supply, a USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station and an electric winch. The electric winch is wound with a cable. An electric cutter is arranged at the output end of the electric winch. A master propulsion assembly is arranged outside the master machine cabin. The slave underwater robot comprises a slave machine cabin and a slave control assembly. The slave control assembly comprises a slave control cabin connected with the cable, a USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station and an image acquisition device. A mechanical arm and a slave propulsion assembly are arranged outside the slave machine cabin. The system can solve the technical problems that the existing underwater robot is limited in narrow space movement due to its own structural limitations, and the overall operation is lost when the underwater robot fails to be recovered.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underwater unmanned systems technology, and in particular to an underwater robot collaborative operation system and operation method. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous growth in demand for marine resource development, seabed infrastructure inspection and maintenance, and underwater search and rescue, underwater robot technology has received widespread attention and rapid development. Underwater robots can replace personnel in high-risk environments such as the deep sea and confined spaces to perform exploration, inspection, and operational tasks, playing an increasingly important role in marine scientific research, offshore oil and gas development, and subsea pipeline maintenance.

[0003] Currently, mainstream underwater robots are mainly divided into two types according to their control methods: autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs). AUVs are self-powered, do not require umbilical cables, and can autonomously plan paths according to preset tasks to complete large-scale cruises and data collection; ROVs are remotely controlled in real time by surface operators via umbilical cables, have continuous power, and can be equipped with robotic arms for precise intervention operations. Both play important roles in different types of underwater missions.

[0004] However, both existing AUVs and ROVs exhibit certain shortcomings in complex or restricted underwater operating environments. On one hand, each AUV and ROV system integrates precision navigation, propulsion, communication, and multiple mission payloads, resulting in high overall costs. In independent operation, they are highly susceptible to irrecoverable situations such as jamming, water ingress, energy depletion, or communication interruption, leading to significant economic losses and potentially severely impacting mission progress. On the other hand, to achieve sufficient endurance, AUVs require large-capacity battery packs, limiting their size. ROVs, powered by a surface vessel via an umbilical cable, have unrestricted operating time, but the umbilical cable severely restricts their freedom of movement. Both types of platforms struggle to access confined underwater spaces with limited internal diameters, such as subsea pipes and reef crevices, severely restricting their operational scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides an underwater robot collaborative operation system and method, which solves the technical problems of limited mobility in confined spaces due to the inherent structural limitations of existing underwater robots, and overall operational losses when malfunctions prevent their recovery. The technical solution is as follows: In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide an underwater robot collaborative operation system, comprising: The main underwater robot includes a main body cabin and a main control component. The main control component includes a power supply and a main control cabin powered by the power supply, a USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station, and an electric winch. The power supply, the main control cabin, and the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station are located inside the main body cabin. The electric winch is located outside the main body cabin. The electric winch is wound with a cable integrating power supply lines and optical fibers. The output end of the electric winch is equipped with an electric cutter. A main propulsion component consisting of multiple horizontal thrusters and vertical thrusters powered by the power supply is located outside the main body cabin. The underwater robot includes a slave cabin and a slave control assembly. The slave cabin is connected to the cable. The slave control assembly includes a slave control cabin, a USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station, and an image acquisition device, all located inside the slave cabin and connected to the cable. A robotic arm powered by the cable is located outside the slave cabin, and a slave propulsion assembly consisting of multiple horizontal and vertical thrusters.

[0006] Optionally, a guide mechanism is provided outside the main engine compartment, and multiple guide wheels are spaced apart on the guide mechanism. The cable extending from the output end of the electric winch is sequentially wound around the multiple guide wheels.

[0007] Optionally, the guide wheel is provided with a tension sensor that is communicatively connected to the electric winch.

[0008] Optionally, external supports are provided on both sides of the main engine compartment, and buoyancy chambers are mounted on the external supports.

[0009] Optionally, the main propulsion assembly includes a first vertical thruster and a second vertical thruster symmetrically arranged on both sides of the main engine compartment, and a first horizontal thruster and a second horizontal thruster arranged in front of and behind the main engine compartment.

[0010] Optionally, both the image acquisition device and the robotic arm are located at the front end of the slave unit's cabin.

[0011] Optionally, the slave propulsion assembly includes a third vertical thruster and a fourth vertical thruster symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave engine compartment, and a third horizontal thruster and a fourth horizontal thruster symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave engine compartment.

[0012] Optionally, the slave engine cabin is provided with fixed supports extending horizontally and having horizontal rotational freedom on both sides, and the third vertical thruster and the fourth vertical thruster are respectively provided at the ends of the fixed supports.

[0013] Optionally, a handle is provided on the top of the slave engine compartment.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for operation based on the underwater robot collaborative operation system described in the first aspect, comprising: The operator deploys the secondary underwater robot and the primary underwater robot together into the water and dives to the target work area. The cable is released by the electric winch to control the distance between the secondary underwater robot and the primary underwater robot. The main underwater robot sends motion and operation commands to the slave control cabin through the optical fiber in the cable. It continuously sends acoustic interrogation signals to the USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station using the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station and provides feedback to the operator on the relative position information between the slave underwater robot and the main underwater robot. The slave underwater robot performs underwater three-dimensional motion using the slave propulsion component. It continuously acquires images of the target operation area using the image acquisition device and transmits them back in real time via the optical fiber. It uses the robotic arm to perform grasping, inspection, or maintenance operations. During normal retrieval, the electric winch is used to retrieve the cable, allowing the submersible robot to follow the cable and be retrieved to the vicinity of the main submersible robot, where they will both rise to the surface for the operator to retrieve. When the secondary underwater robot malfunctions and cannot be recovered, the operator sends a cable-cutting command to the main control cabin via underwater acoustic communication, or the main control cabin automatically triggers the cable-cutting protection mechanism to cut the cable using the electric cutter, separating the main underwater robot from the secondary underwater robot. The main underwater robot is then controlled to rise autonomously, while the secondary underwater robot remains underwater or awaits subsequent salvage.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention include at least the following: This embodiment centrally houses high-value equipment such as power supplies, main control cabins, and USBL underwater acoustic positioning master stations within the main underwater robot. The secondary underwater robots, however, carry only a minimal set of equipment including a secondary control cabin, a USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station, image acquisition devices, and a robotic arm, without any battery modules. This design ensures that in the event of a secondary underwater robot malfunctioning and becoming unrecoverable, it can be actively discarded via an electric cutter, preserving the main underwater robot and all its high-value equipment and collected data. Furthermore, the remote power supply via cable reduces the size and weight of the secondary underwater robots, enabling them to operate in confined spaces such as underwater pipes and reef crevices. This effectively solves the technical problems of existing underwater robots, such as limited mobility in confined spaces due to their structural limitations, and excessive overall operational losses in the event of a malfunction and inability to be recovered. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a front view structural diagram of the underwater robot collaborative operation system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view of the underwater robot collaborative operation system provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the cable provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the operation method provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] In the diagram: 1-Main underwater robot; 11-Main engine compartment; 12-Main control assembly; 121-Power supply; 122-Main control compartment; 123-USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station; 124-Electric winch; 125-Electric cutter; 13-Cable; 131-Power supply line; 132-Fiber optic cable; 14-Main propulsion assembly; 141-First vertical thruster; 142-Second vertical thruster; 143-First horizontal thruster; 144-Second horizontal thruster; 15-Guiding mechanism; 151-Guide wheel; 16-External support; 17-Buoyancy chamber; 171-Pressure balance hole; 2-Slave underwater robot; 21-Slave cabin; 22-Slave control assembly; 221-Slave control cabin; 222-USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station; 223-Image acquisition equipment; 23-Robotic arm; 24-Slave propulsion assembly; 241-Third vertical thruster; 242-Fourth vertical thruster; 243-Third horizontal thruster; 244-Fourth horizontal thruster; 25-Fixed bracket; 26-Handle. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] refer to Figures 1 to 3 This invention provides an underwater robot collaborative operation system, which includes a master underwater robot 1 and a slave underwater robot 2. The master underwater robot 1 and the slave underwater robot 2 are physically connected by a cable 13, and the two constitute a master-slave collaborative operation structure with separate functions.

[0021] Specifically, the main underwater robot 1 is designed according to the architecture of an autonomous underwater robot. There is no physical cable connection between the main underwater robot 1 and the water surface, thus ensuring that the main underwater robot 1's freedom of movement in the underwater space is not constrained by surface cables such as umbilical cables. The secondary underwater robot 2 serves as an operational extension module of the main underwater robot 1, and is powered by the main underwater robot 1 and conducts wired fiber optic communication through cable 13.

[0022] To balance the needs of equipment preservation, endurance, and adaptability to confined spaces, this embodiment of the invention adopts a functional separation design approach. High-value equipment and power systems are centrally located in the main underwater robot 1, while the secondary underwater robot 2 carries only the minimum equipment necessary to meet the operational tasks. Furthermore, no battery modules are installed inside the secondary robot's cabin 21, thereby significantly reducing the size and weight of the secondary underwater robot 2. This enables it to operate in confined underwater spaces such as seabed pipes and reef crevices, effectively expanding the scope of underwater operations.

[0023] Specifically, the main underwater robot 1 includes a main body cabin 11 and a main control component 12. The main body cabin 11 is a sealed pressure-bearing shell, made of pressure-resistant material with pressure resistance and corrosion resistance to withstand the high hydrostatic pressure during deep-water operations, and provides mechanical protection and watertight enclosure for the main control component 12 located inside it.

[0024] The main control component 12 includes a power supply 121, a main control cabin 122, a USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123, and an electric winch 124. The power supply 121, the main control cabin 122, and the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123 are all located inside the main machine compartment 11, while the electric winch 124 is located outside the main machine compartment 11.

[0025] Power supply 121 serves as the energy core of the entire collaborative operation system. It provides stable power to the various electrical devices of the main underwater robot 1 (including the main control cabin 122, USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123, main propulsion assembly 14, etc.), and also remotely supplies power to the slave underwater robot 2 via cable 13. This eliminates the need for the slave underwater robot 2 to carry any battery modules, thus significantly reducing the size and weight of the slave robot cabin 21. The main control cabin 122 integrates the main processor and communication interface module, responsible for scheduling master and slave commands and monitoring system status. The main control cabin 122 communicates with the slave underwater robot 2 at high speed through optical fiber 132 in cable 13. At the same time, the main control cabin 122 can also transmit commands and data to the surface host computer through the underwater acoustic communication module, thereby enabling operators to remotely monitor the entire collaborative operation system. The USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123 is used to transmit acoustic interrogation signals into the water and receive response signals from the underwater robot 2. It calculates the three-dimensional relative position of the underwater robot 2 with respect to the master underwater robot 1 in real time, providing a spatial perception data basis for precise control of collaborative operations.

[0026] A cable 13 is wound around the electric winch 124, and the cable 13 integrates a power supply line 131 and an optical fiber 132. The power supply line 131 is used to transmit electrical energy output from the power supply 121 to the slave underwater robot 2, and the optical fiber 132 is used to transmit control commands, image data, and sensor information between the master underwater robot 1 and the slave underwater robot 2. Specifically, for example... Figure 3 As shown, the power supply line 131 may include two conductors, a positive and a negative terminal, providing stable DC power from the master underwater robot 1 to the slave underwater robot 2; the optical fiber 132 may include one transmitting fiber and one receiving fiber, employing full-duplex transmission to ensure real-time and reliable communication between the master and slave devices. The cable 13 may also include an outer sheath covering the power supply line 131 and the optical fiber 132. This sheath may be made of a polymer material with pressure resistance, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, and be armored to withstand cable tension and provide mechanical protection and watertight sealing for the internal power supply line 131 and optical fiber 132.

[0027] An electric cutter 125 is installed at the output end of the electric winch 124, located near the outlet of the cable 13 extending from the winch 124. When the secondary underwater robot 2 cannot be retrieved due to jamming, entanglement, or other malfunctions, the operator sends a cable-cutting command to the primary underwater robot 1 via underwater acoustic communication through the surface computer, or the main control cabin 122 automatically triggers the cable-cutting protection mechanism based on the fault detection results. Upon receiving the cable-cutting command, the electric cutter 125, driven by a motor, cuts the cable 13, thus disconnecting the primary underwater robot 1 from the secondary underwater robot 2. In this way, the primary underwater robot 1 and its onboard high-value equipment (such as the power supply 121, the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123, the main control cabin 122, etc.) and all collected data are completely preserved. The operational losses are effectively controlled within the cost range of the secondary underwater robot 2, fundamentally solving the technical problem of excessive economic losses caused by the complete loss of the entire robot and all high-value equipment in the event of a malfunction in traditional single underwater robots.

[0028] The main engine compartment 11 is also equipped with a main engine propulsion assembly 14, which is powered by a power supply 121 and consists of multiple horizontal and vertical thrusters, to jointly realize the three-dimensional motion control of the main underwater robot 1 in the underwater space.

[0029] The underwater robot 2 includes a slave compartment 21 and a slave control assembly 22. The slave compartment 21 is also a sealed pressure-bearing shell, and is connected to the other end of the cable 13. The slave control assembly 22 includes a slave control compartment 221, a USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station 222, and an image acquisition device 223, all of which are housed within the slave compartment 21, with the slave control compartment 221 connected to the cable 13.

[0030] Specifically, the slave control cabin 221 receives electrical energy from the main underwater robot 1 via power supply line 131 in cable 13. Since no battery module is installed inside the slave cabin 21, the size and weight of the slave underwater robot 2 are significantly reduced. The slave control cabin 221 interprets control commands transmitted from the main control cabin 122 via fiber optic cable 132, drives the thrusters of the slave underwater robot 2 to perform motion actions, and transmits data collected by the sensors on the slave underwater robot 2 back to the main underwater robot 1 via fiber optic cable 132. The USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station 222 responds to the acoustic interrogation signal emitted by the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123 of the main underwater robot 1, sending an acoustic response signal, thereby enabling the main underwater robot 1 to obtain the three-dimensional coordinates of the slave underwater robot 2 relative to the main underwater robot 1 in real time. Image acquisition device 223 is used to acquire visual information of the work area in real time. The acquired image data is transmitted to the main underwater robot 1 via optical fiber 132 and further transmitted to the surface control terminal, providing the surface operators with an intuitive underwater working view.

[0031] The slave robot 21 is externally mounted with a robotic arm 23 powered by a cable 13, and a slave propulsion assembly 24 consisting of multiple horizontal and vertical thrusters. The robotic arm 23 obtains electrical power through the power supply line 131 in the cable 13 and can be driven by the slave control cabin 221 to perform fine operations such as grasping, twisting, and cutting; the slave propulsion assembly 24 enables the underwater robot 2 to have three-dimensional movement capabilities in the underwater space.

[0032] Through the above structural setup, this embodiment centrally arranges high-value equipment such as the power supply 121, main control cabin 122, and USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123 in the main underwater robot 1, while the secondary underwater robot 2 carries only a minimal amount of operating equipment such as the secondary control cabin 221, USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station 222, image acquisition equipment 223, and robotic arm 23, and does not carry any battery modules. This ensures that if the secondary underwater robot 2 fails and cannot be recovered, the electric cutter 125 can actively discard the secondary underwater robot 2 to preserve the main underwater robot 1 and all its high-value equipment and collected data. Furthermore, the remote power supply via cable 13 reduces the size and weight of the secondary underwater robot 2, enabling it to operate in confined spaces such as seabed pipes and reef crevices. This effectively solves the technical problems of existing underwater robots, such as limited mobility in confined spaces due to their structural limitations, and excessive overall operational losses when they fail to be recovered.

[0033] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, a guide mechanism 15 is provided on the outside of the main engine compartment 11, and a plurality of guide wheels 151 are spaced apart on the guide mechanism 15. The cable 13 extending from the output end of the electric winch 124 is sequentially wound around the plurality of guide wheels 151.

[0034] Specifically, multiple guide wheels 151 are spaced apart on the guiding mechanism 15 along the cable 13's routing direction. Each guide wheel 151 can rotate freely around its own axle, allowing the cable 13 to smoothly change its routing direction as it passes each guide wheel 151. During the winding and unwinding of the cable 13 by the winch 124, the cable 13 is stably transported along the preset routing path defined by the multiple guide wheels 151. This avoids the problem of the cable 13 becoming tangled or twisted near the outlet due to directional deviation, and also prevents the cable 13 from interfering with other external structures of the main engine compartment 11, thus preventing excessive local bending.

[0035] The cable 13 is guided in a standardized manner by multiple guide wheels 151 on the guide mechanism 15, which significantly extends the service life of the cable 13 (especially its internal optical fiber 132) and ensures the reliability of power supply and communication transmission of the cable 13 during long-term repeated winding and unwinding.

[0036] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, a tension sensor is provided on the guide wheel 151, which is communicatively connected to the electric winch 124. Specifically, the tension sensor can be a strain gauge type, a piezoelectric type, or a mechanical measurement structure based on the torque inversion of the guide wheel 151, to detect in real time the tension borne by the cable 13 as it passes through the guide wheel 151, and transmit the detected tension signal to the control unit of the electric winch 124 via the communication connection.

[0037] The electric winch 124 automatically adjusts its winding and unwinding actions on the cable 13 based on the tension signal fed back by the tension sensor: when the tension value detected by the tension sensor is higher than the upper limit of the set threshold, it indicates that the cable 13 is in an overly tight state, which may be due to the movement from the underwater robot 2 away from the main underwater robot 1. At this time, the electric winch 124 automatically releases the cable 13 to avoid being too tight; when the tension value detected by the tension sensor is lower than the lower limit of the set threshold, it indicates that the cable 13 is in a slack state, which may be due to the movement from the underwater robot 2 towards the main underwater robot 1. At this time, the electric winch 124 automatically retracts the cable 13 to avoid slack and tangling.

[0038] Through the closed-loop feedback control formed between the tension sensor and the electric winch 124, the cable 13 is kept in an appropriate tension during the relative movement of the main underwater robot 1 and the slave underwater robot 2. This adaptively adapts to the changes in the penetration depth of the slave underwater robot 2 and the needs of the relative movement between the master and slave robots. This avoids damage to the internal power supply line 131 and optical fiber 132 of the cable 13 due to excessive tightness, and also prevents the cable 13 from becoming entangled in other structures of the main underwater robot 1 due to slackness. Secondly, when the slave underwater robot 2 is working in confined spaces, the cable 13 also serves as a safety rope for the slave underwater robot 2. The penetration depth of the slave underwater robot 2 is objectively constrained by the length of the cable 13, preventing it from drifting away from the working area under the disturbance of the water flow. When the slave underwater robot 2's own propulsion system fails, the main underwater robot 1 can also use the electric winch 124 to reverse and retrieve the cable 13, dragging the slave underwater robot 2 back to prevent it from being stranded in the confined space. This significantly reduces the risk of accidental loss of the slave underwater robot 2 in confined spaces.

[0039] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, external supports 16 are laterally extended on both sides of the main engine compartment 11, and buoyancy chambers 17 are mounted on the external supports 16. Specifically, the external supports 16 can be made of corrosion-resistant metal materials (such as titanium alloys, stainless steel, etc.) or composite materials with high strength and rigidity. One end is fixedly connected to the side of the main engine compartment 11, and the other end extends outward in a horizontal direction to support the buoyancy chambers 17. The external supports 16 and the main engine compartment 11 together constitute the structural skeleton of the main underwater robot 1, providing installation support for the buoyancy chambers 17 and bottom support for the entire robot, ensuring the attitude stability of the main underwater robot 1 during deployment and recovery.

[0040] The buoyancy chamber 17 is made of a low-density solid buoyancy material, providing the main underwater robot 1 with the positive buoyancy required for underwater operations. This ensures the main underwater robot 1's ability to hover in the water and allows it to autonomously rise to the surface after the electric cutter 125 cuts the cable 13. Preferably, the buoyancy chamber 17 may also be provided with a pressure balance hole 171. This pressure balance hole 171 is used to balance the pressure difference between the tiny pores inside the buoyancy material and the external water environment, preventing structural damage to the buoyancy material due to excessive pressure difference as the main underwater robot 1 dives deeper.

[0041] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, the main propulsion assembly 14 includes a first vertical thruster 141 and a second vertical thruster 142 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the main engine compartment 11, and a first horizontal thruster 143 and a second horizontal thruster 144 located before and after the main engine compartment 11.

[0042] Specifically, the first vertical thruster 141 and the second vertical thruster 142 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides of the main engine compartment 11. When working together: when running in the same direction and at the same speed, they jointly provide the heave control force for the main underwater robot 1 to achieve diving or surfacing; when running at different speeds, they generate a roll control torque or pitch control torque through the thrust difference between the two sides to adjust the attitude of the main underwater robot 1. The first horizontal thruster 143 and the second horizontal thruster 144 are respectively located at the front and rear of the main engine compartment 11. When working together: when running in the same direction and at the same speed, they jointly provide the main underwater robot 1 with forward or backward thrust in the front-rear direction; when running in opposite directions or at different speeds, they generate a yaw torque around the vertical axis of the main engine compartment 11 to achieve steering of the main underwater robot 1.

[0043] By combining symmetrically arranged dual vertical thrusters with front and rear dual horizontal thrusters, the main underwater robot 1 possesses full-degree-of-freedom motion control capabilities in three-dimensional space. This not only meets the requirements for rapid navigation and precise hovering operations in open waters, but also stably carries the underwater robot 2 to the entrance of a confined work space, providing a stable motion platform for the underwater robot 2 to enter confined spaces and perform delicate operations.

[0044] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, both the image acquisition device 223 and the robotic arm 23 are located at the front end of the slave cabin 21. Specifically, the image acquisition device 223 may include a camera, a supplementary light, and a sealed pressure-bearing housing. When located at the front end of the slave cabin 21, its optical axis extends along the forward direction of the underwater robot 2, which is beneficial for obtaining the best field of view in the forward direction and collecting visual information of the working area in front in real time. The robotic arm 23 is also located at the front end of the slave cabin 21, so that the working space of the robotic arm 23 coincides with the field of view of the image acquisition device 223, which makes it convenient for the operator to accurately monitor and control the operation process of the robotic arm 23 through the real-time images collected by the image acquisition device 223.

[0045] Furthermore, based on the above embodiments, the slave propulsion assembly 24 includes a third vertical thruster 241 and a fourth vertical thruster 242 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave cabin 21, and a third horizontal thruster 243 and a fourth horizontal thruster 244 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave cabin 21.

[0046] Specifically, the third vertical thruster 241 and the fourth vertical thruster 242 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave nacelle 21. When they move in the same direction and at the same speed, they jointly provide the heave control force for the slave underwater robot 2 to achieve diving or surfacing. When they move at different speeds, the thrust difference between the two sides generates a roll or pitch control torque to adjust the attitude of the slave underwater robot 2. The third horizontal thruster 243 and the fourth horizontal thruster 244 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave nacelle 21, and are spaced apart from the third vertical thruster 241 and the fourth vertical thruster 242 respectively in the extension direction of the slave nacelle. When they move in the same direction and at the same speed, they jointly provide the forward or backward thrust for the slave underwater robot 2 in the forward or backward direction. When they move in opposite directions or at different speeds, they generate a yaw torque about the vertical axis of the slave nacelle 21 to enable the slave underwater robot 2 to maneuver flexibly in confined spaces.

[0047] The slave propulsion assembly 24 adopts a symmetrical arrangement of dual vertical thrusters and dual horizontal thrusters, which enables the slave underwater robot 2 to have full-degree-of-freedom flexible movement capabilities in three-dimensional space. Even in narrow spaces with limited inner diameters, such as underwater pipes and reef crevices, it can accurately control its position and attitude, improving the operational stability and positioning accuracy of the slave underwater robot 2 in confined spaces.

[0048] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, fixed supports 25 extending horizontally and having horizontal rotational freedom are provided on both sides of the engine compartment 21, and the third vertical thruster 241 and the fourth vertical thruster 242 are respectively provided at the ends of the fixed supports 25.

[0049] Specifically, one end of the fixed bracket 25 is connected to the side of the slave engine compartment 21 via a connection structure with horizontal rotational freedom (e.g., a rotary hinge structure that can rotate freely about a rotation axis parallel to the axis of the vertical thruster, a lockable slewing pair, etc.), and the other end (i.e., the end) is equipped with a third vertical thruster 241 or a fourth vertical thruster 242. The horizontal rotational freedom of the fixed bracket 25 allows the horizontal deployment angle of the third vertical thruster 241 and the fourth vertical thruster 242 relative to the slave engine compartment 21 to be adjusted within a certain range.

[0050] Based on the horizontal rotational freedom of the aforementioned fixed support 25, the underwater robot 2 can flexibly adjust its overall horizontal width according to the different size conditions of the working space: when the underwater robot 2 needs to enter a narrow space with limited inner diameter (such as inside a seabed pipe, a crevice in a reef, etc.), the fixed support 25 can be retracted around its rotation axis in the front-rear direction of the slave cabin 21, so that the third vertical thruster 241 and the fourth vertical thruster 242 are closer to the slave cabin 21, thereby reducing the overall width of the underwater robot 2 in the horizontal direction to adapt to the inner diameter limitation of the narrow space; when the underwater robot 2 is operating in a relatively open water area, the fixed support 25 can be fully extended to both sides, increasing the lateral distance between the third vertical thruster 241 and the fourth vertical thruster 242, thereby increasing the lever arm of the lateral control torque and the pitch control torque generated by the two, and improving the attitude control capability of the underwater robot 2.

[0051] The beneficial effect of this design is that the horizontal rotational freedom of the fixed support 25 enables the underwater robot 2 to have a variable spatial adaptability. It can reduce the space occupancy rate by retracting the thrusters to pass smoothly through narrow spaces with limited inner diameter, and can also obtain better motion control performance by deploying the thrusters in open waters. It effectively takes into account both the technical requirements of adaptability in narrow spaces and motion performance in open waters.

[0052] Furthermore, based on the above embodiment, a handle 26 is provided on the top of the slave engine compartment 21. Specifically, the handle 26 can be made of corrosion-resistant metal or composite material with sufficient strength, with both ends fixedly connected to the top of the slave engine compartment 21, and forming a curved space in the middle for easy gripping by the operator with one or both hands.

[0053] The beneficial effect of this design is that the deployment and retrieval operation of the underwater robot 2 is simplified by the addition of the handle 26. During the deployment phase, the operator can grip the handle 26 to smoothly lower the underwater robot 2 into the water; during the retrieval phase, the operator can grip the handle 26 to quickly lift the underwater robot 2 out of the water. The handle 26 significantly improves the ease of operation and safety of the underwater robot 2 during both deployment and retrieval.

[0054] like Figure 4 As shown, based on the above-mentioned underwater robot collaborative operation system, this embodiment of the invention also provides an underwater robot collaborative operation method, which specifically includes the following steps: S1: The operator will deploy the submersible robot 2 and the main submersible robot 1 into the water and dive to the target work area. The cable 13 will be released by the electric winch 124 to control the distance between the submersible robot 2 and the main submersible robot 1.

[0055] Specifically, in S1, before the operation, the operator smoothly lowers the underwater robot 2 into the water by grasping the handle 26 on the top of the slave robot cabin 21. At the same time, the main underwater robot 1 is deployed into the water via the deployment mechanism. The main underwater robot 1 and the slave underwater robot 2 are physically connected by a cable 13, and the two dive together to the vicinity of the target operation area. During the dive and after reaching the target operation area, the electric winch 124 automatically controls the release and retraction of the cable 13 based on the tension signal fed back by the tension sensor in real time. When the tension is higher than the upper limit of the threshold, the cable 13 is released, and when the tension is lower than the lower limit of the threshold, the cable 13 is retrieved, so that the cable 13 always maintains an appropriate tension.

[0056] The adaptive control of the cable 13 length, achieved by the electric winch 124 in conjunction with the tension sensor, ensures the safety and reliability of the cable 13 while adapting to the relative motion requirements of the master and slave robots. This enables stable coupling between the master underwater robot 1 and the slave underwater robot 2 in the underwater space, laying a spatial foundation for subsequent collaborative operations.

[0057] S2: The main underwater robot 1 sends motion and operation commands to the slave control cabin 221 through the optical fiber 132 in the cable 13. It continuously sends acoustic interrogation signals to the USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station 222 using the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123 and provides feedback to the operator on the relative position information between the slave underwater robot 2 and the main underwater robot 1. The slave underwater robot 2 uses the slave propulsion component 24 to perform underwater three-dimensional motion. It continuously collects images of the target operation area using the image acquisition device 223 and transmits them back in real time via the optical fiber 132. It uses the robotic arm 23 to perform operations such as grasping, inspection or maintenance.

[0058] Specifically, the main control cabin 122 of the main underwater robot 1 sends two types of commands to the slave control cabin 221 via the optical fiber 132 in the cable 13: the first type is motion commands for controlling the movement of the third vertical thruster 241, the fourth vertical thruster 242, the third horizontal thruster 243, and the fourth horizontal thruster 244 in the slave propulsion assembly 24; the second type is operation commands for controlling the robotic arm 23 to perform operation actions. Simultaneously, the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123 continuously sends acoustic interrogation signals to the USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station 222. After receiving the interrogation signals, the USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station 222 sends acoustic response signals. The main control cabin 122 calculates the three-dimensional coordinates of the slave underwater robot 2 relative to the main underwater robot 1 in real time based on the propagation time and orientation of the response signals, and feeds back this relative position information to the surface operator via underwater acoustic communication, enabling the operator to monitor the precise position of the slave underwater robot 2 in the confined underwater space in real time. After receiving motion commands from the main control cabin 122, the underwater robot 2 is driven by the slave control cabin 221 to perform motion actions through the thrusters in the slave propulsion assembly 24, achieving precise positioning of the underwater robot 2 in three-dimensional space. Once in position, the slave control cabin 221 drives the robotic arm 23 to perform delicate operations such as grasping, inspection, or maintenance according to received work instructions. Throughout the operation, the image acquisition device 223, located at the front of the slave cabin 21, continuously acquires images of the work area and transmits them in real-time to the main underwater robot 1 via fiber optic cable 132, and then further transmits them to the surface control terminal, providing operators with an intuitive underwater working view to monitor the operation process.

[0059] S3: During normal recovery, the electric winch 124 is used to retrieve the cable 13, so that the underwater robot 2 is retrieved along with the cable 13 to the vicinity of the main underwater robot 1 and floats to the surface together for the operator to recover.

[0060] Specifically, once all tasks within the target work area are completed, the main control cabin 122 of the main underwater robot 1 sends a recovery command to the slave control cabin 221 via fiber optic cable 132. The slave control cabin 221 drives the slave propulsion assembly 24 to gradually decelerate until it stops. Simultaneously, the electric winch 124 begins to recover the cable 13 at a set rate. Under the traction of the cable 13, the slave underwater robot 2 is gradually dragged to the vicinity of the main underwater robot 1. Afterward, the main underwater robot 1 activates the main propulsion assembly 14 or rises to the surface using the positive buoyancy provided by the buoyancy chamber 17. The main underwater robot 1 and the slave underwater robot 2 rise to the surface together. Finally, the operator lifts the slave underwater robot 2 out of the water by grasping the handle 26 on the top of the slave engine compartment 21, and uses a corresponding deployment mechanism to retrieve the main underwater robot 1 onto the ship, completing the entire collaborative operation cycle.

[0061] The physical traction recovery method using cable 13 ensures that the secondary underwater robot 2 can stably return to the surface together with the main underwater robot 1 after the operation is completed. This avoids the risk that the secondary underwater robot 2 may deviate from the recovery position or become lost underwater due to water flow disturbance during the process of ascending by relying solely on autonomous propulsion, thus improving the reliability and efficiency of the recovery operation.

[0062] S4: When the underwater robot 2 malfunctions and cannot be recovered, the operator sends a cable-cutting command to the main control cabin 122 via underwater acoustic communication, or the main control cabin 122 automatically triggers the cable-cutting protection mechanism, uses the electric cutter 125 to cut the cable 13, separates the main underwater robot 1 from the underwater robot 2, controls the main underwater robot 1 to rise autonomously, and leaves the underwater robot 2 underwater or waits for subsequent salvage.

[0063] Specifically, when the underwater robot 2 experiences malfunctions such as jamming, entanglement, or propulsion failure during operation in a confined space, and the cable 13 cannot be retrieved by the electric winch 124, the cable-cutting protection mechanism can be triggered in either of the following two ways: First, manual triggering—the operator sends a cable-cutting command to the main control cabin 122 of the main underwater robot 1 via underwater acoustic communication based on the fault status of the underwater robot 2 displayed on the surface computer (including USBL positioning abnormality, fiber optic communication interruption, tension exceeding the limit detected by the tension sensor, etc.); Second, automatic triggering—the main control cabin 122 automatically triggers the cable-cutting protection mechanism after confirming that the underwater robot 2 is unrecoverable (e.g., the cable 13 tension is continuously exceeding the limit and has not been retrieved after multiple reverse retrieval attempts). Upon receiving a cable-cutting command or upon the main control cabin 122 automatically triggering the cable-cutting protection mechanism, the main control cabin 122 drives the electric cutter 125 located at the output end of the electric winch 124 to cut the cable 13. The main underwater robot 1 then disconnects from the secondary underwater robot 2. The main underwater robot 1 rises autonomously to the surface under the positive buoyancy provided by the buoyancy cabin 17, or is recovered via underwater acoustic remote control. The secondary underwater robot 2 remains at the underwater working position, awaiting subsequent salvage operations.

[0064] The beneficial effects of this step include at least the following two aspects: First, by actively discarding the secondary underwater robot 2, the primary underwater robot 1 and its onboard high-value equipment such as the power supply 121, main control cabin 122, and USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station 123, as well as all collected data, are completely preserved. The operational losses are effectively controlled within the cost range of the secondary underwater robot 2, fundamentally solving the technical problem of complete loss of the entire machine and all high-value equipment in the event of a failure of a traditional single underwater robot. Second, the automatic triggering of the cable-cutting protection mechanism enables the system to autonomously complete self-protection actions even in extreme situations such as interruption of underwater acoustic communication and inability of operators to issue instructions in a timely manner, further improving the robustness and reliability of the system.

[0065] In summary, the underwater robot collaborative operation system and method provided by the embodiments of the present invention, through the collaborative application of technologies such as master-slave function separation, remote cable power supply, electric cable cutting protection, tension closed-loop control, and rotatable fixed support, not only solves the technical problem of insufficient operation capability in confined spaces caused by the limited body size of existing underwater robots, but also solves the technical problem of excessively high overall operation loss cost in the event of failure of existing underwater robots, significantly improving the precision level, spatial adaptability, operational reliability and economy of underwater operations.

[0066] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this patent application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an” or “a” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “comprising” or “including” and similar terms mean that the elements or objects preceding “comprising” or “including” encompass the elements or objects listed following “comprising” or “including” and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms “connected” or “linked” and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right” are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0067] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater robot collaborative operation system, characterized in that, include: The main underwater robot (1) includes a main engine compartment (11) and a main control component (12). The main control component (12) includes a power supply (121), a main control compartment (122) powered by the power supply (121), a USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station (123), and an electric winch (124). The power supply (121), the main control compartment (122), and the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station (123) are located inside the main engine compartment (11). The electric winch (124) is located outside the main engine compartment (11). The electric winch (124) is wound with a cable (13) consisting of an integrated power supply line (131) and an optical fiber (132). The output end of the electric winch (124) is equipped with an electric cutter (125). The main propulsion component (14) consisting of a plurality of horizontal thrusters and vertical thrusters powered by the power supply (121) is located outside the main engine compartment (11). The underwater robot (2) includes a slave cabin (21) and a slave control assembly (22). The slave cabin (21) is connected to the cable (13). The slave control assembly (22) includes a slave control cabin (221) located inside the slave cabin (21) and connected to the cable (13), a USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station (222), and an image acquisition device (223). The slave cabin (21) is equipped with a robotic arm (23) powered by the cable (13) and a slave propulsion assembly (24) consisting of multiple horizontal thrusters and vertical thrusters.

2. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main engine compartment (11) is provided with a guide mechanism (15) on the outside. Multiple guide wheels (151) are provided at intervals on the guide mechanism (15). The cable (13) extending from the output end of the electric winch (124) is sequentially wound around the multiple guide wheels (151).

3. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 2, characterized in that, A tension sensor is provided on the guide wheel (151) and is communicatively connected to the electric winch (124).

4. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both sides of the main engine compartment (11) are provided with external supports (16), and buoyancy chambers (17) are mounted on the external supports (16).

5. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main propulsion assembly (14) includes a first vertical thruster (141) and a second vertical thruster (142) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the main engine compartment (11), and a first horizontal thruster (143) and a second horizontal thruster (144) arranged in front of and behind the main engine compartment (11).

6. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The image acquisition device (223) and the robotic arm (23) are both located at the front end of the slave cabin (21).

7. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slave propulsion assembly (24) includes a third vertical thruster (241) and a fourth vertical thruster (242) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave cabin (21), and a third horizontal thruster (243) and a fourth horizontal thruster (244) symmetrically arranged on both sides of the slave cabin (21).

8. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The slave engine compartment (21) is provided with fixed brackets (25) extending horizontally and having horizontal rotational freedom on both sides. The third vertical thruster (241) and the fourth vertical thruster (242) are respectively located at the ends of the fixed brackets (25).

9. The underwater robot collaborative operation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slave engine compartment (21) is provided with a handle (26) on the top.

10. A method for operation based on the underwater robot collaborative operation system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: The operator deploys the secondary underwater robot (2) and the primary underwater robot (1) into the water and dives to the target work area. The cable (13) is released by the electric winch (124) to control the distance between the secondary underwater robot (2) and the primary underwater robot (1). The main underwater robot (1) sends motion commands and operation commands to the slave control cabin (221) through the optical fiber (132) in the cable (13). It continuously sends acoustic interrogation signals to the USBL underwater acoustic positioning slave station (222) using the USBL underwater acoustic positioning master station (123) and feeds back the relative position information of the slave underwater robot (2) and the main underwater robot (1) to the operator. The slave underwater robot (2) performs underwater three-dimensional motion using the slave propulsion component (24). It continuously collects images of the target operation area using the image acquisition device (223) and transmits them back in real time through the optical fiber (132). It performs grasping, detection or maintenance operations using the robotic arm (23). During normal retrieval, the electric winch (124) is used to retrieve the cable (13), so that the submersible robot (2) is retrieved to the vicinity of the main submersible robot (1) along with the cable (13) and floats to the surface together for the operator to retrieve; When the submersible robot (2) malfunctions and cannot be recovered, the operator sends a cable-cutting command to the main control cabin (122) via underwater acoustic communication, or the main control cabin (122) automatically triggers the cable-cutting protection mechanism, and uses the electric cutter (125) to cut the cable (13), separating the main submersible robot (1) from the submersible robot (2), controlling the main submersible robot (1) to rise autonomously, while the submersible robot (2) remains underwater or awaits subsequent salvage.

Images