Underwater device, control method, and computer-readable storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses an underwater device and a control method and a computer readable storage medium. The method comprises the following steps: the underwater device performs automatic distance observation on a measured object according to a preset navigation path; in the process of automatic distance observation, the underwater device responds to a user's manual adjustment instruction on a travel direction, and keeps the distance between the underwater device and the measured object unchanged during the duration of the manual adjustment instruction; after the manual adjustment instruction is terminated, a new navigation path for keeping the distance to the measured object is generated according to the overall trend of the preset navigation path, the distance and the current position of the underwater device, and the underwater device is controlled to automatically travel and observe along the new navigation path. Based on this, the application can realize seamless connection between automatic observation and manual intervention, and can balance the flexibility and adjustability of operation and the continuity of observation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of marine observation technology, and in particular to an underwater device and control method, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Underwater equipment, such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), is widely used for fixed-distance inspection, appearance inspection and data acquisition of underwater structures such as bridge piers and ship hulls. During the operation, it is necessary to maintain a constant distance between the ROV and the object being measured and to move stably along the outline of the structure. Its control mode directly determines the safety of observation, data consistency and operation efficiency.

[0003] Currently, there are three main control schemes for this type of fixed-distance observation operation: I. Fully automatic distance observation scheme: The underwater equipment autonomously completes distance measurement, movement and observation according to preset parameters. If the user intervenes to adjust, it will completely exit the automatic mode, resulting in interruption of distance observation and poor operation continuity.

[0004] Second, the purely manual control observation scheme has a high degree of control freedom, but requires multi-dimensional collaborative control, making it difficult to maintain a stable distance, with a high risk of collision and poor consistency of observation data.

[0005] Third, the open-loop auxiliary prompting scheme only provides passive prompts such as audible and visual alarms, does not participate in closed-loop control, cannot actively correct attitude and trajectory, and has limited auxiliary effect.

[0006] In summary, none of the existing control schemes can achieve both manual user intervention and adjustment while retaining the core distance setting and operating parameters in automatic mode. They are unable to balance the stability and safety of automatic control with the flexibility and specificity of manual operation. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The main purpose of this application is to provide an underwater device and control method, as well as a computer-readable storage medium, in order to solve the problems in the prior art where manual intervention during underwater device distance observation cannot retain automatic distance parameters, observation is easily interrupted, and it is difficult to balance the stability of autonomous operation with the flexibility of manual adjustment.

[0008] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes a control method for an underwater device. The method includes: the underwater device performing automatic distance-fixed observation of a measured object according to a preset navigation path; during the automatic distance-fixed observation, the underwater device responds to a user's manual adjustment command for the direction of travel, and maintains a constant distance between itself and the measured object during the duration of the manual adjustment command; after the manual adjustment command terminates, a new navigation path is generated based on the overall direction of the preset navigation path, the fixed distance, and the current position of the underwater device, maintaining the fixed distance from the measured object, and the underwater device is controlled to automatically travel and observe along the new navigation path.

[0009] In one embodiment of this application, after controlling the underwater device to automatically travel and observe along the new navigation path, the method further includes: constructing a three-dimensional model based on the observation data collected by the underwater device on the preset navigation path and the new navigation path.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, generating a new navigation path that maintains the fixed distance from the object being measured includes: matching the current position of the underwater device with each path point of the preset navigation path, and determining the path point closest to the underwater device as a reference point; based on the position of the reference point on the preset navigation path, obtaining the remaining path segment from the reference point to the end point of the preset navigation path; and extending the remaining path segment along the travel direction at the reference point, starting from the current position of the underwater device, to generate the new navigation path.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, when there is only one nearest path point to the underwater device, the nearest path point is used as the reference point.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, when there are at least two nearest path points to the underwater device, the reference point is determined from the at least two nearest path points based on a preset rule.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, determining the reference point from at least two nearest path points based on preset rules includes: determining the nearest path point with the earlier sequence in the preset navigation path as a candidate reference point; if the candidate reference point has not been observed, determining the candidate reference point as the reference point; if the candidate reference point has been observed, selecting the nearest path point with the earlier sequence from the remaining candidate reference points as the reference point according to the sequence order.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, the manual adjustment command takes effect when the duration exceeds a first preset time threshold; and if no new adjustment command is received within a second preset duration, the manual adjustment command is determined to terminate.

[0015] In one embodiment of this application, the method further includes: the manual adjustment command is generated by the deflection action of the remote control end joystick of the underwater device; the deflection of the joystick includes axial deflection and / or oblique deflection.

[0016] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application also proposes an underwater device, comprising: a memory, a processor, and a control program for the underwater device stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the control program is configured to implement the steps of the control method for the underwater device as described above.

[0017] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for an underwater device. When executed by a processor, the control program for the underwater device implements the steps of the control method for the underwater device as described above.

[0018] This application proposes an underwater device and control method, as well as a computer-readable storage medium. The underwater device first conducts fully automatic distance observation of the object under test according to a preset navigation path. During the automatic observation process, it responds to manual adjustment commands for the direction of travel and maintains a constant distance from the object under test throughout the manual adjustment process. After the manual adjustment command is terminated, it adaptively generates a new navigation path with a constant distance based on the overall direction of the preset navigation path, the unified distance, and the real-time current position of the device, and then resumes automatic observation. This effectively overcomes the shortcomings of traditional underwater devices, such as the separation of automatic observation and manual control, the failure of distance observation after manual intervention, the inability to seamlessly continue the route, and the easy interruption of operations. It achieves seamless connection between fully automatic observation, human-machine collaborative fine-tuning, and automatic resumption of observation after manual intervention. It ensures uniform distance measurement scale and continuous observation data without loss throughout the process, and significantly improves the stability and data consistency of observation operations on complex underwater curved surfaces. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort, wherein: Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the control method for underwater equipment provided in this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the application of underwater equipment equipped with forward DVL for observing bridge piers; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the new navigation path in this application; Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of step S200 of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of one implementation method of the updated navigation path in this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the underwater equipment candidate reference point in this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another implementation of the new navigation path in this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of yet another implementation of the new navigation path in this application; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of yet another implementation of the new navigation path in this application; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another implementation of the new navigation path in this application; Figure 11 This is a comparative schematic diagram of an implementation method before and after updating the navigation path modeling area in this application; Figure 12 This is a comparative schematic diagram of an implementation method before and after updating the navigation path modeling area in this application; Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the control method for underwater equipment provided in this application; Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the underwater equipment provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] "A and / or B" includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0023] The use of "applies to" or "configured to" in this application implies open and inclusive language, which does not exclude the applicability to or configuration to devices performing additional tasks or steps. Additionally, the use of "based on" implies openness and inclusivity, because processes, steps, calculations, or other actions "based on" one or more of the stated conditions or values ​​may in practice be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those stated.

[0024] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "used as an example, illustration, or description." Any embodiment described as "exemplary" in this application is not necessarily to be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments. The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this application. Details are set forth in the following description for purposes of explanation. It should be understood that those skilled in the art will recognize that this application can be made without using these specific details. In other embodiments, well-known structures and processes are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the description of this application with unnecessary detail. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and features disclosed in this application.

[0025] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0026] The control method of this application is applied to underwater equipment. The underwater equipment in this embodiment is equipped with at least a forward multibeam sonar device, a lateral multibeam sonar device, and a depth sensor, which can support the underwater equipment to detect multiple parameters such as speed, distance, and depth. The underwater equipment is also equipped with a camera device to provide users with comprehensive visual observation.

[0027] In a specific embodiment, the multibeam sonar device can be a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL). A forward-facing multibeam sonar device can be understood as a multibeam sonar device fixedly mounted on an underwater device and aligned with the camera device; or a multibeam sonar device can be movably mounted on an underwater device via an auxiliary device (such as a gimbal, bracket, etc.), and can be aligned with the camera device after angle adjustment. A lateral multibeam sonar device can be understood as a DVL sensor installed laterally (not traditionally bottom-mounted) on the underwater robot, used to measure the robot's lateral (perpendicular to the direction of travel in the horizontal plane) velocity and distance information to expand the surrounding detection range. It is understood that in other embodiments, a downward-facing DVL is also provided on the underwater device; this is not specifically limited here.

[0028] It is understood that both the forward DVL and lateral DVL of this application have the function of independently realizing distance detection and closed-loop control. Regardless of whether the underwater equipment adopts the forward distance mode or the lateral distance mode, the user can initiate real-time manual intervention and adjustment through the control terminal throughout the entire process of automatic operation and distance observation. During the manual intervention and adjustment, the automatic operation mode is not exited, the distance observation closed-loop control is not interrupted, and the core distance constraint in the automatic mode is not canceled, thus maintaining a stable distance observation state between the underwater equipment and the measured object at all times.

[0029] In one specific implementation, distance measurement can be performed using lateral DVL, where the side of the underwater device faces the object being measured. In this lateral DVL distance measurement mode, the underwater device can achieve a comprehensive visual observation of the object using its onboard wide-angle camera. In another implementation, distance measurement can be performed using forward DVL, where the forward direction of the underwater device faces the object being measured. In this mode, the normal travel speed of the underwater device is slightly lower than in the lateral DVL distance measurement mode, but its forward and backward movement speed adjustment response is faster, making it more suitable for close-range, detailed observation scenarios.

[0030] Understandably, regardless of whether forward DVL or lateral DVL is configured for various operating modes to achieve distance measurement, the underwater equipment relies on the corresponding DVL to collect distance data in real time and perform automatic distance measurement operations. During this automatic operation, the underwater equipment supports users issuing control commands at any time to intervene and adjust in real time, thereby changing the underwater equipment's operating parameters such as direction of travel, speed, pitch, and depth. From the start of user intervention until the end of the adjustment action, the predetermined distance measurement logic of the underwater equipment in this application remains in effect, and the distance measurement work continues to operate continuously without interruption.

[0031] Furthermore, the underwater equipment includes, but is not limited to, underwater robots of the types such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous remotely controlled vehicles (ARVs), and may also be underwater detection equipment, underwater submarine equipment or other underwater operation equipment. This application does not limit this.

[0032] Furthermore, before implementing the control method for the underwater equipment (hereinafter, ROV will be used as an example to describe the implementation of the scheme in this application in detail), it is necessary to complete the full-domain parameter configuration and system initialization of the automatic operation mode of the underwater equipment to adapt to the fixed-distance observation operation scenarios of various underwater structures such as bridge piers, underwater pile foundations, ship hulls, and hydraulic structures. The above configuration and initialization operations can be achieved through ground control terminals, host computers, or the ROV local control system. All the parameters set will serve as the core control basis for the automatic operation of the ROV, and at the same time provide a unified constraint benchmark and operating boundary for manual intervention and adjustment in the human-machine collaborative stage.

[0033] Specifically, the pre-configured parameters include at least the following: Distance control parameters, used to set a constant target distance that the ROV must maintain between itself and the surface of the object being measured during automatic observation, serving as the core benchmark for distance closed-loop control. Operating range parameters, used to define the boundaries, length, height, and coverage area of ​​the observation region to be monitored, clarifying the spatial constraints of the ROV's automatic operation. Motion trajectory parameters, including preset running direction, complete preset navigation path, and coordinates of key points along the path, used to plan the ROV's automatic travel route along the contour of the object being measured. Motion rate parameters, i.e., setting the normal cruising speed and the fine observation speed, adapting to the speed requirements of different operational stages. Safety protection parameters, i.e., configuring operational restrictions such as collision avoidance safety thresholds, attitude safety limits, depth / height limits, and emergency stop conditions, to prevent collisions between the ROV and the object being measured or underwater obstacles during automatic operation or manual intervention, ensuring the safety of the equipment and the observed target.

[0034] In addition, the system supports dynamic setting and flexible adjustment of the ROV's observation start coordinates and initial observation attitude according to the actual needs of the observation mission. It can adapt to various initial states such as horizontal attitude, directional pitch attitude, and specific heading attitude. It can flexibly select the optimal observation start point and initial attitude for different shaped structures such as bridge pier curved surfaces and ship hull curved surfaces, without the need for a fixed single configuration. Through the above comprehensive and refined parameter presets and system initialization, it can provide standardized control benchmarks, rigid operating constraints, and full-process safety guarantees for the ROV to subsequently perform stable automatic distance observation and smoothly respond to real-time manual intervention and control by users. It ensures seamless connection between automatic operation and manual adjustment, and that the human-machine collaboration process is conflict-free, abrupt, and the observation is continuous and stable.

[0035] Please combine Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the underwater equipment control method of this application, as shown below. Figure 1 The control method shown in this application includes the following steps: S100: The underwater equipment performs automatic distance observation of the object being measured according to the preset navigation path.

[0036] Understandably, before officially commencing automatic ranging observation, the system initialization configuration has already been completed, and control parameters such as fixed target ranging distance, complete preset navigation path coordinates, cruise speed, and safety thresholds have been pre-entered. This embodiment uses forward DVL as the distance detection component. Of course, in other implementation scenarios, lateral DVL can also be used to complete ranging detection and closed-loop control; no specific limitation is made here.

[0037] Please combine them together Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the application's underwater equipment equipped with forward DVL for observing bridge piers, as shown below. Figure 2 The underwater vehicle (ROV, hereinafter referred to as ROV) of this application automatically travels along a pre-planned navigation path. Throughout the entire operation, the forward DVL continuously detects and collects real-time relative distance data between the front end of the ROV and the outer wall of the bridge pier, and transmits the distance data back to the local control system in real time. The control system uses the pre-set target distance as the benchmark threshold for closed-loop control, compares the deviation between the measured distance and the standard distance value in real time, and corrects the vehicle's heading angle, pitch attitude, and other operating parameters in real time according to the magnitude of the deviation.

[0038] Combination Figure 2The ROV performs fully automated distance observation tasks along a preset navigation path within the path section from point A to point B. Due to the irregular curved surface structure of the bridge pier's outer wall, the outline of the measured object changes constantly. The control system dynamically adjusts the ROV's traveling posture based on the distance information transmitted back in real time by the DVL, so that the ROV's actual traveling trajectory adaptively follows the changes in the outline of the bridge pier's outer wall, maintaining a constant distance between the equipment and the bridge pier throughout the entire process. This allows the ROV to complete continuous and uninterrupted automated inspection and observation data acquisition along the outer surface of the bridge pier.

[0039] Understandably, under the aforementioned conditions of continuous automatic distance observation, the control system of this application is compatible with real-time user intervention and control. It can receive effective adjustment commands issued by the user to adjust the direction of travel of the underwater equipment while operating automatically without exiting. Throughout the entire process of adjusting the direction parameters, the entire distance closed-loop control logic continues to operate online, and the distance between the underwater equipment and the measured bridge pier remains constant.

[0040] During automatic distance observation, the S200 underwater equipment responds to the user's manual adjustment command for the direction of travel and maintains a constant distance from the object being measured during the duration of the manual adjustment command.

[0041] Further integration Figure 2 When the ROV arrives at path node B via automatic navigation, the operator can manually intervene by inputting adjustment commands using the directional joystick on the remote control. In this application, all manual adjustment commands for the direction of travel are generated based on the deflection action of the joystick on the remote control. Joystick control includes two control methods: oblique deflection and axial deflection. 1. Oblique Deflection: When the operator moves the joystick obliquely in a single motion, the joystick simultaneously outputs two displacement commands along mutually perpendicular axes. The underwater ROV can then move continuously along the oblique direction. In this embodiment... Figure 2 The driving method of heading diagonally from point B to point C is a typical diagonal yaw.

[0042] 2. Axial Deflection: The operator independently manipulates the joystick twice, each time moving it along a single orthogonal straight line. The ROV first travels along the first axial line, then along another perpendicular axial line. The two perpendicular lines are joined to form the overall travel path. For example, moving the joystick upwards first controls the device to move vertically, and then moving it to the left controls the device to move horizontally to the left. This step-by-step vertical control is axial deflection. Besides this example, any two sets of vertical direction joystick operations, such as moving downwards then to the right, or left then upwards, can also be used, all falling under the category of axial deflection.

[0043] Furthermore, in the specific application scenario of this application, the operator manipulates the joystick to output the travel control command diagonally to the upper right. The control system responds to the manual adjustment command, without shutting down the original automatic navigation underlying control logic, nor exiting the established fixed-distance observation mechanism. The system uses the preset target fixed-distance parameters and adjusts the ROV's travel direction, running speed, depth and other operating status parameters according to the user's direction command, driving the equipment to sail towards the user's preset target point C.

[0044] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 Throughout the entire human-machine collaborative navigation process from point B to point C, DVL maintained uninterrupted distance measurement, the fixed-distance closed-loop control remained effective, the distance between the equipment and the measured bridge pier remained at the preset value, and the fixed-distance observation operation was carried out continuously throughout the entire process.

[0045] Furthermore, the system incorporates validity filtering logic for adjustment commands. The controller does not directly respond to all instantaneous inputs, thus mitigating abnormal movements of the ROV (Return on Marine Vehicle) caused by user slips, accidental joystick touches, or brief misoperations in complex underwater working environments, ensuring the stability and safety of the operation. Specifically, a first preset time threshold is pre-configured. Only when the same manual adjustment command or a newly introduced adjustment command exceeds this first preset time threshold in continuous input duration is the command considered valid and executed, and the ROV's running direction is adjusted accordingly. If the duration of the adjustment command does not reach the first preset time threshold, the system considers it an invalid instantaneous command and does not execute any adjustment action, maintaining the ROV's current predetermined operating state and distance observation conditions. In specific implementations, the first preset time threshold can be set to 3 seconds, 5 seconds, 4 seconds, etc., without specific limitation.

[0046] Understandably, once the ROV reaches the user's intended point C, the operator releases the joystick. If the controller detects that no new adjustment command has been received within the second preset time period, it determines that the manual adjustment command has been terminated, thus indicating that the manual intervention operation has ended.

[0047] In other words, once the underwater equipment has been operated to the desired target position (i.e., point C) under the effective control of the user, the user can release the directional control joystick on the control terminal. At this time, there is no continuous input of control commands to the system. For example, if the system does not receive any adjustment command input within the second preset time period, based on this state change, the system will automatically mark the current position as the endpoint of the user's manual intervention operation, thus completing the state confirmation and node locking of the manual control phase.

[0048] Understandably, users have ample freedom to adjust the underwater equipment's direction of movement, without being limited to a fixed path. They can directly control the underwater equipment from point B towards the target location D, or continue controlling it after reaching point C towards point D or any other target location. Regardless of the chosen path or angle, the system strictly adheres to preset distance control rules throughout the entire manual adjustment process, maintaining a constant distance between the underwater equipment and the measured bridge pier. The closed-loop distance observation control remains uninterrupted and continuous, ensuring a stable observation state at all times.

[0049] In the above implementation, during the manual intervention and control of the ROV, the distance control is maintained continuously, the observation and ranging benchmarks of the automatic cruise and manual adjustment phases are unified, the specifications of the collected data are consistent, and the subsequent modeling and stitching are convenient.

[0050] After the manual adjustment command is terminated, the S300 generates a new navigation path that maintains a fixed distance from the object being measured, based on the overall direction of the preset navigation path, the fixed distance, and the current position of the underwater equipment. The S300 then controls the underwater equipment to automatically travel and observe along the new navigation path.

[0051] Understandably, the path generation process in step S300 is strictly based on three core benchmark parameters. The first is the overall direction of the preset navigation path. The system retrieves complete original route data and refers to the overall detour trend, contour following rules, segmented turning characteristics, and layout logic adapted to the surface of the measured object of the original navigation path to ensure that the travel trend of the new navigation path continues the original observation design idea and avoids the disconnection of route planning logic. The second is a pre-set fixed distance. This value is a unified observation benchmark throughout the entire process, remaining unchanged from the initial fully automatic observation to the mid-process manual collaborative control. The new path generation uses this distance as a boundary constraint condition throughout. The third is the real-time spatial coordinates of the underwater equipment at the end of the manual command, with this current point C as the starting origin of the new navigation path. The system integrates the above three types of parameters to comprehensively calculate and plan the trajectory. Based on the original path trend, it extends outward from point C to generate a new navigation trajectory. Furthermore, at any position along the new navigation path, the distance between the ROV and the measured object is strictly constrained to be equal to the preset distance, so that the new path inherently meets the constant distance observation requirements.

[0052] Further integration Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the new navigation path in this application. Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of step S200 of this application. This step is a further extension of S200, such as... Figure 4 Step S200 further includes the following sub-steps: S210, match the current position of the underwater device with each path point of the preset navigation path, and determine the path point closest to the underwater device as the reference point.

[0053] In this embodiment of the application, the determination of the coordinates of the preset navigation path includes determining the reference starting point coordinates of the preset navigation path; acquiring and predicting the coordinates of the subsequent path in real time during the movement along the object being measured from the reference starting point; and deriving the coordinates of the unfinished navigation path based on the set of horizontal segment coordinates that have been collected through functional relationships.

[0054] Understandably, the construction and acquisition of the coordinate set of the navigation path in this application is highly flexible and adaptable. The reference starting point coordinates can be manually selected and acquired by the operator according to the observation task requirements and the shape characteristics of the object being measured, without the need for a fixed single starting position, thus adapting to the needs of multiple observation starting point configurations. Since the surfaces of the objects being measured, such as bridge piers, ship hulls, and hydraulic structures, often present irregular curved surfaces and irregular contour shapes, it is impossible to pre-set all path coordinates completely at once. Therefore, the coordinate set of the originally preset navigation path can be collected and dynamically predicted in real time by the ROV during automatic movement, achieving adaptive completion of the path coordinates.

[0055] In practical implementation, the observation path can be divided into multiple depth-locked horizontal paths. Using the coordinate set of the completed horizontal paths, and based on depth-locking constraints and coordinate change patterns, the coordinate set of the incomplete navigation path can be directly predicted. For special scenarios where manual intervention has resulted in incomplete observations or the absence of directly collected data, such as the nearest point P on the original navigation path corresponding to point C in this application, there is no need to re-execute the observation operation. Instead, the coordinates of the missing points can be derived using pre-defined functional relationships, combining previously acquired path coordinate data and motion trend patterns to completely supplement the original navigation path coordinate set. Further integration is possible. Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of one implementation method of the updated navigation path in this application. Figure 5 The demonstration visually illustrates the implementation of manually controlled stop point C, original path reference point P, and path coordinate completion derived from historical data functions. Furthermore, to simplify path segment control logic and improve path planning efficiency, the endpoint of a completed horizontal path does not require complex calculations; it can be directly determined based on the system's preset travel distance. When the ROV's actual travel distance along the horizontal path reaches the preset distance, the horizontal path segment is considered terminated, and the planning and execution of the next path segment begins.

[0056] Specifically, the reference point is calculated and selected based on the matching logic of S210. The control system collects the current position of the ROV after the effective adjustment command is terminated in real time, i.e., the spatial coordinates of point C. It calls the locally stored complete preset navigation path coordinate dataset, traverses all discrete path points on the path, and calculates the three-dimensional spatial distance between point C and each path point. The path point closest to the ROV is selected as the reference point by comparing the distances. In a specific implementation, there may be one closest path point or multiple closest path points with equal distances. The following processing method is used, which is described in detail below: If there is only one pathpoint to the underwater equipment, the pathpoint will be used as the reference point.

[0057] Combination Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the preset navigation path, the coordinates of path point A are (x1, y1, z1), and the coordinates of path point B are (x2, y2, z1). Points A and B have the same depth parameter, meaning the ROV cruises at a fixed depth. The ROV performs a fixed-distance cruise operation at a fixed depth z1 along the AB segment. After the operator manually adjusts the direction (diagonally or axially) using a joystick, the ROV departs from the original preset route and finally hovers at point C, where the coordinates are marked as (x3, y3, z2). In this embodiment, the coordinates satisfy: z2<z1;x3> x2>x1 As can be seen from the above coordinate relationship, the projection area of ​​path point C on the horizontal plane falls outside the A to B segment and is not within the projection range of the line connecting path points A and B. The ROV's manual stopping position deviates from the original preset navigation path.

[0058] Furthermore, the control system retrieves the pre-stored complete preset navigation path data, which consists of a coordinate dataset {Pi(xi, yi, zi)} composed of all discrete path points. In addition to the three-dimensional coordinates of each path point, the dataset also stores the corresponding control parameters such as the direction of travel, preset distance, and cruise speed threshold for each path point.

[0059] The control system uses the real-time three-dimensional coordinates of path point C as a reference, traverses every discrete path point in the dataset, and uses the three-dimensional spatial distance calculation formula to calculate the spatial straight-line distance between path point C and each path point one by one, completing the distance comparison and sorting of all path points; after traversal calculation, in this scenario, the path point P with the smallest distance is selected from all the path points of the original navigation path.

[0060] Furthermore, the spatial straight-line distances between point C and each point on the original navigation path are calculated one by one. Only one closest point P on the original navigation path is found to be closest to point C, and this point can be used as a reference point. The three-dimensional coordinates of the reference point P are: P(x4, y4, zn). In a specific application scenario of this application, the reference point P is constrained to maintain the same water depth as A and B, i.e., zn = z1. After determining the reference point P, the system uses path point C as the starting point of the new path, the original path direction corresponding to the reference point P as the extension basis, and a fixed preset distance as a constraint condition, providing benchmark parameters for the subsequent generation of a completely new navigation path.

[0061] If there are at least two nearest path points to the underwater equipment, a reference point is determined from these two nearest path points based on preset rules.

[0062] Optionally, in the embodiments of this application, the three core steps of candidate point selection, observation status determination, and sequential selection of observed points are executed in accordance with the step-by-step screening rules.

[0063] It is understandable that special working conditions exist in actual underwater operations. The control system acquires the three-dimensional coordinates of the manual intervention termination position in real time and traverses all path nodes of the preset navigation path to calculate the three-dimensional spatial distance between the manual intervention termination position and each path point. Due to interference from the underwater sonar detection environment and the hardware measurement error of the DVL sensor, there is a reasonable deviation in the measured distance of the equipment. This application pre-configures a distance error judgment threshold during the system initialization stage. After the control system calculates the three-dimensional spatial distance from path point C to each path point, when there are two or more path points whose corresponding distance values ​​are the global minimum distances, and the difference between the multiple minimum distances is less than the aforementioned preset distance error judgment threshold, these path points are identified as equivalent closest points. It is understandable that setting an error threshold equivalent judgment mechanism can avoid the misselection of reference points caused by sensor measurement disturbances, and uniformly classify multiple path points with slight distance deviations in engineering measurements into the category of equivalent closest points, which is consistent with the actual underwater working conditions.

[0064] If there are two or more path points in the preset navigation path that are equidistant from the manually intervened termination point and are both global minimum values, it is determined that there are at least two nearest points. The control system determines a unique reference point from the at least two nearest points according to preset rules.

[0065] Please combine them together Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the underwater equipment candidate reference point of this application, as shown below. Figure 6 In this embodiment, the implementation of the solution of this application is described in detail, assuming that there are two points in the preset navigation path with equal spatial distance and both being global minimum values.

[0066] like Figure 6 The two closest points are P1 and P2. According to the first step of the filtering rules, the nearest path point with the first sequence in the preset navigation path is determined as the candidate reference point.

[0067] In one specific embodiment of this application, the nearest point in the preset navigation path is determined as a candidate reference point. That is, the control system uses the planning sequence and node arrangement order of the preset navigation path as the sequence basis, and selects the earliest nearest point in the path sequence from all path nodes that meet the nearest point condition as the first candidate reference point. For example... Figure 6 In the process, P1, which appears earlier in the sequence of the preset navigation path, is selected as a candidate reference point. "Earnest in sequence" means that this nearest point is generated earlier than other nearest points in the preset navigation path's generation order, execution order, or node numbering order. This means that when the preset navigation path is generated, all path points are assigned unique, incrementally increasing numbers according to the navigation sequence. During filtering, the sequence order is directly distinguished by the inherent number of the path points; the smaller the number, the earlier the point appears in the sequence. This achieves automated sorting and retrieval without the need for real-time recalculation.

[0068] Furthermore, according to the second step's determination rule: if a candidate reference point has not been observed, it is determined as the reference point. At this point, it is determined whether the candidate reference point has been observed. Specifically, to determine whether candidate reference point P1 is within the already observed navigation interval from A to B, either of the following two rules can be used: First, sequence number determination: retrieve the point number from the preset navigation path; if the sequence number of P1 is between the sequence numbers of points A and B, then P1 is determined to be within the already observed interval. Second, coordinate interval determination: if the three-dimensional coordinates of P1 fall within the spatial envelope of the line connecting points A and B, then P1 is determined to be within the already observed interval.

[0069] In a specific implementation, the control system retrieves the observed point record database from the automatic operation phase and verifies the observation status of the candidate reference point P1 to determine whether the candidate reference point has been observed by the ROV during the automatic operation phase. If the candidate reference point P1 has not been observed, it is directly determined as a reference point.

[0070] In a specific implementation, the control system can pre-establish a database of observed points during the automatic operation phase. This database records in real time the 3D coordinates, observation sequence, and observation status markers of all path points observed by the ROV during the automatic operation phase (e.g., segment A→B). The observation status verification can be performed as follows: First, extract the 3D coordinate information of candidate reference points and perform a precise 3D matching between the candidate reference point coordinates and the coordinates of all observed nodes in the database. If there is no coordinate record for the candidate reference point in the database, or the corresponding record's observation status marker is "not observed," the verification result is that the candidate reference point has not been observed. If there is a coordinate record for the candidate reference point in the database, and the observation status marker is "observed," the verification result is that the candidate reference point has been observed. Following the sequential selection rule in step three: if a candidate reference point has been observed, the nearest path point with the earliest sequence from the remaining candidate reference points is selected as the reference point; if candidate reference point P1 has been observed, the control system removes the observed P1 and selects the nearest P2 with the earliest sequence from the remaining nearest points as the new candidate reference point.

[0071] Understandably, if there are more than two candidate reference points, when the candidate reference point with the earlier sequence has been observed, the control system will remove the observed candidate reference point. Among the remaining nearest points, the system will select the point with the earlier sequence as the new candidate reference point according to the sequence order of the preset navigation path, and repeat the above observation status verification.

[0072] If the new candidate reference point is still in the observed state, continue to follow the above rules, successively eliminating observed points, selecting the point with the first sequence among the remaining nearest points, until the nearest point that has not been observed and has the first sequence is selected, and finally determine the point as the reference point.

[0073] Understandably, in extreme conditions, if all path points that meet the nearest point condition have been observed and there are no remaining unobserved points, the system will by default select the path point with the highest sequence arrangement among all the nearest points as the reference point, and use the original path to generate a new navigation path, ensuring that the path planning will not cause program freezes or navigation interruptions.

[0074] In the above embodiments, by prioritizing the selection of candidate reference points according to the preset navigation path sequence and combining the screening mechanism of observation status verification, the reference point can be uniquely determined in the scenario of multiple nearest points, avoiding control logic conflicts and ensuring a smooth connection between the new path and the original navigation path. At the same time, the observed points can be actively eliminated to avoid repeated observations, thereby improving the efficiency of observation operations and the validity of data. Meanwhile, the seamless connection of human-machine collaboration is strengthened, adapting to irregular and complex observation scenarios such as bridge piers and ship hulls, ensuring the consistency of distance observation constraints and data scale throughout the process, and providing stable support for high-quality underwater 3D modeling.

[0075] S220: Based on the position of the reference point on the preset navigation path, obtain the remaining path segment from the reference point to the end point of the preset navigation path.

[0076] Understandably, this step is the data source for generating the new navigation path, and it is crucial for associating the new path with the original preset navigation path. Based on the sorting and coordinate positions of the selected reference points within the entire preset navigation path, the system retrieves the full dataset of path point coordinates for the preset navigation path. Starting from the path point corresponding to the reference point as the starting cutoff point, it extracts the entire flight segment up to the end of the original navigation path, which is then used as the remaining path segment.

[0077] The remaining path segment fully inherits all configuration parameters of the original preset navigation path, including trajectory orientation, segmented turns, depth limits for each segment, preset cruise speed, and predetermined observation distances. Only the basic shape of the route is locked, without any trajectory deformation or modification. The reference point selection directly determines the starting point for the remaining path segment. If the reference point is changed to P1, the remaining segment is extracted from P1. Similarly, if the reference point is changed to P2, the remaining segment is re-extracted from P2, thus ensuring that the new path reference follows changes in the original preset path.

[0078] S230: Starting from the current position of the underwater equipment, extend the remaining path segment along the direction of travel at the reference point to generate a new navigation path.

[0079] Furthermore, this step completes the trajectory space transformation and shaping based on the remaining path segment obtained by S220, realizing the connection between the original path and the actual stopping point of the equipment. Taking point C (the current position of the underwater equipment) where the ROV is located after manual operation ends as the actual starting point of the new navigation path, the trajectory shape of the remaining path segment output by S220 and the relative spacing of each path point are kept unchanged. Strictly using the preset travel direction of the reference point on the original path as the extension guide, the entire remaining path segment is spatially translated and extended, adapting and translating the original remaining route starting from the reference point to start from point C, and finally generating a new navigation path. The extension operation only changes the spatial starting coordinates of the route, without changing the outline and parameters of the remaining path segment itself, ensuring that the direction of the new navigation path completely inherits the original preset navigation path.

[0080] Furthermore, after determining the reference point P, the system retrieves the trajectory design rules of the original preset navigation path, the preset travel direction of point P in the preset navigation path, and other benchmark parameters, and uses point C as the starting position of the new path to generate a new navigation path adapted to the on-site working conditions.

[0081] Combination Figure 6 , Figure 6 When only a single reference point exists, the underwater device generates a new navigation path based on the direction of travel of the reference point on the preset navigation path.

[0082] Further integration Figure 7 and Figure 8 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another implementation of the new navigation path in this application. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another implementation of the new navigation path in this application. Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the diagram, a new navigation path is generated by selecting P1, a point earlier in the path sequence, as the reference point for updating the path. When P1 is selected as the reference point in S220, the remaining path segment of the original path is extracted from P1. Starting from C, this remaining path segment is translated and extended along the original direction of travel from P1, resulting in... Figure 7 , Figure 8 The new navigation trajectory.

[0083] Further integration Figure 9 and Figure 10 , Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another implementation of the new navigation path in this application. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another implementation of the new navigation path in this application. Figure 9 and Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the new navigation path generated by selecting point P2 in the path sequence as the reference point for updating the path. After changing the reference point in S220 to P2, the intercept interval is switched, and the remaining path segment of the original path is extracted from the P2 position; the route is extended from point C as the starting point, following the original direction of travel of P2, to generate... Figure 9 , Figure 10 The corresponding new navigation path.

[0084] Understandably, the control system inherits preset parameters such as motion direction, fixed distance, and observation attitude from different ultimately determined reference points. Starting from the manually intervened termination position, it generates a continuous, smooth, and conflict-free new navigation path based on the contour of the object being measured. Changes in the reference point first alter the range of the remaining path segment intercepted in step S220, which in turn causes a change in the overall trajectory of the new navigation path generated in step S230. This clearly demonstrates the design logic that the new navigation path is generated based on the original preset path, and the two are strongly correlated. The above-mentioned dual-multiple closest point processing flow, which simultaneously adapts to the dual determination of horizontal plane coordinates and depth coordinates, can accurately match reference points and generate compliant paths regardless of whether the object being measured is a regular plane or an irregular curved surface. Furthermore, it retains closed-loop control of fixed-distance observation throughout the process, without interrupting the observation task or losing data scale consistency.

[0085] Furthermore, the control method for the underwater equipment in this application also includes: maintaining a constant fixed distance between the underwater equipment and the object being measured while controlling the underwater equipment to automatically travel along the new navigation path. That is, throughout the entire process of the control system generating a new navigation path according to the aforementioned rules and controlling the underwater equipment to conduct fully automatic cruise observation along the new navigation path, the forward DVL or lateral DVL on the equipment continuously measures distance in real time, always using a pre-set fixed distance to keep the relative distance between the underwater equipment and the object being measured constant, thus maintaining continuous operation of the fixed-distance observation mode. This fixed-distance parameter is inherited from the parameters of the remaining path segment intercepted in S220, further unifying the observation standards of the new path and the original preset path.

[0086] Please combine Figures 11-13 , Figure 11 This is a comparative schematic diagram of an implementation method before and after the navigation path modeling area update in this application. Figure 12 This is a comparative schematic diagram of an implementation method before and after the navigation path modeling area update in this application. Figure 13 This is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of the underwater equipment control method of this application, as shown below. Figure 13 , Figure 13 This application is a further extension of S300, and the control method shown in this application also includes: S400 constructs a three-dimensional model based on observation data collected by underwater equipment on the preset navigation path and the new navigation path.

[0087] Understandably, during ROV observation, the ROV relies on its positioning module to collect its own three-dimensional point data in the geodetic coordinate system in real time. At the same time, it uses its own DVL real-time acquisition equipment to measure the distance between itself and the measured object, and binds and archives the coordinate data and spacing data at the same time to form a special dataset for three-dimensional modeling.

[0088] Combination Figure 7-10When the ROV automatically observes along the preset navigation path in section AB, it continuously collects the set of geodetic coordinates and corresponding distance data corresponding to the entire preset route. Based on this set of data, a basic three-dimensional model of the object under test is constructed. The coverage area of ​​this model is the attached... Figure 11 Appendix Figure 12 The area of ​​the original path modeled in the annotation.

[0089] Furthermore, during the manual adjustment of the travel direction by the ROV in collaboration with the human at point B, the equipment continuously and synchronously collects the geodetic coordinates and distance data from point B to point C, supplementing the modeling dataset in real time. After the manual adjustment command is terminated, the system generates a new navigation path, and the ROV automatically cruises and observes along the new navigation path, continuously collecting the coordinates and distance measurement data along the entire new path and expanding the dataset.

[0090] Finally, all observation data from the preset navigation path and the new navigation path are integrated, namely the set of geodetic coordinates and the corresponding point distance data, and the 3D model is optimized and improved based on the complete dataset.

[0091] It is understandable that when P1, which is earlier in the path sequence, is selected as a reference point to generate a new navigation path, it corresponds to the previous text. Figure 7 For details regarding the expanded modeling area corresponding to the newly added observation area, please refer to the appendix. Figure 11 The modeled area after updating the path. Furthermore, when P1 falls within the observed interval of AB and P2 is selected as the reference point to generate a new navigation path, the corresponding... Figure 9 For details on the expanded modeling area corresponding to the newly added observations, please refer to the appendix. Figure 12 The modeled area is updated after the path is changed. In other words, in this embodiment, the modeling data is updated synchronously after the new navigation path is manually generated. This can eliminate the impact of the measured range offset caused by manual route changes, ensure that the modeling data fits the true shape of the object being measured, and effectively improve the accuracy and reliability of underwater 3D modeling.

[0092] In the above implementation, by fusing the old and new data to form a model, the blind spots of the original model are filled in, and a complete three-dimensional model that fits the actual shape of the object being measured is obtained. The relevant modeling data can be stored and archived to provide data support for subsequent secondary route planning and re-measurement operations.

[0093] In the above embodiments, underwater equipment first conducts fully automatic distance observation of the object under test according to a preset navigation path. During the automatic observation process, it responds to manual adjustment commands for the direction of travel and maintains a constant distance from the object under test throughout the manual adjustment process. After the manual adjustment command is terminated, a new navigation path with constant distance is adaptively generated based on the overall direction of the preset navigation path, the unified distance, and the real-time current position of the equipment, and the automatic observation continues. This effectively overcomes the shortcomings of traditional underwater equipment, such as the separation of automatic observation and manual control, the failure of distance observation after manual intervention, the inability to seamlessly continue the route, and the easy interruption of the operation. It realizes the seamless connection of fully automatic observation, human-machine collaborative fine adjustment, and automatic resumption of observation after manual intervention. It ensures uniformity of observation distance scale and continuous observation data without loss throughout the process, and greatly improves the stability and data consistency of the observation operation of objects on complex underwater curved surfaces.

[0094] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in the above-described method of the specific implementation, the order in which each step is written does not imply a strict execution order and does not constitute any limitation on the implementation process. The specific execution order of each step should be determined by its function and possible internal logic.

[0095] Reference Figure 14 The diagram below provides a structural schematic of the underwater device for an embodiment of this application.

[0096] The underwater device may include: a processor 1001, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a communication bus 1002, a user interface 1003, a network interface 1004, and a memory 1005. The communication bus 1002 is used to enable communication between these components. The user interface 1003 may include a display screen or an input unit such as a keyboard; optionally, the user interface 1003 may also include a standard wired interface or a wireless interface. The network interface 1004 may optionally include a standard wired interface or a wireless interface (such as a Wi-Fi interface). The memory 1005 may be a high-speed random access memory (RAM) or a stable non-volatile memory (NVM), such as a disk drive. Optionally, the memory 1005 may also be a storage device independent of the aforementioned processor 1001.

[0097] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 14 The structure shown does not constitute a limitation on the underwater equipment and may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0098] like Figure 14 As shown, the memory 1005, which serves as a storage medium, may include an operating system, a network communication module, a user interface module, and a control program for underwater equipment.

[0099] exist Figure 14 In the underwater device shown, the network interface 1004 is mainly used for data communication with other devices; the user interface 1003 is mainly used for data interaction with the user; the processor 1001 and memory 1005 in the underwater device of this application can be set in the underwater device. The underwater device calls the control program of the underwater device stored in the memory 1005 through the processor 1001 and executes the steps of the above-mentioned control method for the underwater device.

[0100] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or system that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or system. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or system that includes that element.

[0101] The sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0102] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) as described above, and includes several instructions to cause a terminal device (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods of the various embodiments of this application.

[0103] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A control method for underwater equipment, characterized in that, The method includes: The underwater equipment performs automatic distance observation of the object being measured according to a preset navigation path; During the automatic distance observation process, the underwater device responds to the user's manual adjustment command for the direction of travel and maintains a constant distance between itself and the object being measured during the duration of the manual adjustment command. After the manual adjustment command is terminated, a new navigation path is generated based on the overall direction of the preset navigation path, the fixed distance, and the current position of the underwater device, maintaining the fixed distance from the object being measured, and the underwater device is controlled to automatically travel and observe along the new navigation path.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After controlling the underwater device to automatically travel and observe along the new navigation path, the method further includes: A three-dimensional model is constructed based on the observation data collected by the underwater device on the preset navigation path and the new navigation path.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The generation of a new navigation path that maintains the fixed distance from the measured object includes: The current position of the underwater device is matched with each path point of the preset navigation path, and the path point closest to the underwater device is determined as the reference point. Based on the position of the reference point on the preset navigation path, obtain the remaining path segment from the reference point to the end point of the preset navigation path; Starting from the current position of the underwater device, the remaining path segment is extended along the direction of travel at the reference point to generate the new navigation path.

4. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When there is only one nearest path point to the underwater device, the nearest path point is used as the reference point.

5. The control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When there are at least two nearest path points to the underwater device, the reference point is determined from at least two nearest path points based on a preset rule.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of determining the reference point from at least two nearest path points based on preset rules includes: The nearest path point with the earliest sequence in the preset navigation path is determined as a candidate reference point; If the candidate reference point is not observed, the candidate reference point will be determined as the reference point. If the candidate reference point has already been observed, the nearest path point that appears earlier in the sequence is selected as the reference point from the remaining candidate reference points in chronological order.

7. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The manual adjustment command takes effect when the duration exceeds a first preset time threshold. If no new adjustment command is received within a second preset time period, the manual adjustment command is terminated.

8. The control method according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The manual adjustment command is generated by the deflection action of the joystick on the remote control end of the underwater device; The deflection of the rocker arm includes axial deflection and / or oblique deflection.

9. An underwater device, characterized in that, The underwater device includes: a memory, a processor, and a control program for the underwater device stored in the memory and executable on the processor, the control program being configured to implement the steps of the control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a control program for an underwater device, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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