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: determining navigation reference operation parameters of the underwater device in an automatic navigation operation process; receiving a control signal, adjusting at least part of the navigation reference operation parameters based on the control signal, maintaining an automatic navigation control state for the navigation reference operation parameters that are not adjusted, and the control signal being generated by a deflection action of a joystick of a remote control end of the underwater device; and after the control signal is terminated, the underwater device continues to perform the automatic navigation operation based on the adjusted navigation reference operation parameters. The application can realize the integration of manual local setting and autonomous navigation depth, the parameters modified by manual modification can be continuously inherited as subsequent automatic navigation references, the flexibility of parameter adjustment and the stability of navigation operation are considered, and the control precision and operation safety of underwater observation operation are effectively improved.

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] When underwater equipment performs operations such as automatic navigation, fixed-distance observation, and pipeline inspection, its own navigation system performs autonomous closed-loop control of operating parameters such as navigation speed, relative observation distance, heading angle, pitch angle, and depth.

[0003] When manual intervention is required to adjust operating parameters, the existing mainstream control methods are divided into two categories. One is to directly switch to the fully manual control mode, completely shut down the automatic navigation function, and let the human take full control of all motion control authority of the equipment. The other is to make step-by-step parameter fine-tuning by pressing buttons on the basis of automatic navigation, and rely on multiple button presses to achieve small increases or decreases in parameters.

[0004] Both traditional control methods require numerous function buttons on the remote control device, resulting in a cumbersome and complex overall operation process and a high risk of misoperation during operation. Furthermore, existing control solutions still suffer from several technical shortcomings: First, the switching between automatic navigation control and fully manual control is a non-continuous state transition. The instantaneous intervention of manual operation can easily cause sudden changes in the attitude and navigation trajectory of underwater equipment, which not only affects the effect of precise observation operations, but also poses a safety hazard of underwater collisions. Second, the button-based step adjustment is a discrete control method, which cannot achieve continuous and smooth adjustment of parameters, resulting in low parameter adjustment efficiency and poor control precision. Third, the traditional control mode is difficult to achieve multi-parameter coordinated and synchronous adjustment, requiring operators to frequently switch control actions, resulting in a poor human-machine interaction experience and low work efficiency. Fourth, during manual intervention, the original control logic and operating reference information of automatic navigation are prone to failure and loss, making it impossible to achieve coordinated and integrated control of manual operation and automatic navigation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] 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 underwater devices cannot achieve fine-tuning of local parameters when manually intervened for adjustment. They can only be adjusted manually or by stepping buttons, and cannot take into account continuous operation of automatic navigation. They also suffer from sudden changes in control, low adjustment accuracy, inability to link multiple parameters, and difficulty in integrating manual control and autonomous navigation.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes an underwater device, the method of which includes: determining navigation reference operating parameters of the underwater device during automatic navigation operations; receiving a control signal and adjusting at least a portion of the navigation reference operating parameters based on the control signal; while maintaining the unadjusted navigation reference operating parameters in an automatic navigation control state; the control signal being generated by the deflection action of a joystick on the remote control end of the underwater device; and after the control signal terminates, the underwater device continuing to perform automatic navigation operations based on the adjusted navigation reference operating parameters.

[0007] In one embodiment of this application, the joystick is divided into multiple intervals based on the deflection stroke in the same adjustment direction, and different intervals correspond to different adjustment amounts of navigation reference operating parameters.

[0008] In one embodiment of this application, the operating mode of the underwater device is determined based on the deflection action of the joystick. The operating mode includes at least an idle mode, a single-axis adjustment mode, and an oblique adjustment mode. Each operating mode corresponds to a different control strategy for the navigation reference operating parameters.

[0009] In one embodiment of this application, when the joystick switches from an oblique deflection state to a single-axis deflection state, the switch from the oblique adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode is completed based on the type of the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted. When the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted is a first-type parameter, the joystick does not need to return to center and can directly switch from the oblique adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode. When the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted is a second-type parameter, the switch from the oblique adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode is completed after the joystick returns to center and resets. When the joystick does not return to center and only vertical axial offset occurs, and the mode switching conditions are not met, the current oblique adjustment mode is maintained, and an oblique control command is generated based on the automatic navigation reference heading and the current vertical axis adjustment amount.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the remote control joystick is configured as a single joystick structure or a dual joystick structure; when using a single joystick structure, the single joystick has a multi-axial adjustment stroke, and at least some of the navigation reference operating parameters are adjusted based on the multi-axial movement of the single joystick; when using a dual joystick structure, the two joysticks respectively control different navigation reference operating parameters.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, the dual joysticks include a first joystick and a second joystick; Based on the combination of the deflection directions of the first joystick and the second joystick, it is determined that at least some of the navigation reference operating parameters will be adjusted.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the navigation reference operating parameters include at least the underwater device's travel speed, fixed-distance observation range, attitude parameters, and depth.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, after the control signal is terminated, if the adjusted navigation reference operating parameters include the operating direction and / or the fixed-distance observation distance, the navigation path is updated; if only the travel speed or the attitude parameters are adjusted, the navigation path is maintained unchanged.

[0014] 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.

[0015] 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.

[0016] This application proposes an underwater device and control method, as well as a computer-readable storage medium. Through a technical approach, the underwater device's navigation reference operating parameters are pre-determined during automatic navigation operations. Manual control signals are received, and only a portion of the navigation reference operating parameters are adjusted accordingly. After the control signals terminate, automatic navigation resumes based on the adjusted parameters. This allows for autonomous closed-loop control while retaining the remaining parameters during manual fine-tuning. It eliminates the need to completely disconnect automatic navigation and switch to full manual control. This avoids the problems of sudden changes in navigation trajectory and equipment attitude caused by switching control of the entire machine, eliminates the risk of underwater collisions, and overcomes the limitations of traditional button-based step-by-step parameter adjustment. It achieves a deep integration of manual partial tuning and autonomous navigation. Manually modified parameters can be continuously inherited as subsequent automatic navigation references, balancing parameter adjustment flexibility with route stability, effectively improving the control accuracy and operational safety of underwater observation operations. Attached Figure Description

[0017] 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 2A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the underwater equipment remote control device provided in this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the underwater equipment provided in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0018] 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.

[0019] 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.

[0020] "A and / or B" includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0021] 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.

[0022] In this application, the term "exemplary" is used to mean "serving 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.

[0023] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0024] The control method of this application can be applied to underwater equipment. The underwater equipment in this embodiment is equipped with at least a multi-beam sonar device, a USBL (Doppler Velocity Log), and a depth sensor, enabling the underwater equipment to detect multiple parameters such as speed, distance, and depth. The underwater equipment also includes a camera device to provide users with comprehensive visual observation. In a specific embodiment, the multi-beam sonar device can be a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL). The multi-beam sonar device can be positioned forward and / or laterally on the underwater equipment. It is understood that in other embodiments, the underwater equipment also includes a downward-facing DVL.

[0025] Furthermore, the underwater equipment includes, but is not limited to, underwater robots of the types such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous remote-controlled vehicles (ARVs), and may also be underwater detection equipment, underwater submarine equipment or other underwater operation equipment. This application does not limit this.

[0026] 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 determines the navigation reference operating parameters of underwater equipment during automatic navigation operations.

[0027] For ease of understanding, this application uses a tethered remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) as an example to detail the specific implementation process of this application, including: Once the ROV initiates automatic navigation operations, the main control system continuously and periodically collects real-time operational data to generate dynamically updated navigation reference parameters. In this embodiment, the navigation reference parameters to be collected include at least travel speed, distance traveled, attitude parameters (e.g., heading angle, pitch angle), and operating depth. In other embodiments, depending on the ROV's sensor configuration and the type of underwater operation, additional parameters such as roll angle and relative target coordinates can be added. The parameter collection range can be flexibly expanded, and no specific limitations are made here.

[0028] Furthermore, during autonomous navigation, underwater ROVs are easily affected by the shape of the target being measured and the underwater flow environment. The reference parameters at adjacent sampling times are not constant and are constantly changing. When the ROV is equipped with forward DVL and lateral DVL to perform close-range fixed-distance observation tasks, if the target's outer wall is a curved surface, the automatic navigation closed-loop algorithm will calculate the target distance deviation in real time and continuously correct the ROV's heading angle to maintain a stable preset observation distance. This allows the heading parameters to be continuously fine-tuned as the observation point changes. Under normal operating conditions, the ROV uses a horizontal attitude as the initial observation attitude, which facilitates DVL speed and distance measurement and stable imaging by the onboard camera equipment. For special operating environments such as steep slopes or tilted underwater attachments, a tilted pitch attitude can also be preset as the initial startup attitude. This application does not limit the form of the initial attitude. At the same time, unpredictable ocean currents and local turbulence underwater can exert lateral and vertical impacts on the ROV hull, disrupting its original stable navigation state and causing passive deviations in parameters such as speed, depth, and pitch angle, further increasing the real-time fluctuation range of the reference parameters.

[0029] In this embodiment, baseline parameters are continuously collected and updated to establish an inherent automatic operation reference benchmark for the ROV when no manual operation is required. Based on the real-time updated baseline dataset, the controller can accurately distinguish between the device's factory-preset native navigation parameters and the parameters adjusted by subsequent operator intervention, enabling independent identification of these two types of parameters. This baseline data serves as the basis for determining whether subsequent local parameter modifications or unadjusted parameters will continue to use the original automatic navigation logic, providing underlying data support for compatible operation of automatic navigation and manual fine-tuning.

[0030] S200, receive control signals, adjust at least some navigation reference operating parameters based on the control signals, and maintain the unadjusted navigation reference operating parameters in automatic navigation control state.

[0031] Furthermore, after the system completes the real-time acquisition and dynamic updating of navigation reference operating parameters, the joystick at the underwater equipment's remote control end deflects and generates a corresponding control signal, which is received by the equipment's onboard control system in real time. The control system uses the navigation reference operating parameters established earlier as a reference to analyze the control object and adjustment amount corresponding to the current control signal. It adjusts only a portion of the navigation reference operating parameters, while the unadjusted parameters maintain automatic navigation control.

[0032] Understandably, the technical solution adopted in this application differs from the traditional method of remotely taking over the control of the entire device. In the traditional method, after manual intervention, the entire device is separated from autonomous navigation, and all parameters are handed over to the human to control in real time, which is very easy to cause the trajectory to deviate. However, when the operator intervenes and adjusts the device through the joystick, only some navigation reference operating parameters specified in the control signal command are corrected. The remaining navigation reference operating parameters that are not selected for adjustment in this control signal continue to use the original closed-loop control logic of automatic navigation, so that the parameters operate autonomously according to the preset navigation rules. They will not be separated from the automatic navigation control due to manual intervention of local parameters, so as to realize the parallel operation of manual fine-tuning and autonomous navigation of the device.

[0033] Furthermore, in this application, all control signals sent to the underwater equipment controller are converted from the mechanical offset action generated by the operator operating the joystick on the remote control terminal. When the operator moves the joystick and causes an angular offset, the remote control terminal collects the offset direction and offset stroke of the joystick in real time, converts the physical displacement signal into an electrical control signal, and sends it to the main control system of the underwater equipment, thereby serving as the source of instructions for manually modifying the navigation reference operating parameters.

[0034] Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, the joystick is divided into multiple intervals based on the deflection stroke in the same adjustment direction, and different intervals correspond to different adjustment amounts of navigation reference operating parameters.

[0035] Specifically, in the same adjustment direction, the joystick is pre-divided into multiple continuous travel ranges based on its full stroke from the center position to the maximum limit of deflection. Each range is matched with an independent parameter adjustment amount. When the joystick deflection falls within a different travel range, the main control system analyzes the control signal, retrieves the corresponding adjustment amount bound to that range, and adjusts the target navigation reference operating parameters accordingly.

[0036] In the above embodiments, the design of graded and leveled travel adjustment can achieve a graded control effect of small-scale fine-tuning for small travel and large-scale rapid correction for large travel. It can make fine-tuned small-scale corrections to navigation reference operating parameters, and when rapid adjustment of operating conditions is required, it can achieve rapid parameter changes by increasing the joystick swing amplitude and switching to a higher gear, thus optimizing the smoothness and adjustment accuracy of human-machine operation.

[0037] Furthermore, taking the travel speed adjustment in the navigation reference operating parameters as a specific example, the travel speed corresponds to the left and right deflection direction of the joystick X-axis on the remote control end. The entire deflection stroke of the joystick X-axis is divided into multiple independent offset intervals. Each offset interval is uniquely bound to a fixed travel speed, forming a discrete gear speed adjustment logic.

[0038] In one exemplary implementation, the travel speed is set to three speed levels: 0.1 m / s, 0.2 m / s, and 0.3 m / s. The total deflection travel of the joystick from its center position to its maximum limit is used as the 100% range for dividing the travel interval. When the offset of the joystick after deflecting to the left or right falls within the first offset interval consisting of 10% to 33% of the total travel, the control system determines that it is in low-speed mode, correcting the travel speed of the underwater ROV within its automatic navigation reference range to 0.1 m / s, adapting to precise operational scenarios such as close-range detailed reconnaissance and close-range fixed-point observation.

[0039] When the joystick's X-axis offset increases to the second offset range corresponding to 33% to 66% of the full stroke, the system switches to medium speed mode, and the base travel speed is adjusted to 0.2 m / s, which is suitable for medium-distance routine inspection operations. When the joystick deflection amplitude is further increased and the offset is in the third offset range of 66% to 100% of the full stroke, the system activates high speed mode, and the travel speed is set to 0.3 m / s, which meets the usage requirements of long-distance rapid transfer cruise.

[0040] It should be noted that the number of gears, the speed values ​​corresponding to each gear, and the percentage of each segment offset interval given in this embodiment are preferred examples and do not constitute a limitation on this solution. In actual application, operators can flexibly change the configuration according to the type of underwater operation. When carrying out high-precision operations such as detailed pipeline inspection and close-range flaw detection of underwater structures, the number of gears can be increased, the span of a single offset interval can be reduced, and the amplitude of single-gear speed change can be reduced. When carrying out rapid search operations in large water areas, the number of gears can be reduced, the interval span can be widened, and the speed adjustment span can be increased. All gear parameters can be pre-set into the control system before the equipment leaves the factory, or users can customize and modify them on-site according to real-time working conditions. Among them, when the joystick deviates arbitrarily within the stroke range corresponding to a single gear, the running speed maintains the current gear setting value. Only when the joystick deviates beyond the interval boundary position will it switch to the adjustment speed corresponding to the next gear.

[0041] In other implementations, in addition to the speed gear division on the X-axis, the vertical deflection of the joystick on the Y-axis corresponds to the fixed distance parameter. The same control logic of the stroke division gear division is also used. Multiple fixed distance adjustment ranges are divided according to the work requirements to realize the graded control of the fixed distance parameter. The overall gear division rule is consistent with the speed gear design concept, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0042] Furthermore, the remote control joystick of this application can be configured as either a single joystick structure or a dual joystick structure. Both structures can achieve local fine-tuning of navigation reference operating parameters based on the aforementioned gear-level control logic, adapting to the control needs of different operating scenarios.

[0043] In one specific embodiment of this application, when a single rocker structure is adopted, the single rocker has a multi-axial adjustment stroke, and at least some navigation reference operating parameters are adjusted based on the multi-axial movement of the single rocker.

[0044] Specifically, a single joystick can integrate orthogonal multi-axis movement along the X and Y axes, with the joystick's center position serving as the zero-position reference. The entire travel utilizes the previously mentioned rules for zoning and dead zone determination. By using the same joystick to offset in different directions (left / right, up / down), it can perform graded adjustments to at least two types of navigation reference parameters: speed and distance. Specifically, offsetting the joystick left / right along the X-axis enables speed adjustment, offsetting it up / down along the Y-axis enables distance adjustment, and bidirectional diagonal offset synchronously corrects the direction of travel. It is fully compatible with the previously mentioned idle mode, single-axis adjustment mode, and diagonal adjustment mode recognition logic.

[0045] Understandably, single-joystick remote control units have fewer components and a more streamlined, compact layout, eliminating the need for multiple separate control devices. This results in lower hardware costs, smaller installation space requirements, and compatibility with lightweight models such as miniature ROVs and portable, deployable small underwater observation equipment. In other optional embodiments, attitude parameters (such as heading angle and pitch angle) can be aggregated into the axial control mapping relationship of the single joystick according to the equipment's operational needs. This allows for flexible addition or removal of the types of controlled parameters bound to the single joystick. Parameter zoning settings and dead zone thresholds can be preset at the factory or customized on-site.

[0046] Please combine further Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the underwater equipment remote control device of this application. It can be understood that, in the specific real-time mode of this application, the specific implementation of the solution of this application is described in detail using a dual-joystick structure as an example.

[0047] like Figure 2 The remote control device 100 is equipped with an independent first joystick 101 and a second joystick 102. The two joysticks are arranged separately to control different types of navigation reference operating parameters. This application can select parameters to be adjusted based on the combination relationship of the deflection directions of the first joystick 101 and the second joystick 102, and only manually correct some navigation reference operating parameters. The remaining navigation reference operating parameters that are not selected for adjustment continue to operate in an automatic navigation closed-loop control state.

[0048] In this embodiment, the preferred configuration is that the operator adjusts the ROV's operating speed, distance, and direction using the first joystick 101, and adjusts the attitude parameters (e.g., heading angle and pitch angle) using the second joystick 102. In other embodiments, this application does not limit the types of control parameters corresponding to the first joystick 101 and the second joystick 102. The functional mapping relationship between the two joysticks can be flexibly changed according to the actual equipment configuration, underwater operating conditions, and user operating habits. The number and types of navigation reference operating parameters controlled by each joystick can also be adaptively increased or decreased, realizing customized adaptation of the dual joystick control function. The joystick parameter allocation method has universality and replaceability.

[0049] Furthermore, specific axial directions and controlled parameters are mapped one-to-one according to preset rules: For example, the left-right X-axis offset of the first joystick 101 is used to control the ROV's operating speed, and the up-down Y-axis offset is used to control the distance between the ROV and the object being measured. The synchronous oblique offset of the first joystick's X and Y axes is used to control the ROV's operating direction. The left-right X-axis offset of the second joystick 102 corresponds to heading angle adjustment, and the up-down Y-axis offset of the second joystick 102 corresponds to pitch angle adjustment. The control system collects the deflection electrical signals of the first joystick 101 and the second joystick 102 in real time and completes the operation signal recognition. Based on a preset mapping relationship, it analyzes the controlled parameters corresponding to the current manual command. Subsequently, based on the pre-stored navigation reference operating parameters, it distinguishes between parameters requiring manual modification and parameters maintaining autonomous operation, and generates a corresponding auxiliary control scheme in conjunction with the automatic navigation reference data. The ROV completes navigation operations according to this auxiliary control scheme.

[0050] When the operator simultaneously manipulates the first joystick 101 and the second joystick 102, and both joysticks simultaneously output valid adjustment commands, the allocation rules of the controlled parameters and retained automatic navigation parameters corresponding to each operating condition are shown in Table 1: Table 1: Automatic navigation parameters retained when operating both joysticks simultaneously As shown in Table 1 above, the dual-joystick linkage control rules indicate that this application supports multi-dimensional combination control of the first joystick 101 and the second joystick 102. Each combination of operations strictly follows the core logic of manual local parameter modification and automatic closed-loop maintenance of other parameters. The specific interpretations of each group of working conditions are as follows: Group 1: The first joystick 101 shifts left and right, and the second joystick 102 shifts up and down. At this time, manual intervention is required to adjust the two parameters of travel speed and pitch angle. The system automatically locks the fixed distance, travel direction, and heading angle to maintain automatic navigation closed-loop operation, ensuring that the equipment's reference travel direction and observation distance do not deviate. Only minor adjustments are made to the travel speed and fuselage pitch attitude to adapt to small-amplitude attitude correction and uniform speed observation operation scenarios.

[0051] The second group: the first joystick 101 shifts left and right, and the second joystick 102 shifts left and right. At this time, the manual synchronous adjustment of the travel speed and heading angle, the fixed distance, the running direction, and the pitch angle maintain the automatic navigation state. Under the premise of maintaining the original observation interval, the trend of the navigation trajectory and the horizontal attitude, the equipment completes the joint correction of the speed and the heading, which is suitable for the operation requirements of small-scale route correction and synchronous speed adjustment.

[0052] The third group: the first joystick 101 is shifted vertically, and the second joystick 102 is shifted horizontally. At this time, the fixed distance and heading angle are manually adjusted, while the travel speed, direction of travel, and pitch angle continue to use the automatic navigation parameters. The equipment only adjusts the observation interval and travel angle, keeping the original travel speed and trajectory trend unchanged, thus achieving fine-tuning of the target distance adaptability.

[0053] The fourth group: the first joystick 101 shifts up and down, and the second joystick 102 shifts up and down. At this time, the fixed distance and pitch angle are manually adjusted, while the travel speed, running direction, and heading angle maintain automatic navigation. The equipment, based on the locked travel path and speed reference, only corrects the observation distance and fuselage pitch attitude to adapt to the attitude adjustment scenarios for observation of uneven terrain and slopes.

[0054] The fifth group: the first joystick 101 is tilted diagonally, and the second joystick 102 is tilted vertically. At this time, the manual linkage adjusts the running direction and pitch angle, while the travel speed, fixed distance, and heading angle remain unchanged at the automatic navigation reference. The equipment only changes the flight trend and the aircraft pitch attitude, without changing the observation distance and preset speed, thus achieving flexible correction of the flight path.

[0055] Group 6: The first joystick 101 deflects obliquely, and the second joystick 102 deflects left and right. At this time, the manual linkage adjusts the running direction and heading angle, while the travel speed, fixed distance, and pitch angle maintain the automatic navigation closed loop. Under the premise of locking the observation interval, travel speed, and horizontal attitude, the equipment completes the combined correction of heading and travel direction.

[0056] In the above implementation, the multi-group dual-joystick combination control logic can achieve precise manual fine-tuning of any two-dimensional parameters, while locking other multi-dimensional navigation references to prevent them from slipping out of control. This truly realizes a human-machine integrated control mode with automatic navigation as the main function and manual fine-tuning as a supplement, completely avoiding the problems of route loss and parameter disorder caused by traditional fully manual takeover.

[0057] Furthermore, constrained by the automatic navigation reference system, in actual operation, it is necessary to avoid simultaneously and significantly modifying the two core reference parameters, namely the direction of travel and the fixed distance. The direction of travel determines the overall trajectory trend of the ROV, while the fixed distance determines the distance between the equipment and the target being measured. These two parameters are the underlying reference cores of automatic navigation. If both reference parameters are changed manually at the same time, it will directly destroy the original navigation reference system, causing the system to lose stable navigation and observation references, which can easily lead to safety hazards such as course deviation, target loss, and equipment collision.

[0058] Furthermore, in the real-time mode of this application, the operating mode of the underwater device is determined based on the deflection action of the joystick. The operating mode includes at least an idle mode, a single-axis adjustment mode, and an oblique adjustment mode, with different operating modes corresponding to different navigation reference operating parameter control strategies.

[0059] Understandably, in dual-joystick scenarios, based on the functional differences between the first joystick 101 and the second joystick 102, the two joysticks are configured with different working judgment systems. For example, the first joystick 101 can be configured with three working states: idle mode, single-axis adjustment mode, and diagonal adjustment mode, relying on the orthogonal stroke of the dual axes to achieve single-axis fine adjustment and dual-axis linkage diagonal control. The second joystick 102 is only configured with two working states: idle mode and single-axis adjustment mode. It has no diagonal adjustment logic and is only used for single-axis attitude parameter correction. The idle judgment rules and single-axis offset recognition logic of the second joystick are consistent with those of the first joystick. The working modes of the second joystick will not be repeated hereafter.

[0060] In the embodiment using a single joystick structure, the single joystick fully reuses the mode determination rules of the first joystick and also has three working states: idle mode, single-axis adjustment mode, and diagonal adjustment mode. Relying on its own X-axis and Y-axis dual-axis travel, it realizes three types of operation recognition: idle standby, single-axis independent parameter adjustment, and diagonal linkage parameter adjustment. Its dead zone determination, mode switching logic, and gear matching rules are all consistent with the aforementioned control rules of the first joystick 101.

[0061] Specifically, during manual intervention, this application can intelligently determine the real-time operating mode of the underwater ROV based on the real-time offset movement of the joystick on the remote control terminal. This solution divides the joystick operation into three core operating modes: idle mode, single-axis adjustment mode, and oblique adjustment mode. Different operating modes correspond to specific navigation reference operating parameter adjustment strategies, achieving scenario-specific and precise layered human-machine collaborative parameter adjustment control. A detailed description follows: I. Idle Mode Specifically, the idle mode is the default normal operating condition of the joystick, used to determine that there is no need for manual adjustment by the operator. When the remote joystick naturally returns to the center position and there is no external force to actively move the joystick, the system determines that the device is in idle mode.

[0062] Furthermore, to mitigate minor misalignment interference caused by hull micro-vibrations, slight hand tremors, and mechanical gaps during underwater operations, this application's embodiment incorporates a joystick dead zone tolerance mechanism. Specifically, the system presets 10% of the joystick's maximum deflection stroke as the critical dead zone range. Even if the joystick experiences slight positional fluctuations in any direction, as long as its axial offset does not exceed the aforementioned dead zone threshold range, the system will not recognize it as a valid control command and will continue to classify it as idle mode.

[0063] Furthermore, in idle mode, the control system does not generate or execute any navigation reference operating parameter adjustment commands. The ROV operates autonomously entirely based on the automatic navigation closed-loop logic, and all navigation reference operating parameters remain in an automatically controlled state without any human subjective intervention or correction.

[0064] II. Inclined Adjustment Mode Furthermore, when the operator applies a diagonal thrust to the remote control joystick, causing the joystick to simultaneously produce a bidirectional offset movement along the X-axis (left-right direction) and Y-axis (up-down direction), the joystick produces an effective offset amount exceeding the dead zone range in both orthogonal axes, and the system determines that it has entered the diagonal adjustment mode based on this.

[0065] Specifically, the oblique adjustment mode corresponds to the multi-parameter linkage adjustment condition, which means that the operator needs to simultaneously adjust multiple navigation reference operating parameters to adapt to the attitude, position, and speed linkage correction requirements during the operation.

[0066] In a specific implementation, coordinate normalization can be used to quantify the joystick's oblique offset state, and two-dimensional coordinate values ​​can be used to accurately characterize the joystick's oblique deflection direction and amplitude.

[0067] In this embodiment, a normalized coordinate system with a value range of [-1, 1] is used to quantify the joystick offset state. A uniform (X, Y) coordinate format is adopted, where the first component X corresponds to the left-right offset of the joystick along the X-axis, and the second component Y corresponds to the up-down offset of the joystick along the Y-axis. The positive and negative values ​​distinguish the direction of deflection; positive numbers represent a positive offset of the joystick in the positive direction of the coordinate axis, and negative numbers represent a negative offset. The absolute value of the value corresponds to the relative deflection travel; the closer the absolute value is to 1, the closer the joystick deflection is to its maximum limit travel.

[0068] For example, based on the normalization rules, different oblique operation directions and swing amplitudes can be accurately distinguished. For instance, coordinates (0.5, 0.4) represent a small rightward and upward tilt of the joystick, (0.6, -0.3) corresponds to a small rightward and downward tilt, (-0.4, 0.7) corresponds to a small leftward and upward tilt, and (-0.5, -0.4) corresponds to a small leftward and downward tilt. In (0.9, 0.8), the values ​​of both axes are close to the upper limit of 1, indicating a large rightward and upward tilt of the joystick, which belongs to the large stroke linkage adjustment condition. In (-0.2, -0.2), the absolute values ​​of each axis are small, and the offset falls in the low range, which is a small-amplitude leftward and downward fine adjustment. In (0.3, 0.3), the normalized values ​​of the X and Y axes are equal, which means that the joystick is pushed obliquely at a uniform amplitude of 45°.

[0069] Furthermore, the control system collects the original offset data of the joystick in real time and converts it into the normalized coordinates mentioned above. By analyzing whether the dual-axis values ​​in the coordinates simultaneously exceed the dead zone threshold, it accurately determines that the current operation is a diagonal linkage operation. At the same time, it matches the numerical value with the gear zoning rules mentioned above and matches the corresponding parameter adjustment amount according to the offset amplitude to achieve multi-parameter hierarchical linkage control in diagonal mode.

[0070] III. Single-axis adjustment mode Furthermore, when the operator applies a push or pull force in only one direction to the remote control joystick, triggering only a single-axis effective offset while the other axis remains within the dead zone, the system determines that it has entered the single-axis adjustment mode.

[0071] Among them, the single-axis adjustment mode is a single-parameter precise fine-tuning condition, which only corrects the navigation reference operating parameters in a single dimension, avoids interference from multiple parameters, and adapts to the needs of fine-tuning operations.

[0072] In practical applications, individual offsets along the X-axis (left-right direction) of the joystick control the ROV's travel speed parameter, while individual offsets along the Y-axis (up-down direction) control the distance between the ROV and the object being measured. In single-axis adjustment mode, the system only responds to the parameter adjustment command corresponding to the effective offset axis, while other navigation reference operating parameters continue to maintain automatic navigation closed-loop operation. This achieves a human-machine collaborative control effect where precise manual fine-tuning of a single parameter is achieved, while other parameters are autonomously stabilized.

[0073] In the above embodiments, the partitioned identification control of idle mode, oblique adjustment mode, and single-axis adjustment mode is used to filter out false triggers caused by slight vibrations of the rocker arm by setting the center dead zone, so that the equipment can stably maintain the automatic navigation state when there is no manual operation. On the other hand, it distinguishes between two control requirements: single-axis precise fine adjustment and oblique multi-parameter linkage adjustment. The operator can select the corresponding control mode as needed. Under the premise that only some parameters are manually adjusted, the remaining parameters are continuously controlled by the automatic navigation system in a closed loop. This balances the operational flexibility, parameter adjustment accuracy, and autonomous navigation stability of underwater operations, and effectively avoids the risk of loss of course control caused by full manual takeover.

[0074] Furthermore, when the joystick switches from the diagonal deflection state to the single-axis deflection state, the switch from the diagonal adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode is completed based on the type of the navigation reference operating parameters to be adjusted.

[0075] It is understood that this embodiment, based on the aforementioned oblique adjustment mode and single-axis adjustment mode, further refines the mode switching control logic during the switching process of the remote control joystick from oblique deflection state to single-axis deflection state. Differentiated control rules are distinguished according to the parameter type of the navigation reference operating parameters to be adjusted, achieving automatic mode switching based on conditions. The navigation reference operating parameters can be divided into a first type of parameter and a second type of parameter. In a specific application scenario of this application, the first type of parameter can be defined as the ROV travel speed parameter, corresponding to horizontal single-axis adjustment, and the second type of parameter can be defined as the target ranging distance parameter, corresponding to vertical single-axis adjustment. Of course, in other embodiments, the first type of parameter and the second type of parameter can be adaptively adjusted based on different scenarios and user operating habits, etc., and are not specifically limited here.

[0076] The three specific scenarios are described below: 1. When the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted is a first-class parameter, the joystick does not need to return to center and reset, and can directly switch from the diagonal adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode.

[0077] Specifically, when the operator manipulates the joystick to the oblique deflection state, and then gradually moves the joystick to the horizontal axis, switching the joystick to a single-axis horizontal deflection state, the system determines that the parameter to be adjusted is a first-type parameter (ROV travel speed parameter). The control logic executes the no-return-to-center switching rule, meaning the joystick does not need to return to the center position for reset, and the control system directly jumps from the oblique adjustment mode to the corresponding single-axis horizontal adjustment mode. Furthermore, since speed is a scalar parameter, it only changes the ROV's travel speed and will not disturb the aircraft's preset navigation heading and travel reference path, thus avoiding fuselage lurching caused by parameter abrupt changes.

[0078] In addition, this embodiment can also be equipped with an operation time threshold. The joystick will maintain a horizontal single-axis offset for a preset time before completing the mode switch, filtering out accidental switching caused by momentary accidental touches, taking into account both the smoothness of operation and the anti-accidental touch performance, and adapting to the operator's smooth operation habits from diagonal fine adjustment of heading to continuous speed adjustment.

[0079] 2. When the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted is a second type parameter, after the joystick returns to center and resets, switch from the diagonal adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode.

[0080] Specifically, when the operator switches from the diagonal deflection of the joystick to a single-axis deflection in the vertical direction to adjust the second type of parameter (target distance), the system first verifies the joystick position signal. Only after the remote control joystick has completed its return to the center position and returned to zero can the control system switch from the diagonal adjustment mode to the corresponding single-axis adjustment mode in the vertical direction. Since the navigation reference heading and target distance are two core reference parameters for ROV automatic navigation, simultaneous and continuous changes to these two parameters can easily cause the entire vehicle to deviate from the preset navigation trajectory and the target location. By using a hardware limit condition for forced center reset, the diagonal heading adjustment function and the vertical distance adjustment function are isolated. This ensures that the preceding diagonal adjustment action has been terminated before initiating distance fine-tuning, thus avoiding safety hazards such as path deviation, underwater collisions, and target loss from the operational logic level.

[0081] 3. When the joystick fails to return to center and only vertical axial offset occurs, and the mode switching conditions are not met, the current oblique adjustment mode is maintained, and an oblique control command is generated based on the automatic navigation reference heading and the current vertical axis adjustment. Specifically, when the operator manipulates the joystick from the oblique deflection position to the vertical direction, but the joystick fails to return to center and only exhibits pure vertical axial offset, and the mode switching trigger conditions corresponding to the aforementioned two types of parameters are not met, the control system locks and maintains the original oblique adjustment mode. It no longer uses the joystick's horizontal offset to define the heading, but instead retrieves the reference heading data preset by the automatic navigation system, combines it with the currently real-time vertical axis adjustment of the joystick, calculates and synthesizes the overall oblique motion control command, and issues it for execution.

[0082] For example, if the ROV's original automatic navigation reference heading is horizontal to the right, and the joystick is deflected directly upwards from the upper right diagonal position without returning to center, the entire aircraft will travel along an upper right diagonal trajectory; if the original reference heading is horizontal to the left, the entire aircraft will travel along an upper left diagonal trajectory. The control logic of this application can identify unintentional misoperation when the joystick is not returned to center, and will not force a change in the working mode due to a single misoperation. At the same time, it relies on the original navigation heading combined with the vertical adjustment to continue the controlled movement, thus preventing control failure and uncontrolled drift of the aircraft.

[0083] In the above implementation, by setting different centering constraints for the two core navigation parameters of speed adjustment and distance measurement, the ease of use of continuous operation without centering in conventional speed adjustment is ensured, while the safety of operation of key distance adjustment actions is ensured by forcing centering constraints. At the same time, fault tolerance adaptation is made for non-standard misoperations that have not returned to center, which greatly reduces the probability of false triggering in the joystick compound operation process, and takes into account both the smoothness of operation and the safety of underwater navigation operations.

[0084] S300: After the control signal is terminated, the underwater equipment continues to perform automatic navigation operations based on the adjusted navigation reference operating parameters.

[0085] Furthermore, after the control signal is terminated, the navigation control of the equipment is fully returned to the automatic navigation system. The automatic navigation operation no longer uses the original navigation reference parameters initially collected, but instead uses the latest navigation reference operating parameters that have been manually corrected as the control reference, and re-enters the fully autonomous navigation operation mode.

[0086] Furthermore, based on the change in joystick position to identify the termination node of the control signal, after a single manual parameter adjustment, the control system cyclically collects joystick position data. For the dual-joystick layout, the positions of the first joystick 101 and the second joystick 102 are continuously monitored, with both joysticks returning to center as the basic termination condition. Of course, in specific implementations, delay constraints can also be configured as needed. Only when both joysticks return to center and remain in the center dead zone for a preset time threshold are the manual controls considered completely ended. Subsequently, the system iteratively optimizes the previous navigation path based on the modified parameters, generates a new navigation path, and drives the ROV to navigate.

[0087] It is understood that the embodiments of this application distinguish different path refresh logic configurations for different adjustment parameters. When manual modification of parameters includes any one or a combination of two of the running direction and fixed distance, the entire navigation path is forcibly recalculated and updated. If only one of the following parameters is changed: speed, attitude parameters (e.g., heading angle, pitch angle), the reference route remains unchanged, and the original navigation path is directly used for cruising. This path refresh logic takes effect cyclically after each manual fine-tuning.

[0088] In the implementation using a single joystick, the same judgment and path update rules are reused, that is, the operation is judged to end when the single joystick returns to the center completely or remains in the center for a preset time, and then the navigation path is selectively updated according to the type of the adjusted parameters.

[0089] Specifically, this application establishes a differentiated navigation path update mechanism. Based on the type of navigation reference operating parameters modified in this manual adjustment, the navigation path update action is selectively executed: If the navigation reference operating parameters adjusted in this manual intervention include the direction of travel and / or the fixed-distance observation range, since the direction of travel and the fixed-distance observation range are the core reference parameters for the automatic navigation operation of underwater equipment, directly determining the equipment's trajectory and the target observation reference, the entire navigation path needs to be recalculated and updated after the parameter change to ensure that the subsequent automatic navigation trajectory adapts to the manually corrected reference state and avoids route deviation and target leaving the observation range. If the manual intervention only adjusts the travel speed and attitude parameters (attitude parameters such as heading angle and pitch angle), only changing the equipment's travel speed and fuselage attitude state, without changing the core travel trajectory and observation distance reference, then there is no need to recalculate the path, and the original navigation path can be directly used to continue the automatic navigation operation.

[0090] This differentiated update logic can effectively avoid meaningless full-path repetitive calculations, reduce the computational load of the main control system, and ensure timely updates of the route after changes in the core navigation reference and stable route when non-core parameters are fine-tuned. It takes into account both the operational stability and efficiency of underwater equipment navigation operations and is suitable for various refined observation and inspection operation scenarios.

[0091] In the above implementation, based on the autonomous navigation operation of the underwater equipment, some navigation reference parameters are fine-tuned by receiving control signals from the manual joystick. Parameters that are not adjusted continue to maintain the closed-loop control of automatic navigation. After the manual control ends, the equipment resumes autonomous navigation based on the corrected reference parameters. This not only retains the advantages of stable cruise of automatic navigation, but also allows for local correction of the navigation status as needed, avoiding the defects of loss of control of the route caused by traditional full manual takeover, and taking into account both control flexibility and navigation stability.

[0092] 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.

[0093] Reference Figure 3 The diagram below provides a structural schematic of the underwater device for an embodiment of this application.

[0094] 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.

[0095] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 3 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.

[0096] like Figure 3 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.

[0097] exist Figure 3 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.

[0098] 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.

[0099] 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.

[0100] 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.

[0101] 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: During automatic navigation operations, the navigation reference operating parameters of the underwater equipment are determined; The system receives a control signal and adjusts at least some of the navigation reference operating parameters based on the control signal. The navigation reference operating parameters that are not adjusted are maintained in an automatic navigation control state. The control signal is generated by the deflection action of the joystick at the remote control end of the underwater device. After the control signal is terminated, the underwater equipment continues to perform automatic navigation operations based on the adjusted navigation reference operating parameters.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The joystick is divided into multiple intervals based on the deflection travel in the same adjustment direction, and different intervals correspond to different adjustment amounts of navigation reference operating parameters.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The operating mode of the underwater device is determined based on the deflection action of the joystick, and the operating mode includes at least an idle mode, a single-axis adjustment mode, and an oblique adjustment mode. Different operating modes correspond to different control strategies for the navigation reference operating parameters.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the joystick switches from the diagonal deflection state to the single-axis deflection state, the switch from the diagonal adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode is completed based on the type of the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted. When the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted is a first type of parameter, the joystick does not need to return to center and reset, and can directly switch from the oblique adjustment mode to the single-axis adjustment mode; When the navigation reference operating parameter to be adjusted is a second type of parameter, after the joystick returns to center and resets, the slant adjustment mode is switched to the single-axis adjustment mode. When the joystick fails to return to center and only vertical axis offset occurs, and the mode switching conditions are not met, the current yaw adjustment mode is maintained, and yaw control commands are generated based on the automatic navigation reference heading and the current vertical axis adjustment amount.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The remote control terminal joystick is configured as a single joystick structure or a dual joystick structure. When a single joystick structure is adopted, the single joystick has a multi-axial adjustment stroke, and at least some of the navigation reference operating parameters can be adjusted based on the multi-axial movement of the single joystick; When a dual-joystick structure is used, the two joysticks are used to control different navigation reference operating parameters respectively.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The dual joysticks include a first joystick and a second joystick; Based on the combination of the deflection directions of the first joystick and the second joystick, it is determined that at least some of the navigation reference operating parameters will be adjusted.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The navigation reference operating parameters include at least the underwater equipment's travel speed, fixed-distance observation range, direction of travel, attitude parameters, and depth.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, After the control signal is terminated, if the adjusted navigation reference operating parameters include the operating direction and / or the fixed-distance observation distance, the navigation path is updated. If only the travel speed or the attitude parameters are adjusted, the navigation path remains unchanged.

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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