AUV Relay Communication for UUVs in Subsea Shadow Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) face challenges in controlling and communicating effectively with subsea structures, particularly in congested areas where wireless signals are obstructed or attenuated, leading to difficulties in performing tasks that require real-time feedback and positioning.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to relay control signals from a subsea control transmitter to a UUV positioned in a shadow region, allowing the AUV to move autonomously to improve signal quality and enable communication through water, either via a tether or wireless link, to facilitate tasks such as inspection and intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a UUV is positioned in a congested subsea area to perform inspection tasks, then the ability to access and inspect equipment is improved, but wireless control signals are obscured by obstacles leading to loss of real-time control
Solution Approach 1:
An AUV is introduced as an intermediary carrier that maintains wireless communication with the surface while physically transporting the UUV to congested areas. The AUV acts as a mobile relay station, receiving control signals from the surface and transmitting them to the UUV via tether or wireless link, thereby mediating the control connection through obstacle-rich environments where direct surface-to-UUV communication fails
2Reliability
If a physical tether is used to maintain control signals to a UUV, then reliable control is achieved, but the complexity of deployment and restriction of movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation where the UUV can be deployed without requiring complex tether management infrastructure at the surface. The AUV carries the UUV autonomously to the target area and establishes the control connection independently, eliminating the need for surface-based tether deployment systems and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliable control through the AUV-UUV tether or wireless link
3Ease of operation
If wireless communication is used between surface and UUV, then ease of operation is improved, but signal attenuation and obstruction in congested areas reduces communication reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional surface-to-UUV wireless communication model to a three-dimensional hierarchical communication architecture. The AUV provides a mobile communication node that operates at an intermediate spatial level, creating multiple communication pathways (surface-to-AUV and AUV-to-UUV) that bypass line-of-sight obstructions and enable wireless control in previously inaccessible congested areas
Data Source
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AI summary
A task such as inspection is performed at a subsea location by positioning a functional unit (50) such as a UUV to perform the task. When positioned to perform the task, the unit (50) is then in a shadow region where wireless control signals from a subsea control transmitter are obscured by a subsea obstacle. Consequently, control signals are transmitted wirelessly through water from the control transmitter to an AUV (30) positioned outside the shadow region and are relayed from the AUV (30) to the unit (50) to control the unit to perform the task. The unit (50) may be tethered to the AUV (30) or may communicate with the AUV (30) wirelessly. The AUV (30) can move itself to improve wireless communication with the subsea control transmitter and optionally also with the unit (50).