Marine Drone Sonar Control for Moving-Base Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing unmanned vehicle systems face challenges in efficiently operating and controlling unmanned vehicles in marine environments due to factors like moving bases of operation, changing tides, limited wireless range, and difficult landing conditions.

Innovation Solution

The integration of unmanned vehicles with marine electronic devices allows for autonomous and manual remote control, featuring location sensors, propulsion systems, operational components, and communication systems to transmit and receive data, enabling tasks such as navigation, sonar operations, video streaming, and search and rescue missions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If unmanned vehicles are operated in marine environments with moving bases and changing tides, then operational versatility is improved, but system stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational versatilityVSAvoidsystem stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts to changing marine conditions by continuously updating the planned route and desired location based on current vehicle position, tide conditions, and base location. The control system adjusts navigation parameters in real-time to maintain stability despite environmental changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses location sensors to continuously monitor the unmanned vehicle's position and provides feedback to the control system. This feedback loop enables the system to compensate for drift, adjust routing, and maintain operational stability in dynamic marine environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Area of stationary object

If wireless control range is extended to cover larger marine areas, then operational area is improved, but control reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational areaVSAvoidcontrol reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates planned routes and stores waypoint information before the unmanned vehicle begins navigation. This preliminary action ensures that control commands are available even when wireless communication is interrupted, maintaining operational reliability over extended areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The unmanned vehicle incorporates onboard processing capabilities to autonomously navigate using stored route information and sensor data. This self-service capability allows the vehicle to maintain control and continue operations independently when remote control reliability is compromised by distance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If autonomous control capabilities are enhanced for remote operation, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses location sensor data to create a digital representation of the vehicle's position and environment. This copied information is processed to generate navigation commands, simplifying the control interface while maintaining sophisticated autonomous capabilities through data processing rather than mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This integration enhances the capability and efficiency of unmanned vehicles in marine environments by enabling precise control, data transmission, and task execution, overcoming operational challenges like moving bases and limited landing conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a location sensor configured to gather location data corresponding to the unmanned vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLocation sensing:

Implementation Method 2

a propulsion system configured to propel the unmanned vehicle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPropulsion:

Implementation Method 3

The operational component comprises at least one of a sensor configured to obtain sensor data or a camera configured to obtained camera data

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSonar: Sonar

Data Source

PatentUS11314248B2Unmanned vehicle control and sonar operation in a marine environment

Publication Date: 2022.04.26 NAVICO INC

AI summary

Many different types of systems are utilized or tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of unmanned vehicles, or drones, that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more unmanned vehicles can be integrated with a dedicated marine electronic device of a marine vessel for autonomous control and operation. Additionally or alternatively, the unmanned vehicle can be manually remote operated during use in the marine environment. Such unmanned vehicles can be utilized in many different marine environment systems or tasks, including, for example, navigation, sonar, radar, search and rescue, video streaming, alert functionality, among many others. However, as contemplated by the present invention, the marine environment provides many unique challenges that may be accounted for with operation and control of an unmanned vehicle.