UUV Cluster Cooperative Positioning via Acoustic Ranging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In underwater vehicle clusters operating in a master-slave mode, the slave vehicles are equipped with sensors of poor precision, leading to limited positioning accuracy due to cost and volume constraints.
Innovation Solution
A cooperative positioning system is introduced, comprising a master UUV with high-precision navigation systems and slave UUVs with low-precision INS. The system uses acoustic ranging and information interaction to improve the positioning accuracy of the slave UUVs through cooperative processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If slave UUVs are equipped with low-precision INS to reduce cost and volume, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the positioning capabilities of master and slave UUVs into a cooperative positioning system. The master UUV with high-precision INS and the slave UUVs with low-precision INS work together, sharing positioning information through acoustic communication to achieve improved positioning precision for the entire cluster without requiring each slave to independently possess high-precision sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic communication as an intermediary mechanism between master and slave UUVs. The master UUV transmits its high-precision positioning information to slave UUVs through acoustic signals, enabling the slaves to improve their positioning accuracy without upgrading their own sensors, thus resolving the contradiction between sensor capability and positioning precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If slave UUVs use low-precision sensors to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the positioning resources of the master UUV with the navigation needs of slave UUVs. By combining the high-precision positioning data from the master with the acoustic ranging measurements from slaves, the system achieves accurate positioning for all vehicles without requiring expensive high-precision sensors on each unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The slave UUVs copy or replicate the positioning information from the master UUV through acoustic communication. Instead of each slave independently acquiring high-precision positioning data through expensive sensors, they receive and utilize copies of the master's positioning information, adjusted for their respective positions based on acoustic ranging, thereby achieving accurate positioning at lower cost.
3Adaptability or versatility
If acoustic communication is used for information interaction between master and slave UUVs, then underwater communication capability is improved, but positioning precision of slave UUVs still deteriorates due to poor sensor precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the master UUV continuously transmits its high-precision positioning information to slave UUVs through acoustic communication. The slaves use this feedback information combined with their own acoustic ranging measurements to continuously update and refine their position estimates, overcoming the limitation of their low-precision sensors.
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
The cooperative positioning system enhances the positioning precision of slave UUVs by leveraging the high-precision data from the master UUV, thereby improving the overall positioning capability of the UUV cluster.
Implementation Method 1
The DVL locks the water and the water bottom, and is configured to measure a velocity of the master UUV
Implementation Method 2
A sound wave has less underwater attenuation and a longer underwater propagation range than the light wave and the radio
Implementation Method 3
cooperative positioning system and method for unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) clusters based on ranging and information interaction
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the disclosure provide a cooperative positioning system and method for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) cluster based on ranging and information interaction. In some examples, the cooperative positioning system includes one master UUV, multiple slave UUVs, and a cooperative positioning apparatus. In some examples, the cooperative positioning method includes following steps. A master UUV and a slave UUV perform internal clock disciplining. The master UUV periodically packages a location of the master UUV and a covariance matrix of location estimation into a cooperative positioning data packet and broadcasts the cooperative positioning data packet to slave UUVs of a cluster. The slave UUV receives the cooperative positioning data packet. A cooperative positioning apparatus of the salve UUV constructs a state and a measurement equation according to data. The cooperative positioning apparatus calculates and obtains a cooperative positioning result by using an extended Kalman filter (EKF).