UUV Fiber-Optic Seafloor Network Deployment With Short-Range Docking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional seafloor networks are expensive and labor-intensive, exposing large cable ships and crews to harsh environmental conditions during deployment, and existing solutions for underwater communication networks lack efficiency and scalability.
Innovation Solution
An underwater communications network utilizing a plurality of nodes on the seafloor connected by fiber optic cabling, with unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) that autonomously deploy and dock to form scalable network configurations, incorporating short-range and long-range navigation devices, and deployable electronic buoys for sensing and communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional cable ships and crews are used for seafloor network deployment, then manual connections and cable installation can be performed, but exposure to harsh environmental conditions and high operational costs occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs autonomous UUVs that can independently navigate, deploy fiber optic cables, and dock at nodes without human intervention. The UUVs self-manage the entire deployment process from cable payout to connection establishment, eliminating the need for crewed cable ships and exposing no personnel to harsh marine environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual operations of cable installation with autonomous robotic systems. UUVs equipped with specialized deployment mechanisms automatically handle cable laying, positioning, and connection tasks that traditionally required human operators on cable ships.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional cable ships are used for deployment, then cable installation can be performed, but high costs and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Autonomous UUVs perform all deployment operations independently, eliminating the need for expensive cable ships and large crews. The system reduces operational costs by replacing human labor with automated vehicles that can be deployed more efficiently and at lower cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The deployment system is divided into modular components: multiple UUVs can operate independently or in coordination, each capable of performing specific tasks such as cable deployment, node docking, or network maintenance. This segmentation allows flexible deployment strategies and improves overall system efficiency.
3Stability of the object's composition
If fixed network configurations are used, then initial deployment can be completed, but adaptability and scalability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The network configuration transitions from static to dynamic through autonomous UUVs that can continuously monitor network status, respond to failures, and reconfigure connections as needed. UUVs enable the network to adapt its topology dynamically while maintaining operational stability through automated fault tolerance and self-healing capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An underwater communications network may include spaced apart nodes on a bottom of a body of water. The underwater communications network may also include fiber optic cabling connecting the spaced apart nodes. Each node may include a frame, a node short-range navigation device carried by the frame, and an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) carried by the frame after delivering a fiber optic cable along a navigation path from an adjacent node. The UUV may be configured to cooperate with the node short-range navigation device during an end portion of the navigation path adjacent the frame.