US20130204464A1 - Semi-autonomous underwater vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A semi-autonomous underwater vehicle has (a) a hull; (b) one or more thruster motors; (c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and/or separate steering components to carry out a plurality of different maneuvers; and (d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION
• This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/595,808, filed on Feb. 7, 2012, entitled SEMI-AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The invention relates generally to devices useful in defusing emergency situations arising from the overly aggressive behavior of a cetacean (e.g. killer whale) or other large aquatic animal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Emergency situations arising from the overly aggressive behavior of a cetacean or other large aquatic animal occasionally arise. Such emergency situations most often arise with respect to killer whales performing or being trained in an aquatic amusement park.
• Overly aggressive behavior need not be mean behavior to create an emergency. Overly aggressive playfulness can also cause an emergency situation given that cetaceans and other large aquatic animals are very large and are very excellent swimmers. Trying to diffuse such emergency situations by chasing the aquatic animal or by trying to coax the aquatic animal to a corner of a performing pool (where the animal can be lifted to the surface of the water) are often unduly time consuming or otherwise ineffectual.
• Accordingly, there is the need for a new device for defusing emergency situations arising from the overly aggressive behavior of large aquatic animals which is more quickly implemented and which is more likely to achieve success.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The invention satisfies this need. The invention is a semi-autonomous underwater vehicle comprising (a) a hull; (b) one or more thruster motors; (c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and/or separate steering components to carry out a plurality of different maneuvers; and (d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.
• The invention is designed to autonomously execute pre-programmed maneuvering patterns.
DRAWINGS
• These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings where:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a semi-autonomous underwater vehicle having features of the invention;
• FIG. 2 is a left side, partial cut-away, perspective view of the semi-autonomous vehicle illustrated inFIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a left side view of the semi-autonomous vehicle illustrated inFIG. 1; and
• FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the semi-autonomous vehicle illustrated inFIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well.
• The invention is asemi-autonomous vehicle10 comprising ahull12, one ormore thruster motors14, apre-programmed controller16 and awireless receiver18. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings.
• The invention provides anunderwater vehicle10 designed to act as a “distractor” to marine animals with the intention of modifying their behavior. In this regard, the invention can be thought of as performing the function of a rodeo clown in aqueous environments. The invention also has the ability to be operated in non-emergency situations, such as a “show enhancement” device within an aquatic theme park environment.
• Thehull12 typically hasplastic side walls20 and arounded nose22 cast in an elastomeric material, such as urethane rubber—so as to allow thevehicle10 to bounce off obstacles in its path. Atop wall23 of thehull12 defines a top side opening24 to allow air within the hull to escape when thevehicle10 submerges.
• Thehull12 typically further comprises afloat pack25 comprising styrofoam or similar buoyant material to increase the buoyancy of theunderwater vehicle10.
• The one ormore thruster motors14 are driven by electricity stored in lightweight batteries disposed within thehull12. Thethruster motors14 are used to propel the vehicle.
• Thethruster motors14 can also be used as left, right, up and down steering components by making relative changes in the thrusting power provided by one or more of thethruster motors14. The steering components can alternatively comprise rudders or other commonly known steering equipment.
• Thepreprogrammed controller16 is adapted to control themotors14 and the steering components to carry out a plurality of different preprogrammed maneuvers.
• Thepreprogrammed controller16 typically comprises a central processing unit.
• Thewireless signal receiver18 is adapted to receive instructions and provide those instructions to thecontroller16. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, thewireless receiver18 comprises a radio frequency (e.g. WiFi)antenna26, anacoustic receiver27 and acrash guard28.
• The preprogrammed maneuvers can be circles, figure 8s, wiggles, etc., either in two dimensions or in three dimensions. The pre-programmed maneuvers are based on available maneuvering space and the planned entry point for each application. Thevehicle10 is preferably designed so that, if it encounters a wall or another obstacle, thevehicle10 will adjust its behavior to compensate for the obstacle and continue to run the ordered maneuver. Once in the water, the initial maneuvers can be terminated and new maneuvers initiated by commanding thevehicle10 through either radio communications or acoustic communications.
• In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, thevehicle10 comprises atypical payload module30 that contains, cable management equipment and threeindividual function providers32. Thefunction providers32 include, for example,lights34, asound transducer36 and avibrator38. Control of thepayload module30 is accomplished by thecontroller16. Control of thepayload module30 includes the ability to preprogramindividual function providers32, to turn them on or off, to preprogram patterns that include theavailable function providers32, and to remotely control theindividual function providers32 as well as the patterns.
• Thelights34 can be commercial off the shelf (COTS) units (e.g. Deep Sea Power and Light—12LED On Hull SeaLite, green color) that flash/strobe at ˜5×per second or are constantly on. Thelights34 can be preprogrammed to provide additional distractor functions.
• Sounds can also provide other distractor functions. Sounds can be generated from an internal COTS MP3 player capable of standard programming of whatever sound required to thetransducer36. In one embodiment, the sounds play for about 8 minutes and then repeat in a continuous loop.
• Thevibrator38 can provide yet additional distractor functions. Thevibrator38 suitable for generating the distracting vibrations can be similar to vibrators used in cell phones.
• While under water, the maneuvering behavior of thevehicle10, as well as the activation ofpayload function providers32, can be controlled via an acoustic modem pulse method. Such communication is typically one-way from a control station to the vehicle, and each command is typically short and unique to ensure only the desired behavior or payload function is activated.
• Communications to thevehicle10 are preferably accomplished through the integrated use of underwater acoustics and surface wireless communications. On the surface, thevehicle10 maintains real-time2-way wireless communications (WiFi) with an operator control station (OCS). When submerged, thevehicle10 receives subsurface wireless commands from the operator control station (OCS) via an underwater acoustic modem. The acoustic modem is used to commandpayload module30 functions and swim patterns. Typical acoustic communication systems are used in the commercial world to control and receive data from prior art automated underwater vehicles. However, the nature of a contained aquatic ecosystem, such as a pool or aquarium is an extremely difficult environment for typical acoustic systems to effectively operate. The shallow water and reflective surfaces produce signal multipath which then corrupts or distorts the communicated command. Thevehicle10 preferably incorporates multi-tone transmission acoustics into its communication system to ensure the desired command is received.
• The system controls allow for thepayload module30 to be operated in real time as well as effect real-time changes topre-programmed vehicle10 swim patterns (circles, figure eights, etc.) and selected operating depths (surface, mid-water or near-bottom).
• One specific embodiment of the invention has the following characteristics and features:
• • Ability to modulate speed ofvehicle10 of up to 4 knots
  • Lightweight, <55 lbs./Positively Buoyant
  • Approximate Dimensions: 33″×10″×12″
  • Modular design, easily reconfigurable for different distracters/payloads
  • Portable/Single person deployable
  • Stowage locker/battery charging station, one in the same
  • Continuous battery operation up to 30 minutes
  • Self diagnostic system
  • The ability to operate in any body of water, fresh or saltwater, at both surface and sub-surface levels to a depth of 50 feet of sea water (fsw).
• The invention typically provides avehicle10 which is:
• • Lightweight, easily handled by one person
  • Deployable without delay
  • Battery-operated and untethered
  • Can be retrieved or its operation modified by the operator, based on observation of the environment, e.g. crowd or animal reaction
  • Incorporates multiple distraction devices, i.e., light, sounds, vibrations
  • Is programmable and controllable to allow trainers to elicit desired responses
• Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.

Claims (5)

What is claimed is:

1. A semi-autonomous underwater vehicle comprising:

(a) a hull;

(b) one or more thruster motors;

(c) a preprogrammed controller for controlling the motors and the steering components to carry out a plurality of different pre-programmed maneuvers; and

(d) a wireless signal receiver for providing instructions to the controller.

2. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle ofclaim 1 wherein the thruster motors provide the vehicle with the ability to steer the vehicle left, right, up and down.

3. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle ofclaim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises one or more function providers chosen from the list of function providers consisting of lights, transducers and vibrators.

4. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle ofclaim 3 wherein the function providers are activated and deactivated pursuant to a preprogrammed schedule.

5. The semi-autonomous underwater vehicle ofclaim 1 wherein the wireless signal receiver is adapted to accept acoustic modem/pulse signals while the vehicle is underwater.

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