Subsurface robotic mapping system and method

• US 10,539,956 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2017
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Penguin Automated Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Penguin Automated Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Baiden, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Oh, Harry Y
• Application Number:
  US15/666,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20180039263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/12 executed aboard the object being navigated; Dead reckoning
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/47 Optical

Abstract

A robotic mapping system for charting or mapping a path through an underground cavity, and/or mapping a surface of the underground cavity. The robotic mapping system may comprise a mobile control center located on the surface in wireless communications with one or more mapping robots located within the underground cavity. The mapping robots may be controlled by way of an avionics navigation system.

Claims

1. A robotic subsurface mapping system comprising:

a control center located proximate to an entry point to a subsurface to be mapped;

at least one mapping robot, the at least one mapping robot comprising;

at least one sensor for capturing imaging and scanning data of the subsurface in relation to the at least one robot;

a subsurface avionics subsystem for continuously generating geospatial data for determining in real-time the position of the at least one robot within the subsurface;

a data processing subsystem for storing the imaging and scanning data, relating it to the geospatial data and associating the geospatial data and the imaging and scanning data with corresponding timing data; and

a communications subsystem configured to transmit the captured imaging and scanning data, the geospatial data, and the timing data to the control center,

wherein the subsurface avionics subsystem comprises an inertial navigation system and a subsurface positioning navigation system wherein the subsurface positioning navigation system is configured to receive electromagnetic signals from at least one antenna,

wherein the at least one antenna comprises at least first, second and third antennas wherein each of the first, second and third antennas transmit electromagnetic signal pulses in a series of synchronized bursts,

wherein the electromagnetic signal pulses are encoded with identifier information to identify which of the at least first, second and third antennas transmitted the electromagnetic signal pulses, and

wherein the real-time position of the at least one mapping robot is calculated based on information collected from internal sensors of the inertial navigation system and is verified using the distance the at least one mapping robot is from the at least first, second and third antennas wherein the distance is calculated based on the phase difference between successive bursts from the at least first, second and third antennas.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications subsystem is further configured to receive control data transmitted from the control center.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising at least one remote relay for relaying the transmitted captured imaging and scanning data, the geospatial data, and the timing data to the mobile control center and for relaying the control date transmitted from the control center.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mapping robot further comprises a plurality of mapping robots, and wherein the plurality of mapping robots each comprise a communications subsystem for receiving the transmitted captured imaging and scanning data, the geospatial data, and the timing data, and communicating the transmitted captured imaging and scanning data, the geospatial data, and the timing data to the control center and for receiving control data from the control center and communicating it to the plurality of mapping robots.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the communication subsystem of each of the plurality of mapping robots transmits a characteristic signal comprising identifying information corresponding to the transmitting mapping robot.

6. A method for mapping a subsurface comprising:

releasing at least one mapping robot into a subsurface to be mapped;

collecting imaging and scanning data of the subsurface using the mapping robot;

generating geospatial data relating to a position of the at least one mapping robot in the subsurface at the time of the mapping using a subsurface avionics subsystem comprising an inertial navigation system and subsurface positioning system in communication with at least one antenna; and

communicating the mapping data, the timing data, and the geospatial data to a control center located at the surface,

wherein the subsurface avionics subsystem comprises an inertial navigation system and a subsurface positioning navigation system wherein the subsurface positioning navigation system is configured to receive electromagnetic signals from at least one antenna,

wherein the at least one antenna comprises at least first, second and third antennas wherein each of the first, second and third antennas transmit electromagnetic signal pulses in a series of synchronized bursts,

wherein the electromagnetic signal pulses are encoded with identifier information to identify which of the at least first, second and third antennas transmitted the electromagnetic signal pulses, and

wherein the real-time position of the at least one mapping robot is calculated based on information collected from internal sensors of the inertial navigation system and is verified using the distance the at least one mapping robot is from the at least first, second and third antennas wherein the distance is calculated based on the phase difference between successive bursts from the at least first, second and third antennas.