Underwater RFID Arrangement for Optimizing Underwater Operations

• US 20110095865A1
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Harasti, Tracy J., Hertel, William M. III, Howell, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,536,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information

Abstract

A method and system to optimize underwater operations utilizing a radio frequency identification (RFID) arrangement. The RFID arrangement includes a plurality of RFID tags positioned on an underwater surface, with each of the plurality of tags coded with unique information related to each tag'"'"'s location on the underwater surface. The RFID system also includes an RFID reader/interrogator attached to an underwater explorer. When the underwater explorer is within a reading range of a tag, the reader/interrogator reads the unique tag information. The tag information is used to optimize underwater operations performed by the explorer, which may be a diver or a water vessel.

Claims

1. An underwater operations optimization system comprising:

a water vessel having a submerged hull surface;

a plurality of underwater radio frequency identification tags positioned along the submerged hull surface, wherein each tag of said plurality of tags has unique identification data related to the positioning of said tag on the hull surface;

an underwater explorer for travelling along the submerged hull surface, the underwater explorer having a radio frequency identification reader associated therewith, for reading the unique identification data of each said tag when the reader comes within a reading range.

2. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 1 wherein the underwater explorer is an underwater vessel, the underwater operations optimization system further comprising:

a host device associated with the underwater vehicle, the host device comprising a host processor and computer-readable medium associated therewith, the host processor receives tag data from the underwater vehicle, and the computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the host processor, cause the host processor to perform the steps of

matching the received tag data with data on a look-up table; and

based on matched data, associating the tag data with a known location on the hull to determine the vessel location on the hull.

3. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 2, wherein the underwater vehicle further comprises a vehicle processor for controlling the operations of the underwater vehicle, and vehicle computer-readable medium associated therewith, wherein in an autonomous mode the vehicle processor receives vehicle location information from the host device, and the vehicle computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle processor to perform the step of controlling subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the known location of the underwater vehicle.

4. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 3, wherein the underwater vehicle is a hull-cleaning vehicle having cleaning brushes for removing or suppressing the growth of fouling from the submerged hull surface, and wherein the controlling of subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the actual known location of the underwater vessel, includes controlling the speed, direction, or combinations thereof, of the underwater vehicle.

5. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 4, wherein the host device is remote from the underwater vehicle, and further comprises a display for illustrating a virtual replication of the submerged hull surface and the location of the underwater vessel thereon.

6. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 2, wherein the underwater vehicle further comprises a vehicle processor for controlling the operations of the underwater vehicle, and vehicle computer-readable medium associated therewith, wherein in an operator-controlled mode the vehicle processor receives operator inputted navigation commands based on the known location of the underwater vehicle, via the host device, and the vehicle computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle processor to perform the step of controlling subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the operator inputted navigation commands.

7. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 6, wherein the underwater vehicle is a hull-cleaning vehicle having cleaning brushes for removing and suppressing the growth of fouling from the submerged hull surface, and wherein the controlling of subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the known location of the underwater vessel, includes controlling the speed, direction, or combinations thereof, of the underwater vehicle.

8. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 7, wherein the host device is remote from the underwater vehicle, and further comprises:

a display for illustrating a virtual replication of the submerged hull surface and the location of the underwater vehicle thereon;

an input device for receiving operator input commands for controlling the subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the known location of the underwater vehicle.

9. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 5, wherein the radio frequency identification tags are passive low frequency tags, and are magnetically attached to the submerged hull surface.

10. The underwater operations optimization system of claim 8, wherein the radio frequency identification tags are passive low frequency tags, and are magnetically attached to the submerged hull surface.

11. An underwater location system comprising:

a plurality of underwater radio frequency identification tags positioned along an underwater surface, wherein each tag of said plurality of tags has unique identification data related to the positioning of said tag on the surface;

an underwater explorer for travelling in close proximity to the underwater surface, the underwater explorer having a radio frequency identification reader attached thereon, for reading the unique identification data of each said tag when the reader comes within a reading range as the underwater explorer travels in close proximity to the underwater surface.

12. The underwater location system of claim 11, wherein the underwater explorer is an underwater vessel, the underwater location system further comprising:

a host device associated with the underwater vehicle, the host device comprising a host processor and computer-readable medium associated therewith, the host processor receives unique tag data read and transmitted by the radio frequency reader of the underwater vehicle, and the computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the host processor, causes the host processor to perform the steps of;

matching the received unique identification tag data with data on a look-up table; and

based on matched data, associating the unique identification tag data with a known location on the underwater surface.

13. The underwater location system of claim 12, wherein the underwater vehicle is a hull-cleaning vehicle having cleaning brushes for removing or suppressing the growth of fouling from the submerged hull surface, and wherein the radio frequency identification tags are passive low frequency tags.

14. The underwater location system of claim 13, wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a vehicle processor and computer-readable medium associated therewith, the vehicle processor electronically connected to host device,

a vehicle processor for controlling the operations of the underwater vehicle, and vehicle computer-readable medium associated therewith, wherein in an autonomous mode the vehicle processor receives vehicle location information from the host device, and the vehicle computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle processor to perform the step of controlling subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the known location of the underwater vehicle.

15. The underwater location system of claim 13, wherein the underwater vehicle comprises a vehicle processor and computer-readable medium associated therewith, the vehicle processor electronically connected to host device,

a vehicle processor for controlling the operations of the underwater vehicle, and vehicle computer-readable medium associated therewith, wherein in an operator-controlled mode the vehicle processor receives operator inputted navigation commands based on the known location of the underwater vehicle, via the host device, and the vehicle computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the vehicle processor to perform the step of controlling subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the operator inputted navigation commands.

16. The underwater location system of claim 13, wherein the host device is remote from the underwater vehicle, and further comprises:

a display for illustrating a virtual replication of the underwater surface and the location of the underwater vehicle thereon; and

an input device for receiving operator input commands for controlling the subsequent operation of the underwater vehicle based on the known location of the underwater vehicle.

17. The underwater location system of claim 11, wherein the underwater explorer is a diver.

18. The underwater location system of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of the plurality of underwater tags are arranged in one or more clusters, wherein in each cluster, the underwater tags are in closer proximity to each other as compared to the underwater tags that are not in a cluster.

19. The underwater location system of claim 18, wherein the underwater explorer is an underwater vessel, the underwater location system further comprising:

a host device associated with the underwater vehicle, the host device comprising a host processor and computer-readable medium associated therewith, the host processor receives unique tag data read and transmitted by the radio frequency reader of the underwater vehicle, and the computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the host processor, causes the host processor to perform the steps of

matching the received unique identification tag data with data on a look-up table;

based on matched data, associating the unique identification tag data with a known location on the underwater surface; and

based on sequential readings of radio frequency two or more identification tags of a cluster at predetermined intervals by the radio frequency identification reader, determining a direction and orientation of the underwater vehicle.