UNDERWATER ACOUSTIC NAVIGATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An underwater navigation system comprising:
- at least two underwater acoustic transmitters transmitting position information and timing information, the underwater acoustic transmitters forming an array having a rigid structure; and
at least one underwater receiver receiving the transmitted position information and timing information from each underwater acoustic transmitter, and calculating a location based at least in part on the received position information and timing information, wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the underwater receiver to a greatest distance between any two of the at least two underwater acoustic transmitters in the array is greater than 10;
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Abstract
An acoustic underwater navigation system is disclosed. For instance, an underwater receiver determines its position using signals broadcast from an array of acoustic transmitters located near the surface. The position of the array is measured using global positioning system (GPS) technology and the transmitters collectively produce an acoustic signal in which the position and attitude of the array and the GPS time of transmission are encoded. An underwater receiver which is synchronized with the GPS time uses the transmitted position and attitude of the array and the transmission time information to calculate its position.
105 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An underwater navigation system comprising:
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at least two underwater acoustic transmitters transmitting position information and timing information, the underwater acoustic transmitters forming an array having a rigid structure; and at least one underwater receiver receiving the transmitted position information and timing information from each underwater acoustic transmitter, and calculating a location based at least in part on the received position information and timing information, wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the underwater receiver to a greatest distance between any two of the at least two underwater acoustic transmitters in the array is greater than 10;
1. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An underwater receiver for use in an underwater navigation system, the underwater receiver comprising:
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a hydrophone, wherein the hydrophone receives an acoustic transmission from each of a plurality acoustic transmitters, the plurality of acoustic transmitters forming an array, the array having a rigid structure; wherein the acoustic transmissions comprise position information and timing information, and the timing information is based at least in part on a time-base; and wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the hydrophone to a greatest distance between any two transmitters of the plurality of acoustic transmitters in the array is greater than 10;
1. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An underwater navigation system comprising:
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a plurality of acoustic transmitters forming an array having a rigid structure; a location-determination unit that provides location information of the acoustic transmitters, each of the acoustic transmitters transmitting a respective navigation signal, the navigation signal referenced to a first time-base, the navigation signal comprising first data, the first data describing a location of one or more of the acoustic transmitters; and a receiver comprising a hydrophone and a clock synchronized with the time-base, the receiver configured to use the time-base and data from the hydrophone to estimate a range to each of the acoustic transmitters, the receiver further configured to decode the first data, the receiver configured to use the estimated range to each of the acoustic transmitters and at least a portion of the first data to compute a location of the receiver; wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the receiver to a baseline of the array is greater than 10;
1. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method for underwater navigation, comprising:
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receiving a GPS signal; transmitting acoustic signals from a plurality of underwater acoustic transmitters, the plurality of underwater acoustic transmitters forming an array, the array having a rigid structure, the acoustic signals synchronized at least in part with a time-base obtained from the GPS signal, the acoustic signal further comprising location information of the underwater acoustic transmitters; receiving at a receiver the acoustic signals as received acoustic signals, wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the receiver to a baseline of the array is greater than 10;
1; andcomputing an underwater location at least in part using data from the received acoustic signals.
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16. A method of navigating underwater, the method comprising:
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forming a plurality of underwater acoustic transmitters into an array, the array having a rigid structure; and receiving position information and timing information from each underwater acoustic transmitter at an underwater receiver, wherein the underwater receiver calculates its absolute position based at least in part on the position information and the timing information; wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the underwater receiver to a greatest distance between any two of the plurality of underwater acoustic transmitters in the array is greater than 10;
1. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of navigating underwater, the method comprising:
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forming a plurality of underwater acoustic transmitters into an array, the array having a rigid structure; and receiving an acoustic signal from each underwater acoustic transmitter at an underwater receiver, wherein the underwater receiver calculates its relative position to the underwater acoustic transmitter based at least in part on the timing information; wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the underwater receiver to a greatest distance between any two of the plurality of underwater acoustic transmitters in the array is greater than 10;
1. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A transmitter for use in an underwater navigation system, the transmitter comprising:
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at least two underwater acoustic transducers transmitting position information and timing information to an underwater receiver, the underwater acoustic transducers forming an array having a rigid structure; wherein the underwater receiver calculates a location based at least in part on the transmitted position information and timing information; and wherein a ratio of a distance between the array and the underwater receiver to a greatest distance between any two of the at least two underwater acoustic transducers in the array is greater than 10;
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Specification