Apparatus and method for locating objects under a body of water

• US 6,518,913 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (University of North Carolina System)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Satzler, Ronald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/554,798
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 342/21, 342/22, 342/27, 342/28, 342/75, 342/192-197, 342/357-1-3, 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215, 701/216
• US Class Current: 342/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/02 of systems according to group G01S13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

An apparatus (10) and method adapted for locating objects under a body of water comprising a frame structure (12) and at least one sensor assembly (16) connected thereto. The sensor assembly (16) is pivotally coupled to the frame structure (12) and includes a rigid member (20) and a geographic location system receiver (42) connected thereto. An arm member (22) is connected to the rigid member (20) and an object detection device (38) is associated with the arm member (22). The object detection device (38) is operable to detect a density change indicative of an object under the body of water, said object detection device (38) being further operable to emit a signal (46) indicative of the detection of an object under the body of water relative thereto based density change sensed thereby; and its position is known relative to the position of the GPS receiver (42). The geographic location receiver (42) is operable to emit a signal (50) indicative of the present position of the receiver (42). An electronic controller (48) coupled to both the object detection device (38) and the geographic location receiver (42) is operable to both receive signals (46, 50) therefrom and to output a signal (52) indicative of the location of the object detected under the body of water.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for locating objects under a body of water comprising:

a frame structure (12);

at least one sensor assembly (16) connected to said frame structure (12), said at least one sensor assembly (16) including a geographic location system receiver (42) and an object detection device (38);

said geographic location system receiver (42) being spaced a known distance from said object detection device (38) by a rigid member (20);

said object detection device (38) being operable to detect an object unde the body of water, said object detection device (38) being further operable to emit a signal (16) indicative of the detection of an object under the body of water relative thereto; and

said geographic location system receiver (42) being operable to emit a signal (50) indicative of the present position of said receiver.

2. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame structure (12) includes at least one float device (14), said float device (14) being movable with respect to the body of water.

3. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said a least one sensor assembly (16) further includes a parallelogram linkage (18), said parallelogram linkage (18) including:

a side member (28) substantially rigidly connected to said frame structure (12);

an upper member (24) pivotally connected to said side member (28) at a first pivot location (32);

a lower member (26) pivotally connected to said side member (28) at a second pivot location (36);

said rigid member (20) being pivotally connected to said upper member (24) at a third pivot location (30), and pivotally connected to said lower member (26) at a fourth pivot location (34); and

said sensor assembly (16) being pivotable with respect to said frame structure (12) by virtue of said first (32), second (36), third (30), and fourth (34) pivot locations.

4. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 3, wherein said side member (28) and said rigid member (20) are substantially parallel to each other, and such members (20, 28) maintain such substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other at any pivoted orientation of said sensor assembly (16).

5. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 3, wherein said upper member (24) and said lower member (26) are substantially parallel to each other, and such members (24, 26) maintain such substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other at any pivoted orientation of said sensor assembly (16).

6. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 3, wherein said upper member (24) has a counterweight (44) associated therewith to counteract a downward force associated with said sensor assembly (16).

7. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 3, wherein said geographic location system receiver (42) is associated with said rigid member (20).

8. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 3, wherein said sensor assembly (16) includes an arm member (22) coupled to said rigid member (20), said arm member (22) including said object detection device (38).

9. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 8, wherein said arm member (22) is angularly shaped so as to more easily traverse over an object located on a floor surface of the body of water.

10. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 1, further including an electronic controller (48) coupled to said geographic location system receiver (42) and said object detection device (38) to receive signals therefrom, said electronic controller (48) being operable to determine the location of an object under the body of water based upon the signals (46, 50) received from said geographic location system receiver (42) and said object detection device (38).

11. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 10, wherein said electronic controller (48) emits a signal (52) indicative of the location of an object under the body of water.

12. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 10, wherein said electronic controller (48) is operable to store the location of an object detected under the body of water in a memory means (54) associated therewith.

13. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 10, wherein said electronic controller (48) is operable to store the location of an object detected under the body of water in a data recording means (54) associated therewith.

14. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 1, further including an electronic controller (48) adapted to receive the signals (46, 50) emitted by said geographic location system receiver (42) and said object detection device (38), said electronic controller (48) being operable to determine the location of an object under the body of water based upon the signals (46, 50) received from said geographic location system receiver (42) and said object detection device (38).

15. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said geographic location system receiver (42) is a Global Position System (GPS) receiver.

16. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 1, wherein said object detection device (38) is a ground penetrating radar (GPR) device;

said ground penetrating radar device being operable to emit radar waves and to sense radar waves reflected by an object under the body of water, said ground penetrating radar device (38) being further operable to emit a signal (46) indicative of the location of an object under the body of water relative thereto based upon reflected radar waves sensed thereby.

17. An apparatus (10) for locating objects under a body of water comprising:

at least one float device (14) operable to float in the body of water and movable with respect to a floor surface of the body of water;

a frame structure (12) connected to said at least one float device (14);

at least one sensor assembly (16) pivotally connected to said frame structure (12), said at least one sensor assembly (16) including a parallelogram linkage (18) connected to said frame structure (12);

said parallelogram linkage (18) including a side member (28) substantially rigidly connected to said frame structure (12), an upper member (24) pivotally connected to said side member (28), a lower member (26) pivotally connected to said side member (28), and a rigid member (20) pivotally connected to said upper member (24) and said lower member (26);

an arm member (22) connected to said rigid member (20);

an object detection device (38) associated with said arm member (22), said object detection device (38) being operable to detect an object under the body of water, said object detection device (38) being further operable to emit a signal (46) indicative of the detection of an object under the body of water relative thereto;

a geographic location system receiver (42) associated with said rigid member (20), said geographic location system receiver (42) being operable to emit a signal (50) indicative of the position of said receiver (42); and

an electronic controller (48) coupled to said geographic location system receiver (42) and to said object detection device (38), said electronic controller (48) being operable to receive said signals (46, 50) from said geographic location system receiver (42) and said object detection device (38) and to determine the location of an object under the body of water based upon said signals (46, 50), said electronic controller (48) being further operable to output a signal (52) indicative of the location of an object under the body of water.

18. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said side member (28) is substantially rigidly connected to said frame structure (12) in a substantially vertical orientation.

19. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said side member (28) and said rigid member (20) are substantially parallel to each other and said members (20, 28) maintain such substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other at any pivoted orientation of said sensor assembly (16).

20. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said upper member (24) and said lower member (26) are substantially parallel to each other and said members (24, 26) maintain such substantially parallel relationship with respect to each other at any pivoted orientation of said sensor assembly (16).

21. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said upper member (24) includes a counterweight (44) to counteract a downward force associated with said sensor assembly (16).

22. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said electronic controller (48) is operable to store the location of an object detected under the body of water in a memory means (54) associated therewith.

23. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said electronic controller (48) is operable to store the location of an object detected under the body of water in a data recording means (54) associated therewith.

24. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said arm member (22) is angularly shaped so as to more easily traverse over an object located on the floor surface of the body of water.

25. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein the distance between said geographic location system receiver (42) and said object detection device (38) remains substantially constant at any pivoted orientation of said sensor assembly (16).

26. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said geographic location system receiver (42) is located above the body of the water and said object detection device (38) is located in the body of water.

27. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said object detection device (38) is further operable to output a signal (46) indicative of the shape of an object located under the body of water.

28. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said geographic location system receiver (42) is a Global Position System (GPS) receiver.

29. The apparatus (10) as set forth in claim 17, wherein said object detection device (38) is a ground penetrating radar (GPR) device;

said ground penetrating radar device being operable to emit radar waves and to sense radar waves reflected by an object under the body of water, said ground penetrating radar device (38) being further operable to emit a signal (46) indicative of the location of an object under the body of water relative thereto based upon reflected radar waves sensed thereby.

30. A method for locating objects under a body of water comprising the steps of:

positioning in a body of water an apparatus (10) operable to locate object under the body of water, said apparatus (10) including a geographic location system receiver (42) and a object detection device (38) spaced at a known distance relative to each other;

detecting an object by said object detection device (38);

emitting a signal (46) by said object detection device (38) indicative of a location of an object relative to said object detection device (38);

sensing a signal (50) indicative of the present position of said receiver (42) by said geographic location system receiver (42); and

emitting a signal (50) indicative of the present position of said receiver (42) by said receiver (42).

31. The method as set forth in claim 30 further comprising the steps of:

providing an electronic controller (48) adaptable for receiving signals from said object detection device (38) and said geographic location system receiver (42); and

said electronic controller (48) receiving said signals (46, 50) emitted by said object detection device (38) and said receiver (42).

32. The method as set forth in claim 31, wherein said electronic controller (48) determines the location of an object under the body of water.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32, wherein said electronic controller (48) emits a signal (52) indicative of the location of an object under the body of water.

34. The method as set forth in claim 32, further comprising the step of storing the location of an object detected under the body of water in a data recording means (54).

35. The method as set forth in claim 32, further comprising the step of storing the location of an object detected under the body of water in a memory means (54).

36. The method as set forth in claim 30, wherein said object detection device (38) is a ground penetrating radar system and wherein said geographic location system receiver (42) is a global positioning system receiver;

and

emitting radarwaves by said object detection device (38);

sensing radar waves emitted by the ground penetrating radar device and reflected by an object under the body of water;

emitting a signal (46) by the ground penetrating radar device based upon the sensed radar waves indicative of a location of an object relative to the ground penetrating radar device;

sensing a signal (50) indicative of the present position of the global positioning receiver by the global positioning system receiver; and

emitting a signal (50) indicative of the present position of the global positioning system receiver by the global positioning system receiver.