Underwater navigation

• US 8,315,560 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wfs Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Wfs Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Rhodes, Mark, Wolfe, Derek, Hyland, Brendan
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US12/686,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20100110835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 455/40, 455/427, 455/456.1, 455/12.1, 455/406, 455/431, 455/404.2, 455/72, 455/96, 455/98, 455/502, 367/131, 367/3, 340/572.7, 342/357.09
• US Class Current: 455/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 13/02 Transmission systems in which the medium consists of the earth or a large mass of water thereon, e.g. earth telegraphy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/901 Noise or unwanted signal reduction in nonseismic receiving system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/904 Doppler compensation systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/91 Portable sonar devices

Abstract

An underwater navigation system comprising a transmitter having an electrically insulted magnetic coupled antenna for transmitting an electromagnetic and/or magneto-inductive signal, a receiver having an electrically insulated magnetic coupled antenna for receiving an electromagnetic and/or magneto-inductive signal from the transmitter, and determining means for determining the position of the receiver relative to the transmitter using the received electromagnetic and/or magneto-inductive signal.

Claims

1. An underwater navigation system comprising a transmitter having an electrically insulated magnetic coupled antenna for transmitting an electromagnetic signal underwater, a receiver having an electrically insulated magnetic coupled antenna for receiving the underwater electromagnetic signal from the transmitter, and determining means for directly determining the position of the receiver relative to the transmitter using the received underwater electromagnetic signal, wherein the at least one of the transmitter and receiver is underwater, and the determining means are operable to:

determine the distance of the receiver from the transmitter and/or the direction of the receiver relative to the transmitter; and

use signal strength at the receiver and/or the direction of signal propagation at the receiver and/or the time taken for a signal to travel between the transmitter and the receiver.

2. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the determining means are operable to compare the received signal strength with a strength/distance model to determine a measure of the distance between the receiver and transmitter.

3. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each insulated antenna is surrounded by an impedance-matched low conductivity medium, for example distilled water.

4. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receiver antenna is a directional antenna and the determining means are operable to use the directionality of the receiver to determine the relative directional position of the transmitter.

5. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the determining means are operable to determine the directional position of the transmitter using the field strength at three or more receiver positions.

6. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 1 wherein three or more receiver antennas are provided and the determining means are operable to determine the directional position of the transmitter by comparison of the field strength received at each antenna.

7. An underwater navigation system comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting an underwater electromagnetic signal, a navigation station having receiving means for receiving the underwater electromagnetic signal from the transmitter, and determining means for directly determining the position of the station using the underwater electromagnetic signals received by the receiving means at three or more different positions, wherein the determining means are operable to determine the directional position of the receiver using the magnitude of the field, preferably averaged over at least one wave period, at the plurality of measurement positions.

8. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the receiving means comprise three or more spatially separated receivers, and the determining means are operable to determine the position of the station using a signal from each of the receivers.

9. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the receiving means include a single antenna and means for moving the antenna to three or more different measurement positions.

10. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the antenna is provided on a rotating arm.

11. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the determining means are operable to determine proximity to the transmitter using the magnitude of the signal received.

12. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the transmitter includes an electrically insulated magnetic antenna for transmitting an electromagnetic signal.

13. An underwater navigation system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the receiving means includes one or more electrically insulated magnetic antennas for receiving an electromagnetic signal from the transmitter.

14. A system for determining underwater electromagnetic signal propagation direction comprising at least one receiver for receiving the underwater electromagnetic signal and determining means for directly determining the direction of propagation using field strength at three or more receiver locations, wherein three or more receiver antennas are provided and the determining means are operable to determine the direction of propagation by comparison of the field strength received at each antenna.

15. A system for determining underwater electromagnetic signal propagation direction comprising at least one receiver for receiving the underwater electromagnetic signal and determining means for directly determining the direction of propagation using field strength at three or more receiver locations, wherein a single receiver antenna is provided and the determining means are operable to determine the direction of propagation by moving the antenna to three or more different locations.