Method and apparatus for controlling the motion of an autonomous moored profiler

• US 8,382,540 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WET Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WET Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Casey, Barnard, Andrew H., Rhoades, Bruce K., Koegler, John N. III, Derr, Alex R., Whiteman, Daniel R., Donaghay, Percy L., Sullivan, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US11/998,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20080089176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 731/702.9, 731/703.1, 731/703.2, 731/703.3, 731/703.4, 254/266, 254/361, 367/4, 367/89, 441/21, 441/22, 441/23, 441/24, 441/25, 441/26, 441/27, 441/28, 441/29, 441/136, 441/11
• US Class Current: 441/26
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/04 Fixations or other anchoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/06 with means to cause the buoy to surface in response to a transmitted signal B63B22/023 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0692 specially adapted for under-water vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the motion of a cable-driven autonomous moored profiler. The profiler includes one or more buoyant members for buoying the profiler in the fluid, a winch, and a feedback controller for controlling the winch. The winch includes a spool, a device providing for varying rates of turning of the spool, and a flexible cable for winding onto and unwinding from the spool. A first end of the cable is carried by the profiler. The controller monitors an indication of the tension in the cable and controls the device in response thereto.

Claims

1. An autonomous moored profiler for profiling a volume of fluid, comprising:

one or more buoyant members for buoying the profiler in the fluid;

a winch, said winch including a spool, a device providing for controlled rates of turning of said spool, and a flexible cable for winding onto and unwinding from said spool, a first end of said cable being carried by the profiler; and

a controller for controlling said device so as to vary said rate in response to changes in the tension in said cable, for maintaining the tension in the cable substantially constant within the capabilities of the controller.

2. The profiler of claim 1, further comprising one or more measuring instruments for measuring one or more selected characteristics of the fluid.

3. The profiler of claim 2, wherein said controller is adapted to control said device on at least one of (a) ascent so that, if the tension in the cable is increased, the device increases the rate of turning of said spool, and if the tension in the cable is decreased, the device decreases the rate of turning of said spool, and (b) descent, so that, if the tension in the cable is increased, the device decreases the rate of turning of said spool, and if the tension in the cable is decreased, the device increases the rate of turning of said spool.

4. The profiler of claim 3, wherein said controller is adapted to control said device to maintain a substantially constant tension in the cable.

5. The profiler of claim 3, wherein said winch is carried by the profiler.

6. The profiler of claim 3, wherein said device is an electric motor, wherein said indication is the drive current in said motor, and wherein said controller controls said drive current.

7. The profiler of claim 3, wherein said controller is adapted to control said device so that it ceases to turn said spool if the tension in said cable is zero.

8. The profiler of claim 7, wherein said controller is adapted to control said motive device so that it reverses direction if the tension in said cable remains zero for a predetermined period of time.

9. The profiler of claim 7, wherein said device is an electric motor, wherein said indication is the drive current in said motor, and wherein said controller controls said drive current.

10. The profiler of claim 9, wherein said controller is adapted to control said motive device so that it reverses direction if the tension in said cable remains zero for a predetermined period of time.

11. The profiler of claim 4, wherein said winch is carried by the profiler.

12. The profiler of claim 11, wherein said device is an electric motor, wherein said indication is the drive current in said motor, and wherein said controller controls said drive current.

13. A method for autonomously profiling a body of fluid, comprising the steps of:

providing a buoyant platform submerged in the fluid and carrying one or more measuring instruments for measuring one or more selected characteristics of the fluid;

pulling on the platform by pulling on a flexible cable attached thereto, so as to either (a) cause the platform to descend through the fluid, or (b) resist ascension of the platform through the fluid caused by the platform'"'"'s buoyancy;

monitoring an indication of the tension in the cable in the course of said descent or ascension; and

automatically varying the rate of said pulling in response to changes in the tension in the cable determined by said step of monitoring, for improving the platform'"'"'s resistance to changes in the rate of descent or ascension in response to varying pressure fields in the fluid.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the rate of said pulling is varied depending on whether the platform is in said descent or ascension so that, if the platform is ascending and the tension in the cable increases, the rate of said pulling is increased whereas if the tension in the cable decreases, the rate of said pulling is decreased, and if the platform is descending and the tension in the cable increases, the rate of said pulling is decreased whereas if the tension in the cable decreases, the rate of said pulling is increased.

15. The method of claim 14, said pulling is caused by an electric motor, and wherein said step of varying varies the drive current to said motor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said pulling includes turning a spool on which said cable is at least partially wound, wherein said step of varying includes causing said spool to cease turning if the tension in said cable is zero.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of varying further includes causing said spool to turn in the reverse direction if the tension in said cable remains zero for a predetermined period of time.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing an electric motor to cause said turning, wherein said step of monitoring monitors the drive current in said motor, and wherein said step of varying varies the drive current in said motor.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of varying further includes causing said spool to turn in the reverse direction if the tension in said cable remains zero for a predetermined period of time.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising measuring said one or more characteristics in the course of said descent or ascension.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of varying provides for substantially constant tension in the cable, during which time at least two distinct measurements are made with the same one of said one or more measuring instruments.