Subsea measurement system and method of determining a subsea location-related parameter
First Claim
1. A subsea measurement system comprising:
- a first reference beacon disposed at a first known location;
a second reference beacon disposed at a second known location;
a third reference beacon (114) disposed at a third known location, the first, second and third known locations having a common reference frame associated therewith; and
a USBL acoustic communications module for coupling to a subsea element to be monitored, the USBL acoustic communications module being capable of moving, when in use, relative to the first reference beacon, the second reference beacon and the third reference beacon;
whereinthe USBL acoustic communications module is disposed above the first, second and third reference beacons;
the USBL acoustic communications module comprises a processing resource and is arranged to determine first range-related data to the first reference beacon in response to receipt of a first signal by the USBL acoustic communications module from the first reference beacon, second range-related data to the second reference beacon in response to receipt by the USBL acoustic communications module of a second signal from the second reference beacon), and third range-related data to the third reference beacon in response to receipt by the acoustic communications module of a third signal from the third reference beacon;
the USBL acoustic communications module is further arranged to determine first angle data to the first reference beacon in response to receipt of the first signal by the USBL acoustic communications module from the first reference beacon, the first angle data comprising a first angular component and a second angular component, and second angle data to the second reference beacon in response to receipt of the second signal by the USBL acoustic communication module from the second reference beacon, the second angle data comprising a third angular component and a fourth angular component; and
further comprising a further processing resource arranged to calculate at least one location-related parameter for the subsea element to be monitored comprising an estimated position and an estimated attitude of the USBL acoustic communications module in a local reference frame, the estimated position and the estimated attitude being in three axes, respectively, using the first, second and third range-related data and the first and second angle data, respectively.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A subsea measurement system (400) comprises a first reference beacon (110) disposed at a first known location, a second reference beacon (112) disposed at a second known location, and an acoustic communications module (302) for coupling to a subsea element to be monitored. The acoustic communications module (302) is capable of moving, when in use, relative to the first reference beacon (110) and the second reference beacon (112). The acoustic communications module (302) also comprises a processing resource and is arranged to determine first range-related data to the first reference beacon (110) in response to receipt of a first signal by the acoustic communications module (302) from the first reference beacon (110) and second range-related data to the second reference beacon (112) in response to receipt by the acoustic communication module (302) of a second signal from the second reference beacon (112).
19 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A subsea measurement system comprising:
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a first reference beacon disposed at a first known location; a second reference beacon disposed at a second known location; a third reference beacon (114) disposed at a third known location, the first, second and third known locations having a common reference frame associated therewith; and a USBL acoustic communications module for coupling to a subsea element to be monitored, the USBL acoustic communications module being capable of moving, when in use, relative to the first reference beacon, the second reference beacon and the third reference beacon;
whereinthe USBL acoustic communications module is disposed above the first, second and third reference beacons; the USBL acoustic communications module comprises a processing resource and is arranged to determine first range-related data to the first reference beacon in response to receipt of a first signal by the USBL acoustic communications module from the first reference beacon, second range-related data to the second reference beacon in response to receipt by the USBL acoustic communications module of a second signal from the second reference beacon), and third range-related data to the third reference beacon in response to receipt by the acoustic communications module of a third signal from the third reference beacon; the USBL acoustic communications module is further arranged to determine first angle data to the first reference beacon in response to receipt of the first signal by the USBL acoustic communications module from the first reference beacon, the first angle data comprising a first angular component and a second angular component, and second angle data to the second reference beacon in response to receipt of the second signal by the USBL acoustic communication module from the second reference beacon, the second angle data comprising a third angular component and a fourth angular component; and further comprising a further processing resource arranged to calculate at least one location-related parameter for the subsea element to be monitored comprising an estimated position and an estimated attitude of the USBL acoustic communications module in a local reference frame, the estimated position and the estimated attitude being in three axes, respectively, using the first, second and third range-related data and the first and second angle data, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of determining a subsea location-related parameter, the method comprising:
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disposing a first reference beacon at a first known location; and disposing a second reference beacon at a second known location; disposing a third reference beacon at a third known location, the first, second and third known locations having a common reference frame associated therewith; providing a USBL acoustic communications module for coupling to a subsea element to be monitored, the USBL acoustic communications module being disposed above the first, second and third reference beacons and capable of moving relative to the first reference beacon, the second reference beacon and the third reference beacon; and determining first range-related data from the USBL acoustic communications module to the first reference beacon in response to receipt of a first signal by the USBL acoustic communications module from the first beacon, second range-related data from the USBL acoustic communications module to the second reference beacon in response to receipt by the USBL acoustic communications module of a second signal from the second reference beacon, and third range-related data from the USBL acoustic communications module to the third reference beacon in response to receipt of a third signal by the USBL acoustic communications module from the third reference beacon; determining first angle data to the first reference beacon in response to receipt of the first signal by the USBL acoustic communications module from the first reference beacon, the first angle data comprising a first angular component and a second angular component, and second angle data to the second reference beacon in response to receipt of the second signal by the USBL acoustic communication module from the second reference beacon, the second angle data comprising a third angular component and a fourth angular component; and calculating at least one location-related parameter for the subsea element to be monitored comprising an estimated position and an estimated attitude of the USBL acoustic communications module in a local reference frame, the estimated position and the estimated attitude being in three axes, respectively, using the first, second and third range-related data and the first and second angle data, respectively.
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Specification