System and method for extending GPS to divers and underwater vehicles

• US 7,969,822 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2009
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Estate Of Albert R. Basilico
• Original Assignee: Estate Of Albert R. Basilico
• Inventors: Basilico, Albert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic; Dan
• Application Number:
  US12/359,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20090141591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 367/128, 367/131, 367/134, 701/213, 342/357.06, 342/357.14
• US Class Current: 367/131
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/72 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/75 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/80 using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional transducers or transducer systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/74 Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8083 determining direction of source
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

A navigation system extends satellite navigation to divers, underwater vehicles, and surface vessels. The navigation system comprises a location reference unit and a plurality of sub-surface beacon units. The location reference unit includes a receiver to receive navigation signals from earth-orbiting satellites and/or an inertial navigation system. The location reference unit further includes control circuits to communicate with to sub-surface beacon units and to transmit location information to said sub-surface beacon units, and a transceiver to transmit location information to the sub-surface beacon units. The beacon units include control circuits to determine the location of the beacon unit based on location information received from the location reference unit, and a transceiver to receive location information from the location reference unit and to transmit location information to a guided unit to provide navigation assistance to the guided unit.

Claims

1. An underwater navigation system comprising:

a location reference unit including;

a transceiver configured to communicate with one or more sub-surface beacon units and to transmit location information to said sub-surface beacon units; and

control circuits configured to determine a location of the location reference unit and to transmit location information to one or more beacon units; and

a plurality of sub-surface beacon units adapted to sink to the sea floor when deployed, each said beacon unit including;

control circuits configured to determine the location of the beacon unit based on location information received from the location reference unit and/or other beacon unit; and

a transceiver configured to receive said location information from said location reference unit and/or other beacon unit and to transmit location information to a guided unit to provide navigation assistance to the guided unit.

2. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location reference unit transceiver, the beacon unit transceiver and the guided unit transceiver each comprise an acoustic transceiver.

3. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location reference unit transceiver, the beacon unit transceiver and the guided unit transceiver each comprise an optical transceiver.

4. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location reference unit transceiver, the beacon unit transceiver and the guided unit transceiver each comprise a radio transceiver.

5. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location reference unit further includes a positioning receiver to receive navigation signals from a navigation system to determine location of the location reference unit.

6. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location reference unit further includes an inertial navigation system for determining the location of the location reference unit relative to a starting location.

7. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein the location reference unit further includes a relay responsive to a control signal from the processing circuits for sinking or destroying said location reference unit.

8. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein said location reference unit further includes a magnetic field sensor or compass for determining rotational orientation.

9. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein said location reference unit further includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the water where the beacon units are deployed.

10. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein said location reference unit further includes a salinity sensor for measuring the salinity of the water where the beacon units are deployed.

11. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit further include an inertial navigation system for determining the location of the beacon unit relative to a starting location.

12. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit further includes a magnetic field sensor or compass for determining rotational orientation of the beacon unit.

13. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit further includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the water where the beacon units are deployed.

14. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit further includes a salinity sensor for measuring the salinity of the water where the beacon unit is deployed.

15. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one guided unit further includes a magnetic field sensor or compass for determining rotational orientation of the guided unit.

16. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one guided unit further includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the water in the immediate vicinity of the guided unit.

17. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one guided unit further includes a salinity sensor for measuring the salinity of the water in the immediate vicinity of the guided unit.

18. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit further includes an positioning receiver for determining the location of the beacon unit from navigation signals received from a navigation system.

19. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit further includes an energy harvesting unit.

20. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit further includes an anchor for anchoring said beacon unit to floor of the water body, a buoyancy collar for causing the beacon unit to float, and a tether for securing the beacon unit to the anchor.

21. The underwater navigation system of claim 3 wherein the optical transceiver comprises non-linear optics and/or adaptive optics.

22. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one location reference unit comprises an atomic clock or a clock based on atom interferometry.

23. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one beacon unit comprises an atomic clock or a clock based on atom interferometry.

24. The underwater navigation system of claim 1 wherein at least one guided unit comprises an atomic clock or a clock based on atom interferometry.