Vessel hull robot navigation subsystem

• US 8,386,112 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Rooney, James H. III, Jacobsen, Stephen C., Smith, Fraser
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Application Number:
  US12/800,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 701/533, 701/408, 701/23, 701/409, 701/411, 701/447, 701/448, 701/470, 701/471, 701/472, 701/473, 701/500, 701/460, 701/467, 901/1, 901/6, 901/8, 901/10, 114/322, 114/249, 114/222, 700/245, 700/254, 700/302, 700/13, 700/66
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 59/10 using trolleys or the like driven along the surface
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0272 comprising means for registering the travel distance, e.g. revolutions of wheels measuring distance traversed on the ground by vehicles, e.g. using odometers G01C22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058

Abstract

A vessel hull robot navigation subsystem and method for a robot including a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving the robot about the hull. A sensor subsystem onboard the robot outputs data combining robot and vessel motion. A memory onboard the robot includes data concerning the configuration of the hull and a desired path of travel for the robot. A fix subsystem communicates position fix data to the robot. A navigation processor onboard the robot is responsive to the memory data, the sensor subsystem, the position fix data, and the data concerning vessel motion. The navigation processor is configured to determine the position of the robot on the hull by canceling, form the sensor subsystem output data combining both robot and vessel motion, the determined vessel motion. The navigation processor controls the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot on the hull based on the fix data, the configuration of the hull, the desired path of travel for the robot, and the determined position of the robot on the hull.

Claims

1. A vessel hull robot navigation subsystem comprising:

a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving and maneuvering the robot about the hull, wherein the robot is adapted to move and navigate about the vessel and is subject to sea state conditions while the vessel is underway;

a sensor subsystem onboard the robot outputting data combining robot and vessel motion;

a memory onboard the robot including data concerning the configuration of the hull and a desired path of travel for the robot;

a fix subsystem communicating position fix data to the robot;

means for determining vessel motion; and

a navigation processor onboard the robot and responsive to the memory data, the sensor subsystem, the position fix data, and the means for determining the vessel motion, the navigation processor configured to;

determine the position of the robot on the hull by canceling, from the sensor subsystem output data combining both robot and vessel motion, the determined vessel motion to maintain navigation accuracy of the robot, and

control the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot on the hull based on the fix data, the configuration of the hull, the desired path of travel for the robot, and the determined position of the robot on the hull.

2. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 1 in which the navigation processor is furthered configured to control the drive subsystem to periodically maneuver the robot above the water line to receive the position fix data.

3. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 2 in which the robot further includes a pressure sensor for detecting when the robot is above the water line.

4. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 2 in which the fix subsystem includes at least two hull transmitters and a receiver onboard the robot receiving transmissions from the at least two hull transmitters, the navigation processor responsive to the receiver and configured to determine, by triangulation, robot position fix data based on the transmissions transmitted by the at least two hull transmitters.

5. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 1 in which the means for determining vessel motion includes a multi-axis sensing subsystem on the vessel outputting data representing motion of the vessel, a transmitter on the vessel for transmitting said data, and a receiver on the robot for receiving said data.

6. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 1 in which the means for determining vessel motion includes the sensor onboard the robot outputting vessel motion data alone when the robot is not moving, the navigation processor configured to periodically stop movement of the robot to acquire the vessel motion data.

7. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 1 in which the sensor subsystem onboard the robot further includes an odometer for determining the distance traveled by the robot.

8. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 1 in which the sensor subsystem is configured to output angular rotations about a plurality of axes and position angles with respect to a plurality of axes.

11. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 1 in which the robot further includes a pressure sensor for detecting when the robot is above the water line.

9. A vessel hull robot navigation subsystem comprising:

a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving the robot about the hull, wherein the robot is adapted to move and navigate about the vessel and is subject to sea state conditions while the vessel is underway;

a sensor subsystem onboard the robot outputting robot motion data;

a memory onboard the robot including data concerning the configuration of the hull and a desired path of travel for the robot;

a fix subsystem communicating position fix data to the robot; and

a navigation processor onboard the robot and responsive to the memory data, the sensor subsystem, and the position fix data, the navigation processor configured to control the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot on the hull based on the fix data, the configuration of the hull, the desired path of travel for the robot, and the determined position of the robot on the hull, wherein the navigation processor is furthered configured to control the drive subsystem to periodically maneuver the robot above the water line to receive the position fix data.

10. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 9 further including means for determining vessel motion and the navigation processor is configured to determine the position of the robot on the hull by canceling, from the sensor subsystem output, determined vessel motion.

12. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 9 in which the fix subsystem includes at least two hull transmitters and a receiver onboard the robot receiving transmissions from the at least two hull transmitters, the navigation processor responsive to the receiver and configured to determine, by triangulation, robot position fix data based on the transmissions transmitted by the at least two hull transmitters.

13. A vessel hull robot navigation subsystem comprising:

a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving the robot about the hull, wherein the robot is adapted to move and navigate about the vessel and is subject to sea state conditions while the vessel is underway;

a sensor subsystem onboard the robot outputting data combining robot and vessel motion;

a memory onboard the robot including data concerning the configuration of the hull and a desired path of travel for the robot;

means for determining vessel motion comprising a multi-axis sensing subsystem on the vessel outputting data representing motion of the vessel, a transmitter on the vessel for transmitting said data, and a receiver on the robot for receiving said data; and

a navigation processor onboard the robot and responsive to the memory data, the sensor subsystem, and the means for determining the vessel motion, the navigation processor configured to;

determine the position of the robot on the hull by canceling, from the sensor subsystem output data combining both robot and vessel motion, the determined vessel motion to maintain navigation accuracy of the robot, and

control the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot on the hull based on the configuration of the hull and the desired path of travel for the robot, and the determined position of the robot on the hull.

14. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 13 further including a fix subsystem communication position fix data to the robot, the navigation processor onboard the robot responsive to the position fix data and further configured to control the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot on the hull based on the fix data.

15. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 14 in which the navigation processor is furthered configured to control the drive subsystem to periodically maneuver the robot above the water line to receive the position fix data.

16. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 15 in which the robot further includes a pressure sensor for detecting when the robot is above the water line.

17. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 14 in which the fix subsystem includes at least two hull transmitters and a receiver onboard the robot receiving transmissions from the at least two hull transmitters, the navigation processor responsive to the receiver and configured to determine, by triangulation, robot position fix data based on the transmissions transmitted by the at least two hull transmitters.

18. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 13 in which the sensor subsystem onboard the robot further includes an odometer for determining the distance traveled by the robot.

19. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 13 in which the sensor subsystem is configured to output angular rotations about a plurality of axes and position angles with respect to a plurality of axes.

20. A vessel hull robot navigation subsystem comprising:

a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving the robot about the hull, wherein the robot is adapted to move and navigate about the vessel and is subject to sea state conditions while the vessel is underway;

a sensor subsystem onboard the robot outputting data combining robot and vessel motion;

a fix subsystem communication position fix data to the robot;

means for determining vessel motion; and

a navigation processor onboard the robot and responsive to the sensor subsystem, the position fix data, and the means for determining the vessel motion, the navigation processor configured to;

determine the position of the robot on the hull by canceling, from the sensor subsystem output data combining both robot and vessel motion, the determined vessel motion to maintain navigation accuracy of the robot, and

control the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot on the hull based on the fix data and the determined position of the robot on the hull.

21. The vessel hull robot navigation subsystem of claim 20 further including a memory onboard the robot including data concerning the configuration of the hull and a desired path of travel for the robot, the navigation processor responsive to the memory data and configured to control the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot based on the configuration of the hull and the desired path of travel for the robot.

22. A vessel hull robot navigation subsystem, comprising:

a drive subsystem onboard the robot for driving the robot about the hull, wherein the robot is adapted to move and navigate about the vessel and is subject to sea state conditions while the vessel is underway;

a sensor subsystem onboard the robot outputting data combining robot and vessel motion;

a memory onboard the robot including data concerning the configuration of the hull and a desired path of travel for the robot;

means for determining vessel motion comprising the sensor onboard the robot outputting vessel motion data alone when the robot is not moving, the navigation processor configured to periodically stop movement of the robot to acquire the vessel motion data; and

a navigation processor onboard the robot and responsive to the memory data, the sensor subsystem, and the means for determining the vessel motion, the navigation processor configured to;

determine the position of the robot on the hull by canceling, from the sensor subsystem output data combining both robot and vessel motion, the determined vessel motion to maintain navigation accuracy of the robot, and

control the drive subsystem to maneuver the robot on the hull based on the configuration of the hull and the desired path of travel for the robot, and the determined position of the robot on the hull.