Patent classifications
B63G2008/005
UNDERWATER VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM
An underwater vehicle control system includes at least one controller configured to receive a control input signal indicative of a target virtual position and/or a target virtual orientation of a target virtual underwater vehicle within a virtual environment. The at least one controller is also configured to output a target virtual underwater vehicle signal to a display indicative of instructions to display a visual representation of the target virtual underwater vehicle at the target virtual position and/or the target virtual orientation within the virtual environment. Furthermore, the at least one controller is configured to output a target physical underwater vehicle signal to an underwater vehicle within a physical environment indicative of instructions to move the underwater vehicle to a target physical position and/or a target physical orientation within the physical environment corresponding to the target virtual position and/or the target virtual orientation of the target virtual underwater vehicle.
Charging system for autonomous underwater vehicle and method of lifting and recovering autonomous underwater vehicle
A charging system includes a charging station having: a base underwater; a pole extending in an upper-lower direction; and a power supplying portion. An AUV includes: an underwater main body; a power receiving portion; a holding device including a pair of guide and holding portions, the pair of guide portions guides the pole to a holding position after the pole contacts the guide portions from a proceeding-direction, the holding portion holds the pole to be rotatable relative to the pole; a thrust generating apparatus generates in a horizontal direction; and a control device controls the thrust generating apparatus. A light emitter at one of the base and the underwater main body, and a light receiver is provided at the other. The control device controls the thrust so the underwater main body reaches a rotational position where the light receiver receives light emitted, the rotational position set relative to the pole.
Annulus isolation device
A wellbore system includes a tubing hanger positioned within a wellhead and a Christmas tree (XT) coupled to the tubing hanger. The wellbore system also includes an annulus isolation device (AID). The AID includes a manual actuator configured to drive a wedge in a linear direction. The AID also includes a mating wedge arranged within an annulus flow path, the mating wedge configured to receive a force responsive to movement of the wedge. The AID further includes a stab coupled to the mating wedge, the stab configured to move in an axially downward direction responsive to movement of the mating wedge, the stab having a slotted portion moveable into alignment with an annulus passage to permit flow into the annulus flow path.
UNDERWATER VEHICLE WITH FRONT-REAR DISTRIBUTED DRIVE
An underwater vehicle for performing a variety of linear motions and turning motions with better stability and agility is disclosed. The underwater vehicle includes a main body, a front-drive mechanism, a rear-drive mechanism, and a steering assembly. The main body has a front end and a rear end, which defines a longitudinal axis extending from the front end to the rear end of the main body. The front-drive mechanism is connected to the main body to provide a forward propelling force in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. The steering assembly is fixed to the rear end and coupled to the rear-drive mechanism. The steering assembly is configured to rotate the rear-drive mechanism with respect to the longitudinal axis by a body angle for providing a lateral force on the main body.
Submersible remote operated vehicle tool change control
A system receives data from a submersible remote operated vehicle (ROV), the data being about the operation of an arm of the ROV. The system automatically controls, based on the data, movement of the arm in docking the arm to a tool holder. In certain instances, the system implements an image based control. In certain instances, the system implements a force accommodation control. In certain instances, the system implements both.
MULTIPLE AUTONOMOUS UNDERWATER VEHICLE SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are operated by a host platform by configuring the AUVs with intermediate nodes (such as unmanned surface vehicles (USVs)) so as to allow the host platform to manage multiple AUVs. The intermediate nodes act as a relay for communications between the host platform and the AUVs allowing the host platform to scale to higher numbers of vehicles thus simultaneously operating the entire fleet of AUVs. The AUVs may provide underwater mapping data. The host platform may be stationary. The host platform may communicate with the intermediate nodes by satellite.
Method and system for underwater hyperspectral imaging of seabed impacts, environmental state or environmental footprint
Method and system for underwater hyperspectral imaging of seabed impact, environmental state or environmental footprint from natural or man-made sedimentation comprising hyperspectral imaging of ecological, chemical or sediment indicators in an observation area and identifying and classifying ecological, chemical or sediment indicators in the observation area.
Buoyancy adjustment device
A buoyancy adjusting device for an underwater device is described the device comprising: a tube having first and second ends; a resilient mechanism located at the first end of the tube and extending towards the second end of the tube; an opening near the second end of the tube; a catch at the second end of the tube; 5 and at least one block insertable into from the first end of the tube to adjust the buoyancy.
System and method of operation for remotely operated vehicles for automatic detection of structure integrity threats
The present invention provides a system and method of automatic detection of structure integrity threats. A threat detection engine detects integrity threats in structures, such as underwater structures, and segments the structures in an image using convolutional neural networks (“CNN”). The threat detection engine may include a dataset module, a CNN training module, a segmentation map module, a semi-supervision module, and an efficiency module. The threat detection engine may train a deep learning model to detect anomalies in videos. To do so, a dataset module with videos may be used where the dataset module includes annotations detailing at what timestamps one or more anomalies are visible.
Systems for offshore environmental maintenance
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for detecting and collecting fluids released into a body of water are disclosed. Particularly, detection and collection of a fluid released during a petroleum exploration or production operation are disclosed. A released fluid may be detected using sensors on a submersible vehicle (SV) or a plurality of SVs operating in concert. A detected released fluid is collected in storage tanks onboard of the one or more SVs or in an external tank coupled to the one or more SVs.