US 11,899,104 B2
Navigation system for underwater vehicles
Gunnar Brink, Karlsruhe (DE); Edwin Devassykutty, Karlsruhe (DE); and Christian Langen, Karlsruhe (DE)
Assigned to FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V., Munich (DE)
Filed by FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V., Munich (DE)
Filed on Feb. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/166,666.
Application 18/166,666 is a division of application No. 16/664,781, filed on Oct. 25, 2019, granted, now 11,681,041.
Application 16/664,781 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2018/060959, filed on Apr. 27, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 102017207231.8 (DE), filed on Apr. 28, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0184935 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
Int. Cl. G01S 15/00 (2020.01); B63B 22/18 (2006.01); B63G 8/38 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2020.01); G05D 1/06 (2006.01); B63G 8/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 15/00 (2013.01) [B63B 22/18 (2013.01); B63G 8/38 (2013.01); G05D 1/0206 (2013.01); G05D 1/0692 (2013.01); B63G 2008/004 (2013.01); G01S 2201/07 (2019.08); G01S 2201/08 (2019.08); G01S 2205/04 (2020.05)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A receiver for an underwater vehicle, comprising:
receiver for receiving at least a first signal, wherein the first signal is transmitted in a directional manner by a first surface transmitter such that a runtime of the first signal can be determined;
a signal analyzer configured to determine the runtime of the first signal so as to acquire a conclusion on a first distance to the first surface transmitter; and
a calculator configured to determine, based on known positions of the first surface transmitter and on the first distance, the position of the underwater vehicle in the three-dimensional underwater space in the x-, y- and z-direction; and
a transmitter configured to transmit a control signal to the first surface transmitter such that the surface transmitter follows the x- and y-direction of the underwater vehicle in the x- and y-direction and such that the first surface transmitter transmits the first signal directed in the direction of the position of the underwater vehicle; wherein the transmitter of the first surface transmitter comprises a transmitting array for selectively directionally emitting the first signal and is configured to control the transmitting array on the basis of the position information so that the same transmits the first signal directed to the position of the underwater vehicle; or wherein the transmitter of the first surface transmitter comprises a movable transmitter for selectively directionally emitting the first signal and is configured to control the movable transmitter in its movement on the basis of the position information so that the same transmits the first signal directed to the position of the underwater vehicle.