Patent · US Active

Underwater acoustic positioning system and method

US7512036B2 · kind B2 · utility

12Cited by
10References
56Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 2006
Grant dateMar 31, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 17, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04B11/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for determining the position of an underwater device includes placement of a plurality of station keeping devices on or below the surface of the water in known positions. A device to locate is provided for placement below the surface of the water, and the device to locate and the station keeping devices are provided with a synchronized time base and a common acoustic pulse time schedule. Each station keeping device sends an acoustic pulse at a time according to the common acoustic pulse schedule. The device to locate receives pulses sent by the station keeping devices and calculates a distance between itself and each station keeping device based upon the time that the acoustic pulse is sent and the time that the pulse is received. The device to locate then calculates its position based upon the distances between the device to locate and the station keeping devices. Systems and devices are also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.