JP7441740B2 - Underwater vehicle, underwater navigation system, control method for underwater vehicle, and program - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act Sensors and Materials, Vol. 31, No. 12 (2019) 4223-4230 MYU Tokyo Concept of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Docking Using 3D Imaging Sonar Publication date December 26, 2021

The present invention relates to an underwater vehicle, an underwater navigation system, a method for controlling an underwater vehicle, and a program.

An autonomous underwater vehicle navigates underwater using electric power from an internal power source. Conventionally, such underwater vehicles have been recharged by being lifted up and retrieved from a mother ship, but since the workload of lifting up, loading and reintroducing them into the water is high, it is desired that they be charged underwater. Patent Document 1 describes a charging system that performs contactless charging by causing an underwater vehicle to approach a charging station placed underwater.

International Publication No. 2019/045103

However, according to the charging system of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to provide a plurality of sensors dedicated to approach, such as an optical receiver and an optical transmitter, and the number of sensors to be mounted increases. Further, according to the charging system of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to attach equipment such as an optical receiver to the tip of the underwater vehicle, and such equipment may increase fluid resistance. Similar concerns arise when an underwater vehicle approaches another object for purposes other than charging. Therefore, there is a need for technology that allows autonomous underwater vehicles to approach other objects appropriately.

The present disclosure solves the above-mentioned problems, and provides an underwater vehicle, an underwater navigation system, a method for controlling an underwater vehicle, and an underwater navigation system that allows an autonomous underwater vehicle to appropriately approach another object. The purpose is to provide programs.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the purpose, an underwater vehicle according to the present disclosure is an underwater vehicle that autonomously navigates, outputs sound waves toward a target object, and absorbs the sound waves from the target object. a three-dimensional active sonar that receives reflected waves; a position information acquisition unit that acquires information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected waves received by the three-dimensional active sonar; The underwater vehicle includes a route generation unit that generates an approach route to approach the object based on orientation information, and a movement control unit that causes the underwater vehicle to navigate according to the approach route.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, an underwater navigation system according to the present disclosure includes the underwater vehicle and an underwater device that is the object movable by power.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, a method for controlling an underwater vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a tertiary control method that outputs a sound wave toward a target object and receives a reflected wave of the sound wave from the target object. A method for controlling an autonomously navigating underwater vehicle equipped with an active sonar, the method comprising: acquiring information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected waves received by the three-dimensional active sonar; The method includes the steps of: generating an approach route for approaching the object based on information on the position and orientation of the object; and navigating the underwater vehicle according to the approach route.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the objectives, a program according to the present disclosure includes a three-dimensional active sonar that outputs sound waves toward a target object and receives reflected waves of the sound waves from the target object. A program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling an autonomously navigating underwater vehicle, the program comprising: acquiring information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected waves received by the three-dimensional active sonar; A computer is caused to execute the steps of generating an approach route to approach the object based on information on the position and orientation of the object, and causing the underwater vehicle to navigate according to the approach route.

According to the present disclosure, an autonomous underwater vehicle can be caused to appropriately approach another object.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an underwater navigation system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the mother ship control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for an underwater device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for an underwater vehicle according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which an underwater vehicle moves from a scheduled meeting area to a standby position. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating navigation along the intermediate approach route. FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram illustrating navigation along an approach route. FIG. 7B is a schematic diagram illustrating navigation along the approach route. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where the underwater vehicle reaches the docking position. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a docked case. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation flow of the underwater vehicle and the underwater device. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an underwater navigation system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for an underwater device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation flow of the underwater vehicle and the underwater device according to the second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and if there are multiple embodiments, the present invention may be configured by combining each embodiment.

(First embodiment)
(Underwater navigation system)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an underwater navigation system according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the underwater navigation system 1 according to the first embodiment includes a mother ship 10, an underwater device 12, and an underwater vehicle 14. The underwater vehicle 14 is a device that navigates underwater O by itself, and is, for example, an AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle). That is, the underwater vehicle 14 is a device that autonomously navigates underwater O without being driven by a driver. The underwater navigation system 1 uses a mother ship 10 and an underwater device 12 to assist the navigation of an underwater vehicle 14 . Specifically, the underwater navigation system 1 assists the underwater vehicle 14 in approaching the underwater device 12 .

(mother ship)
The mother ship 10 is a ship that sails on water. The mother ship 10 includes an acoustic positioning device 20 and a control device 22. The acoustic positioning device 20 includes a transmitting device that outputs sound waves (acoustic signals) and a receiving device that receives the sound waves. The acoustic positioning device 20 outputs a sound wave from a transmitting device to the underwater O, and receives the sound wave output by a transponder of the object in the underwater O, which receives the sound wave, with a receiving device, thereby determining the position of the object. It is a device for detecting. It is preferable that the acoustic positioning device 20 is provided at the bottom of the mother ship 10, for example.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the mother ship control device according to the first embodiment. The control device 22 is a computer, and includes a control section 24, a storage section 26, and a communication section 28, as shown in FIG. The storage unit 26 is a memory that stores various information such as calculation contents and programs of the control unit 24, and includes, for example, a main storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an HDD ( At least one external storage device such as a hard disk drive. The communication unit 28 is a communication module that can communicate with external devices such as the underwater vehicle 14 by transmitting and receiving signals. The communication unit 28 may include, for example, an underwater acoustic communication device.

The control unit 24 is a calculation device, that is, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 24 includes an ROV control unit 30, a position detection unit 32, and a wide area route generation unit 34. The ROV control unit 30 controls the underwater device 12 , the position detection unit 32 controls the acoustic positioning device 20 to detect the position of the underwater vehicle 14 , and the wide-area route generation unit 34 controls the underwater device 14 . A route RW (described later) is generated. The control unit 24 realizes the ROV control unit 30, the position detection unit 32, and the wide area route generation unit 34 by reading and executing programs (software) from the storage unit 26, and executes their processing. Note that the control unit 24 may execute the process using one CPU, or may include a plurality of CPUs and execute the process using the plurality of CPUs. Further, at least one of the ROV control section 30, the position detection section 32, and the wide area route generation section 34 may be realized by a hardware circuit. The specific processing contents of the ROV control section 30, position detection section 32, and wide area route generation section 34 will be described later.

(Underwater device)
As shown in FIG. 1, an underwater device 12 as a target object is a device that can be moved underwater by power. The underwater device 12 according to this embodiment is a device whose operation is controlled by the mother ship 10. That is, unlike the underwater vehicle 14 that can autonomously navigate, the underwater device 12 is a device that operates under remote control, such as an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle). The underwater device 12 is connected to the mother ship 10 through a wiring W, and is controlled by the mother ship 10 by transmitting and receiving signals through the wiring W. The underwater device 12 may be provided with a power source such as a storage battery and operated by power from the power source, or may not be provided with a power source and may be supplied with power from the mother ship 10 via the wiring W. Further, the underwater device 12 is not limited to being operationally controlled by the mother ship 10, and may operate autonomously, such as autonomous navigation, like the underwater vehicle 14.

The underwater device 12 includes a casing 40, a reflector 42, a transponder 44, a holding mechanism 46, a power supply section 48, a drive device 52, and a control device 54. The casing 40 is a member that holds each part of the underwater device 12. In this embodiment, the casing 40 is a frame-shaped member, but the shape is not limited to the frame shape and can have any shape. A reflector 42 is attached to the casing 40. In this embodiment, the reflector 42 is provided on the front surface of the casing 40, but the reflector 42 may be provided at any position. The reflector 42 is an acoustic reflector that can reflect sound waves. The reflector 42 may be made of any material as long as it can reflect sound waves. The reflector 42 is a plate-shaped member in this embodiment, and has a plurality of openings 42A penetrating from one surface to the other surface. By forming the opening 42A in this manner, fluid resistance of the underwater device 12 can be reduced.

The transponder 44 is a device that outputs a sound wave toward the acoustic positioning device 20 upon receiving the sound wave from the acoustic positioning device 20 of the mother ship 10 . The holding mechanism 46 is a mechanism that captures and holds the underwater vehicle 14. The power supply unit 48 is a mechanism that supplies power to the underwater vehicle 14. The holding mechanism 46 and the power supply section 48 will be described later. The drive device 52 is a mechanism that allows the underwater device 12 to navigate underwater. The drive device 52 operates under the control of the control device 54 while receiving power supply from the wiring W, and causes the underwater device 12 to navigate.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for an underwater device according to the first embodiment. The control device 54 is a computer, and includes a control section 60 and a storage section 62, as shown in FIG. The storage unit 62 is a memory that stores various information such as calculation contents and programs of the control unit 60, and includes at least one of a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD. Including one.

The control unit 60 is a calculation device, that is, a CPU. The control unit 60 includes a movement control unit 70, a holding control unit 74, and a power supply control unit 76. The movement control unit 70 outputs a drive command to the drive device 52, controls the drive device 52, and causes the underwater device 12 to navigate. The holding control section 74 controls the holding mechanism 46. The power supply control unit 76 controls power supply by the power supply unit 48 . The movement control unit 70, the holding control unit 74, and the power supply control unit 76 execute processing by receiving commands (signals) from the ROV control unit 30 of the mother ship 10, that is, by being controlled by the ROV control unit 30. It's fine. The control unit 60 implements a movement control unit 70, a holding control unit 74, and a power supply control unit 76 by reading and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 62, and executes their processing. Note that the control unit 60 may execute the process using one CPU, or may include a plurality of CPUs and execute the process using the plurality of CPUs. Further, at least one of the movement control section 70, the holding control section 74, and the power supply control section 76 may be realized by a hardware circuit. The specific processing contents of the movement control section 70, the holding control section 74, and the power supply control section 76 will be described later.

As described above, the underwater device 12 according to the present embodiment is a charging station that charges the underwater vehicle 14 underwater by including the power supply section 48, but is not limited to being a charging station.

(Underwater vehicle)
As shown in FIG. 1, the underwater vehicle 14 includes a casing 80, a three-dimensional active sonar 82, a transponder 84, a held mechanism 86, a power receiving section 88, a power source 90, a drive device 92, and a control device. 94. The casing 80 is a member that holds and houses each mechanism of the underwater vehicle 14. The three-dimensional active sonar 82 is a sensor that can detect the three-dimensional shape of an object by outputting sound waves toward the object and receiving reflected waves of the sound waves from the object. For example, the three-dimensional active sonar 82 includes a transmitting acoustic element that emits sound waves and a plurality of sensors (receiving acoustic elements) arranged in a matrix (in a horizontal and vertical plane array). The transmitting acoustic element outputs substantially omnidirectional sound waves over a wide range, and each sensor receives reflected waves of the sound waves. Then, for example, the position information acquisition unit 116 (to be described later) forms a plurality of receiving beams (receiving signals) having narrow directivities at different directivity angles from the reflected waves received by the respective sensors. The three-dimensional shape of the object can be detected from the distance information and the directivity angle of the received beam. However, the configuration of the three-dimensional active sonar 82 is not limited to this, and may be arbitrary, for example, a cross-fan type including a plurality of transmitting acoustic elements and a plurality of receiving acoustic elements. The three-dimensional active sonar 82 is provided, for example, at the top of the casing 80, but the location is not limited thereto and may be provided at any location.

The transponder 84 is a device that outputs a sound wave toward the acoustic positioning device 20 upon receiving the sound wave from the acoustic positioning device 20 of the mother ship 10 . The held mechanism 86 is a mechanism held by the holding mechanism 46 of the underwater device 12, that is, an interface portion with the holding mechanism 46. The power receiving unit 88 is a mechanism that receives power from the power feeding unit 48 of the underwater device 12 . The power source 90 is, for example, a storage battery, and supplies power to each part of the underwater vehicle 14. The drive device 92 is a mechanism that causes the underwater vehicle 14 to navigate underwater. For example, the drive device 92 is a thruster or the like. The drive device 92 operates under the control of the control device 94 while receiving power supply from the power source 90, and causes the underwater vehicle 14 to travel.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for an underwater vehicle according to the first embodiment. The control device 94 is a computer, and includes a control section 100, a storage section 102, and a communication section 104, as shown in FIG. The storage unit 102 is a memory that stores various information such as calculation contents and programs of the control unit 100. For example, the storage unit 102 stores at least one of a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD. Including one. The communication unit 104 is a communication module that can communicate with external devices such as the mother ship 10 by transmitting and receiving signals. The communication unit 104 may include, for example, an underwater acoustic communication device.

The control unit 100 is a calculation device, that is, a CPU. The control unit 100 includes a movement control unit 110, a wide area route acquisition unit 114, a position information acquisition unit 116, and a route generation unit 118. The movement control unit 110 outputs a drive command to the drive device 52, controls the drive device 52, and causes the underwater vehicle 14 to navigate. The wide area route acquisition unit 114 acquires a wide area route RW, which will be described later. The position information acquisition unit 116 controls the three-dimensional active sonar 82 and detects information on the position and orientation of the underwater device 12 based on the reflected waves received by the three-dimensional active sonar 82. The route generation unit 118 generates an approach route R2 (described later) for approaching the underwater device 12 based on information on the position and orientation of the underwater device 12. The control unit 100 realizes a movement control unit 110, a wide area route acquisition unit 114, a position information acquisition unit 116, and a route generation unit 118 by reading out and executing a program (software) from the storage unit 102. Execute processing. Note that the control unit 100 may execute the process using one CPU, or may include a plurality of CPUs and execute the process using the plurality of CPUs. Furthermore, at least one of the movement control unit 110, the wide area route acquisition unit 114, the position information acquisition unit 116, and the route generation unit 118 may be realized by a hardware circuit. The specific processing contents of the position information acquisition unit 116 and the route generation unit 118 will be described later.

The underwater vehicle 14 approaches the underwater device 12 and receives power from the underwater device 12. The operation until the underwater vehicle 14 receives power supply from the underwater device 12 will be described below.

(Navigation to the scheduled meeting area)
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which an underwater vehicle moves from a scheduled meeting area to a standby position. As shown in FIG. 5, when the underwater vehicle 14 receives power from the underwater device 12, the underwater vehicle 14 navigates to the scheduled meeting area A0. The scheduled meeting area A refers to an area (space) where the underwater vehicle 14 and the underwater device 12 meet in the water O. The underwater vehicle 14 acquires information on the scheduled meeting area A0, that is, information on the position (coordinates) of the scheduled meeting area A0, and autonomously navigates to the scheduled meeting area A0 while being movement controlled by the movement control unit 110. For example, the underwater vehicle 14 may float on the water, communicate with a GPS (Global Positioning System) via the communication unit 104, and navigate to the scheduled meeting area A0 while confirming its own coordinates.

Note that it is preferable that the position (coordinates) of the scheduled meeting area A0 not be set as the coordinates of a single point, but set as a certain size (range). The scheduled meeting area A is preferably set to a size that allows the sound waves from the acoustic positioning device 20 and the transponder 84 to reach, for example. That is, the scheduled meeting area A is set such that when the underwater vehicle 14 is within the scheduled meeting area A, the mother ship 10 can detect the position of the underwater vehicle 14 using the acoustic positioning device 20. preferable. The position of the scheduled meeting area A0 may be set in advance, and in this case, the underwater vehicle 14 reads the position of the scheduled meeting area A0 stored in advance in the storage unit 102 and navigates to the scheduled meeting area A0. Further, the location of the scheduled meeting area A0 may be set on the mother ship 10 side. In this case, the mother ship 10 transmits information on the position of the scheduled meeting area A0 to the underwater vehicle 14 via the communication unit 28. The underwater vehicle 14 acquires information on the position of the scheduled meeting area A0 from the mother ship 10 via the communication unit 104. Further, the position of the scheduled meeting area A0 may be set by the underwater vehicle 14. For example, the underwater vehicle 14 may set the scheduled meeting area A0 according to the amount of power remaining in the power source 90. The underwater vehicle 14 transmits information on the position of the scheduled meeting area A0 to the mother ship 10 via the communication unit 104. The mother ship 10 acquires information on the position of the scheduled meeting area A0 from the underwater vehicle 14 via the communication unit 28.

From the mother ship 10, the underwater device 12 is thrown into the water O. The mother ship 10 uses the ROV control unit 30 to output a command to the movement control unit 70 of the underwater device 12 to move it to the waiting position A1 within the scheduled meeting area A0. The underwater device 12 is moved to the standby position A1 by the movement control unit 70. The mother ship 10 outputs a sound wave SW0 from the acoustic positioning device 20 toward the underwater device 12, and when the transponder 44 of the underwater device 12 receives the sound wave SW0, the underwater device 12 outputs a sound wave SW0a from the transponder 44 toward the mother ship 10. That is, the transponder 44 has a function of outputting the sound wave toward the acoustic positioning device 20 when the transponder 44 receives the sound wave from the acoustic positioning device 20 of the mother ship 10 . The mother ship 10 uses the position detection unit 32 to detect the position (coordinates) of the underwater device 12 based on the sound wave SW0a from the underwater device 12 received by the acoustic positioning device 20. The mother ship 10 sequentially executes this process to grasp the position of the underwater device 12 and moves the underwater device 12 to the waiting position A1. Note that the standby position A1 is a predetermined position (coordinates) within the range of the scheduled meeting area A0, and is set as the position (coordinates) where the underwater device 12 waits. It is preferable that the standby position A1 is not set within a certain range but is set as the coordinates of one point. The waiting position A1 may be set in advance, or may be set by the mother ship 10 based on the position of the scheduled meeting area A0. When the underwater device 12 reaches the standby position A1, it waits at the standby position A1.

(Navigation to standby position)
As shown in FIG. 5, when the underwater vehicle 14 arrives at the scheduled meeting area A0, the mother ship 10 outputs a sound wave SW0 from the acoustic positioning device 20 toward the underwater vehicle 14. The mother ship 10 may output a sound wave SW0 from the acoustic positioning device 20 toward the underwater vehicle 14, triggered by receiving information from the underwater vehicle 14 that the underwater vehicle 14 has arrived at the scheduled meeting area A0. The mother ship 10 may continue to output the sound wave SW0 toward the location where the underwater vehicle 14 will arrive within the scheduled meeting area A0. When the transponder 84 receives the sound wave SW0, the underwater vehicle 14 outputs the sound wave SW0a from the transponder 84 toward the mother ship 10. That is, the transponder 84 has a function of outputting a sound wave toward the acoustic positioning device 20 when the transponder 84 receives the sound wave from the acoustic positioning device 20 of the mother ship 10 . The mother ship 10 uses the position detection unit 32 to detect the position (coordinates) of the underwater vehicle 14 based on the sound wave SW0a from the underwater vehicle 14 received by the acoustic positioning device 20. The mother ship 10 uses the wide area route generation unit 34 to generate a wide area route RW that is a route to the waiting position A1 of the underwater vehicle 14 based on the information on the position of the underwater vehicle 14 and the information on the waiting position A1. . The mother ship 10 outputs information on the wide area route RW to the underwater vehicle 14 via the communication unit 28 . The underwater vehicle 14 uses the wide area route acquisition unit 114 to acquire information on the wide area route RW via the communication unit 104 . The underwater vehicle 14 autonomously navigates toward the standby position A1 according to the wide area route RW by the movement control unit 110. The mother ship 10 updates the wide area route RW by sequentially repeating detection of the position of the underwater vehicle 14 and generation of the wide area route RW based on the position of the underwater vehicle 14. The underwater vehicle 14 acquires information on the wide area route RW every time the wide area route RW is updated, and navigates toward the standby position A1 while updating the wide area route RW (that is, following the updated wide area route RW). Continue. That is, it can be said that the mother ship 10 guides the underwater vehicle 14 based on the position information of the underwater vehicle 14.

The underwater vehicle 14 causes the three-dimensional active sonar 82 to sequentially output sound waves SW by the position information acquisition unit 116 while navigating along the wide-area route RW. That is, the underwater vehicle 14 navigates along the wide-area route RW while outputting the sound wave SW from the three-dimensional active sonar 82. The three-dimensional active sonar 82 outputs a sound wave SW toward the traveling direction of the underwater vehicle 14 using a transmitting acoustic element. The sound waves from the transmitting acoustic element of the three-dimensional active sonar 82 are omnidirectional and output over a wide range. For example, it is preferable that the three-dimensional active sonar 82 outputs the sound waves SW so that each sound wave spreads outward in the radial direction toward the traveling direction of the underwater vehicle 14. Note that the three-dimensional active sonar 82 detects the position and shape of the target object from the reflected wave of the sound wave SW, so it is more detectable than the acoustic positioning device 20, which detects the position of the target object from the sound wave output from the transponder. The distance is short. Therefore, until the position of the underwater device 12 is detected by the three-dimensional active sonar 82, that is, until the underwater device 12 receives the reflected wave of the sound wave SW from the underwater device 12, the underwater vehicle 14 follows the wide area route RW, that is, until the underwater device 14 receives the reflected wave of the sound wave SW from the underwater device 12. Following the guidance, the ship navigates towards the standby position A1.

The underwater device 12 adjusts its orientation while remaining at the standby position A1 while the underwater vehicle 14 is navigating along the wide area route RW. Specifically, the mother ship 10 detects the direction of the tidal current using a tidal current meter (not shown), and instructs the movement control unit 70 of the underwater device 12 to adjust the direction of the underwater device 12 based on the direction of the tidal current. The movement control unit 70 adjusts the direction of the underwater device 12 based on the direction of the current. The movement control unit 70 adjusts the orientation of the underwater device 12 so that it faces the direction of the tidal current. Specifically, for example, the movement control unit 70 adjusts the orientation of the underwater device 12 so that the underwater device 12 faces in a direction along the tidal current, and the front surface of the underwater device 12 faces the upstream side of the tidal current. This makes it possible to prevent the side surfaces of the underwater device 12 from facing the direction of the tidal current and receiving the tidal current from the side. However, control for adjusting the orientation of the underwater device 12 is not essential.

(Navigation following intermediate approach route)
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating navigation along the intermediate approach route. As shown in FIG. 6, the underwater vehicle 14 continues to navigate along the wide-area route RW while causing the three-dimensional active sonar 82 to output sound waves SW. When the underwater vehicle 14 approaches the underwater device 12 to a certain extent, the underwater device 12 reflects the sound wave SW from the three-dimensional active sonar 82 as a reflected wave SWa by the reflector 42, and the three-dimensional active sonar 82 Receive the reflected wave SWa. When the underwater vehicle 14 does not approach the underwater device 12 sufficiently, the three-dimensional active sonar 82 receives the reflected waves SWa from only some of the plurality of sensors. Cannot be detected with accuracy. Therefore, in a state where the position information acquisition unit 116 of the underwater vehicle 14 has not acquired a sufficient number of reflected waves SWa to detect a three-dimensional shape, the position information acquisition unit 116 of the underwater vehicle 14 determines the position (coordinates) of the underwater device 12 based on the reflected waves SWa. ) to obtain position information (coordinate information) of the underwater device 12. When at least one sensor of the three-dimensional active sonar 82 receives the reflected wave SWa from the underwater device 12, the position information acquisition unit 116 can detect the position of the underwater device 12 based on the reflected wave SWa. For example, the position information acquisition unit 116 calculates the distance to the underwater device 12 from the time from outputting the sound wave SW to receiving the reflected wave SWa and the speed of the sound wave, and calculates the distance to the underwater device 12 from the traveling direction of the reflected wave SWa. The direction in which the underwater device 12 is positioned with respect to the underwater vehicle 14 is detected. The position information acquisition unit 116 calculates the position (coordinates) of the underwater device 12 from the distance to the underwater device 12 and the direction in which the underwater device 12 is located.

The underwater vehicle 14 uses the route generation unit 118 to generate an intermediate approach route R1 toward the underwater device 12 based on the information on the position of the underwater device 12. The intermediate approach route R1 is a route from the current position of the underwater vehicle 14 to the position of the underwater device 12. That is, the route generation unit 118 creates a path intermediate from the current position of the underwater vehicle 14 to the position of the underwater device 12 based on the current position of the underwater vehicle 14 and the position of the underwater device 12 acquired by the position information acquisition unit 116. An approach route R1 is generated.

After generating the intermediate approach route R1, the underwater vehicle 14 switches the route to be navigated from the wide area route RW to the intermediate approach route R1, and continues navigating along the intermediate approach route R1. As shown in the example of FIG. 6, the underwater device 12 is controlled to remain at the standby position A1, but may actually be separated from the standby position A1 due to the influence of water flow. In such a case, by switching to the intermediate approach route R1 generated from the actual position of the underwater device 12 detected by the three-dimensional active sonar 82, the underwater device 12 can be appropriately approached. Note that even after switching to the intermediate approach route R1, the underwater vehicle 14 sequentially performs position detection of the underwater device 12 by the position information acquisition unit 116, and updates the intermediate approach route R1 one after another. The underwater vehicle 14 continues to navigate toward the underwater device 12 according to the updated intermediate approach route R1.

(Navigation following the approach route)
7A and 7B are schematic diagrams illustrating navigation along the approach route. As shown in FIG. 7A, the underwater vehicle 14 continues to navigate along the intermediate approach route R1 while causing the three-dimensional active sonar 82 to output sound waves SW. As the underwater vehicle 14 approaches the underwater device 12, the number of sensors in the three-dimensional active sonar 82 that receives reflected waves SWa from the underwater device 12 increases. When a sufficient number of sensors that can detect the three-dimensional shape of the underwater device 12 receive the reflected wave SWa from the underwater device 12, that is, when they approach the underwater device 12 enough to detect the three-dimensional shape of the underwater device 12, underwater navigation begins. The position information acquisition unit 116 of the body 14 detects the position of the underwater device 12 and the three-dimensional shape of the underwater device 12 from the reflected waves SWa from the respective sensors. The position information acquisition unit 116 detects the three-dimensional shape of the underwater device 12 from the phase of the reflected wave SWa received by each sensor. The position information acquisition unit 116 calculates the orientation of the underwater device 12, that is, the inclination angle of the underwater device 12 with respect to the reference axis, from the three-dimensional shape of the underwater device 12. In this manner, the position information acquisition unit 116 determines the position and orientation of the underwater device 12 based on the reflected wave SWa from the underwater device 12 received by the three-dimensional active sonar 82 during navigation along the intermediate approach route R1. Get information.

The underwater vehicle 14 uses the route generation unit 118 to generate an approach route R2 for approaching the underwater device 12 based on the position information and direction information of the underwater device 12. The approach route R2 is a route from the current position of the underwater vehicle 14 to the docking position A2 at a predetermined position (coordinates) and orientation (attitude) with respect to the underwater device 12. The docking position A2 is a position (coordinates) and orientation at which docking with the underwater device 12 is possible. The route generation unit 118 calculates a docking position A2 that is a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the underwater device 12 based on the position and orientation of the underwater device 12 acquired by the position information acquisition unit 116. Then, the route generation unit 118 generates an approach route R2 from the current position of the underwater vehicle 14 to the docking position A2 based on the current position of the underwater vehicle 14 and the docking position A2. The route generation unit 118 may calculate the approach route R2 using any known method, but for example, calculates the approach route R2 using Model Predictive Control (MPC). At the stage of generating the intermediate approach route R1, only the position of the destination underwater vehicle 14 is known, so only a simple route connecting the departure coordinates to the destination coordinates without considering the attitude of the underwater vehicle 14 is possible. Although not generated, at the stage of generating the approach route R2, the attitude as well as the position of the destination underwater vehicle 14 are detected. Therefore, at the stage of generating the approach route R2, there are many route options depending on the position and attitude of the underwater vehicle 14, so by using model predictive control, it is possible to select the appropriate route from among the many routes. This makes it possible to select a suitable route.

FIG. 7B is a diagram of the situation in FIG. 7A viewed from above in the vertical direction. The underwater vehicle 14 can also detect a deviation in the orientation (posture) of the underwater device 12 along the horizontal plane using the three-dimensional active sonar 82 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7B, even if the underwater device 12 is misoriented along the horizontal plane, it is possible to construct an approach route R2 that can appropriately approach the underwater device 12, taking into account the misalignment of the orientation. In particular, since it is difficult to detect deviations in direction along the horizontal plane using a gyro sensor or the like, it is difficult to detect deviations in direction along the horizontal plane by the three-dimensional active sonar 82 and construct the approach route R2. It is particularly effective in approaching the situation appropriately. Furthermore, when the underwater vehicle 14 approaches the underwater device 12, the orientation of the underwater device 12 relative to the underwater vehicle 14 may be affected by the positioning error of the underwater positioning device, the navigation error of the underwater vehicle 14, the tidal current, etc. There may be further deviations. The intermediate approach route R1 does not take into account the orientation of the underwater vehicle 12, and the deviation in this orientation is not corrected. Therefore, if only the intermediate approach route R1 is used, it is not possible to approach the underwater device 12 appropriately. It may not be possible. On the other hand, by detecting the orientation of the underwater device 12 with the three-dimensional active sonar 82 and generating the approach route R, it is possible to correct this orientation deviation and approach the underwater device 12 appropriately. becomes.

After generating the approach route R2, the underwater vehicle 14 switches its route from the intermediate approach route R1 to the approach route R2, and continues navigating along the approach route R2. Note that even after switching to the approach route R2, the underwater vehicle 14 sequentially detects the position and orientation of the underwater device 12 by the position information acquisition unit 116, and updates the approach route R2 sequentially. The underwater vehicle 14 continues sailing toward the docking position A2 according to the updated approach route R2. Note that the underwater vehicle 14 does not generate the intermediate approach route R1 but only the approach route R2 between the intermediate approach route R1 and the approach route R2, and navigates by switching from the wide area route RW to the approach route R2. You can.

(docking)
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where the underwater vehicle reaches a docking position, and FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case where the underwater vehicle is docked. As shown in FIG. 8, the underwater vehicle 14 travels along the approach route R2 and arrives at the docking position A2. The underwater vehicle 14 waits at the docking position A2, that is, at a dockable position (coordinates) and orientation (attitude), and outputs a notification to the mother ship 10 via the communication unit 104 that it has arrived at the docking position A2. do. The mother ship 10 obtains a notification that it has arrived at the docking position A2 via the communication unit 28, and upon receiving the notification, the ROV control unit 30 sends a command to the underwater device 12 to dock the underwater vehicle 14. Output the command. When the underwater device 12 obtains the command, the holding control unit 74 drives the holding mechanism 46, and the holding mechanism 46 holds the underwater device 12. As shown in FIG. 9, for example, the underwater device 12 holds and fixes the held mechanism 86 by the holding mechanism 46. The underwater device 12 may be equipped with, for example, an underwater camera, and while the underwater camera captures the position of the underwater vehicle 14, the held mechanism 86 may be held and fixed by the holding mechanism 46. Any method can be used to hold the held mechanism 86 by the holding mechanism 46.Docking between the underwater vehicle 14 and the underwater device 12 is performed by the underwater device 12 operating as described above to hold the underwater vehicle 14. For example, the underwater vehicle 14 may be operated. For example, the underwater vehicle 14 and the underwater device 12 may be docked by entering into an opening formed in the underwater device 12 for docking.

The underwater device 12 holds the underwater vehicle 14 by the holding mechanism 46, and makes the power feeding section 48 of the underwater device 12 and the power receiving section 88 of the underwater vehicle 14 face each other. The power reception unit 88 and the power supply unit 48 are a contactless charging mechanism that can be charged in a contactless manner. The power supply control unit 76 of the underwater device 12 transmits the power supplied from the mother ship 10 via the wiring W through the power supply unit 48 and the power reception unit 88, with the power reception unit 88 and the power supply unit 48 facing each other in a non-contact manner. Then, the power is supplied to the power source 90 of the underwater vehicle 14, and the power source 90 is charged. In the example of this embodiment, the power receiving unit 88 and the power feeding unit 68 use a non-contact charging method, but the charging method is not limited to the non-contact charging method.

When charging of the power source 90 is completed, the underwater device 12 releases the hold on the underwater vehicle 14, and the underwater vehicle 14 resumes navigation.

(Operation flow)
The operation flow of the underwater vehicle 14 and the underwater device 12 explained above will be explained based on a flowchart. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation flow of the underwater vehicle and the underwater device. As shown in FIG. 10, the underwater vehicle 14 moves to the scheduled meeting area A0 (step S10), and the underwater device 12 moves to the waiting position A1 and waits (step S12). Note that the order of steps S10 and S12 is not limited to this, and for example, the underwater device 12 may move to the waiting position A1 and wait before the underwater vehicle 14 reaches the scheduled meeting area A0. .

When the underwater vehicle 14 reaches the scheduled meeting area A0, it acquires information on the wide-area route RW from the mother ship 10, and navigates toward the waiting position A1 according to the wide-area route RW (step S14). On the other hand, the underwater device 12 adjusts its orientation based on the direction of the current (step S16). The underwater vehicle 14 causes the three-dimensional active sonar 82 to output sound waves SW while navigating the wide-area route RW. If the position of the underwater device 12 cannot be detected yet, that is, if the position information of the underwater device 12 cannot be acquired (step S18; No), the underwater vehicle 14 returns to step S14 and continues navigating along the wide area route RW. On the other hand, when the three-dimensional active sonar 82 receives the reflected wave SWa from the underwater device 12, the underwater vehicle 14 detects the position of the underwater device 12 based on the reflected wave SWa. After detecting the position of the underwater device 12, that is, after acquiring the position information of the underwater device 12 (step S18; Yes), the underwater vehicle 14 generates an intermediate approach route R1 based on the position of the underwater device 12, The navigation is switched to the intermediate approach route R1 (step S20).

The underwater vehicle 14 causes the three-dimensional active sonar 82 to output a sound wave SW while navigating the intermediate approach route R1. The underwater vehicle 14 attempts to detect the position and orientation of the underwater device 12 based on the reflected wave SWa from the underwater device 12 received by the three-dimensional active sonar 82 . If the orientation of the underwater device 12 cannot be detected yet, that is, if the position information and orientation information of the underwater device 12 cannot be acquired (step S22; No), the underwater vehicle 14 returns to step S20 and follows the intermediate approach route R1. Continue sailing. On the other hand, when the underwater vehicle 14 approaches to a distance where the position and orientation of the underwater device 12 can be detected, that is, when it acquires the position information and orientation information of the underwater device 12 (step S22; Yes), the underwater vehicle 14 An approach route R2 is generated based on the position and orientation, and navigation is switched to follow the approach route R2 (step S24).

The underwater vehicle 14 continues to navigate along the approach route R2, and when it arrives at the docking position A2 (step S26; Yes), the underwater device 12 holds the underwater vehicle 14 (step S28) and charges the power source 90. . Note that if the underwater vehicle 14 has not arrived at the docking position A2 (step S26; No), the underwater vehicle 14 returns to step S24 and continues sailing along the approach route R2.

As explained above, the underwater vehicle 14 according to this embodiment autonomously navigates. The underwater vehicle 14 includes a three-dimensional active sonar 82, a position information acquisition section 116, a route generation section 118, and a movement control section 110. The three-dimensional active sonar 82 outputs a sound wave SW toward a target object (the underwater device 12 in the first embodiment liquid) and receives a reflected wave SWa of the sound wave SW from the target object. The position information acquisition unit 116 acquires information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected wave SWa received by the three-dimensional active sonar 82. The route generating unit 118 generates an approach route R2 for approaching the target object based on information on the position and orientation of the target object. The movement control unit 110 causes the underwater vehicle 14 to navigate according to the approach route R2. The underwater vehicle 14 according to the present embodiment uses a three-dimensional active sonar 82 to detect not only the position but also the direction of the object, and approaches the object using the approach route R2 generated from the position and direction. To go. Therefore, the underwater vehicle 14 can appropriately approach the object and dock appropriately. In addition, since the underwater vehicle 14 uses only the three-dimensional active sonar 82 as a sensor when autonomously navigating and approaching a target, it is possible to suppress the number of sensors required when approaching, and It becomes possible to suppress the increase in resistance, and the object can be approached appropriately.

Further, when the position information acquisition unit 116 acquires the position of the target object (in the case of the first liquid, the underwater device 12) based on the reflected wave SWa, the route generation unit 118 approaches the target object based on the position of the target object. An intermediate approach route R1 is generated. The movement control unit 110 causes the underwater vehicle 14 to navigate according to the intermediate approach route R1. When the position information acquisition unit 116 acquires the position and orientation of the target object based on the reflected wave SWa during navigation along the intermediate approach route R1, the route generation unit 118 generates a target object based on the position and orientation of the target object. An approach route R2 for approaching an object is generated. The movement control unit 110 switches from the intermediate approach route R1 to the approach route R2 and causes the underwater vehicle 14 to navigate. When the underwater vehicle 14 according to the present embodiment can detect the position of the object, it navigates on the intermediate approach route R1 based on the position of the object, and when the position and orientation of the object can be detected, the underwater vehicle 14 moves to the position of the object. and the approach route R2 based on the orientation. Therefore, the underwater vehicle 14 according to the present embodiment can approach the object by navigating an appropriate route depending on the distance to the object.

In addition, the underwater vehicle 14 acquires a wide area route RW, which is a route toward the standby position A1 where the target object (the underwater device 12 in the first embodiment) is present, from an external device (the mother ship 10 in the first embodiment). The network further includes a wide area route acquisition unit 114 that performs the following operations. The movement control unit 110 causes the underwater vehicle 14 to navigate according to the wide area route RW. The route generation unit 118 generates the intermediate approach route R1 when the position information acquisition unit 116 acquires information on the position of the object based on the reflected wave SWa while traveling on the wide area route RW. The movement control unit 110 switches from the wide area route RW to the intermediate approach route R1 and causes the underwater vehicle 14 to navigate. The underwater vehicle 14 according to the present embodiment navigates on the wide area route RW until detecting the position of the target object, navigates on the intermediate approach route R1 based on the position of the target object, and detects the position and orientation of the target object. If possible, switch to the approach route R2 based on the position and orientation of the object. Therefore, the underwater vehicle 14 according to the present embodiment can approach the object by navigating an appropriate route depending on the distance to the object. In addition, in this embodiment, the underwater vehicle 14 acquires the wide area route RW from the mother ship 10, but is not limited to acquiring the wide area route RW from the mother ship 10, and can acquire the wide area route RW from any device other than the underwater vehicle 14. A wide area route RW may be obtained.

Further, the underwater navigation system 1 includes an underwater vehicle 14 and an underwater device 12 that is a movable object by power. According to the underwater navigation system 1 according to this embodiment, the underwater navigation object 14 can be appropriately approached to a target object.

Further, the underwater device 12 moves to a standby position A1 for docking with the underwater vehicle 14, and changes its direction based on the direction of the current at the standby position A1. According to the underwater navigation system 1 according to the present embodiment, the underwater device 12 adjusts the direction according to the direction of the tidal current, so that the influence of the tidal current, which is a disturbance, is reduced, and the underwater vehicle 14 is directed toward the target object. can be approached appropriately.

The underwater device 12 also includes a holding mechanism 46 that can hold the underwater vehicle 14, and drives the holding mechanism 46 when the underwater vehicle 14 reaches a docking position A2 where it can be docked with the underwater device 12 along the approach route R2. to hold the underwater vehicle 14. According to this embodiment, since the underwater device 12 drives the holding mechanism 46 to hold the underwater vehicle 14, appropriate docking is possible.

Further, the underwater device 12 includes a reflector 42 that reflects the sound wave SW. According to this embodiment, since the underwater device 12 includes the reflector 42, it is possible to appropriately reflect the sound wave SW and cause the underwater vehicle 14 to appropriately approach the target object.

Further, the underwater device 12 includes a power feeding section 48 , and the underwater vehicle 14 includes a power receiving section 88 that receives power from the power feeding section 48 . According to this embodiment, it becomes possible to appropriately charge the underwater vehicle 14 in the water using the underwater device 12 as a charging station.

The method for controlling the underwater vehicle 14 according to the present embodiment includes the steps of acquiring information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected wave SWa received by the three-dimensional active sonar 82 of the underwater vehicle 14; and the step of generating an approach route R2 for approaching the target object based on the information on the orientation, and the step of navigating the underwater vehicle 14 according to the approach route R2. According to this control method, the underwater vehicle 14 can be made to approach the target object appropriately.

The program according to the present embodiment includes a step of acquiring information on the position and orientation of the target object based on the reflected wave SWa received by the three-dimensional active sonar 82 of the underwater vehicle 14; The computer executes the steps of generating an approach route R2 for approaching a target object, and making the underwater vehicle 14 navigate according to the approach route R2. According to this program, the underwater vehicle 14 can be made to approach the target object appropriately.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the underwater device 12a as a target object is not an ROV but a submarine (mother ship) that navigates underwater. Descriptions of parts in the second embodiment that are different in configuration from the first embodiment will be omitted.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an underwater navigation system according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the underwater navigation system 1a according to the second embodiment includes an underwater device 12a and an underwater vehicle 14. Unlike the underwater device 12 of the first embodiment, the underwater device 12a as a target object is not a device that receives remote control, but is operated by a drive device 52a and a control device 54a provided therein. It can be said that the underwater device 12a also has the functions of the mother ship 10 of the first embodiment. The underwater device 12a includes an acoustic positioning device 20, a casing 40a, a reflector 42a, a holding mechanism 46a, a power source 50a, a drive device 52a, and a control device 54a. The casing 40a is a member that houses and holds each mechanism of the underwater device 12a. The reflector 42a has the same configuration as the reflector 42 of the first embodiment. However, the reflector 42a can be housed within the casing 40a. That is, the underwater device 12a can switch between a state in which the reflector 42a is exposed to the outside and a state in which the reflector 42a is housed within the casing 40a. Note that the reflector 42 of the first embodiment may also be able to be switched between being exposed to the outside and being stored inside. The reflector 42a is provided near the holding mechanism 46a that recovers the underwater vehicle 14, but may be located a predetermined distance away from the holding mechanism 46a. The holding mechanism 46a is a mechanism that holds the underwater vehicle 14 and recovers the underwater vehicle 14. The power source 50a is a power source that supplies power to each part of the underwater device 12a. The drive device 52a is a mechanism that allows the underwater device 12a to navigate underwater, and is, for example, a thruster.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a control device for an underwater device according to a second embodiment. The control device 54a is a computer, and as shown in FIG. 12, includes a control section 60a, a storage section 62, and a communication section 64a. The communication unit 64a is a communication module that can communicate with external devices such as the underwater vehicle 14 by transmitting and receiving signals. The communication unit 64a may include, for example, an underwater acoustic communication device.

The control unit 60a is a calculation device, that is, a CPU. The control unit 60a includes a movement control unit 120a, a position detection unit 122a, a wide area route generation unit 124a, a holding control unit 126a, and a power supply control unit 128a. The movement control unit 120a controls the drive device 52a to navigate the underwater device 12a. The position detection unit 122a controls the acoustic positioning device 20 to detect the position of the underwater vehicle 14, similarly to the position detection unit 32 of the mother ship 10 of the first embodiment. The wide area route generation unit 124a generates the wide area route RW based on the position of the underwater vehicle 14, similar to the wide area route generation unit 34 of the mother ship 10 of the first embodiment. The holding control unit 126a and the power feeding control unit 128a hold and charge the underwater vehicle 14, similarly to the holding control unit 74 and the power feeding control unit 76 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation flow of the underwater vehicle and the underwater device according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 13, when docking the underwater vehicle 14 and the underwater device 12a, similarly to the first embodiment, the underwater vehicle 14 moves to the scheduled meeting area A0 (step S10), and the underwater device 12a moves to the standby position A1 and waits (step S12). The position detection unit 122a of the underwater device 12a causes the acoustic positioning device 20 to output a sound wave SW0 toward the underwater vehicle 14 that has arrived at the scheduled meeting area A0. When the transponder 84 of the underwater vehicle 14 receives the sound wave SW0, it outputs the sound wave SW0a toward the underwater device 12a. The position detection unit 122a of the underwater device 12a detects the position of the underwater vehicle 14 based on the received sound wave SW0a (step S12a). The wide-area route generation unit 124a of the underwater device 12a generates a wide-area route RW to the standby position A1 based on the detected position of the underwater vehicle 14 (step S12b), and transmits the wide-area route RW to the underwater vehicle 14 via the communication unit 64a. Output. The subsequent processes from step S14 to step S26 are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the description thereof will be omitted. When the underwater vehicle 14 arrives at the docking position A2 in step S26, the underwater device 12a holds the underwater vehicle 14 with the holding mechanism 46a and retrieves the underwater vehicle 14 (step S28a).

The underwater navigation system 1a of the second embodiment allows the underwater vehicle 14 to appropriately approach the underwater device 12a even when recovering the underwater vehicle 14 to the underwater device 12a. According to the underwater navigation system 1a of the second embodiment, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of approach sensors for the underwater vehicle 14 on the underwater device 12a side as well.

In the above embodiments, the underwater devices 12 and 12a are devices that operate with power, but the target object is not limited to devices that operate with power, but objects that do not operate with power, such as underwater structures. It may be. Even in such a case, the underwater vehicle 14 can detect the position and orientation of the object from the reflected wave SWa received by the three-dimensional active sonar 82 and can appropriately approach the object.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the embodiment is not limited by the content of this embodiment. Furthermore, the above-mentioned components include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are in a so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the aforementioned components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the constituent elements can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiments described above.

1 Underwater navigation system 10 Mother ship 12 Underwater device (object)
14 Underwater vehicle 82 Three-dimensional active sonar 110 Movement control unit 114 Wide area route acquisition unit 116 Position information acquisition unit 118 Route generation unit R1 Intermediate approach route R2 Approach route RW Wide area route

Claims (10)

An underwater vehicle that navigates autonomously,
a three-dimensional active sonar that outputs sound waves toward a target object and receives reflected waves of the sound waves from the target object;
a position information acquisition unit that acquires information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected wave received by the three-dimensional active sonar;
a route generation unit that generates an approach route for approaching the target object based on information on the position and orientation of the target object;
a movement control unit that navigates the underwater vehicle according to the approach route;
including;
When a predetermined number or less of sensors of the three-dimensional active sonar receive the reflected waves and the position information acquisition unit acquires the position of the object based on the reflected waves, the path generation unit detects the object. generating an intermediate approach route for approaching the target object based on the position of the target object without using information on the orientation of the target object, and the movement control unit causing the underwater vehicle to navigate according to the intermediate approach route;
The route generation unit is configured to receive the reflected waves by more than the predetermined number of sensors of the three-dimensional active sonar during navigation along the intermediate approach route, and the position information acquisition unit based on the reflected waves. After acquiring the position and orientation of the target object, the movement control unit generates the approach route based on the position and orientation of the target object, and switches from the intermediate approach route to the approach route to move the underwater vehicle. to sail,
Underwater vehicle. further comprising a wide-area route acquisition unit that acquires a wide-area route that is a route toward a standby position where the target object is present from an external device;
The movement control unit causes the underwater vehicle to navigate according to the wide area route,
The route generation unit generates the intermediate approach route when the position information acquisition unit acquires information on the position of the object based on the reflected wave while navigating the wide area route, and the movement control unit generates the intermediate approach route. The underwater vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the underwater vehicle navigates by switching from the wide area route to the intermediate approach route. An underwater navigation system comprising: the underwater vehicle according to claim 1 or 2 ; and an underwater device that is the object movable by power. The underwater navigation system according to claim 3, wherein the underwater device moves to a standby position for docking with the underwater vehicle, and changes direction at the standby position based on the direction of a tidal current. The underwater device includes a holding mechanism capable of holding the underwater vehicle, and when the underwater vehicle reaches a docking position where it can be docked with the underwater device according to the approach route, the holding mechanism is driven to stop the underwater vehicle. The underwater navigation system according to claim 3 or claim 4 , wherein the underwater navigation system holds a body. The underwater navigation system according to any one of claims 3 to 5 , wherein the underwater device includes a reflector that reflects the sound wave. The underwater navigation system according to any one of claims 3 to 6 , wherein the underwater device includes a power supply unit, and the underwater vehicle includes a power reception unit that receives power from the power supply unit. Comprising an underwater vehicle and an underwater device that is an object movable by power,
The underwater vehicle is
a three-dimensional active sonar that outputs sound waves toward a target object and receives reflected waves of the sound waves from the target object;
a position information acquisition unit that acquires information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected wave received by the three-dimensional active sonar;
a route generation unit that generates an approach route for approaching the target object based on information on the position and orientation of the target object;
a movement control unit that navigates the underwater vehicle according to the approach route;
including;
The underwater device moves to a standby position for docking with the underwater vehicle, and changes direction at the standby position based on the direction of a tidal current.
Underwater navigation system. A method for controlling an autonomous underwater vehicle comprising a three-dimensional active sonar that outputs sound waves toward a target object and receives reflected waves of the sound waves from the target object, the method comprising:
acquiring information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected wave received by the three-dimensional active sonar;
generating an approach route for approaching the object based on information on the position and orientation of the object;
navigating the underwater vehicle according to the approach route;
A method for controlling an underwater vehicle, the method comprising:
When a predetermined number or less of sensors of the three-dimensional active sonar receive the reflected waves and the position of the object is acquired based on the reflected waves, the position of the object is determined without using information about the orientation of the object. generating an intermediate approach route to approach the object based on the position of the target object, and navigating the underwater vehicle according to the intermediate approach route;
During navigation along the intermediate approach route, if more than the predetermined number of sensors of the three-dimensional active sonar receive the reflected waves, and the position and orientation of the object are obtained based on the reflected waves, generating the approach route based on the position and orientation of the object, switching from the intermediate approach route to the approach route and navigating the underwater vehicle;
Control method for underwater vehicle. A program that causes a computer to execute a method for controlling an autonomous underwater vehicle equipped with a three-dimensional active sonar that outputs sound waves toward a target object and receives reflected waves of the sound waves from the target object, the program comprising:
acquiring information on the position and orientation of the object based on the reflected wave received by the three-dimensional active sonar;
generating an approach route for approaching the object based on information on the position and orientation of the object;
navigating the underwater vehicle according to the approach route;
A program that causes a computer to execute,
When a predetermined number or less of sensors of the three-dimensional active sonar receive the reflected waves and the position of the object is acquired based on the reflected waves, the position of the object is determined without using information about the orientation of the object. generating an intermediate approach route to approach the object based on the position of the target object, and navigating the underwater vehicle according to the intermediate approach route;
During navigation along the intermediate approach route, if more than the predetermined number of sensors of the three-dimensional active sonar receive the reflected waves, and the position and orientation of the object are obtained based on the reflected waves, generating the approach route based on the position and orientation of the object, switching from the intermediate approach route to the approach route and navigating the underwater vehicle;
program.

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