RU183336U1 - Deck control for sonar modems - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to oceanology, specifically to sonar communication devices, and can be used to communicate and control underwater devices equipped with sonar modems. The deck control device for sonar modems includes a controller connected to the wireless module and is equipped with a cable connection port to the sonar modem, while the device is additionally equipped with a GPS receiver connected to the controller. The technical result consists in simplifying the algorithms for determining the coordinates of underwater devices due to the coincidence of the coordinates of the GPS receiver installed in the deck control device and the sonar modem connected to the controller of the deck control device. 1 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to oceanology, specifically, to sonar communication devices, and can be used for communication, control and determination of distances to underwater devices equipped with sonar modems.

Known Surface Command Unit (SCU) - a surface control device containing an embedded computer (http://www.sonardyne.com/product/surface-command-unit/). The device is equipped with means for displaying information (screen) and control (keyboard) and is equipped with a port for connecting a hydroacoustic modem for communication with underwater devices. Other devices, including an external GPS receiver, can be connected to the SCU via wired interfaces. However, to work with the device, the operator must be located directly next to it, on the deck of the vessel, which is not always convenient, for example, in bad weather conditions.

A control device UTS-9400 Universal Top Side (surface equipment) is known, which contains an integrated controller, an integrated acoustic modem connected to it with a remote transceiver hydrophone connected to the modem by a cable line, and a wired connection port to an external computer (http: //www.teledynemarine .com / universal-top-side-UTS-9400? ProductLineID = 9. Operation can be controlled both from the device panel and from an external computer.If you need to determine the coordinates of underwater devices, an external GPS can be connected to an external computer However, for remote operation, a cable must be laid between the control device and the computer, which is inconvenient, and it may be damaged if the cable is temporarily laid.

Closest to the claimed is the deck device Trackit USBL System underwater positioning system (http://www.teledynemarine.com/trackit/?BrandID=2). The known device includes a controller and is equipped with a port for connecting a hydroacoustic modem via a cable line. A wireless module is also connected to the controller to wirelessly connect an external computer. The prototype provides communication with hydroacoustic modems mounted on underwater devices, and determining the spatial position of these devices relative to each other and the prototype by ranges, which, in turn, are determined by the propagation times of acoustic signals between the modems. To bind the relative coordinates of the deck control device to the absolute coordinates, an external GPS receiver must be connected to an external computer.

However, as a rule, the spatial position of the hydroacoustic modem lowered into the water from the side of the vessel and connected by a cable to the deck device, and the GPS receiver connected by cable to the computer located in the room do not match. The difference in the coordinates of the GPS receiver and the modem requires an appropriate correction when determining the coordinates of underwater devices from the coordinates received from GPS. It is also necessary to synchronize the operation of an external GPS and a hydroacoustic modem of the control device. In the case of the deployment of a mobile point of contact with underwater devices, connecting an external GPS receiver to a computer requires time and is not always convenient, for example, when placing the computer in tight spaces of the vessel. When the GPS is connected to a computer with a temporary cable line, cable damage may occur during installation and operation.

The development of a new deck control device (UU) for sonar modems used for communication and control of underwater devices is required.

The technical result consists in simplifying the algorithms for determining the coordinates of underwater devices due to the coincidence of the coordinates of the GPS receiver installed in the deck control unit and the sonar modem connected to the controller of the deck control unit.

The problem is solved by a deck control device for sonar modems, including a controller connected to a wireless module and equipped with a port for connecting to a sonar modem, while the device is additionally equipped with a GPS receiver connected to the controller.

Unlike the prototype, the GPS receiver is connected not to an external computer, but to the controller of the deck control unit, whose coordinates coincide with the coordinates of the modem in the horizontal plane, which eliminates the need to make corrections for the difference in the coordinates of the modem and the GPS receiver.

In FIG. The structural diagram of the deck control device for sonar modems is shown, where 1 is a deck control device, 2 is a sonar modem, 3 is a controller, 4 is a wireless module, 5 is a GPS receiver, 6 is a computer.

The inventive device operates as follows.

The operator using a computer (6), using a wireless module (4), sends a command to the deck UU (1). This command is perceived by the controller (3), which transmits the received command via cable to the hydroacoustic modem (2) lowered into the water. The modem (2) establishes communication with the modems of the underwater devices via the sonar communication channel and determines the distance to them. Simultaneously with the transfer of the command to the modem (2), the controller (3) receives data on the coordinates of the deck control unit (1), which coincide with the coordinates of the modem in the horizontal plane from the GPS module (5). Next, the modem (2) transmits to the controller (3) the deck UU (1) information received from underwater devices and information about the distances to these devices. The deck UU (1) supplements this information with GPS data (5) and transfers it to a computer (6) through a wireless communication module (4), which displays all the data received for the operator or automatically processes them.

A specific hardware implementation of the claimed UE can be performed in various ways using currently known constituent elements. For example, a hydroacoustic station combined with an acoustic modem can be used as a modem (2), including two acoustic paths: the receiving measuring path of the station and the data transmission path of the acoustic modem, while the receiving path of the modem is combined with the receiving path of the station (Section RF No. 161978 U1).

The controller of the control device can be implemented on the Microchip PIC32MX795F512H microcontroller, the SIMTV SIMTV module can be used as the GPS receiver, and the RAK425 WiFi module manufactured by Shenzhen Rakwireless Technology Co., Ltd. as the GPS receiver. As a remote computer, any computer or smartphone with a WiFi interface can be used.

The inventive device was implemented and successfully tested in laboratory and field conditions in 2018 on the shelf of the Sea of Japan when determining the distances to anchored sonar bottom stations and managing them. A Huaiwei Honor smartphone was used as a remote computer.

Thus, the proposed deck control device solves the problem with the achievement of the claimed technical result by equipping the device with an integrated GPS receiver.

Claims (1)

Deck control device for sonar modems, including a controller connected to the wireless module, and equipped with a port for connecting via cable line to the sonar modem, characterized in that the device is additionally equipped with a GPS receiver connected to the controller.

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