Multiple autonomous underwater vehicle systems and methods

1 . A system for exploration of an underwater region, the system comprising:

a host platform; multiple surface vehicles; and multiple autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs, wherein

the host platform and the surface vehicles communicate via a first communications protocol, wherein the first communications protocol comprises a satellite protocol, and wherein

the surface vehicles and the AUVs communicate wirelessly via a second communications protocol, distinct from said first communications protocol, and wherein said host platform communicates with said AUVs via said surface vehicles, and wherein

aspects of said exploration comprise at least some of the AUVs using sonar to actively scan portions of said underwater region independent of the surface vehicles and the host platform, wherein

the surface vehicles communicate with the host platform via one or more of: direct radio frequency (RF) communication, RF through an Internet Protocol (IP) network, and/or satellite communication,

wherein at least some of said AUVs perform aspects of the exploration independent of locations of the host platform and the surface vehicles,

wherein the host platform sends control and/or command data to an AUV via a surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles, and

wherein, while performing aspects of the exploration, at least one AUV switches connection between a first surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles and a second surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles, wherein switching the connection comprises a hand off of the connection from the first surface vehicle to the second surface vehicle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the host platform comprises a host surface vehicle.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the host platform is stationary.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said exploration of said underwater region determines information about said underwater region.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein said information about said underwater region comprises one or more of: (i) mapping data of said underwater region; and/or (ii) information about objects in said underwater region; and/or (iii) physical and/or chemical oceanographic data of said underwater region; and/or (iv) information about objects in or around said underwater region.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein a particular surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles acts as a relay between (i) said host platform, and (ii) a particular AUV paired via a communication link with said particular surface vehicle.

7 . The system of claim 6 wherein said particular surface vehicle relays control and/or command data to said particular AUV.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein said particular surface vehicle relays control and/or command data to said particular AUV in real-time.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface vehicles are selected from: surface ships and/or surface structures, including buoys.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said exploration comprises mapping aspects of a floor of the underwater region.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein at least some of said AUVs further comprise a sub-bottom profiler, and wherein said mapping comprises characterizing an area below the surface of the floor of the underwater region.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a particular AUV performs aspects of the exploration independent of a surface vehicle to which said particular AUV is or has been paired or connected via a communications link.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a particular AUV of said AUVs performs aspects of said exploration according to a particular search regime for said particular AUV, wherein the particular search regime for the particular AUV covers exploration of a particular portion of said underwater region.

14 . The system of claim 1 wherein a particular AUV communicates via said second communications protocol with a particular surface vehicle with which the particular AUV is paired, and wherein the particular surface vehicle communicates via said first communications protocol with said host platform.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein an AUV sends certain data to said host platform via a surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles, wherein said certain data represents one or more of: (i) information about said underwater region, and/or (ii) information about said AUV.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the particular AUV is paired with the particular surface vehicle via a communication link.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one AUV performs aspects of said exploration independent of at least one other AUV.

18 . A system for exploration of an underwater region, the system comprising:

a host platform; multiple surface vehicles; and multiple autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs, wherein

the host platform and the surface vehicles communicate via a first communications protocol, wherein the first communications protocol comprises a satellite protocol, and wherein

the surface vehicles and the AUVs communicate wirelessly via a second communications protocol, distinct from said first communications protocol, and wherein said host platform communicates with said AUVs via said surface vehicles, and wherein

aspects of said exploration comprise at least some of the AUVs using sonar to actively scan portions of said underwater region independent of the surface vehicles and the host platform, wherein

the surface vehicles communicate with the host platform via one or more of: direct radio frequency (RF) communication, through an Internet Protocol (IP) network, and/or RF through an IP meshed network, and/or satellite communication, and wherein

wherein at least some of said AUVs perform aspects of the exploration independent of locations of the host platform and the surface vehicles,

wherein the host platform sends control and/or command data to an AUV via a surface vehicle,

wherein a particular surface vehicle acts as a relay between (i) said host platform, and (ii) a particular AUV paired via a communication link with said particular surface vehicle, wherein said particular surface vehicle relays control and/or command data to said particular AUV in real-time, and

wherein, while performing aspects of the exploration, at least one AUV switches connection between a first surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles and a second surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles, wherein switching the connection comprises a hand off of the connection from the first surface vehicle to the second surface vehicle, and

wherein a particular AUV performs aspects of the exploration independent of a surface vehicle to which said particular AUV is or has been paired or connected via a communications link.

19 . A system for exploration of an underwater region, the system comprising:

a host platform; multiple surface vehicles; and multiple autonomous underwater vehicles, AUVs, wherein

the host platform and the surface vehicles communicate via a first communications protocol, wherein the first communications protocol comprises a satellite protocol, and wherein

the surface vehicles and the AUVs communicate wirelessly via a second communications protocol, distinct from said first communications protocol, and wherein said host platform communicates with said AUVs via said surface vehicles, and wherein

aspects of said exploration comprise at least some of the AUVs using sonar to actively scan portions of said underwater region independent of the surface vehicles and the host platform, wherein

the surface vehicles communicate with the host platform via one or more of: direct radio frequency (RF) communication, RF through an Internet Protocol (IP) network, and/or satellite communication,

wherein at least some of said AUVs perform aspects of the exploration independent of locations of the host platform and the surface vehicles,

wherein the host platform sends control and/or command data to an AUV via a surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles, and

wherein, while performing aspects of the exploration, at least one AUV switches connection between a first surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles and a second surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles, wherein switching the connection comprises a hand off of the connection from the first surface vehicle to the second surface vehicle,

wherein said exploration of said underwater region determines information about said underwater region, wherein said information about said underwater region comprises one or more of: (i) mapping data of said underwater region; and/or (ii) information about objects in said underwater region; and/or (iii) physical and/or chemical oceanographic data of said underwater region; and/or (iv) information about objects in or around said underwater region,

wherein a particular surface vehicle of said multiple surface vehicles acts as a relay between (i) said host platform, and (ii) a particular AUV paired via a communication link with said particular surface vehicle,

wherein said particular surface vehicle relays control and/or command data to said particular AUV,

wherein a particular AUV performs aspects of the exploration independent of a surface vehicle to which said particular AUV is or has been paired or connected via a communications link,

wherein the particular AUV is paired with the particular surface vehicle via a communication link,

wherein at least one AUV performs aspects of said exploration independent of at least one other AUV,

wherein a particular AUV communicates via said second communications protocol with a particular surface vehicle with which the particular AUV is paired, and

wherein the particular surface vehicle communicates via said first communications protocol with said host platform.

20 . The system of claim 19 wherein the host platform is stationary.