IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,407,135
Granted Patent B2
US 10,407,135 · App. 15/184,701 · Granted Sep 10, 2019

Motion compensation for relative motion between an object connected to a vessel and an object in the water

Inventors: Rune Tønnessen (Oslo, NO); Torbjørn Ursin (Oslo, NO)
Assignee: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
B63B21/66G01V1/38B63B2027/165B63B2723/00B63G2008/008
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,407,135
App. No.
15/184,701
Granted
Sep 10, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to motion compensation between water-borne objects, and, more particularly, to synchronizing motion between a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and a docking station of a launch and recovery system (LARS). An exemplary method includes receiving a measurement corresponding to a particle motion in water surrounding an ROV and synchronizing motion of a docking station with a motion of the ROV based at least in part on the measurement corresponding to the particle motion.

Claims (41)

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a measurement of wave action in water surrounding a remotely operated vehicle;

subsequent to receiving the measurement, directing movement of the remotely operated vehicle to dock the remotely operated vehicle with a docking station;

synchronizing a motion of the docking station with a motion of the remotely operated vehicle based at least in part on the measurement; and

ceasing directed movement of the remotely operated vehicle while receiving the measurement.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motion of the remotely operated vehicle is in a vertical plane.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the measurement of the wave action using at least one sensor.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the measurement comprises at least one of:

measuring a motion of a predominantly neutrally buoyant device in the water; and

measuring a flow of the water with a Doppler sensor disposed on the docking station.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measurement comprises a measurement of the wave action at the surface of the water.

6. A system, comprising:

a remotely operated vehicle;

at least one wave motion sensor deployable in water and operable therein to determine a measurement of wave action in water surrounding the remotely operated vehicle; and

a launch and recovery system operable to synchronize a motion of a docking station with a motion of the remotely operated vehicle based at least in part on the measurement of the wave action.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the docking station comprises a tether management system.

8. The system of claim 6 , further comprising an acoustic positioning system operable to determine a position of the remotely operated vehicle.

9. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a motion recording unit operable to determine a position of the remotely operated vehicle.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one wave motion sensor is disposed on the remotely operated vehicle.

11. The system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one sensor operable to determine a position of the remotely operated vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor comprises:

at least one energy emitter; and

at least one energy receiver.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a mother vessel, wherein the at least one energy emitter and the at least one energy receiver are both disposed on the mother vessel.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a mother vessel, wherein the at least one energy emitter is disposed on the remotely operated vehicle and the at least one energy receiver is disposed on the mother vessel.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a mother vessel, wherein the at least one energy emitter is disposed on the mother vessel and the at least one energy receiver is disposed on the remotely operated vehicle.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one energy emitter is one of a speaker, an antenna, and a laser.

16. The system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one sensor operable to determine a position of the remotely operated vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a buoyant device.

17. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a buoyant device;

a non-buoyant device coupled to the buoyant device; and

at least one sensor operable to determine a position of the remotely operated vehicle, wherein the at least one sensor is disposed on the non-buoyant device.

18. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a Doppler sensor disposed on the docking station.

19. The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one wave motion sensor is operable to determine a measurement of the wave action at the surface of the water.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving a measurement of wave action in water surrounding a remotely operated vehicle;

synchronizing a motion of a docking station with a motion of the remotely operated vehicle based at least in part on the measurement; and

determining the measurement of the wave action using at least one sensor, wherein determining the measurement comprises measuring a motion of a predominantly neutrally buoyant device in the water.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the motion of the remotely operated vehicle is in a vertical plane.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein determining the measurement further comprises measuring a flow of the water with a Doppler sensor disposed on the docking station.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the measurement comprises a measurement of the wave action at the surface of the water.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2016
From: TØNNESSEN, RUNE; URSIN, TORBJØRN
To: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
Reel/Frame 039102/0481 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62185819 · Jun 29, 2015
Related Publication 20160375963A1 · Dec 29, 2016