Granted Patent B2

US 12,487,504 · App. 18/139,173 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Inventors: Matthew Stokes (Centennial, CO); Thomas Robert Swanson (Sunnyvale, CA); Harrison Pham (Sunnyvale, CA); Riva Gulassa (Sunnyvale, CA)

Assignee: TidalX AI Inc.

G03B17/08G01S5/0027G03B17/561H04N23/66H04N23/695A01K61/80G03B2217/002G03B2217/18

Abstract

Claims (67)

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a sensor manager of an underwater camera system that includes (i) a line on which the underwater camera system is mounted, the line detachably affixed to a feeder that provides feed for aquatic livestock, (ii) the sensor manager, (iii) one or more sensors that are managed by the sensor manager, (iv) a line navigation controller, and (v) a first actuator for controlling a distance between the feeder and the underwater camera system, to obtain sensor data using the one or more sensors;

obtaining, by the one or more sensors of the underwater camera system, the sensor data;

determining, by the line navigation controller, a distance of the underwater camera system from the feeder at which the underwater camera system is to be positioned beneath the feeder to obtain additional sensor data; and

transmitting, by the line navigation controller, a first message configured to instruct the first actuator to position the underwater camera system at the determined distance beneath the feeder.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on the sensor data.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising determining, based on the sensor data, a current distance between the underwater camera system and a feed pellet column dispersed by the feeder; and

wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on the current distance between the underwater camera system and the feed pellet column.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on a current vertical position of the underwater camera system and the sensor data.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 :

wherein the underwater camera system further includes: 1) a second actuator for controlling an amount and type of drag imparted by a drag mechanism of the underwater camera system, and 2) a drag mechanism controller; and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the drag mechanism controller of the underwater camera system, the amount and type of drag; and

transmitting, by the drag mechanism controller, a second message configured to instruct the second actuator to adjust at least one drag mechanism to create the amount and type of drag.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the amount and type of drag is determined based on one or more of the current vertical position of the underwater camera system, the current distance between the underwater camera system and the feed pellet column, and the sensor data.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 :

wherein the sensors of the underwater camera system are included in a rotation mechanism that is rotatable around the underwater camera system; and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the sensor manager, an amount and type of rotation; and

transmitting, by the sensor manager, a message to the rotation mechanism to rotate the rotation mechanism by the amount and type of rotation.

8 . An underwater camera system comprising:

a line on which the underwater camera system is mounted, wherein the line is detachably affixed to a feeder that provides feed for aquatic livestock;

a sensor manager,

one or more sensors that are managed by the sensor manager,

a line navigation controller,

a first actuator for controlling a distance between the feeder and the underwater camera system; and

one or more processors that are configured to:

determine to obtain sensor data using one or more of the sensors;

obtain the sensor data;

determine a distance of the underwater camera system from the feeder at which the underwater camera system is to be positioned beneath the feeder to obtain additional sensor data; and

transmit a first message configured to instruct the first actuator to position the underwater camera system at the determined distance beneath the feeder.

9 . The underwater camera system of claim 8 , wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on the sensor data.

10 . The underwater camera system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine, based on the sensor data, a current distance between the underwater camera system and a feed pellet column dispersed by the feeder; and

wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on the current distance between the underwater camera system and the feed pellet column.

11 . The underwater camera system of claim 10 , wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on a current vertical position of the underwater camera system and the sensor data.

12 . The underwater camera system of claim 11 , further comprising:

a second actuator for controlling an amount and type of drag of the underwater camera system;

at least one drag mechanism; and

a drag mechanism controller; and

wherein the drag mechanism controller is configured to:

determine the amount and type of drag; and

transmit a second message to the second actuator to adjust at least one drag mechanism to create the amount and type of drag.

13 . The underwater camera system of claim 12 , wherein the amount and type of drag is determined based on one or more of the current vertical position of the underwater camera system, the current distance between the underwater camera system and the feed pellet column, and the sensor data.

14 . The underwater camera system of claim 8 :

wherein the sensors of the underwater camera system are included in a rotation mechanism that is rotatable around the underwater camera system; and

wherein the sensor manager is configured to:

determine an amount and type of rotation; and

transmit a message to the rotation mechanism to rotate the rotation mechanism by the amount and type of rotation.

15 . One or more non-transitory computer storage media encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

determining, by a sensor manager of an underwater camera system that includes (i) a line on which the underwater camera system is mounted, the line detachably affixed to a feeder that provides feed for aquatic livestock, (ii) the sensor manager, (iii) one or more sensors that are managed by the sensor manager, (iv) a line navigation controller, and (v) a first actuator for controlling a distance between the feeder and the underwater camera system, to obtain sensor data using the one or more sensors;

obtaining, by the one or more sensors of the underwater camera system, the sensor data;

determining, by the line navigation controller, a distance of the underwater camera system from the feeder at which the underwater camera system is to be positioned beneath the feeder to obtain additional sensor data; and

transmitting, by the line navigation controller, a first message configured to instruct the first actuator to position the underwater camera system at the determined distance beneath the feeder.

16 . The media of claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise determining, based on the sensor data, a current distance between the underwater camera system and a feed pellet column dispersed by the feeder; and

wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on the current distance between the underwater camera system and the feed pellet column.

17 . The media of claim 16 , wherein the distance to position the underwater camera system beneath the feeder is determined based at least in part on a current vertical position of the underwater camera system and the sensor data.

18 . The media of claim 17 :

wherein the underwater camera system further includes: 1) a second actuator for controlling an amount and type of drag imparted by a drag mechanism of the underwater camera system, and 2) a drag mechanism controller; and

wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, by the drag mechanism controller of the underwater camera system, the amount and type of drag; and

transmitting, by the drag mechanism controller, a second message to the second actuator to adjust at least one drag mechanism to create the amount and type of drag.

19 . The media of claim 18 , wherein the amount and type of drag is determined based on one or more of the current vertical position of the underwater camera system, the current distance between the underwater camera system and the feed pellet column, and the sensor data.

20 . The media of claim 15 :

wherein the sensors of the underwater camera system are included in a rotation mechanism that is rotatable around the underwater camera system; and

wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the sensor manager, an amount and type of rotation; and

transmitting, by the sensor manager, a message to the rotation mechanism to rotate the rotation mechanism by the amount and type of rotation.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (49)