JP7706752B2 - Monitoring method, monitoring program, and monitoring system for underwater vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a monitoring method, a monitoring program, and a monitoring system for an underwater vehicle that monitors the underwater vehicle based on its behavior history.

When an underwater vehicle is deployed in a survey area of the ocean, lakes, or other waters to conduct a bottom survey, the underwater vehicle is controlled by a vessel or other surface vessel equipped with control equipment.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a navigation management device that includes an acoustic communication device that is mounted on a surface vehicle and transmits and receives information between the surface vehicle and the underwater vehicle via acoustic communication; an acoustic positioning device that measures the position of the underwater vehicle by acoustic positioning; a memory unit that serves as a position information holding unit that holds position information of the underwater vehicle calculated from the acoustic positioning results of the underwater vehicle by the acoustic positioning device; a course determination unit that predicts the movement path of the underwater vehicle from the position information of the underwater vehicle held in the position information holding unit and determines the course of the surface vehicle so as to enable acoustic communication with the underwater vehicle moving along that movement path; and a processing unit that functions as a navigation control unit that causes the surface vehicle to sail along the course determined by the course determination unit.
Patent Document 2 also discloses a method for correcting a detected position of an underwater vehicle, in which a position correction route consisting of a latitude detection route and a longitude detection route that intersect with each other is set on a route given to the underwater vehicle in advance, the underwater vehicle continuously navigates along the latitude detection route and the longitude detection route based on a position detected by inertial navigation, the relative position of the underwater vehicle and a support ship while traveling along the position correction route is acoustically determined, the latitude and longitude along which the underwater vehicle actually navigated are determined based on the position determined for the support ship and the acoustically determined relative position, the deviation between the latitude and longitude along which the underwater vehicle actually navigated and the position correction route is determined, and this deviation is given to the underwater vehicle to correct its detected position.
Patent Document 3 also discloses a position calibration method for an underwater vehicle in which, when the inertial navigation position has no accumulated error and is highly accurate, the underwater vehicle is made to sail along update routes in the latitudinal and longitudinal directions while acoustic positioning is performed from a support ship, a representative value of the latitude component of the obtained acoustic positioning position is set as the latitudinal reference value, and a representative value of the longitude component of the acoustic positioning position is set as the longitude reference value, and the underwater vehicle, which has accumulated error in its inertial navigation position, is then made to sail again along each of the position update routes in the latitudinal and longitudinal directions, and at this time, the representative value of the latitudinal and longitude components of the acoustic positioning position obtained by acoustic positioning from the support ship are compared with the respective reference values in the latitudinal and longitude directions to determine the deviation in the latitudinal and longitude directions, and the inertial navigation position of the underwater vehicle is calibrated using this deviation.
Patent Document 4 also discloses a method for calibrating the position of an underwater vehicle, in which the underwater vehicle is held at a fixed position or touches the bottom to stop changes in its position relative to the seabed, and in this state, acoustic positioning is performed multiple times from the support ship, and the average of the latitudinal and longitudinal directions of each measurement result is calculated to determine an acoustic positioning position with statistically correct latitude and longitude for the underwater vehicle, and positioning is performed based on inertial navigation by the underwater vehicle itself, and the latitude and longitude are compared with the latitude and longitude of the acoustic positioning position to determine the deviations in the latitudinal and longitudinal directions, respectively, and the latitude and longitude data based on inertial navigation by the underwater vehicle itself is calibrated using the deviations in the latitudinal and longitudinal directions calculated, and further, the support ship is kept near the vertical line of the underwater vehicle stopped near the bottom during acoustic positioning, thereby improving the accuracy of acoustic positioning.

JP 2017-165332 A JP 2006-313087 A JP 2011-163929 A JP 2011-163930 A

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a conventional control of an underwater vehicle. When the underwater vehicle 200 is an AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, an unmanned and untethered robot that autonomously navigates), the mother ship 100 uses acoustic communication to check the status and acoustic positioning to check the position. However, due to the physical constraints of using sound waves, these must be performed at intervals of several to several tens of seconds, and as shown in FIG. 8, only sparse point information can be obtained at the moment when communication and positioning are performed. For this reason, in the past, detailed navigation path (wake) of the underwater vehicle 200 could not be obtained during operation, and the information could only be obtained by collecting logs from the salvaged underwater vehicle 200 and analyzing them in detail. In this way, the conventional control is limited to obtaining point information of the position coordinates of the underwater vehicle 200 at the timing of communication and positioning, but this does not allow detection of abnormal behavior of the AUV or determination of whether pinpoint observation points have been observed, and therefore control of the AUV cannot be said to be complete.
In addition, Patent Document 1 describes how the surface vehicle acquires position information of the underwater vehicle based on its relative position with the underwater vehicle and its own absolute position, and provides it to the underwater vehicle, and how the underwater vehicle calibrates its own position using the provided position information, but it does not correct the behavioral history acquired from the underwater vehicle to reproduce the correct behavioral history during operation.
In addition, in Patent Document 2, when the underwater vehicle deviates from the position correction route, a correction value is transmitted from the support vessel to the underwater vehicle, and the underwater vehicle corrects its own position based on the correction value, but it does not correct the behavioral history obtained from the underwater vehicle to reproduce the correct behavioral history during operation.
In addition, Patent Document 3 calibrates the inertial navigation position of an underwater vehicle by utilizing a preset update route, but does not correct the behavioral history obtained from the underwater vehicle to reproduce the correct behavioral history during operation.
In addition, Patent Document 4 calibrates the inertial navigation position of an underwater vehicle based on an acoustic measurement position obtained by measuring the position of the stopped underwater vehicle from a support vessel, but does not correct the behavioral history obtained from the underwater vehicle to reproduce the correct behavioral history during operation.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring method, monitoring program, and monitoring system for an underwater vehicle that enables more advanced control of the underwater vehicle when the submerged vehicle is controlled through communications and acoustic positioning.

A monitoring method for an underwater vehicle corresponding to the method described in claim 1 is a monitoring method for monitoring an underwater vehicle based on its behavioral history, and is characterized in that it includes a behavioral history acquisition step of acquiring the behavioral history including the navigation route obtained by the underwater vehicle via a communication means based on a predetermined period or an instruction signal, a positioning information acquisition step of measuring the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle using an acoustic positioning device and acquiring positioning information, a behavioral history reproduction step of comparing the behavioral history and the positioning information at the same time and correcting the behavioral history based on the positioning information to reproduce the correct behavioral history, and a monitoring information provision step of providing the reproduced correct behavioral history for monitoring the underwater vehicle.
According to the present invention as described in claim 1, a correct behavior history including the position of the underwater vehicle between positioning points based on a predetermined period or instruction signal can be reproduced on the spot during operation from the behavior history obtained by communication and the positioning information obtained by acoustic positioning, and the correct behavior history can be provided to the operator in quasi-real time.Therefore, the operator can monitor the underwater vehicle based on the correct behavior history provided and perform more advanced control of the underwater vehicle, such as predicting breakdowns etc. by detecting abnormal behavior and determining deviations from the set navigation route.

The present invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the behavioral history reproduction step, the three-dimensional position at the time of communication by the communication means is compared with the self-location estimation result at the same time as the communication time from the acquired behavioral history, and the behavioral history is corrected by estimating the change over time of the error between the three-dimensional position and the self-location estimation result to reproduce the track as the correct behavioral history.
According to the present invention as defined in claim 2, the movement history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points can be accurately reproduced as a wake by estimating the time change of the error.

The present invention as described in claim 3 is characterized in that in the behavioral history reproduction step, when correcting the behavioral history, the position estimation results obtained by comparing the water depth data obtained by the underwater vehicle with known bottom topography maps are utilized.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 3, the movement history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points can be accurately reproduced by taking into account the position estimation results obtained by comparing the water depth data with a bathymetry map.

The present invention as described in claim 4 is characterized in that the time change of the error estimated in the behavioral history reproduction step is accumulated, and the error accumulation in the underwater vehicle is predicted, and in the event of a missing positioning information or erroneous detection of the positioning information acquired in the positioning information acquisition step, the predicted result of the error accumulation is used as a substitute for the positioning information.
According to the present invention described in claim 4, even if positioning information is missing or erroneously detected, if the behavioral history can be obtained through communication, the current error accumulation can be predicted from the time change in the error accumulated up to that point, and the predicted result can be used instead of the positioning information to reproduce the behavioral history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points on the spot during operation.

The present invention as set forth in claim 5 is characterized in that the communication means is an acoustic communication system, and the communication means also functions as an acoustic positioning device to determine the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle.
According to the present invention as defined in claim 5, since acoustic positioning can also be performed by the communication means, installation space, costs, etc. can be reduced.

The present invention as recited in claim 6 is characterized in that, when there are multiple underwater vehicles, in the behavior history acquisition step, the behavior histories of the multiple underwater vehicles aggregated to any one of the underwater vehicles are acquired collectively.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 6, when a plurality of underwater vehicles are monitored, the collected behavioral histories of any of the underwater vehicles can be efficiently acquired collectively.

The present invention as set forth in claim 7 is characterized in that when the behavior history of an arbitrary underwater vehicle is collected, the relative distance between the arbitrary underwater vehicle and other underwater vehicles is also collected.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 7, since the calculation can be simplified by using relative distance when determining the position coordinates of the underwater vehicle, the movement history between the positioning points of multiple underwater vehicles can be reproduced more quickly. Furthermore, by using relative distance instead of absolute coordinates when dealing with multiple underwater vehicles, the number of digits can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of communication.

The present invention as recited in claim 8 is characterized in that, when there are multiple underwater vehicles, it further comprises an underwater vehicle setting step in which the monitoring side sets the underwater vehicle from which the behavior history and positioning information is to be obtained.
According to the present invention as described in claim 8, by setting from the monitoring side which underwater vehicle that acquires behavior history and positioning information from among a plurality of underwater vehicles, the amount of processing can be reduced and the behavior history between positioning points can be quickly reproduced for underwater vehicles that require more intensive monitoring or that are difficult to monitor.

The present invention as described in claim 9 is characterized in that it further includes an action history content determination step in which the content of the action history including the navigation route acquired in the action history acquisition step is instructed by the side monitoring the underwater vehicle or set in advance in the underwater vehicle.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 9, the content of the behavior history to be acquired can be appropriately instructed or set by the monitoring side according to the situation, so that the content to be acquired as behavior history can be accurately set in the underwater vehicle.

A monitoring program for an underwater vehicle corresponding to the one described in claim 10 is a monitoring program for monitoring the underwater vehicle based on its behavioral history, and is characterized in that it causes a computer to execute a positioning information acquisition step, a behavioral history acquisition step, a behavioral history reproduction step, and a monitoring information provision step in a monitoring method for an underwater vehicle.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 10, a monitoring method for an underwater vehicle can be executed accurately and quickly, and a reproduced correct behavior history can be provided to an operator monitoring the underwater vehicle in quasi-real time.

The present invention as defined in claim 11 is characterized in that the computer is made to accept the settings of the underwater vehicle in the underwater vehicle setting step as input information to the computer.
According to the present invention as described in claim 11, by setting from the monitoring side which underwater vehicles obtain behavioral history and positioning information from among a plurality of underwater vehicles, the amount of processing can be reduced and the behavioral history between positioning points can be quickly reproduced for underwater vehicles that require more intensive monitoring or that are difficult to monitor.

The present invention as described in claim 12 is characterized in that the computer accepts instructions from the monitoring side regarding the content of the behavior history in the behavior history content determination step, or pre-settings for the underwater vehicle, as input information to the computer.
According to the present invention as described in claim 12, the content of the behavior history to be acquired can be appropriately instructed or set by the monitoring side according to the situation, so that the content to be acquired as behavior history can be accurately set in the underwater vehicle.

A monitoring system for an underwater vehicle corresponding to the one described in claim 13 is a monitoring system that monitors the underwater vehicle based on its behavioral history, and is characterized in that it comprises a behavioral history acquisition means that acquires the behavioral history including the navigation route obtained by the underwater vehicle via a communication means based on a predetermined period or an instruction signal, a positioning information acquisition means that acquires positioning information obtained by positioning the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle using an acoustic positioning device, a behavioral history reproducing means that compares the behavioral history and the positioning information at the same time and corrects the behavioral history based on the positioning information to reproduce the correct behavioral history, and a monitoring information providing means that provides the reproduced correct behavioral history for monitoring the underwater vehicle.
According to the present invention as described in claim 13, a correct behavior history including the position of the underwater vehicle between positioning points based on a predetermined period or instruction signal can be reproduced on the spot during operation from the behavior history obtained by communication and the positioning information obtained by acoustic positioning, and the correct behavior history can be provided to the operator in quasi-real time.Therefore, the operator can monitor the underwater vehicle based on the correct behavior history provided and perform more advanced control of the underwater vehicle, such as predicting breakdowns etc. by detecting abnormal behavior and determining deviations from a set navigation route.

The present invention as described in claim 14 is characterized in that the behavioral history reproduction means compares the three-dimensional position at the time of communication by the communication means with the self-location estimation result at the same time as the communication time from the acquired behavioral history, and corrects the behavioral history by estimating the change over time of the error between the three-dimensional position and the self-location estimation result to reproduce the track as a correct behavioral history.
According to the fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the movement history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points can be accurately reproduced as a wake by estimating the time change of the error.

The present invention as described in claim 15 is characterized in that in the behavioral history reproduction means, when correcting the behavioral history, the position estimation result obtained by comparing the water depth data obtained by a depth meter installed in the underwater vehicle with a known bottom topography map by a topography comparison means is utilized.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 15, the movement history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points can be accurately reproduced by taking into account the position estimation results obtained by comparing the water depth data with a bathymetry map.

The present invention as described in claim 16 is characterized in that in the behavior history reproduction means, the estimated change in error over time is accumulated and a prediction of error accumulation in the underwater vehicle is made, and in the event of a loss of positioning information acquired by the behavior history acquisition means or a false detection, the predicted result of error accumulation is used as a substitute for positioning information.
According to the present invention described in claim 16, even if positioning information is missing or erroneously detected, if the behavioral history can be obtained through communication, the current error accumulation can be predicted from the time change in the error accumulated up to that point, and the predicted result can be used instead of the positioning information to reproduce the behavioral history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points on the spot during operation.

The present invention as set forth in claim 17 is characterized in that the communication means is an acoustic communication system, and the communication means also functions as an acoustic positioning device to determine the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle.
According to the seventeenth aspect of the present invention, since acoustic positioning can also be performed by the communication means, installation space, costs, etc. can be reduced.

The present invention as described in claim 18 is characterized in that it has a plurality of underwater vehicles, and an action history acquisition means collectively acquires the action history of the plurality of underwater vehicles aggregated on any one of the underwater vehicles via intercommunication means provided on each of the plurality of underwater vehicles.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 18, when a plurality of underwater vehicles are monitored, the collected behavioral histories of any of the underwater vehicles can be efficiently acquired collectively.

The present invention as described in claim 19 is characterized in that when aggregating the behavior history of other underwater vehicles for any underwater vehicle, the relative distance between the any underwater vehicle and the other underwater vehicles is also aggregated via mutual communication means.
According to the present invention as set forth in claim 19, since calculations can be simplified by using relative distances when determining the position coordinates of the underwater vehicle, the movement history between the positioning points of multiple underwater vehicles can be reproduced more quickly. Furthermore, by using relative distances instead of absolute coordinates when dealing with multiple underwater vehicles, the number of digits can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of communication.

The present invention as set forth in claim 20 is characterized in that it has a plurality of underwater vehicles, and further comprises an underwater vehicle setting means for setting, from the monitoring side, the underwater vehicle for acquiring the behavior history and positioning information.
According to the present invention as described in claim 20, by setting from the monitoring side which acquires the behavior history and positioning information of an underwater vehicle from among a plurality of underwater vehicles, the amount of processing can be reduced and the behavior history between positioning points can be quickly reproduced for underwater vehicles which require more intensive monitoring or which are difficult to monitor.

The present invention as described in claim 21 is characterized in that it further comprises an instruction means for instructing from the side monitoring the underwater vehicle the contents of the behavior history including the navigation route acquired by the behavior history acquisition means, or a setting means for setting the contents in advance in the underwater vehicle.
According to the present invention as described in claim 21, the content of the behavior history to be acquired can be appropriately instructed or set by the monitoring side according to the situation, so that the content to be acquired as behavior history can be accurately set in the underwater vehicle.

According to the underwater vehicle monitoring method of the present invention, the correct behavior history, including the position of the underwater vehicle between positioning points based on a specified period or instruction signal, can be reproduced on the spot during operation from the behavior history acquired by communication and the positioning information obtained by acoustic positioning, and the correct behavior history can be provided to the operator in quasi-real time. This allows the operator to monitor the underwater vehicle based on the correct behavior history provided, and to perform more advanced control of the underwater vehicle, such as predicting malfunctions or the like by detecting abnormal behavior and determining deviations from a set navigation route.

In addition, in the behavior history reproduction step, the three-dimensional position at the time of communication by the communication means is compared with the self-location estimation result at the same time as the communication in the acquired behavior history, and the time change in error between the three-dimensional position and the self-location estimation result is estimated. In this way, when the behavior history is corrected to reproduce the track as the correct behavior history, the behavior history of the underwater vehicle between the positioning points can be reproduced accurately as a track by estimating the time change in error.

In addition, in the behavioral history reproduction step, when correcting the behavioral history, if the position estimation result obtained by comparing the depth data obtained by the underwater vehicle with a known bathymetry map is used, the behavioral history of the underwater vehicle between the positioning points can be accurately reproduced by taking into account the position estimation result obtained by comparing the depth data with the bathymetry map.

In addition, if the time change in error estimated in the behavior history reproduction step is accumulated and a prediction of error accumulation in the underwater vehicle is made, and if the positioning information acquired in the positioning information acquisition step is missing or erroneously detected, the predicted error accumulation result is used as a substitute for the positioning information, then even if the positioning information is missing or erroneously detected, as long as the behavior history can be acquired via communication, the current error accumulation can be predicted from the time change in error accumulated up to that point, and the predicted result can be used instead of the positioning information to reproduce the behavior history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points on the spot during operation.

In addition, if the communication means is an acoustic communication method and also serves as an acoustic positioning device to determine the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle, the communication means can also perform acoustic positioning, thereby reducing installation space and costs, etc.

In addition, when there are multiple underwater vehicles, if the behavior histories of the multiple underwater vehicles aggregated in any one of the underwater vehicles are acquired collectively in the behavior history acquisition step, it is possible to efficiently acquire the behavior histories aggregated in any one of the underwater vehicles collectively when there are multiple underwater vehicles to be monitored.

In addition, when aggregating the behavioral history of an arbitrary underwater vehicle, if the relative distance between the arbitrary underwater vehicle and other underwater vehicles is also aggregated, the calculation can be simplified by using the relative distance when calculating the position coordinates of the underwater vehicle, so that the behavioral history between the positioning points of multiple underwater vehicles can be reproduced more quickly. In addition, by using relative distance instead of absolute coordinates when dealing with multiple underwater vehicles, the number of digits can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of communication.

In addition, when there are multiple underwater vehicles, if there is an additional underwater vehicle setting step in which the monitoring side sets the underwater vehicle from which the behavior history and positioning information is to be obtained, the monitoring side can set the underwater vehicle from which the behavior history and positioning information is to be obtained from among the multiple underwater vehicles, thereby reducing the amount of processing and quickly reproducing the behavior history between positioning points for underwater vehicles that require more intensive monitoring or are difficult to monitor.

In addition, if there is a further step of determining the behavior history content in which the content of the behavior history including the navigation route acquired in the behavior history acquisition step is instructed by the side monitoring the underwater vehicle or is set in advance in the underwater vehicle, the content of the behavior history to be acquired can be appropriately instructed or set by the side monitoring according to the situation, so that the content to be acquired as the behavior history can be accurately set in the underwater vehicle.

In addition, the underwater vehicle monitoring program of the present invention can accurately and quickly execute the underwater vehicle monitoring method, and provide the operator monitoring the underwater vehicle with a reproduced and correct behavioral history in quasi-real time.

In addition, when the computer is made to accept the underwater vehicle settings in the underwater vehicle setting step as input information to the computer, the settings can be made from the side monitoring the underwater vehicle from among multiple underwater vehicles to obtain the operation history and positioning information, thereby reducing the amount of processing and enabling the operation history between positioning points to be quickly reproduced for underwater vehicles that require more intensive monitoring or are difficult to monitor.

In addition, if the computer is made to accept instructions from the monitoring side regarding the content of the behavior history in the behavior history content determination step, or pre-settings for the underwater vehicle as input information to the computer, the monitoring side can give appropriate instructions or settings for the content of the behavior history to be acquired according to the situation, so that the content to be acquired as the behavior history can be accurately set for the underwater vehicle.

In addition, according to the underwater vehicle monitoring system of the present invention, the correct behavior history, including the position of the underwater vehicle between positioning points based on a specified period or instruction signal, can be reproduced on the spot during operation from the behavior history acquired by communication and the positioning information obtained by acoustic positioning, and the correct behavior history can be provided to the operator in quasi-real time. This allows the operator to monitor the underwater vehicle based on the correct behavior history provided, and to perform more advanced control of the underwater vehicle, such as predicting malfunctions and other problems by detecting abnormal behavior and determining deviations from a set navigation route.

The behavior history reproduction means compares the three-dimensional position at the time of communication by the communication means with the self-location estimation result at the same time as the communication in the acquired behavior history, and estimates the change over time of the error between the three-dimensional position and the self-location estimation result. When correcting the behavior history to reproduce a track as a correct behavior history, the behavior history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points can be accurately reproduced as a track by estimating the change over time of the error.

In addition, when the behavioral history reproduction means uses the position estimation result obtained by comparing the depth data obtained by the depth gauge installed in the underwater vehicle with a known bathymetry map by the topography comparison means to correct the behavioral history, the behavioral history of the underwater vehicle between the positioning points can be accurately reproduced by taking into account the position estimation result obtained by comparing the depth data with the bathymetry map.

In addition, in the behavior history reproduction means, the estimated change in error over time is accumulated, and the error accumulation in the underwater vehicle is predicted. In the event that the positioning information acquired by the behavior history acquisition means is missing or erroneously detected, the predicted error accumulation result is used as a substitute for the positioning information. Even if the positioning information is missing or erroneously detected, if the behavior history can be acquired by communication, the current error accumulation can be predicted from the change in error over time accumulated up to that point, and the predicted result can be used instead of the positioning information to reproduce the behavior history of the underwater vehicle between positioning points on the spot during operation.

In addition, if the communication means is an acoustic communication system and also serves as an acoustic positioning device to determine the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle, the communication means can also perform acoustic positioning, thereby reducing installation space and costs, etc.

In addition, if there are multiple underwater vehicles and the behavior history acquisition means acquires the behavior history of the multiple underwater vehicles aggregated in any of the multiple underwater vehicles collectively via the intercommunication means provided in each of the multiple underwater vehicles, it is possible to efficiently acquire the behavior history aggregated in any of the underwater vehicles collectively when there are multiple underwater vehicles to monitor.

In addition, when an arbitrary underwater vehicle aggregates the movement history of other underwater vehicles, if the relative distance between the arbitrary underwater vehicle and other underwater vehicles is also aggregated via a mutual communication means, the calculation can be simplified by using the relative distance when determining the position coordinates of the underwater vehicle, so that the movement history between the positioning points of multiple underwater vehicles can be reproduced more quickly. Furthermore, by using relative distance instead of absolute coordinates when dealing with multiple underwater vehicles, the number of digits can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of communication.

In addition, if there are multiple underwater vehicles and the monitoring side is further equipped with an underwater vehicle setting means for setting the underwater vehicle from which the behavior history and positioning information is to be obtained, the monitoring side can set the underwater vehicle from which the behavior history and positioning information is to be obtained from among the multiple underwater vehicles, thereby reducing the amount of processing and quickly reproducing the behavior history between positioning points for underwater vehicles that require more intensive monitoring or are difficult to monitor.

In addition, if the underwater vehicle is further provided with an instruction means for instructing the underwater vehicle from the side monitoring the vehicle on the contents of the behavior history including the navigation route acquired by the behavior history acquisition means, or a setting means for setting the contents in advance in the underwater vehicle, the monitoring side can appropriately instruct or set the contents of the acquired behavior history according to the situation, thereby allowing the contents acquired as behavior history to be accurately set in the underwater vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for monitoring an underwater vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. A functional block diagram showing the monitoring system for the underwater vehicle by means of implementing functions. Schematic diagram showing the reconstruction of behavioral history by the correction A schematic diagram showing the reconstruction of behavioral history by correcting the error using the estimated time change FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a monitoring method for an underwater vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention. A functional block diagram showing the monitoring system for the underwater vehicle by means of implementing functions. A schematic diagram showing how the movement histories of multiple underwater vehicles are acquired together and then reproduced through correction. Schematic diagram of conventional control for underwater vehicles

A monitoring method, a monitoring program, and a monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a monitoring method for an underwater vehicle, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a monitoring system for an underwater vehicle in terms of function realization means.
Figure 2 shows a state in which multiple underwater vehicles 20, which have been loaded onto a mother ship 10 and transported to a survey area such as the ocean, lakes, and ponds, are deployed into the survey area and explore the bottom of the water to explore for mineral resources, energy resources, and the like.
The mother ship 10 uses acoustic signals to control the underwater vehicle 20, which explores the bottom of the water where radio waves cannot reach. The mother ship 10 is equipped with a communication means 11 on the mother ship 10 side, an acoustic positioning device 12, and a monitoring system for the underwater vehicle. The monitoring system includes a computer 30 having the functions of an action history acquisition means 31, a positioning information acquisition means 32, an action history reproduction means 33, and a monitoring information provision means 34.
The underwater vehicle 20 is an AUV or the like, and is equipped with a communication means 21 on the underwater vehicle 20 side, an action history recording device 22 that records the action history of the underwater vehicle 20, and a depth gauge 23.
The behavioral history recorded in the behavioral history recording device 22 is information obtained during the navigation of the underwater vehicle 20, such as the navigation route (including direction and attitude) based on self-position estimation by the inertial navigation system (INS), control signals during navigation (e.g., propulsion speed), and environmental information about the water and the bottom (e.g., topographical information) collected by sensors, etc., and water depth data obtained by the depth meter 23.

1 , the behavior history acquisition means 31 acquires the behavior history transmitted from the underwater vehicle 20 to the mother ship 10 at a predetermined cycle. When an action history acquisition operation is performed by the operator, an instruction signal is transmitted from the communication means 11 to the underwater vehicle 20 to instruct the underwater vehicle 20 to transmit the action history.
The underwater vehicle 20 transmits its behavior history, including the navigation route recorded in the behavior history recording device 22, from the communication means 21 to the mother ship 10 at a predetermined period or based on an instruction signal transmitted from the communication means 11.
Thus, in the behavior history acquisition step S1, the behavior history acquisition means 31 acquires the behavior history including the navigation route obtained by the underwater vehicle 20 via the communication means 11, 21 based on a predetermined period or an instruction signal. The behavior history acquisition means 31 transmits the acquired behavior history to the behavior history reproduction means 33.

In the positioning information acquisition step S2, the positioning information acquisition means 32 acquires positioning information obtained by positioning the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle 20 using the acoustic positioning device 12. The positioning information includes positioning coordinates. The positioning of the underwater vehicle 20 by the acoustic positioning device 12 is performed at intervals of several seconds to several tens of seconds, and in this embodiment, the positioning of the underwater vehicle 20 is performed when communicating the action history. The positioning information acquisition means 32 transmits the acquired positioning information to the action history reproduction means 33.
The positioning method of the acoustic positioning device 12 is, for example, the SBL (Short Base Line) method or the SSBL (Super Short Base Line) method. Both the SBL method and the SSBL method are the same in that sound is transmitted back and forth between the mother ship 10 and the underwater vehicle 20 to determine the relative position from the mother ship 10, and the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle 20 is determined by detecting the direction of arrival of the sound waves and the distance. The difference between the SBL method and the SSBL method is determined by the size of the device, but since the principle of positioning is the same, the SSBL method is sometimes called the SBL method.

In the behavior history reproduction step S3, the behavior history reproduction means 33 compares the behavior history and the positioning information at the same time, corrects the behavior history based on the positioning information, and reproduces the correct behavior history.
Here, Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing reproduction of an action history by correction. The dotted line in Fig. 3 indicates a navigation route based on the self-location estimation result, and the solid line indicates a correct track reproduced by correction. The action history is corrected to reproduce the correct action history between the positioning points from the difference between the positioning coordinates at the time of action history communication and the self-location estimation at the same time in the acquired action history. The action history reproduction means 33 transmits the reproduced correct action history to the monitoring information provision means 34.

In the behavior history reproduction step S3, the behavior history reproduction means 33 preferably compares the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle 20 determined during communication by the communication means 11, 21 with the self-location estimation result at the same time as the communication time from the acquired behavior history, and estimates the time change of the error between the three-dimensional position and the self-location estimation result, thereby correcting the behavior history and reproducing the track as the correct behavior history. This makes it possible to accurately reproduce the behavior history of the underwater vehicle 20 between the positioning points as a track by estimating the time change of the error.
Here, Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing reproduction of a behavior history by correction using an estimation of the time change of the error. The dotted line in Fig. 4 shows the navigation route based on the self-location estimation, and the solid line shows the correct track reproduced by correction. By comparing the positioning coordinates at the time of behavior history communication with the self-location estimation at the same time in the acquired behavior history, the time change of the error between the self-location estimation and the positioning coordinates is estimated, and the behavior history is corrected to reproduce the correct track between the positioning coordinates (inter-positioning track).
The correct behavioral history is reproduced by correcting the position, orientation, attitude, etc. included in the behavioral history acquired by the behavioral history acquisition means 31 against the positioning information acquired by the positioning information acquisition means 32 to obtain the correct position, orientation, attitude, etc., and then reproducing the track as the correct behavioral history by connecting the points for each time when acoustic positioning was performed based on this correct position, orientation, attitude, etc. Furthermore, based on the correct position, orientation, attitude, etc., it is also possible to reproduce the control signal and environmental information under the correct conditions.

The behavior history reproduction means 33 has a function of accumulating the time change of the error estimated in the behavior history reproduction step S3 in a storage means (not shown), and performing statistical processing on the accumulated result of the time change of the error to predict the error accumulation of the self-position estimation result of the underwater vehicle 20. Then, when there is a lack of positioning information or erroneous detection in the positioning information acquisition step S2, the behavior history reproduction means 33 substitutes the predicted result of the error accumulation for the positioning information.
As a result, even if the positioning information is missing or erroneously detected, as long as the behavior history can be acquired through communication, the current error accumulation can be predicted from the time change of the error accumulated up to that point, and the prediction result can be used instead of the positioning information to reproduce the behavior history of the underwater vehicle 20 between the positioning points on the spot during operation. Note that the missing positioning information also includes the absence of positioning information.

In the monitoring information provision step S4, the monitoring information provision means 34 provides the operator of the underwater vehicle 20 with the reproduced correct behavior history for monitoring the underwater vehicle 20. The monitoring information provision means 34 provides the correct behavior history by displaying it on a monitor, printing it on a specified form, or outputting it in a storable electronic file format.

In this way, a correct behavior history including the position of the underwater vehicle 20 between positioning points based on a predetermined period or instruction signal can be reproduced on the spot during operation from the behavior history acquired by communication and the positioning information obtained by acoustic positioning, and the correct behavior history can be provided to the operator in quasi-real time, so that the operator can monitor the underwater vehicle 20 based on the correct behavior history provided, and perform more advanced control of the underwater vehicle 20, such as predicting failures and the like due to detection of abnormal behavior and judging deviation from a set navigation route. Conventionally, for example, measures against measurement omissions have been taken to judge deviation from a set navigation route by setting a course that makes the underwater vehicle 20 pass a pinpoint observation point several times just in case, but the present invention makes it possible to respond by issuing an instruction for re-observation when it is judged that the underwater vehicle has deviated from the target, which can be useful for improving the operational efficiency of the underwater vehicle 20.
Furthermore, rather than correcting the entire navigation route contained in the behavioral history obtained from the underwater vehicle 20 by sliding it with a uniquely assigned value, the correct behavioral history is reproduced by making fine corrections that match the span in which communication and positioning were performed, thereby making it possible to reproduce the track more accurately.

Next, a monitoring method, a monitoring program, and a monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same means as those in the above-mentioned embodiment will be given the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.
Figure 5 is a flow chart of a monitoring method for an underwater vehicle, Figure 6 is a functional block diagram showing the monitoring system for an underwater vehicle in terms of functional realization means, and Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing how the behavioral histories of multiple underwater vehicles are acquired collectively and reproduced by correction.
The monitoring system of this embodiment further comprises an underwater vehicle setting means 13, an instruction means 14, and a setting means 15 in the mother ship 10, and further comprises an intercommunication means 24 and a terrain matching means 25 in the underwater vehicle 20. Note that the terrain matching means 25 is mounted on only one of the multiple underwater vehicles 20, but it may also be mounted on the other underwater vehicles 20.
The underwater vehicle setting means 13 is operated by a person on the monitoring side, such as an operator on board the mother ship 10. When there are multiple underwater vehicles 20 to be monitored, the operator, etc., sets in advance the underwater vehicle 20 from which to obtain behavior history and positioning information using the underwater vehicle setting means 13 (S01: underwater vehicle setting step). By setting the underwater vehicle 20 from which to obtain behavior history and positioning information from among the multiple underwater vehicles 20, from the monitoring side, it is possible to reduce the amount of processing and quickly reproduce the behavior history between positioning points for underwater vehicles 20 that require more thorough monitoring or are difficult to monitor.
In addition, all of the multiple underwater vehicles 20 can be set as the underwater vehicles 20 from which behavior history and positioning information is obtained.

The instructing means 14 and the setting means 15 are also operated by a person on the monitoring side. The operator or the like can instruct the contents of the behavior history including the navigation route acquired by the behavior history means in the behavior history acquisition step S1 to the underwater vehicle 20 using the instructing means 14, or can set the contents in advance in the underwater vehicle 20 using the setting means 15 (S02: behavior history content determination step).
The behavior history recording device 22 records, as behavior history, the navigation route based on the self-position estimation result, as well as control signals during navigation, and environmental information on the water surface, etc. collected by various sensors, etc. Therefore, by selecting information to be acquired in addition to the navigation route depending on the situation as the content of the behavior history to be acquired, the content to be acquired as the behavior history can be accurately set in the underwater vehicle 20.
When instructions are given to the underwater vehicle 20 using the instruction means 14, an action history based on the instructions is transmitted from the action history recording device 22 of the underwater vehicle 20 to the mother ship 10, and when the instructions are set in advance using the setting means 15, an action history based on the settings is transmitted from the action history recording device 22 of the underwater vehicle 20 to the mother ship 10.

The mutual communication means 24 is provided in each of the multiple underwater vehicles 20 and is used for communication between the underwater vehicles 20 .
If there are multiple underwater vehicles 20 to be monitored, the operator, etc. can arbitrarily select one or more of the multiple underwater vehicles 20 as the destination for collecting information, instead of the underwater vehicle setting step S01.
The underwater vehicle 20 set as the aggregation destination receives behavior histories from the other underwater vehicles 20 via the intercommunication means 24. The aggregation destination underwater vehicle 20 stores the received behavior histories of the other underwater vehicles 20 in the behavior history recording device 22, and transmits the behavior histories of itself and the other underwater vehicles 20 stored in the behavior history recording device 22 to the mother ship 10 using the communication means 21 at a predetermined interval or based on an instruction signal from the behavior history acquisition means 31. The communication means 21 can also serve as the intercommunication means 24.
As a result, in the behavior history acquisition step S1, the behavior history acquisition means 31 can collectively acquire the behavior histories of multiple underwater vehicles 20 aggregated in any one of the underwater vehicles 20, so that when there are multiple underwater vehicles 20 to be monitored, the behavior histories aggregated in any one of the underwater vehicles 20 can be collectively and efficiently acquired.
Furthermore, when aggregating behavioral histories in an arbitrarily selected destination underwater vehicle 20, it is preferable to also aggregate the relative distance between the arbitrary underwater vehicle 20 and other underwater vehicles 20 via the mutual communication means 24. When acquiring behavioral histories and relative distances together, the behavioral history reproduction means 33 uses the acquired relative distances as coordinate representation and reduces the number of digits, thereby simplifying calculations and more quickly reproducing behavioral histories between the positioning points of multiple underwater vehicles 20. Furthermore, by using relative distances instead of absolute coordinates when dealing with multiple underwater vehicles 20, the number of digits can be reduced, thereby reducing the amount of communication.

The terrain matching means 25 estimates the position of the underwater vehicle 20 by matching the bottom topography measured by the underwater vehicle 20 with a known bottom topography map, and records the position estimation result in the action history recording device 22.
Then, the behavior history acquisition means 31 (behavior history acquisition step S1) acquires a behavior history including the navigation route, the water depth data obtained by the depth meter 23, and the position estimation result obtained by the topography comparison means 25, and the behavior history reproduction means 33 (behavior history reproduction step S3) uses the water depth data and the position estimation result when correcting the behavior history of the underwater vehicle 20. This makes it possible to accurately reproduce the behavior history of the underwater vehicle 20 between positioning points by taking into account the position estimation result obtained by comparing the water depth data with the bottom topography map.

In the above two embodiments, the communication means 11 and the acoustic positioning device 12 are provided separately, but the communication means 11 may be an acoustic communication system and may also function as the acoustic positioning device 12 to determine the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle 20. In this case, the communication means 11 can also perform acoustic positioning, so that installation space, costs, etc. can be reduced.
In addition, when the mother ship 10 and the underwater vehicle 20 are connected by wire or by wireless communication such as visible light communication, the communication means 11, 21 can also be a cable communication method, a visible light communication method, etc.
In addition, an unmanned, autonomously operating surface vehicle can be used instead of the mother ship 10, and the operator can operate the surface vehicle and underwater vehicle 20 from the sea or on land.

As described above, the underwater vehicle monitoring method and monitoring system of the present invention utilize the behavioral history obtained through communication from the underwater vehicle 20 to reproduce in quasi-real time the correct navigation history, such as the route taken by the underwater vehicle 20 between sparse positioning points of acoustic positioning from the mother ship 10, thereby achieving more advanced control of the underwater vehicle 20.
Furthermore, by using an acoustic positioning processing program to have the computer 30 execute the positioning information acquisition step S2, the behavior history acquisition step S1, the behavior history reproduction step S3, and the monitoring information provision step S4 in the underwater vehicle monitoring method, the underwater vehicle monitoring method can be executed accurately and quickly, and the correct reproduced behavior history can be provided to the operator monitoring the underwater vehicle 20 in quasi-real time.
Furthermore, by having the computer 30 accept the settings of the underwater vehicle 20 in the underwater vehicle setting step S01 as input information to the computer 30, the underwater vehicle 20 from which the behavioral history and positioning information is obtained can be set from the monitoring side from among multiple underwater vehicles 20, thereby reducing the amount of processing, and the behavioral history between positioning points can be quickly reproduced for underwater vehicles 20 that require more intensive monitoring or for underwater vehicles 20 that are difficult to monitor.
In addition, by having the computer 30 accept instructions from the monitoring side regarding the content of the behavior history in the behavior history content determination step S02, or pre-settings for the underwater vehicle 20 as input information to the computer 30, the content of the behavior history to be acquired can be appropriately instructed or set from the monitoring side according to the situation, and the content to be acquired as the behavior history can be accurately set in the underwater vehicle 20.

The present invention can be applied to the control of underwater vehicles and the like that have a history of self-position information from inertial navigation systems and the like, through communication and positioning. This makes it possible to reproduce with high accuracy the path that the underwater vehicle has taken between acoustic positioning points and provide this to the operator in quasi-real time, enabling more thorough control of the underwater vehicle and the like.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Mother ship 11, 21 Communication means 12 Acoustic positioning device 13 Underwater vehicle setting means 14 Instruction means 15 Setting means 20 Underwater vehicle 21 Underwater vehicle side communication means 23 Depth gauge 24 Intercommunication means 25 Terrain matching means 30 Computer 31 Action history acquisition means 32 Positioning information acquisition means 33 Action history reproduction means 34 Surveillance information provision means S01 Underwater vehicle setting step S02 Action history content determination step S1 Action history acquisition step S2 Positioning information acquisition step S3 Action history reproduction step S4 Surveillance information provision step

Claims (21)

A monitoring method for an underwater vehicle based on its behavioral history, comprising: a behavioral history acquisition step for acquiring the behavioral history including the navigation route obtained by the underwater vehicle via a communication means based on a predetermined cycle or an instruction signal; a positioning information acquisition step for measuring the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle with an acoustic positioning device and acquiring positioning information; a behavioral history reproduction step for comparing the behavioral history and the positioning information at the same time and correcting the behavioral history based on the positioning information to reproduce the correct behavioral history; and a monitoring information provision step for providing the reproduced correct behavioral history for monitoring the underwater vehicle. The monitoring method for an underwater vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that in the behavior history reproduction step, the three-dimensional position at the time of communication by the communication means is compared with a self-location estimation result at the same time as the time of communication from the acquired behavior history, and the behavior history is corrected by estimating the time change of the error between the three-dimensional position and the self-location estimation result to reproduce the track as the correct behavior history. The method for monitoring an underwater vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the behavioral history reproduction step, when correcting the behavioral history, a position estimation result obtained by comparing water depth data obtained by the underwater vehicle with a known bottom topography map is used. The method for monitoring an underwater vehicle according to claim 2, or claim 3 citing claim 2, further comprising accumulating the time change of the error estimated in the action history reproduction step, predicting the error accumulation in the underwater vehicle, and using the predicted result of the error accumulation as a substitute for the positioning information when the positioning information acquired in the positioning information acquisition step is missing or erroneously detected. The method for monitoring an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the communication means is an acoustic communication system, and the communication means also functions as the acoustic positioning device to determine the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle. The method for monitoring an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, when there are multiple underwater vehicles, in the behavior history acquisition step, the behavior histories of the multiple underwater vehicles aggregated for any one of the underwater vehicles are acquired collectively. The method for monitoring underwater vehicles according to claim 6, characterized in that when the behavior history of any one of the underwater vehicles is aggregated, the relative distance between the any one of the underwater vehicles and other underwater vehicles is also aggregated. The method for monitoring an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an underwater vehicle setting step for setting, from the monitoring side, the underwater vehicle from which the action history and the positioning information are acquired, when there are a plurality of underwater vehicles. The method for monitoring an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a step of determining the contents of the behavior history, including the navigation route, acquired in the behavior history acquisition step, from the side monitoring the underwater vehicle, or setting the contents of the behavior history in advance in the underwater vehicle. A monitoring program for monitoring an underwater vehicle based on an action history,
On the computer,
8. A monitoring program for an underwater vehicle, characterized by executing the positioning information acquisition step, the behavior history acquisition step, the behavior history reproduction step, and the monitoring information provision step in the monitoring method for an underwater vehicle described in any one of claims 1 to 7. The computer includes:
11. The underwater vehicle monitoring program according to claim 10, wherein the setting of the underwater vehicle in the underwater vehicle setting step according to claim 8 is accepted as input information to the computer. The computer includes:
The monitoring program for an underwater vehicle as described in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that instructions from the monitoring side regarding the content of the behavior history in the behavior history content determination step described in claim 9, or pre-settings for the underwater vehicle, are accepted as input information to the computer. A monitoring system for monitoring an underwater vehicle based on its behavioral history, comprising: a behavioral history acquisition means for acquiring the behavioral history including the navigation route obtained by the underwater vehicle via a communication means based on a predetermined cycle or an instruction signal; a positioning information acquisition means for acquiring positioning information obtained by positioning the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle using an acoustic positioning device; a behavioral history reproduction means for comparing the behavioral history and the positioning information at the same time and correcting the behavioral history based on the positioning information to reproduce the correct behavioral history; and a monitoring information provision means for providing the reproduced correct behavioral history for monitoring the underwater vehicle. The monitoring system for an underwater vehicle as described in claim 13, characterized in that the behavior history reproduction means compares the three-dimensional position at the time of communication by the communication means with the self-location estimation result at the same time as the communication time from the acquired behavior history, and corrects the behavior history by estimating the time change of the error between the three-dimensional position and the self-location estimation result. The monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that, in the action history reproduction means, when correcting the action history, the position estimation result obtained by comparing water depth data obtained by a depth gauge provided on the underwater vehicle with a known bottom topography map by a topography comparison means is used. The monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to claim 14, or claim 15 which cites claim 14, characterized in that the behavior history reproduction means accumulates the estimated change in error over time, predicts error accumulation in the underwater vehicle, and uses the predicted result of error accumulation as a substitute for the positioning information acquired by the behavior history acquisition means in the event of a missing or erroneous detection of the positioning information. The monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the communication means is an acoustic communication system, and the communication means also functions as the acoustic positioning device to measure the three-dimensional position of the underwater vehicle. The monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that the monitoring system has a plurality of the underwater vehicles, and the behavior history acquisition means collectively acquires the behavior history of the plurality of the underwater vehicles aggregated in any one of the underwater vehicles via intercommunication means provided in each of the plurality of the underwater vehicles. The underwater vehicle monitoring system according to claim 18, characterized in that when the behavior history of the other underwater vehicles is aggregated for any one of the underwater vehicles, the relative distance between the any one of the underwater vehicles and the other underwater vehicles is also aggregated via the mutual communication means. The monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 17, further comprising an underwater vehicle setting means for setting, from the monitoring side, the underwater vehicle from which the behavior history and the positioning information are acquired, and which has a plurality of the underwater vehicles. The monitoring system for an underwater vehicle according to any one of claims 13 to 20, further comprising an instruction means for instructing the content of the behavior history including the navigation route acquired by the behavior history acquisition means from the side monitoring the underwater vehicle, or a setting means for setting the content in advance in the underwater vehicle.