USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Christopher Shaw

Richard P Berube

James A Del Savio

Gregory B Jones

Stacy J Hills

Stuart K Beazley

A system and method of use is provided that includes: receiving configuration information from an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV); automatically configuring a launch control console (LCC) according to the configuration information; and providing a graphical interface for a user to command the UUV to perform at least one task. The automatic configuration includes formatting commands and the graphical interface to suit a vehicle type and components of the UUV. Other embodiments include: aligning a navigation system in the UUV; selecting a mission; activating components in the UUV corresponding to the mission; and launching the UUV on the mission. Further embodiments include: downloading at least one preset associated with the UUV; modifying the presets; and displaying a status of components and a log of messages on the graphical interface.

System and method for a launch control console for communication with unmanned underwater vehicles

A method is provided for navigating a vehicle. Waypoint exclusion zones are efined as circles whose centers are known-position waypoints. The vehicle is steered along a path that is tangential to the 'current' waypoint exclusion zone. This path that is maintained until a relative bearing between the vehicle and a center of the current waypoint exclusion zone is at least 90.degree. if the path is left of the center of the current waypoint exclusion zone, and at most -90.degree. if the path is right of the center of the current waypoint exclusion zone. When either of these conditions is met, the vehicle is located along the circle of the current waypoint exclusion zone. The vehicle is then advanced along the circle of the current waypoint exclusion zone until a heading of the vehicle matches a heading of a path that: is tangential to the 'next' waypoint exclusion zone. When the heading of the vehicle matches the heading of the path that is tangential to the next waypoint exclusion zone, the next waypoint exclusion zone becomes the current waypoint exclusion zone for carrying out the steering, maintaining and advancing of the vehicle.

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Portsmouth, RI, United States of America

Christopher Shaw