The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 15, 2022

Filed:

Apr. 04, 2019
Applicant:

Subsea 7 Limited, Sutton, GB;

Inventors:

Wayne Sherry, Aberdeen, GB;

Mostafa Hendawy, Aberdeen, GB;

William Main, Aberdeen, GB;

Assignee:

Subsea 7 Limited, Sutton, GB;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B63G 8/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B63G 8/001 (2013.01); G05D 1/0022 (2013.01); B63G 2008/004 (2013.01);
Abstract

A task such as inspection is performed at a subsea location by positioning a functional unit such as an unmanned underwater vehicle to perform the task. When positioned to perform the task, the unit is then in a shadow region where wireless control signals from a subsea control transmitter are obscured by a subsea obstacle. Consequently, control signals are transmitted wirelessly through water from the control transmitter to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) positioned outside the shadow region and are relayed from the AUV to the unit to control the unit to perform the task. The unit can be tethered to the AUV or can communicate with the AUV wirelessly. The AUV can move itself to improve wireless communication with the subsea control transmitter and optionally also with the unit.


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