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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2017
Filed:
Dec. 10, 2013
Applicant:
Fairfield Industries Incorporated, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Inventor:
Stephen W. Jewell, Alvin, TX (US);
Assignee:
FAIRFIELD INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B63B 27/18 (2006.01); G01V 1/38 (2006.01); B63B 27/00 (2006.01); B63C 11/52 (2006.01); B63B 27/30 (2006.01); B63G 8/00 (2006.01); B63B 27/16 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01V 1/3852 (2013.01); B63B 27/18 (2013.01); B63B 27/30 (2013.01); B63C 11/52 (2013.01); B63B 2027/165 (2013.01); B63G 2008/007 (2013.01);
Abstract
Machinery and methods are described whereby a free flying, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) can safely capture and take on board lightly managed seismic sensor devices (payload) while they are in-transit via a surface vessel in a (deep) water column. ROV payload can be replenished without the need for the ROV to return to the surface vessel to receive additional payload and to do so without the need for heavy launch and recovery machinery. The reverse process of returning payload from the ROV to the surface vessel is also disclosed.