Combined multiuser acoustic communication and localisation system for µAUVs operating in confined underwater environments. Issue 2 (2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dikarev, Aleksandr; Griffiths, Arron; Watson, Simon A.; Lennox, Barry; Green, Peter R.
• Is Part Of: IFAC-PapersOnLine. Volume 48:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 166
• Publication Date: 2015
• Subjects: communication systems -- positioning systems -- autonomous vehicles -- ultrasonic -- signal delay -- simulation; Automatic control -- Periodicals; 629.805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2015.06.026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8963

Abstract

Abstract: This paper describes a communication and localization system for micro-autonomous underwater vehicles (µAUVs) undertaking monitoring and mapping tasks in nuclear storage ponds. A distinctive feature of this underwater environment is the severe multipath propagation and long reverberation times. The paper describes how a common code division multiplexed signal format is used to mitigate the acoustic channel impairments and to achieve both communication and localisation. The system consists of an onshore base-station, equipped with a four-element distributed transceiver antenna, and underwater acoustic modems installed in the µAUVs. The system simultaneously provides localisation of a swarm of µAUVs, with addressed transmission of navigation commands from the base- station to µAUVs, and telemetry data transmission to the base-station from the µAUV.