Rov tether management

Abstract

A tether manager for use with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) includes a tether source and is configured to change an amount of tether deployed from the tether source in response to a signal received from the ROV via the tether. A controller controls operation of a motor coupled with a spool to increase or decrease the amount of deployed tether based on ROV distance from the tether source and/or an amount of tension in the tether. The tether manager may be part of a system including a submersible powered watercraft as the ROV and a surface watercraft carrying the tether source.

1 . A tether manager for use with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the tether manager comprising a tether source and being configured to change an amount of tether deployed from the tether source in response to a signal received from the ROV via the tether. 
     
     
         2 . The tether manager of  claim 1 , wherein the tether source comprises a spool that rotates in a first direction to increase the amount of tether deployed from the tether source and in an opposite second direction to decrease the amount of tether deployed from the tether source. 
     
     
         3 . The tether manager of  claim 2 , further comprising a motor that rotates the spool in response to the signal received from the ROV via the tether. 
     
     
         4 . The tether manager of  claim 3 , wherein the motor is a variable-torque motor that permits manual rotation of the spool. 
     
     
         5 . The tether manager of  claim 3 , wherein the motor is a servomotor. 
     
     
         6 . The tether manager of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller that receives the signal from the ROV and actuates the tether source to increase or decrease the amount of tether deployed from the tether source in response to the signal received from the ROV. 
     
     
         7 . The tether manager of  claim 6 , further comprising a motor drive that receives an actuation signal from the controller and operates a motor coupled with the tether source to increase or decrease the amount of tether deployed from the tether source. 
     
     
         8 . The tether manager of  claim 7 , further comprising an integrated servomotor that includes the driver and motor such that the integrated servomotor receives the signal directly from the ROV via the tether. 
     
     
         9 . The tether manager of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is a programmable logic controller. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising the tether manager of  claim 1  and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in communication with the tether manager via the tether. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ROV is a submersible watercraft including a propulsion system configured to change the location of the ROV within a body of water. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a base carrying the tether source. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the base is a mobile surface watercraft. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ROV comprises a localization system and is configured to determine a distance between the ROV and the tether source, the signal received by the tether manager being based at least in part on said distance. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the distance is determined at least in part using positional data received from a base of the system to which the ROV is tethered. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ROV is in two-way communication with the tether manager and receives information from the tether manager pertinent to the amount of tether deployed from the tether source or a torque on the tether source. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the ROV comprises a controller in direct communication with a driver of the tether manager via the tether such that the driver receives the signal from the controller and operates a motor coupled with the tether source to increase or decrease the amount of tether deployed from the tether source in response to the signal. 
     
     
         18 . A tether manager for use with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the tether manager comprising a tether source and being configured to change a force exerted on a tether deployed from the tether source in response to a signal received from the ROV via the tether. 
     
     
         19 . The tether manager of  claim 18 , wherein the tether source comprises a spool that rotates in a first direction to decrease said force and in an opposite second direction to increase said force. 
     
     
         20 . The tether manager of  claim 19 , further comprising a variable-torque motor that changes a torque applied to a spool of the tether source in response to the signal received from the ROV via the tether.