Satellite and acoustic tracking device

摘要

The present invention relates a method and device for tracking movements of marine animals or objects in large bodies of water and across significant distances. The method and device can track an acoustic transmitter attached to an animal or object beneath the ocean surface by employing an unmanned surface vessel equipped with a hydrophone array and GPS receiver.

主权项

1. An unmanned surface vessel for tracking an acoustic transmitter attached to a marine animal or object, comprising:
a surface vessel, wherein the vessel is configured to track and follow the movement of an acoustic transmitter attached to a marine animal or object; a two-way communication module attached to the vessel, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with a remote communication station; a GPS receiver attached to the vessel, wherein the GPS receiver receives location-based information from a global positioning system; an acoustic hydrophone attached to a bottom surface of the vessel, wherein the acoustic hydrophone is configured to receive an acoustic signal transmitted from the acoustic transmitter attached to the marine animal or object, and wherein the acoustic hydrophone is part of a three-element hydrophone array; a microprocessor attached to the three-element hydrophone array; and a propulsion system attached to the bottom surface of the vessel, wherein the propulsion system is configured to enable the vessel to follow the movement of the acoustic transmitter, wherein the three-element hydrophone array produces a sextant, and wherein the microprocessor determines a location of the acoustic transmitter by determining a sequential order of the acoustic signal received by each hydrophone element and associating the sequential order to a portion of the sextant.