Patent ID: 11967853
Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  B | IPC B  H

Claim 7:
8. A system comprising:
an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) having a vehicle body with a cavity therein, a processor disposed in said vehicle body, a power source disposed in said vehicle body and connected to said processor, a propulsion unit disposed in said vehicle body and connected to said power source and to said processor, a turbine connected to said propulsion unit and positioned on said vehicle body external thereto, an alternator joined to said turbine and to said power source, and control surfaces operatively connected to said processor external to said vehicle body; and
an anchor disposed in the AUV vehicle body cavity, said anchor being deployable from said vehicle body on command from said processor;
a tether joined between the AUV vehicle body and said anchor;
wherein:
said processor controls operation and navigation of said AUV through an aquatic operating environment;
said processor monitors charge status of said power source; and
responsive to said processor determining a power condition of said power source below a threshold value, said processor deploys said anchor and controls said AUV in a predetermined trajectory through the aquatic environment to allow environmental rotation of said turbine, generation of power by said alternator, and recharge of said power source.