Patent ID: 8727822
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: B63B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: one or more underwater sleds coupled to a water-borne vehicle, the one or more underwater sleds that tow the water-borne vehicle along an underwater track that includes at least an incoming track and a crossing track positioned to cross over the incoming track; a sensing unit positioned alongside the underwater track, the sensing unit that: in response to determining that one or more other underwater sleds are not on the crossing track and not utilizing the switch, a switch mechanism that directs a guide rail towards a selected outgoing track of a plurality of outgoing tracks based on the identification information associated with the one or more underwater sleds, wherein the guide rail is positioned between the incoming track and the plurality of outgoing tracks and the one or more underwater sleds that tow the water-borne vehicle over the guide rail and the selected outgoing track in response to the switch mechanism directing the guide rail towards the selected outgoing track; and in response to determining that the one or more other underwater sleds are on the crossing track and utilizing the switch, the one or more underwater sleds that reduce a speed of the one or more underwater sleds on the incoming track.