Patent ID: 7077072

Claim:
A charging system for an unmanned underwater vehicle, comprising: an electrical port adapted to electrically couple to an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV); a fluid-powered turbine adapted to receive a flow of fluid and configured, upon receipt thereof, to rotate; a generator coupled to the turbine and configured, upon rotation thereof, to generate electrical power; a battery; and a controller adapted to receive a UUV docking signal that indicates at least that the electrical port is electrically coupled to the UUV and one or more signals representative of at least a state of charge of the battery, the controller operable, in response to the UUV docking signal, to selectively electrically couple the generator to the electrical port, and further operable, in response to the one or more signals representative of at least a state of charge of the battery, to selectively electrically couple the generator to the battery, to thereby recharge the battery to a predetermined state of charge.