The ROV.EXE programme enables the visible tracking of R.O.V.'s. The maximum amount of targets, or ROV's, that can be tracked simultaneously is 16. It is completely menu controlled. While tracking,
remarks can be made and put on the screen. Depth can be shown in either numbers or, on the left side of the screen, as a bar display.

A very flexible DATA INTERFACE routine enables the user to modify the communication strings so set the Baudrate, DATA formats, PARITY and by entering or modifying six numbers, the three items, Bearing, Slant Range, Slant bearing can be accessed anywhere in the string. As with al the other VIKING SOFTWARE MODULES, an interactive file sharing facilitates the access to the recorded files. The top of the display shows the following:

• X, Y and Z data
• RAW data
• Eastings and Northings
• Latitude and Longitude
• Fix number
• Offsets

The fix buffer has a maximum of 2000 points. When the fixbuffer is full, all data will be stored automatically. Screens can be stored instantaneously as PCX files.

ROV Tracking

 

Tracking Multiple ROV's

The following support files are needed and should reside in the same directory:

• ROV.STR

 

This files contains all the necessary communication data like:

• length of string
• comport (1 or 2)
• parity
• databits
• stopbits
• handshaking
• string dissection
• ROV.DAT

 

This file contains the following:

• the reference X-Y position
• central meridian for conversion to Latitude/Longitude
• Gyro bearing
• ROV.TOP

 

Topographical data can also be added in the form of lines and crosses. Also colours can be selected. 
The following files will be stored either automatically or manually:

• ROV.CHT

 

All the movements of the ROV are stored as lines. This file can be accessed by the VIKING SURVEY PROGRAMME for post-processing:

• ROV.RWS

 

Any annotation will be stored in this file:

• ROV.XYZ

 

The X-Y and Depth information is stored. As with the ROV.RWS file, this file also can be accessed by the various VIKING SOFTWARE MODULES.

APPLICATIONS

One application, on for example The Stanislav Yudin, a construction/lifting vessel, working for Seaway, is as follows:

• 3 PC's connected together via a small network do the following:

• PC1 reads DATA from Positioning, Gyro and RADAR telemetry DATA
• PC2 reads DATA from 2nd Receiver, Tug Telemetry and 2nd Gyro

 

The above collected data is stored in a shared directory.

• PC3, with the ROV.EXE program, reads the position and gyro data from this shared directory
• It then reads the (up to 16) X,Y and Z data from the relevant ROV's, calculates the position in Lat/Long and XY coordinates and stores it in the SHARED directory.

Now either PC1 and/or PC2 can select the ROV positions stored and used them either as Prime navigation or as Target navigation in the standard VIKING SURVEY program, using all the standard functions of these well-established programs. The use and operation is extremely simple and little training is needed.

Positioning and Navigation Solutions