Vehicle system comprising a mother ship and an unmanned watercraft, and method for recovering an unmanned watercraft

Abstract

A vehicle system may include a mother ship and an unmanned water vehicle that can be received on the mother ship. To recover the unmanned water vehicle, a floating body connected to the mother ship via a line can be lowered into water. A catch device for catching the line may be positioned on the unmanned water vehicle. The floating body may transmit location signals that can be received and used by the unmanned water vehicle to navigate towards the floating body. The unmanned water vehicle may be configured to circle the floating body, and the catch device of the unmanned water vehicle may then catch the line to create a connection between the mother ship and the unmanned water vehicle.”

1 .- 10 . (canceled). 
     
     
         11 . A vehicle system comprising:
 a mother ship;   an unmanned water vehicle that is receivable by the mother ship;   a floating body that is connected to the mother ship via a line and can be lowered into water, the floating body for recovering the unmanned water vehicle; and   a catch device disposed on the unmanned water vehicle, the catch device for catching the line connecting the floating body and the mother ship.   
     
     
         12 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the catch device is constructed in a fixed manner on an outer contour of the unmanned water vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the catch device is movable from a rest position in which the catch device is positioned inside an outer contour of the unmanned water vehicle to a catch position in which the catch device projects from the outer contour of the unmanned water vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  further comprising a spacer positioned in a region of the line that faces the floating body, the spacer preventing the floating body from moving into abutment with the unmanned water vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the floating body includes a transmission device for transmitting location signals. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle system of  claim 15  wherein the location signals comprise at least one of radio signals, underwater sound signals, or light signals. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle system of  claim 15  wherein the unmanned water vehicle comprises a signal receiver for receiving the location signals transmitted by the floating body, wherein the signal receiver comprises at least one of a radio receiver, a sound receiver, sonar, or a light detector. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein a control device of the unmanned water vehicle that is in receipt of the location signals from the floating body commands the unmanned water vehicle to travel towards the floating body after a mission of the unmanned water vehicle has ended. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the unmanned water vehicle includes a transmission device for transmitting location signals. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicle system of  claim 19  wherein the floating body comprises a signal receiver for receiving the location signals transmitted by the unmanned water vehicle, wherein the signal receiver comprises at least one of a radio receiver, a sound receiver, sonar, or a light detector. 
     
     
         21 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the unmanned water vehicle is configured to circle the floating body when the unmanned water vehicle is to be retrieved, wherein a depth of the unmanned water vehicle while the unmanned water vehicle circles the floating body can be varied to increase a likelihood of catching the line where the line extends under a surface of the water. 
     
     
         22 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the catch device comprises a hooked rod. 
     
     
         23 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the catch device is configured to pull the line so that the floating body and the unmanned water vehicle move toward one another. 
     
     
         24 . The vehicle system of  claim 11  wherein the line extends to a location below a surface of the water and is caught by the catch device of the unmanned water vehicle at the location below the surface of the water. 
     
     
         25 . A method for recovering an unmanned water vehicle by a mother ship, the method comprising:
 lowering a floating body that is connected to the mother ship via a line into water; and   catching the line with a catch device disposed on the unmanned water vehicle to produce contact between the mother ship and the unmanned water vehicle.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the unmanned water vehicle locates the floating body. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the unmanned water vehicle circles around the floating body. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising switching the unmanned water vehicle to a non-driven state after the line has been caught. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising bringing the unmanned water vehicle on board the mother ship by way of the line. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25  further comprising storing the floating body on board the mother ship until after a mission of the unmanned water vehicle has ended.