Smart Tether User Manual
Contents
1. User Manual Software Version 6 3 KCF Revision 1 KCF Technologies Inc 336 South Fraser St State College PA 16801 www kcftech com 814 867 4097 1 CONTENTS 1 Contents EE 2 Se TEE ee 4 3 Care and Handling of the Smart Tether sssssesssssesssessescsssessssesesssessessssscacecseesees 4 A CONNEC Kc een eS eer eno eee erence a eee reer 5 t VideoRay PROS SYSTE aiie aiaa aeaaaioii 5 2 NEORI PROA E E 11 E SMart Tener Basie SYSED E 12 w DIVENI oy EE 13 a POD CIE EEN 15 Oe SE DOWN 7 AEE eee 15 Te EE 16 Or COC ales EAEE EEE EEEE AEEA 18 O Advanced Sotware EE 21 1L Scan Ke e EE 21 Dis NNT EE 22 E Loomad RO e 23 SR ene NTN esas ersten E sme ea say verbena eden akc ts mse esas ss rien an ds cogs E ene A ea Ra eaaN RNS soya IOAN Nene 23 Bs SET RSS oases E E A A A A E E AA A E 23 SEKR CAE EE 23 l NAMA e E e eace enhances man et ag cba aslecnnm saa sten uncon aeaesudncuan nae raameenaienesAickakg 24 10 TOOS MON EE 25 E B CMD anie E ee enn ee E EE R 25 Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com a U E 27 e e EEN 28 ae KT gall el 29 DEE 29 de EES 30 O MMM VION ce cxaecee ce case E E E NO E ces soeaetiecsescses eeestuecscsetec cee 30 Dig Aa ege 30 11 Piloting and Tending Techniques 0 ccsssssssssssesssssssssssesesesesseeseseeesesesesesesesesaeasaeacaeaeas 31 BE cg 0 0 TE e 0 5 csc meerentenrne tm tree tnr eer rarer ne eer enrn rene E eee ee 31 Ls PU EE 34 12 Smart ge 37 EE e e tee CN TOS a E S2. X Smart Tether software assumes VA smooth curve from first Smart Tether node to launch point and Smart Tether Extension causes a large position error Use less tether fewer sensor stretched out in one direction nodes and operate in a more Smart Tether doubled back e g gentle curve for a pier inspection A large rectangular pattern will require constant tether tending to avoid the doubling back situation shown above and will result in poor accuracy and low confidence that the area has been completely covered Using an arc pattern instead means the tether only needs to be tended occasionally and the tether can be kept virtually straight giving excellent accuracy An arc pattern also allows more area to be covered with the same tether Rectangular scan pattern from length Arc scan pattern from fixed point fixed point KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 33 A Smart B Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 2 Tether Tending Modes The Smart Tether software must correctly track the length of tether that is in the water in order to make accurate measurements This can be accomplished by either manually indicating to the software the length of tether that is in the water or by using an automatic counter like the Tether Tender a Manual Tender Manual tether tending can be done using one of the following three options e Node Increment Only In Node Increment Only mode the software tracks
3. Completed System Setup USB Cable Smart Tether USB GPS Unit V ae Ultra Mobile PC t i ey f Smart nart Tether Topside Box VideoRay ROV Integrated Control Box KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 10 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 2 VideoRay PRO 4 System a Simply connect the Smart Tether in place of your standard VideoRay tether between the Remotely Operated Vehicle ROV and Integrated Control box ICB Warning NEVER connect a PRO 3 Smart Tether Control Box to a PRO 4 VideoRay ICB The PRO As higher voltage can damage the PRO 3 Smart Tether Control Box A special Upconverter module must be used to connect a PRO 3 Smart Tether to a PRO 4 VideoRay Contact VideoRay or KCF to obtain an Upconverter module Failure to follow the above warning may result in damage to the VideoRay or Smart Tether b Pull the USB GPS receiver out of the ICB and place it near where the Smart Tether enters the water using the USB extension cords if necessary Connect the USB cable to a port on the computer or an accessory port in the ICB if not already connected N S Tips e The GPS receiver has a magnetic base Moving the GPS receiver several feet away from the ICB may improve satellite reception The Smart Tether will work without a GPS receiver If a receiver is not used the software will use the baseline coordinates entered in the GPS menu see Section 10 4 When operating from a fixed lau
4. 40 Deg RSS TN SUC ie WS NS e acct cctce gen cmcucse E E E E E A A E 40 2 Usinga PRO 3 Smart Tether with a PRO 4 VideORAY een 40 IA SOWA e kee ele E 41 Me AOAC AO E 41 EE TV CS GA EE 42 1o Tranne 7 CONCI OT coseson EE EEEE EAE 44 tO SCV CCa UPPOO EE 44 Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 2 INTRODUCTION The Smart Tether is a revolutionary tether based underwater navigation technology in which all of the sensing elements are housed in the tether itself This makes setup very quick and straightforward and a new user can easily be up and running in a matter of minutes It is recommended that a new user read through the Connections Shutting Down and Basic Software Operation sections before attempting a mission With that small amount of information you should be able to get the Smart Tether running and get comfortable with its operation Once you are fluent with operating the Smart Tether read on to the Advanced Software Features section to learn about the further capabilities of the Smart Tether With a small bit of training and only minor modification to your operating and tether tending techniques the Smart Tether is a powerful navigation and positioning tool which can add great value to your underwater missions While the Smart Tether is designed to be simple and require minimal training there is some technique involved in using the system and training from a certified instructor can be highly beneficial to new users
5. Smart Tether Certification Training contact KCF at 814 867 4097 or sales kcftech com 16 SERVICE AND SUPPORT KCF offers a Service and Support agreement for repair or replacement of your Smart Tether equipment in the event of damage or malfunction The Service and Support agreement also entitles you to certain upgrades to the Smart Tether software as well as priority technical support To learn more about KCF s Smart Tether Service and Support program contact KCF at 814 867 4097 or sales kcftech com KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 A4 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com
6. automatically at startup so that if power is interrupted while the tether is at depth the calibration is not lost 6 Data Output Smart Tether position data can be exported to different hardware or software via serial connection either through a physical port or through third party virtual port software Data is exported as a NMEA GPGGA string This data can be useful for incorporating Smart Tether data into other mapping or mission management software or for overlay in other software such as SONAR or video displays See Section 10 7 for instructions on how to configure the output To set up a KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 23 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com connection between separate software applications on the same computer use a third party virtual COM port software to set up virtual ports and then select one of those ports in the pull down menu 7 Data Storage Any time the Smart Tether software is operating all available data is being stored to the hard drive All raw data is stored by default in the folder KCF Technologies Smart Tether Data Files in the Documents folder My Documents in Windows XP This data is stored in csv format and contains among other data GPS location of the Base Point and end point in a NMEA standard GPGGA format The first line within these data files contains a header that explains the meaning of each field KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097
7. may be launched from the VideoRay Cockpit launch bar 2 To begin navigating press the Operate button always make sure the Smart Tether and ROV are turned on for 5 seconds before Operating to allow the sensors to boot up 3 As the Smart Tether is tended and nodes enter or exit the water adjust the software accordingly by pressing the gray and buttons to maintain the correct number of nodes in the water see Section 10 5 and 11 2 KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 17 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 4 To end the operation press the Stop button The Smart Tether sensor nodes are marked with bands indicating their number i e the number of nodes in the water to help with this operation Each narrow band D represents 1 each wide band H represents 5 For example if the last node to enter the water is marked WI it indicates that 6 5 1 nodes are being used Using extra tether If the 6 and final node is in the water but more tether is still needed you can increment the Smart Tether software in 5 foot 1 meter increments as you add more tether For this reason it is advisable for the customer to mark the Smart Tether and any extension tethers in whatever way is most convenient for your application Keep in mind there are 30 feet of tether past node 6 on the standard Smart Tether Using the minimum amount of tether necessary to complete your mission helps to maximiz
8. 0 4 When operating from a fixed launch point to avoid GPS error or drift use the Lock GPS Position option in the GPS menu g Boot the computer select Smart Tether program from the Windows desktop h Turn on the DiverNav Control Box power switch LEDs on Divernav Control Box and Smart Tether nodes illuminate to indicate the Smart Tether system is powered Completed System Setup Diver Umbilical DiverNav Tether Married to Diver Umbilical vm T D p AC Power Computer with ens S Smart Tether i E a DiverNav Software sl GPS Unit Topside Box r at Base Point Heading Node Attached to Diver KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 14 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 5 PRE DIVE CHECKLIST 1 All systems powered on 2 Smart Tether sensor node LEDs lit 3 Smart Tether software opened and running see section 4 4 GPS fix acquired if using GPS see sections 4 and 10 4 5 Pressure sensors zeroed see section 9 5 6 SHUTTING DOWN When shutting down and packing up the system the GPS receiver and cables can be stored inside the VideoRay ICB 1 Press the Stop button in the Smart Tether Software 2 Close the Smart Tether software either by clicking the X button in the upper right corner or clicking File gt Exit If you are ending your VideoRay Cockpit session closing Cockpit will automatically close Smart Tether 3 Turn off the VideoRay and
9. 1 0 ft be adjusted The Deployed Depth value determines the depth at which Smart Tether determines that the node is now deployed in the water The Retracted Depth value determines the depth at which Smart Tether determines that a deployed node has been retracted from the water Be sure that the Deployed depth is greater than the Retracted depth Smart Tether nodes can sense variations in depth of roughly 6 0 15m Make sure that there is at least 6 0 15m between the deployed and retracted values e Typical values will be a deployed depth of 2 0 6m and a retracted depth of 1 0 3m c Tether Tender The Tether Tender is a counter that automatically tracks the length of tether that is deployed into the water This is more accurate than the Manual Tender options and relieves the operator from having to constantly monitor tether length Use the following steps to use the Tether Tender e Connect a USB cable between the Tether Tender and the computer e Select Tether Tender from the Tether Tending menu See Section 10 5 and press OK e From the main window the tether tending area should show Tether Tender with a length of 0 e Place the second node on the wheel of the tether tender and press the button Reset To Node 2 This will reset the length to reflect the length of tether between the Znd node and the end point e Run the tether through the Tether Tender and see that the length changes in th
10. 24 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 10 TOOLS MENU A number of useful but less critical features are available via the tools menu 1 Base Maps This feature allows a nautical chart or other image to be placed in the background of the Smart Tether Navigation Window making it possible to continually geo reference the Smart Tether s position and tether shape data in real time Current Map Select Base Map Name StateCollege jpg WhippleDam2 jpg ColyerLake1 jpg Colyer2 jpg WhippleDam4 jpg WhippleDam1 jpg WhippleDam3 jpg WashingtonTidalBasin jpg Navy1 jpg Navy3 jpg Navy2 jpg philly jpg Navy4 jpg philly4 jpg Distance 153 77 ft 9 26 mi 9 35 mi 9 35 mi 9 37 mi 9 43 mi 9 44 mi 138 57 mi 154 25 mi 154 68 mi 154 68 mi 154 81 mi 155 19 mi 155 76 mi Map Details File Name Center Latitude Center Longitude Distance to Center This list is sorted by the distance from your current location to the center of the map If the map is visible from your current location a star will appear in the left column These images are stored in the directory My Documents KCF Technologies Maps i et Smart Tether software will scan the folder KCF Technologies Maps in the Documents folder My Documents in Windows XP for raster based imagery While scanning a progress bar will be visible in the lower right hand corner of the screen Once scanning completes any valid charts or images
11. Smart Tether via the on off switch on the ICB KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 15 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 7 BASIC SOFTWARE OPERATION Basic System Layout The following image shows a top view of the general layout of the Smart Tether system By measuring the shape of the tether the Smart Tether calculates the position of the end of the tether relative to the Base Point which is specified by the user in global coordinates thereby generating both relative and absolute coordinates of the end point of the tether Any tether that is between the Operator Station which can be arbitrarily located and the Base Point is not used in the calculation and is considered inactive The tether between the Base Point and the end point is used and is considered active See section 7 3 and 10 5 for more information on how to tend the tether during use Operator Station The Smart Tether software is designed to be simple from a user perspective For basic operation there are only a few buttons and features with which you need to be familiar The user interface is designed for a touch screen computer so most of the features needed during normal operation are accessible by large buttons on the front panel of the software that can be pushed with the computer s stylus or your finger This section details these basic functions and their operation Sections 8 and 9 cover more advanced and specialized features of the Smart Tethe
12. To schedule training please contact KCF Technologies 3 CARE AND HANDLING OF THE SMART TETHER The Smart Tether is designed to stand up to your most demanding missions Following a few simple guidelines while handling your Smart Tether will help ensure that it is not damaged Avoid chafing or scraping the tether against rough or sharp surfaces avoid stepping on the tether or placing heavy objects on it and avoid bending it in a very tight radius or putting kinks into the tether In addition to these common sense guidelines additional care should be paid to the Smart Tether sensor nodes e Do not subject the sensor nodes to high bending loads for instance by letting them get pulled taut over the edge of a pier rail or boat deck e Do not subject the nodes to heavy loads by stepping or placing heavy objects on them e Do not insert small objects into the pressure sensor hole in the sensor nodes If the hole becomes encrusted with sand or other material and the pressure reading becomes incorrect soak the node in fresh water and gently swish it back and forth to free the foreign material e Avoid coiling the tether smaller than a 16 diameter When winding the Smart Tether into a VideoRay Tether Deployment System TDS or other small diameter reel the connectors and nodes should be laid parallel to the axis of the reel as they are put onto the reel If they are wound around circumferentially like the rest of the tether they may experienc
13. ct1 25 v Layers E 2 Primary Database E P Borders and Labels C DI Places C Photos CIE Roads V 3D Buildings E L Ocean w bei Weather Cd Gallery meS Global Awareness E B More t 30 271262 lon 19 0288842 elev 4ft Eyelalt MEE KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 19 www smarttether com sales kcftech com The Smart Tether Google Earth export makes compact KMZ format files which can easily be emailed or used as a concise summary of your mission These files are saved in the folder KCF Technologies Smart Tether KMZ Files in the Documents folder My Documents in Windows XP e A KMZ file is created whenever either the View Map or Stop button is pressed ensuring you have easy access to the results of each operation e Scan history snapshots exported from Smart Tether become Temporary Places in Google Earth and can be viewed and manipulated in the tree on the left side of Google Earth just like any other Google Earth object You may hide or show individual items by checking or unchecking the item in the tree e The Smart Tether Google Earth feature will work without an internet connection but new satellite imagery cannot be downloaded without an internet connection Previously viewed satellite images are retained in Google Earth s image cache until the cache fills Thus it is advisable to log on to the internet and view the target area at maximum zoom in in Go
14. d charts may be obtained or created from several sources In the United States raster based navigational charts are freely available for all navigable waters These may be downloaded free of charge from the NOAA website at http www charts noaa gov RNCs RNCs shtml These charts may be downloaded for individual regions states or the entire country Raster based satellite imagery may also be purchased from commercial vendors There are several reputable vendors which can be found on the internet Raster based images may also be obtained from Google Earth using free third party software like Shape2Earth a plug in for the open source GIS software MapWindow http shape2earth com default aspx These tools allow you to export images from Google Earth and save them in a geo referenced raster based format Please make sure to check with Google Earth s terms of use as their satellite imagery may not be free to use for all purposes 2 Markers a Save Markers Markers may be saved at any time during an operation You will be prompted for a location to save the markers too They will be saved to a standard KMZ file format and may be opened in Google Earth for viewing Markers will also be automatically be saved to a KMZ file when the Stop button is pressed to end the operation These automatically generated files are stored in KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 26 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com KCF Technologies S
15. e severe bending loads and become damaged or contact the inside of the Pelican case and get jammed Note For the VideoRay PRO 3 Smart Tether a specific 12 wire TDS is required KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 4 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 4 CONNECTIONS 1 VideoRay PRO 3 System a Arrange the ultra mobile PC UMPC as shown below There is a folding stand on the back of the UMPC which allows it to rest directly under the VideoRay Integrated Control Box ICB screen The power supply can be connected to the outlet in the ICB storage well if it is not already occupied by another accessory using the included power adapter cable b Boot up the UMPC by sliding the power switch on the lower left side downward Continue with other steps while it is booting The Smart Tether program will automatically open Note the VideoRay ICB s power outlet is only powered when the ICB power switch is turned on c Connect the male 8 pin connector whip from the Smart Tether Control Box to the female 8 pin connector whip from the ICB remove the ICB whip from the plastic cable clamp if necessary Warning NEVER connect a PRO 3 Smart Tether Control Box to a PRO 4 VideoRay ICB The PRO As higher voltage can damage the PRO 3 Smart Tether Control Box A special Upconverter module must be used to connect a PRO 3 Smart Tether to a PRO 4 VideoRay Contact VideoRay or KCF to obtain an Upconverter module Failure to fol
16. e the accuracy of the Smart Tether Accuracy will be negatively affected by having large amounts of slack unnecessary tether in the water A person tending the tether and informing the operator of how many sensor nodes are in the water is most helpful See section 11 for more details on piloting and tether tending techniques to maximize the accuracy of the Smart Tether 8 GOOGLE EARTH The Smart Tether can display your scan history and markers in Google Earth giving you a simple way to geo reference your location relative to real landmarks 1 Any time you would like to view your markers and scan history in Google Earth am 77 click the View Map button in the bottom right corner of the Smart Tether top view plot fa 2 Google Earth will automatically launch if it is not already open and auto zoom to your location for easy viewing of a snapshot of your current scan progress KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 18 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com File Edit View Tools Add Help vy Search Fly to e g 37 407229 122 107162 BLI v Places EI ae My Places ga Sightseeing Tour Make sure 3D Buildings layer is checked El Untitled Placemark Cl Untitled Placemark Og O g Untitled Placemark Untitled Placemark d Untitled Placemark o mS Temporary Places AICA L b Basepoint Path Endpoint Path A GblecCH T_2011_03_10_02_45_06 jpg Wl EF Ohie
17. e window KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 35 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com we 1 Tips e If itis more convenient to reset the length to a node other than node 2 go to the Tools gt Tether Tending menu and select the desired node from the list under the Tether Tender section This can be useful if a reset needs to be done during an operation with the tether already deployed See Section 10 5 e On PRO 3 and PRO 4 systems node 2 is the first node after the ROV KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 36 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 12 SMART TETHER BASIC Smart Tether Basic is an introductory mapping and location marking tool that can be used to supplement a PRO 4 ROV without the use of the Smart Tether hardware Smart Tether Basic uses the standard Smart Tether orientation board installed in the VideoRay Pro4 ROV the ROV s depth sensor and the extended tether length to approximate the location of the ROV by drawing a straight line from the base point to the ROV This method of approximation has significant limitations for accurate positioning purposes but if the limitations are understood and the ROV is correctly operated it can be very useful for mapping and marking approximate locations Smart Tether Basic is also ideal for accurately tracking the base location maintaining a geo referenced situational awareness during an operation and documenting results File To
18. easurement tool As with any tool good technique is required to obtain the best possible results The following are some basic tips on how to perform your underwater operations in order to improve the accuracy of the Smart Tether position calculation By being mindful of the general layout of your tether not only will you increase the accuracy of the Smart Tether you will also help avoid time consuming tether entanglements The Smart Tether software uses an intelligent curve fitting algorithm to determine the tether shape based on the discrete orientation data collected from the sensor nodes In order to maintain reasonable accuracy in a wide variety of tether configurations the algorithm takes into account certain assumptions about how the tether should be handled When these assumptions are violated by driving the tether in an unusual configuration the position accuracy of the Smart Tether suffers In general using the minimum amount of tether necessary to complete your mission helps to maximize the accuracy of the Smart Tether Accuracy is also helped by keeping the Smart Tether in a straight line or large sweeping curves Accuracy will be negatively affected by having large amounts of slack unnecessary tether in the water or having a lot of tight zig zags or coils in the tether A person tending the tether and informing the operator of how many tether nodes are in the water is most helpful Also the diver ROV pilot and or tether tender shou
19. found will be displayed in the left side of the window order by distance from current location If a map is visible from the current operating location it will be marked with a star as shown above a Loading a base map e Select the file name from the list by clicking on the desired map e Click on the Load button e The image will load within the Navigation Window KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 www smarttether com sales kcftech com 25 Smart Tether b Clearing the base map e To clear the base map from the Navigation Window press the Clear button from within the Base Maps window e Make sure the selected map has a star by its name If there is no star verify that the GPS has a fix or the correct Base point is entered into the Smart Tether software See Section 10 4 e Ifa map doesn t show up in the list as expected verify that it is properly located within the folder KCF Technologies Maps in the Documents folder My Documents in Windows XP If it is in the correct location it may be in a format incompatible with the Smart Tether software Smart Tether software can read most raster based charts and images These are normal images that have been geo referenced and contain information regarding their geographic location Depending on the image format sometimes the geographic information is contained within the image file itself or sometimes additional companion files will be required Raster base
20. he correct port f will be indicated with an For a VideoRay PRO 4 system Real time Output the Smart Tether port should always be set to COM16 If Enable Real time Output Enable Real time Output is checked Smart Tether will output the current ROV position to the serial port that is wg ee selected from the list This output will be in standard RB Doud Pate 2400 NMEA format and will appear as a standard GPS device An indicates that a SmartTether has been detected Port COM23 Refresh Settings CO 1 x Tether Tender Comm Settings Diagnostics Units Field of View GPS SONAR View Distance 8 Field of View View Angle Change the angle and distance of the Camera and SONAR Camera unit s field of view Use this feature to adjust the size of the View Distance view cone to accurately represent the equipment you are using so that you get a realistic representation of the area covered during a scan View Angle 9 Diagnostics This menu is primarily used to diagnose and troubleshoot issues with the physical Smart Tether hardware and should not be required under normal operating conditions KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 30 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 11 PILOTING AND TENDING TECHNIQUES 1 Proper Techniques The Smart Tether changes your underwater tether from being simply a necessary umbilical into being a valuable m
21. ible to see which direction the diver or camera is facing so that topside crew can communicate directions to the diver more easily If the terminating node is attached to the diver s mask it is advisable to attach it pointing up at a 45 degree angle as shown below This way whether the diver is walking upright or swimming horizontally the terminating node will be pointing the correct direction to give an accurate heading Smart Tether Diver Heading Sensor e Additionally the node should not be attached to a piece of ferrous metal as this may disrupt the magnetometer reading and give an inaccurate heading measurement b Marry the DiverNav cable to the diver umbilical using tape or other convenient means c Connect the DiverNav Control Box to a 120 VAC power source d Connect the Smart Tether male 4 pin connector to the female 4 pin connector on the DiverNav Control Box e Connect the USB cable from a USB port on the computer to the DiverNav Control Box f Locate the GPS and place it near where the Smart Tether enters the water using USB extension cords if necessary Connect the USB cable to and available port on the computer KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 13 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com e The GPS receiver has a magnetic base The Smart Tether will work without a GPS receiver If a receiver is not used the software will use the baseline coordinates entered in the GPS menu see Section 1
22. ight corner of the Navigation Window to zoom and rotate the map Press the plus button to zoom in and the minus button to zoom out Press on the right side of the button to rotate the image clockwise and the left side to rotate the image counter clockwise The current map rotation angle is displayed in the lower right Press and release quickly for small zoom rotate changes or hold the buttons down for a continuous zoom rotate When zooming with scan history enabled it may become necessary for the Smart Tether software to redraw the scan history in order to display it clearly There may be a slight flicker as the history is redrawn 4 Panning By default the Base Point of the Smart Tether is centered in the middle of the Navigation Window The Base Point can be moved if desired by clicking on the Navigation Window and dragging the Base Point to the new desired location The Smart Tether software will not allow the Base Point to leave the window to ensure that the tether is always visible 5 Depth Reset RESET Over time the pressure sensors may get slightly out of calibration If this happens remove the entire Smart Tether from the water and press the Reset Depth oO button and click Yes to confirm the Smart Tether is out of the water at atmospheric pressure As a pre dive check it is a good idea to Reset Depth before putting the Smart Tether in the water to ensure all sensors are zeroed this calibration is not performed
23. k that the Smart Tether and GPS if installed are assigned to the correct COM port The COM ports specified in the Tools menu see section 10 7 must match the COM ports found in the Windows Device manager accessed by clicking Start gt Control Panel gt System gt Hardware gt Device Manager gt Ports COM amp LPT a The Sealevel RS485 device is the Smart Tether COM port and the Prolific USB to Serial Comm Port device is the GPS COM port b To change COM ports double click the device under Ports COM amp LPT then select Port Settings gt Advanced and change the COM Port Number in the drop down menu Click OK if a warning appears about port sharing then click OK to apply the changes and return to the Device Manager Retry the Smart Tether Software If the above steps do not solve the problem shut down and restart the Toughbook and ICB before trying again KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 41 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 2 Error Messages a Error connecting to the Smart Tether The following error message indicates a problem with the COM port setup Error connecting to the Smart Tether l Details Possible Causes e USB cable not connected from Smart Tether Control Box to computer solution check cable connection e COM port in General Settings menu does not match COM port installed in Device Manager solution check COM port configuration see Item 6 above e Vide
24. ld avoid allowing a lot of curvature in the tether between the launch point and the first Smart Tether node in the water The first node should basically point directly away from the launch point Similarly when using the Smart Tether Extension the extension should go roughly in a straight line away from the launch point toward the area of operation It should not go off a long distance in another direction and then double back The following table illustrates some example situations that would reduce the Smart Tether s accuracy and provides improved alternative techniques e These techniques apply to the full Smart Tether system For Smart Tether Basic see Section 12 KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 31 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com BAD OPERATION BAD SOFTWARE RESULT GOOD OPERATION Smart Tether software assumes more gentle curves and plots end point too far away This is exaggerated if nodes happen to be generally aligned as Tether has several zig zags and illustrated Use less tether fewer sensor tight curves nodes and operate in a more gentle curve X Smart Tether software assumes smooth curve from first Smart Tether node to launch point Smart Tether Extension not Use less tether and keep Smart extended in general direction of Tether Extension in line with first Smart Tether node beginning of Smart Tether KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 32 www smarttether com sales kcftech com
25. low the above warning may result in damage to the VideoRay or Smart Tether d Connect the Smart Tether male 12 pin connector to the female 12 pin connector on the Tether Control Box KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 5 Cama Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com weg a S Tip e The 12 pin connector requires a firm push to install Push the connector as far as you can then thread the locking collar as far as you can and repeat until none of the threads on the bulkhead connector are visible If threads are visible the connector may not be fully engaged and you may experience connectivity problems e Connect the USB cable from the top USB port of the UMPC to the Smart Tether Control Box KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 6 O Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com It can be useful to run the USB cable behind the strut on the left side of the ICB to keep it tidy f Pull the USB GPS receiver out of the ICB and place it near where the Smart Tether enters the water using the USB extension cords if necessary Connect the USB cable to the port on the right side of the UMPC behind the flap door if not already connected LY we a S Tips e The GPS receiver has a magnetic base e Moving the GPS receiver several feet away from the ICB may improve satellite reception e The Smart Tether will work without a GPS receiver If a receiver is not used the software will use the baseline coordinates e
26. mart Tether KMZ Files in the Documents folder My Documents in Windows XP b Recall Markers Use this function to recall markers from previously saved files This can be very useful in resuming a scan from an earlier operation or if you operate in the same area frequently and have various features marked to establish a reference frame for the region You will be prompted to select the file to recall c Clear Markers This will delete all the markers from the Navigation Window Comm Settings Field of View Lat Long Format 3 Units Decimal Degrees Degrees Decimal Minutes Degrees Minutes Seconds Change the on screen display of the latitude and UM Format longitude coordinates and measurement units to suit A your preference _ Measurement Units _ Imperial ft Metric meters KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 27 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 4 GPS Settings To enable GPS functionality check the Enable GPS Tether Tender Comm Settings Diagnostics checkbox Smart Tether will then display a list of Units field of View GPS available GPS devices as well as an Auto option see Selecting Auto will cause the software to arabe ees automatically connect to the first GPS device that it Refresh detects If multiple GPS devices are present on the system select the desired device from the list Lock GPS Position Alter
27. mes the tether is in a straight line from the base point to the ROV b The ROV is oriented away from the base point To achieve the most reliable estimates of location when using Smart Tether Basic it is important to reduce or eliminate slack in the tether and point the ROV away from the base point Use the illustrations below as a guide KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 38 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com BAD OPERATION BAD SOFTWARE RESULT GOOD OPERATION Smart Tether Basic assumes the X tether is straight ROV will be wv incorrectly located ROV is not oriented away from Keep the tether straight and the the base point ROV oriented away from the base point for more accurate location estimates _ a Smart Tether Basic assumes that X there are no curves in the tether VA The ROV is incorrectly located further from the base point than Too much slack in the tether it actually is Keep the tether straight and the ROV oriented away from the base point for more accurate location estimates KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 39 d Smart ws Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 13 ADDITIONAL TIPS 1 Extension tethers The PRO 4 Smart Tether utilizes similar construction to VideoRay s PPT tether so VideoRay tethers can be used as extensions between the Smart Tether and the VideoRay ICB It is not recommended to use a VideoRay PPT tether as an extension for the Smart Tether as the
28. mode In scan history mode the Smart Y KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 21 d Smart Kaf Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 2 Markers Adding markers or waypoints to the screen can be very helpful in navigating or reacquiring a target At any time simply press the Add Marker button near the top of the screen A new window will pop up allowing you to enter marker data To mark the current location simply select the marker type you prefer enter a title for the marker and click OK the current location is already pre loaded in the latitude and longitude fields To mark a different location e g a known GPS point youd like to navigate to enter the title replace the pre loaded coordinates with your desired location and click OK and the marker will be placed at the location you enter If you enter invalid coordinates the field will turn red to indicate you need to make a correction before clicking OK Marker Type Marker Label New Marker Latitude 40 790345 Longitude 77 859369 You may edit or delete an existing marker by clicking on the marker while it is visible in the Navigation Window e Push pin style markers indicate the marked location with the tip of the push pin Other marker icons are centered over the marked location KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 22 Smart i Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 3 Zoom and Rotate Use the control in the upper r
29. nately if no GPS is present uncheck the Enable GPS box and enter your current location in the Basepoint Coordinates box that will appear e Checking the Lock GPS Position checkbox will cause the software to monitor the GPS reading for 30 seconds determine the average location based on the last 30 seconds and lock the Base Point to the calculated position This can be very useful when operating from a fixed location as it will prevent normal GPS drift from affecting operation When operating from a moving vessel leave the GPS position unlocked e Ifno GPS is used it is important that the Enable GPS box is unchecked and a reasonable location is entered into the Basepoint Coordinates Try to make sure that at most the Baseline Coordinates are no more than 100 miles 160 kilometers from the operating location Smart Tether software automatically compensates for variations in the earth s magnetic field by using the location from either the GPS or the Baseline Coordinates If no GPS is used and the Baseline Coordinates are significantly wrong position accuracy may suffer KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 28 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 5 Tether Tending Diagnostics Select the tether tending mode This is the method Tether Tending by which the Smart Tether software tracks the amount of tether that has been deployed See Section 11 2 for more information on the different optio
30. nch point to avoid GPS error or drift use the Lock GPS Position option in the GPS menu c Attach the strain relief wire from the ROV to the Smart Tether strain relief d Ensure all connectors are fully inserted and locking collars are secure e Turn on the ICB power switch LEDs on the Smart Tether nodes illuminate to indicate the Smart Tether system is powered KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 11 d Smart Kaf Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com Warnings e ALWAYS secure all connections BEFORE turning on ICB power switch e ALWAYS turn off ICB power switch BEFORE loosening or disconnecting any connectors Failure to follow the above procedures may result in damage to the VideoRay or Smart Tether Completed System Setup Smart Tether a GPSUnit at Base Point VideoRay ROV Integrated Control Box VideoRay ROV 3 Smart Tether Basic System The Smart Tether software may be used in Basic mode with a VideoRay PRO 4 system without having a Smart Tether Connect the ROV as per VideoRay instructions and connect the GPS antenna as shown if desired see section 10 4 See Section 12 for special instruction on the use of Smart Tether Basic KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 12 Cama Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 4 DiverNav System a Attach the terminating node of the Smart Tether to the diver s mask or to a hand held camera or SONAR The terminating node makes it poss
31. ns Node Increment Only gt Node Increment Plus Length D Length Only Auto Tender g Tether Tender 6 Tether Configuration Select the type of tether that will be used Only CC setings choose Custom if you have a custom tether and Field of View Tether Tending have received a custom tether configuration file for Tether Comm Settings Diagnostics your tether Select Tether Configuration gt Pro 3 For DiverNav systems up to three individual Pro 4 tethers may be connected in series Each tether is P Pro 4 Basic marked with a specific color Select the color of E pital each tether segment from the drop down lists a None _None 7 making sure that they are shown in the correct Custom order between the diver and computer When less Changes to the Tether Configuration require a than three tether segments are used select None restart of the software from the corresponding list The example at right shows a system with a single green tether E At the bottom of the screen are advanced settings which shouldn t normally be changed KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 29 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com Units Field of View Tether Tender Comm Settings Diagnostics f Smart Tether 7 Communication Settings Port COM6 Refresh Communication settings are adjusted on this screen For VideoRay PRO 3 or DiverNav systems t
32. ntered in the GPS menu see Section 10 4 When operating from a fixed launch point to avoid GPS error or drift use the Lock GPS Position option in the GPS menu KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 7 O Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com g Connect the VideoRay ROV 8 pin male connector whip to the Smart Tether 8 pin female connector h Install the terminating Smart Tether sensor node into the clear float block cap by gently pulling the bottom edges of the cap apart and sliding the node in from the rear 1 Attach the strain relief wire from the ROV to the Smart Tether strain relief J Ensure all connectors are fully inserted and locking collars are secure k Turn on the ICB power switch LEDs on Smart Tether Control Box and Smart Tether Nodes illuminate to indicate the Smart Tether system is powered KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 g Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com e If Smart Tether Control Box LED is not illuminated turn off ICB power switch check disconnect and reconnect all connections and try again Warnings e ALWAYS secure all connections BEFORE turning on ICB power switch e ALWAYS turn off ICB power switch BEFORE loosening or disconnecting any connectors Failure to follow the above procedures may result in damage to the VideoRay or Smart Tether KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 9 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com
33. oRay PRO 4 Only Virtual ports not assigned correctly A pair of virtual ports must be assigned to handle communication between Cockpit and Smart Tether For instance assign ports 15 and 16 as a pair then assign 15 in the VideoRay Cockpit configuration file and 16 in the Smart Tether General Settings call VideoRay for assistance e USB cable damaged solution try a different USB cable e Damaged Smart Tether Control Box solution call VideoRay or KCF KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 42 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com b The following nodes are not responding The following error message indicates a problem with the Smart Tether communication The Smart Tether will continue to function without these nodes but accuracy will be effected Verity all connections to the tether To retry communicating with the node press Stop and then Operate again to reconnect or optionally go to the Diagnostics screen in the Tools menu and try to re enable the faulty nodes individually This error means that the software was unable to communicate properly to one or more nodes on the tether This may indicate an instantaneous communication glitch which will clear up on its own or it may indicate an actual problem When this occurs the affected nodes will be disabled and will no longer operate and tether accuracy will be affected To re enable a node either press the stop button and then restart tether operations or enable
34. ogle Earth before the operation so that accurate satellite imagery will be available in the field during the operation KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 20 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 9 ADVANCED SOFTWARE FEATURES 1 Scan Tools SONAR The Smart Tether software can show a representation of the area scanned by p v various imaging hardware you may be using underwater such as a camera or Ven SONAR held by a diver or mounted to an ROV The scan tools buttons toggle between showing only the tether showing the current Camera or SONAR field of CAMERA view or showing the Camera or SONAR scan history A mode is selected by pressing either the Camera or SONAR button multiple times to toggle through each option a Field of View A single cone shape indicates field of view mode In field of view mode the Smart Tether software will show you the current field of view y b Scan History Tether software will show you all the area that has been covered by either device during the current scan This can be helpful in ensuring you have covered an entire scan area The scan history colored area gets darker the longer you remain in an area so an area that is lightly colored may have only been briefly scanned while a darkly colored area indicates a more thorough inspection The scan history will be cleared whenever the tether operation is stopped and restarted Multiple cone shapes indicate scan history
35. ols Help Eft 42 23 06 24 N Longitude 76 51 53 79 W Depth Range 139 2 ft Bearing 334 7 GPS Status Disabled 427 23 05 00 N 76 NU 53 00 W Tether Status Connected KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 37 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com Without the complete Smart Tether hardware Smart Tether Basic provides only a rough estimate of the ROV location This estimate can be affected by many factors tether tension wave action etc that Smart Tether Basic will not be able to compensate for For accurate positioning consider purchasing the complete Smart Tether hardware and upgrading to the full Smart Tether software A full Smart Tether system complete with Smart Tether hardware can provide positioning accuracy of 2 of the tether length The Smart Tether Basic software comes with all the features of the standard Smart Tether system This includes markers background maps kmz outputs etc The only limitations to the Smart Tether Basic software are the following a The only option in the Tether Configuration window is Pro 4 Basic see Section 10 6 b Tether tending options are limited to Length Only or using the Tether Tender see Section 10 5 Due to the limitation of only using the orientation sensor in the ROV Smart Tether Basic makes certain assumptions when estimating ROV location The two key assumptions are a There are no curves or bends in the tether The software assu
36. r software The main plot on the right side is the Navigation Window showing the tether s shape and position The black dot at the origin of the graph represents the Base Point the tether is deployed from this can be either a fixed point or a moving boat The yellow line represents the tether and the subsequent black dots indicate the position of the sensor nodes The current heading of the terminating node is indicated by the arrow on the end of the tether In the upper left corner of the screen is a side view plot of the tether shape This is a perpendicular projection of the overall orientation of the tether This plot can be valuable in showing the depth of the various portions of the tether and can help identify entanglements such as if the tether has been trapped underneath an obstacle KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 16 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com In the lower left corner of the screen is a readout for the current position information The end point s 3D coordinates are shown as well as range and bearing from the Base Point SmartTether by KCF Technologies File Tools Help Latitude 40 47 25 55 N Longitude 77 51 33 32 W Depth 0 0 ft Range 44 2 ft Bearing 45 3 GPS Status Disabled 40 47 25 24 N 77 51 33 73 1 Open the Smart Tether software by clicking the Smart Tether icon from the Windows Start menu When operated with a VideoRay PRO 4 system the software
37. the node in the Tools gt Diagnostics menu Possible Causes e Smart Tether not connected to ICB solution check connection e Smart Tether not turned on solution check all connections and turn on power switch e Damaged Smart Tether solution call VideoRay or KCF e VideoRay PRO 4 Only Virtual ports not assigned correctly A pair of virtual ports must be assigned to handle communication between Cockpit and Smart Tether For instance assign ports 15 and 16 as a pair then assign 15 in the VideoRay Cockpit configuration file and 16 in the Smart Tether General Settings call VideoRay for assistance e Corrupted VideoRay Cockpit Configuration File solution call VideoRay e Corrupted Smart Tether Configuration file solution call VideoRay or KCF KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 43 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 15 TRAINING CERTIFICATION The Smart Tether is designed to be simple and user friendly allowing new users to quickly get up and running Many users will be able to operate the system adequately with no training However as with any task or system it can be highly beneficial to receive training from an expert KCF offers an intensive full day Certification Training program which covers everything from basic operation to advanced techniques This course can improve your organization s navigational capabilities and add value to your Smart Tether and VideoRay system To learn more about KCF s
38. the number of nodes in the water Each time a node on the tether is deployed or retrieved the or button must be pressed to indicate the number of nodes in the water e Node Increment Plus Length In Node Increment Plus Length the software tracks both the number of nodes plus the length of tether beyond the highest active node When a node is deployed or retrieved use a UI the upper and buttons to indicate the number of nodes in the water Additionally when more or less tether is deployed beyond the node use the lower and buttons to indicate the length of additional tether that is in the water This method will generally be the most accurate of the Manual Tender modes e Length Only In Length Only mode the software tracks the length of tether in the water Whenever tether is deployed or retrieved the or button must be pressed to maintain the corresponding length of tether that is in the water Depending on the units of measure each press of the button increments the deployed length by 5 feet or 1 meter KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 34 Smart Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com b Auto Tender In Auto Tender mode Smart Tether attempts to determine which nodes are in the water by monitoring the pressure reported at each node Deployed Depth 20 ft Auto Tender In the Auto Tender setup there are two values which can Retracted Depth
39. thin wire diameter may result in reduced voltage and poor ROV performance 2 Using a PRO 3 Smart Tether with a PRO A VideoRay If you previously purchased a PRO 3 Smart Tether and are upgrading to a PRO 4 ROV you can still use your PRO 3 Smart Tether Please contact your VideoRay dealer to purchase an Upconverter module which will adapt the 12 pin PRO 3 Smart Tether to your new 8 pin PRO 4 hardware Warning NEVER connect a PRO 3 Smart Tether Control Box to a PRO 4 VideoRay ICB The PRO As higher voltage can damage the PRO 3 Smart Tether Control Box A special Upconverter module must be used to connect a PRO 3 Smart Tether to a PRO 4 VideoRay Contact VideoRay or KCF to obtain an Upconverter module Failure to follow the above warning may result in damage to the VideoRay or Smart Tether KCF Technologies Inc 814 867 4097 40 d Smart Kaf Tether www smarttether com sales kcftech com 14 SOFTWARE TROUBLESHOOTING 1 Communications If the Smart Tether experiences communications problems and begins to give error messages the following basic troubleshooting procedures should rectify the problem 1 2i Press Stop in the Smart Tether software Close the Smart Tether Software Turn off the ICB Check disconnect and reconnect all connections Smart Tether to ROV Smart Tether to ICB and USB cable from ICB to Toughbook Turn the ICB back on and wait 5 seconds Retry software operation If problems still persist chec
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