Modular sonar transducer assembly systems and methods

• US 10,241,200 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2016
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne FLIR LLC (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sayer, William M., Stokes, Paul, Muller, Paul W., Pope, Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/239,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20170090021A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8902 Side-looking sonar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 for locating fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/006 Transducer mounting in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/008 Arrays of transducers seismic streamers, see G01V1/20
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/352 by moving the transducer

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide accurate and reliable compact sonar systems for mobile structures. A modular sonar system includes one or more sonar transducer assemblies and at least two transducer modules disposed substantially within the sonar transducer assemblies. Each transducer module includes a transducer element and a module frame. The module frame is configured to support the transducer element, to physically couple to other transducer modules, and/or to physically couple to a sonar transducer assembly to secure the transducer module. The system may additionally include an actuator configured to adjust an orientation of the transducer module. Resulting sonar data and/or imagery may be displayed to a user and/or used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more sonar transducer assemblies adapted to be mounted to a mobile structure; and

at least two transducer modules disposed substantially within the one or more sonar transducer assemblies, wherein each transducer module comprises;

a transducer element comprising an emission surface;

a conductive can disposed at least partially opposite the emission surface;

an insulating cover disposed between the conductive can and the transducer element; and

a module frame adapted to support the transducer element, the insulating cover, and the conductive can, wherein the module frame is physically coupled to the one or more sonar transducer assemblies and/or to at least one other transducer module.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each transducer module comprises:

an acoustic matching layer disposed opposite the emission surface;

wherein the conductive can surrounds substantially all but the emission surface of the transducer element

and the module frame is adapted to support the acoustic matching layer, the insulating cover, and the conductive can.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an assembly bracket configured to be disposed between the one or more sonar transducer assemblies and the mobile structure, wherein:

the one or more sonar transducer assemblies comprise first and second substantially identical sonar transducer assemblies;

the assembly bracket comprises first and second mating surfaces corresponding to the first and second sonar transducer assemblies; and

the first and second sonar transducer assemblies are adapted to physically couple to the one or more sonar transducer assemblies at the first and second mating surfaces, respectively.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the first and second mating surfaces comprise respective first and second curved mating surfaces;

the first and second sonar transducer assemblies comprise respective first and second external curved surfaces configured to mate securely with the first and second curved mating surfaces throughout respective first and second ranges of rotations of the first and second sonar transducer assemblies.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the assembly bracket comprises an actuator configured to adjust first and/or second orientations of the respective first and/or second sonar transducer assemblies.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator configured to adjust a transducer orientation corresponding to at least one of the transducer modules; and

a logic device configured to receive one or more sensor signals and provide one or more control signals to the actuator, wherein the logic device is adapted to;

receive a measured transducer orientation corresponding to the at least one transducer module;

determine a transducer orientation adjustment based, at least in part, on a desired transducer orientation and the measured transducer orientation; and

control the actuator to adjust the transducer orientation substantially to the desired transducer orientation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the mobile structure comprises a watercraft and the logic device is adapted to:

receive one or more acoustic returns from at least one of the transducer modules;

determine an estimated water depth for the watercraft based, at least in part, on the one or more acoustic returns; and

determine the desired transducer orientation based, at least in part, on the estimated water depth.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a user interface configured to accept user input, wherein the logic device is adapted to:

receive user input corresponding to a desired relative and/or absolute transducer orientation; and

determine the desired transducer orientation based, at least in part, on the user input.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a position and/or orientation sensor configured to measure an absolute and/or relative position and/or orientation of the mobile structure, wherein the logic device is adapted to:

receive one or more positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure from the position and/or orientation sensor; and

determine the desired transducer orientation based, at least in part, on the one or more positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a steering actuator and/or a propulsion system configured to adjust the absolute and/or relative position and/or orientation of the mobile structure, wherein the logic device is adapted to control the steering actuator and/or propulsion system to adjust the position and/or orientation of the mobile structure and at least help adjust the transducer orientation substantially to the desired transducer orientation.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a measured transducer orientation corresponding to at least one of a plurality of transducer modules disposed substantially within one or more sonar transducer assemblies;

determining a transducer orientation adjustment based, at least in part, on a desired transducer orientation and the measured transducer orientation; and

controlling an actuator to adjust a transducer orientation corresponding to the at least one transducer module substantially to the desired transducer orientation.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more transducer assemblies is mounted to a watercraft, the method further comprising:

receiving one or more acoustic returns from at least one of the transducer modules;

determining an estimated water depth for the watercraft based, at least in part, on the one or more acoustic returns; and

determining the desired transducer orientation based, at least in part, on the estimated water depth.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving user input corresponding to a desired relative and/or absolute transducer orientation; and

determining the desired transducer orientation based, at least in part, on the user input.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more transducer assemblies is mounted to a mobile structure, the method further comprising:

receiving one or more positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure from a position and/or orientation sensor; and

determining the desired transducer orientation based, at least in part, on the one or more positions and/or orientations of the mobile structure.

15. The method of claim 14, the method further comprising controlling a steering actuator and/or a propulsion system to adjust a position and/or orientation of the mobile structure and at least help adjust the transducer orientation substantially to the desired transducer orientation.

16. A method comprising:

assembling at least two transducer modules, wherein each transducer module comprises;

a transducer element comprising an emission surface;

a conductive can disposed at least partially opposite the emission surface;

an insulating cover disposed between the conductive can and the transducer element, and

a module frame adapted to support the transducer element, the insulating cover, and the conductive can; and

assembling one or more sonar transducer assemblies adapted to be mounted to a mobile structure, wherein the at least two transducer modules are disposed substantially within the one or more sonar transducer assemblies, and wherein each module frame is physically coupled to the one or more sonar transducer assemblies and/or to at least one other transducer module.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein each transducer module comprises:

an acoustic matching layer disposed opposite the emission surface;

wherein the conductive can surrounds substantially all but the emission surface of the transducer element

and the module frame is adapted to support the acoustic matching layer, the insulating cover, and the conductive can.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the transducer element comprises a transducer element assembly; and

the transducer element assembly comprises multiple rectangular, circular, and/or otherwise shaped individual transducer elements arranged to produce a fan shaped acoustic beam and/or a conical acoustic beam.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing an assembly bracket configured to be disposed between the one or more sonar transducer assemblies and the mobile structure, wherein:

the one or more sonar transducer assemblies comprise first and second substantially identical sonar transducer assemblies;

the assembly bracket comprises first and second mating surfaces corresponding to the first and second sonar transducer assemblies; and

the first and second sonar transducer assemblies are adapted to physically couple to the one or more sonar transducer assemblies at the first and second mating surfaces, respectively.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing an actuator configured to adjust a transducer orientation corresponding to at least one of the transducer modules; and

providing a logic device configured to receive one or more sensor signals and provide one or more control signals to the actuator, wherein the logic device is adapted to;

receive a measured transducer orientation corresponding to the at least one transducer module;

determine a transducer orientation adjustment based, at least in part, on a desired transducer orientation and the measured transducer orientation; and

control the actuator to adjust the transducer orientation substantially to the desired transducer orientation.