Networkable sonar systems and methods

• US 10,338,195 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Belgium BVBA (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Belgium BVBA (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stokes, Paul, Maindrou, Matthieu, Chittenden, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/592,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20170285134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 for locating fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52003 Techniques for enhancing spatial resolution of targets G01S7/52046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/524 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/6263 in which different colours are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/629 the display being oriented or displaced in accordance with the movement of object carrying the transmitting and receiving apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/006 Transducer mounting in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide networkable sonar systems for mobile structures. A networkable sonar system includes a transducer module and associated sonar electronics and optionally orientation and/or position sensors and/or other sensors disposed substantially within the housing of a sonar transducer assembly, which is coupled to one or more user interfaces and/or other sonar systems over an Ethernet connection. The sonar transducer assembly may be configured to support and protect the transducer module and the sonar electronics and sensors, to physically and/or adjustably couple to a mobile structure, and/or to provide a simplified interface to other systems coupled to the mobile structure. Resulting sonar data and/or imagery may be transmitted over the Ethernet connection and displayed to a user and/or used to adjust various operational systems of the mobile structure.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a sonar transducer assembly including a transducer module and a housing adapted to be mounted to a mobile structure;

sonar electronics disposed within the housing and configured to control operation of the sonar transducer assembly, wherein the sonar electronics are configured to;

generate an acoustic ensonification;

receive acoustic returns, corresponding to the generated acoustic ensonification, from the transducer module;

generate sonar data based, at least in part, on the acoustic returns; and

transmit the sonar data to a logic device of the mobile structure over, at least in part, an Ethernet connection; and

a second sonar transducer assembly including a second transducer module, a second housing adapted to be mounted to the mobile structure, and a second sonar electronics disposed within the second housing and configured to control operation of the second sonar transducer assembly, wherein;

the sonar transducer assembly and the second sonar transducer assembly are configured to receive an ensonification schedule from the logic device over, at least in part, the Ethernet connection; and

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to generate the acoustic ensonification at a first ensonification time and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to generate a second acoustic ensonification at the first ensonification time or at a second ensonification time different from the first ensonification time; and

/or

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to receive the acoustic returns during a first receiver time period and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to receive second acoustic returns during the first receiver time period or at a second receiver time period different from the first receiver time period.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the transducer module comprises a single sonar transducer, multiple independent single sonar transducers, or an array of sonar transducers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the second transducer module comprises a single sonar transducer, multiple independent single sonar transducers, or an array of sonar transducers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to generate the acoustic ensonification at a first ensonification time and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to generate a second acoustic ensonification at the first ensonification time or at a second ensonification time different from the first ensonification time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to receive the acoustic returns during a first receiver time period and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to receive second acoustic returns during the first receiver time period or at a second receiver time period different from the first receiver time period.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more additional sonar transducer assemblies, wherein:

the sonar transducer assembly and the one or more additional sonar transducer assemblies are configured to transmit corresponding sonar data to one or more user interfaces of the mobile structure over, at least in part, corresponding Ethernet connections.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the sonar transducer assembly and the one or more additional sonar transducer assemblies comprise Ethernet PHYs configured to support a Precision Time Protocol to synchronize operation of their respective transducer modules over, at least in part, the Ethernet connection.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the sonar electronics comprises a water temperature sensor, a transducer temperature sensor, a water speed sensor, and/or and orientation and/or position sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured to display the sonar data to a user of the watercraft, wherein:

the mobile structure comprises a watercraft;

the Ethernet connection comprises a power over Ethernet connection; and

the sonar electronics are configured to receive power from the power over Ethernet connection.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the Ethernet connection comprises a power-over-Ethernet connection;

the sonar electronics comprise a charging circuit configured to provide at least a portion of the power to a power amplifier coupled to the transducer module to generate the acoustic ensonification; and

the charging circuit is configured to charge reservoir circuitry while the acoustic returns are received.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the Ethernet connection terminates into a wireless access point configured to transmit the sonar data wirelessly to one or more user interfaces of the mobile structure.

12. A method comprising:

mounting a sonar transducer assembly to a mobile structure, wherein the sonar transducer assembly comprises a transducer module, a housing, and sonar electronics disposed within the housing and configured to control operation of the sonar transducer assembly;

mounting a second sonar transducer assembly to the mobile structure, wherein the second sonar transducer assembly comprises a second transducer module, a second housing, and second sonar electronics disposed within the second housing and configured to control operation of the second sonar transducer assembly; and

coupling an Ethernet connection to the sonar transducer assembly, wherein the sonar electronics are configured to transmit sonar data to a logic device of the mobile structure over, at least in part, the Ethernet connection, wherein;

the sonar transducer assembly and the second sonar transducer assembly are configured to receive an ensonification schedule from the logic device over, at least in part, the Ethernet connection; and

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to generate the acoustic ensonification at a first ensonification time and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to generate a second acoustic ensonification at the first ensonification time or at a second ensonification time different from the first ensonification time; and

/or

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to receive the acoustic returns during a first receiver time period and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to receive second acoustic returns during the first receiver time period or at a second receiver time period different from the first receiver time period.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the Ethernet connection comprises a power over Ethernet connection; and

the sonar electronics are configured to receive power from the power over Ethernet connection.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the Ethernet connection comprises a power over Ethernet connection;

the sonar electronics comprise a charging circuit configured to provide power to a power amplifier coupled to the transducer module; and

the charging circuit is configured to charge one or more reservoir capacitors while acoustic returns are received from the transducer module.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the Ethernet connection terminates into a wireless access point configured to transmit the sonar data wirelessly to one or more user interfaces of the mobile structure; and

the wireless access point is coupled to a power supply configured to provide power over the Ethernet connection to the sonar electronics.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mounting one or more additional sonar transducer assemblies to the mobile structure; and

coupling additional Ethernet connections to each of the one or more additional sonar transducer assemblies, wherein the sonar transducer assembly and the one or more additional sonar transducer assemblies are configured to transmit corresponding sonar data to one or more user interfaces of the mobile structure over, at least in part, the Ethernet connection and/or the additional Ethernet connections.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the sonar transducer assembly and the one or more additional sonar transducer assemblies comprise Ethernet PHYs configured to support a Precision Time Protocol to synchronize operation of their respective transducer modules over, at least in part, the Ethernet connection.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a sonar transducer assembly housing, a transducer module, and sonar electronics;

coupling the transducer module and the sonar electronics at least partially within the housing to assemble a sonar transducer assembly, wherein the sonar electronics are configured to;

generate an acoustic ensonification;

receive acoustic returns, corresponding to the generated acoustic ensonification, from the transducer module;

generate sonar data based, at least in part, on the acoustic returns; and

transmit the sonar data to a logic device of the mobile structure over, at least in part, an Ethernet connection;

receiving a second sonar transducer assembly housing, a second transducer module, and second sonar electronics; and

coupling the second transducer module and the second sonar electronics at least partially within the second housing to assemble a second sonar transducer assembly, wherein;

the sonar transducer assembly and the second sonar transducer assembly are configured to receive an ensonification schedule from the logic device over, at least in part, the Ethernet connection; and

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to generate the acoustic ensonification at a first ensonification time and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to generate a second acoustic ensonification at the first ensonification time or at a second ensonification time different from the first ensonification time; and

/or

the ensonification schedule comprises at least first ensonification characteristics directing the sonar transducer assembly to receive the acoustic returns during a first receiver time period and second ensonification characteristics directing the second sonar transducer assembly to receive second acoustic returns during the first receiver time period or at a second receiver time period different from the first receiver time period.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the Ethernet connection comprises a power-over-Ethernet connection and the sonar electronics are configured to receive power from the power-over-Ethernet connection; and

the sonar electronics comprise a charging circuit configured to provide at least a portion of the power to a power amplifier coupled to the transducer module to generate the acoustic ensonification.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the Ethernet connection terminates into a wireless access point configured to transmit the sonar data wirelessly to one or more user interfaces of the mobile structure; and

the wireless access point is coupled to a power supply configured to provide power over the Ethernet connection to the sonar electronics.