Transducer identification

• US 20050259517A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 11/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airmar Technology Corporation (Amphenol Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airmar Technology Corporation (Amphenol Corporation)
• Inventors: Boericke, Frederic S. II, Boucher, Stephen G., Sifferman, Andrew M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/87
• 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 7/524 Transmitters

Abstract

A transducer identification system provides transducer characteristic information to an echosounder. The echosounder, in turn, utilizes the transducer characteristic information to alter its functionality or parameters to optimize its performance. The transducer characteristic information can be any combination of a) the resonant frequencies of the transducer; b) the impedances of the transducer at the transducer'"'"'s resonant frequencies; c) the transducer'"'"'s power rating; d) the date of manufacture of the transducer; e) the peak transmitting voltage response of the transducer; f) the receiving voltage response of the transducer; g) the figure of merit of the transducer; h) the model number of the transducer; i) the serial number of the transducer; j) the transducer'"'"'s aging coefficient; k) information regarding the configuration of the transducer, such as the housing style, arrangement of piezoelectric elements, and type of acoustic window; l) the beam width of the transducer; m) configuration and calibration information regarding an included temperature sensor; and n) configuration and calibration information regarding an included speed sensor.

Claims

1. A transducer identification system for a marine vessel, comprising:

at least one echosounder;

at least one ultrasonic transducer containing identification information related to the at least one ultrasonic transducer; and

a communications bus coupling the at least one echosounder and the at least one transducer, the communications bus communicating the identification information from the at least one transducer to the at least one echosounder.

2. The transducer identification system of claim 1, wherein the at least one echosounder alters its operating parameters based on the identification information to optimize overall performance of the system.

3. The transducer identification system of claim 2, wherein the identification information includes at least one member selected from the group comprising:

a) the resonant frequencies of the transducer;

b) the impedances of the transducer at the transducer'"'"'s resonant frequencies;

c) the transducer'"'"'s power rating;

d) the date of manufacture of the transducer;

e) the peak transmitting voltage response of the transducer;

f) the receiving voltage response of the transducer;

g) the figure of merit of the transducer;

h) the model number of the transducer;

i) the serial number of the transducer;

j) the transducer'"'"'s aging coefficient;

k) information regarding the configuration of the transducer, such as the housing style, arrangement of piezoelectric elements, and type of acoustic window;

l) the beam width of the transducer;

m) configuration and calibration information regarding an included temperature sensor; and

n) configuration and calibration information regarding an included speed sensor.

4. The transducer identification system of claim 1, wherein the communications bus includes at least one member selected from the group comprising:

a single wire bus, a multiple wire bus, and an optical fiber.

5. The transducer identification system of claim 1, wherein communications between the at least one echosounder and the at least one transducer is through a wireless communications link.

6. A transducer identification system for a marine vessel, comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer adapted to be mounted below the waterline for generating an acoustic signal and detecting an echo signal and digitizing the echo signal; and

a digital data bus for coupling transducer identification information and the digitized signal to an echosounder adapted to be mounted on the marine vessel.

7. A transducer identification system for a marine vessel, comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer including;

a housing adapted to be mounted below the waterline, the housing containing at least one piezoelectric element for generating an acoustic signal and detecting an echo signal and including at least one member selected from the group comprising;

a speed sensor for providing a digitized signal of a speed of the vessel and a temperature sensor for providing a digitized signal of a temperature of water; and

a digital data bus for coupling transducer identification information and the digitized signals to an echosounder adapted to be mounted on the marine vessel.

8. A slaved transducer device for providing data from a remote location to an analyzer on a marine vessel;

the slaved device comprising;

a sonic generator transmitting a beam of energy when triggered by a signal from a master device at the marine vessel;

a receiver at the slaved transducer device generating data from signals reflected from objects in the path of the transmitting beam; and

a memory for storing data concerning parameters of the slaved device.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the signal from the master device, the reflected signals, and the stored memory data are accessible by the master device.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the master device and slaved device are in bilateral digital communication over at least one member selected from the group comprising:

a single wire bus, a multi-wire bus, a fiber optic cable, and a wireless communications link.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the master device and the slaved device are coupled together via a bilateral single wire bus.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the stored data includes at least one member selected from the group comprising:

a) the resonant frequencies of the transducer;

b) the impedances of the transducer at the transducer'"'"'s resonant frequencies;

c) the transducer'"'"'s power rating;

d) the date of manufacture of the transducer;

e) the peak transmitting voltage response of the transducer;

f) the receiving voltage response of the transducer;

g) the figure of merit of the transducer;

h) the model number of the transducer;

i) the serial number of the transducer;

j) the transducer'"'"'s aging coefficient;

k) information regarding the configuration of the transducer, such as the housing style, arrangement of piezoelectric elements, and type of acoustic window;

l) the beam width of the transducer;

m) configuration and calibration information regarding an included temperature sensor; and

n) configuration and calibration information regarding an included speed sensor.

13. The device of claim 8, wherein the slaved device is an ultrasonic transducer and the master device is an echosounder.

14. A method for optimizing an echosounder system for a marine vessel, comprising:

communicating identification information from an ultrasonic transducer to an echosounder.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the echosounder alters its operating parameters based on the identification information to optimize overall performance of the system.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a communications bus couples the echosounder to the ultrasonic transducer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the communications bus includes at least one member selected from the group comprising:

a single wire bus, a multiple wire bus, an optical fiber, and a wireless communications link.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the communications bus couples the transducer identification information and the digitized signals to the echosounder.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising

mounting a housing containing at least one piezoelectric element of the ultrasonic transducer below the waterline for generating an acoustic signal and detecting an echo signal, and digitizing the echo signal;

mounting the echosounder on the marine vessel; and

coupling transducer identification information and the digitized signal to the echosounder over the communications bus.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the housing further contains at least one member selected from the group comprising:

a speed sensor for providing a digitized signal of a speed of the vessel, and a temperature sensor for providing a digitized signal of a temperature of water.