×

Multiplatform sonar system and method for underwater surveillance

  • US 5,231,609 A
  • Filed: 09/28/1992
  • Issued: 07/27/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A system for underwater surveillance of the ocean through the transmission and reception of underwater sonic pulses, said system comprising at least two platforms positions or travelling some distance apart from each other, wherein at least one of said platforms is equipped with means for transmitting underwater sonic pulses and scattering them off the ocean floor in directions such that portions of the scattered pulses are intercepted by at least one of said transmitting platform'"'"'s companion platforms in the absence of submerged sonic obstructing objects, means on at least one of said platforms for receiving said sonic pulses and determining the angles of arrival of said intercepted pulses, means on each of said reception platforms for determining the times of transmission and the times of reception of said conic pulses, means on each of said reception platforms for sensing acoustic shadows cast by submerged sonic obstructing objects, position fixing means on each moveable platform for determining its global location;

  • said system having a relative position fixing means for determining the positions of said platforms with respect to each other, communication means on each platform for transmitting and receiving data from its companion platforms;

    said system having means for recording, processing, and analyzing portions of said intercepted pulses to estimate the depth of the ocean floor at the locations of the pulse reflections, and means for estimating the directions, distances, boundaries, and dimensions of the sonic obstructing objects casting said acoustic shadows, and said system having means for recording selected portions of said analyzed data.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×