Acoustic search device

• US 5,293,351 A
• Filed: 10/05/1992
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Transducer Valley Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transducer Valley Incorporated
• Inventors: Noponen, Seppo
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US07/930,706
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 367/910, 367/7
• US Class Current: 367/7
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 3/00 Devices or single parts for facilitating escape from buildings or the like, e.g. protection shields, protection screens; Portable devices for preventing smoke penetrating into distinct parts of buildings A62B1/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8993 Three dimensional imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/6245 Stereoscopic displays; Three-dimensional displays; Pseudo-three dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/91 Portable sonar devices

Abstract

An acoustic search device comprises an ultrasonic transducer with a plurality of elements for transmitting acoustic signals toward a viewed search area and for receiving echo signals therefrom, a display, an electronic unit and an optical viewing device. The electronic unit controls the transducer and the display which shows a display image of the viewed search area based on the echo signals reflected from the viewed search area. The display image is seen by means of the optical viewing device. The optical viewing device, the display, and the ultrasonic transducer are arranged to form a part of the protective cap of a diver and are situated in a protective cap, substantially in succession in the direction of sight of the diver.

Claims

1. An acoustic search device including:

(a) a protective cap insertable over the head of a wearer;

(b) a face part constituting an integral part of said protective cap; and

(c) searching means located within said face part and including an optical viewing device, at least one first display and at least one ultrasonic transducer, all positioned in succession in the direction of sight at the eye level of the wearer, an electronic control unit, and a source of electric power for said electronic control unit;

(d) said ultrasonic transducer including a plurality of elements controlled by said electronic control unit for transmitting acoustic signals toward a viewed search area and for receiving echo signals therefrom;

(e) said display being controlled by said electronic control unit fir displaying an image of the viewed search area based on the echo signals reflected from the viewed search area; and

(f) said optical viewing device being adapted to allow viewing of said display image by said wearer.

3. A search device according to claim 1, wherein said searching means includes a second display, said optical viewing device being adapted to effect, by means of the two display images of the first and second displays, a three dimensional impression by using known imaging techniques.

5. A search device according to claim 3, further comprising a second ultrasonic transducer, said display images being obtained by means of said two ultrasonic transducers.

6. A search device according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the ultrasonic transducer from which the wave crest is transmitted is curved.

7. A search device according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the ultrasonic transducer from which the wave crest is transmitted is convex.

8. A search device according to claim 1, wherein said display image is composed of single light elements and wherein the brightness of the light elements depends on the intensity of the corresponding echo signal, whereupon objects of the viewed search area lying closer to the ultrasonic transducer look brighter in the display image than objects of the viewed search area lying farther away from the ultrasonic transducer.

10. A search device according to claim 1, wherein said source of electric power is a portable accumulator.

11. A search device according to claim 1, further comprising an alarm system which provides an alarm when the search device is functioning and the echo signals received by the ultrasonic transducer are below a predetermined value.

2. An acoustic search device comprising an ultrasonic transducer with a plurality of elements for transmitting acoustic signals toward a viewed search area and for receiving echo signals therefrom, a display, an electronic unit and an optical viewing device, said electronic unit for controlling said transducer and said display, said display showing a display image of the viewed search area based on the echo signals reflected from the viewed search area and said display image being seen by means of the optical viewing device, wherein the optical viewing device, the display, and the ultrasonic transducer are arranged to form a part of the protective cap of a diver and wherein the optical viewing device, the display, and the ultrasonic transducer are situated in said protective cap, substantially in succession in the direction of sight of the diver.

4. A search device according to claim 2, wherein said searching means includes a second display, said optical viewing device being adapted to effect, by means of the two display images of the first and second displays, a three dimensional impression by using known imaging techniques.

9. A search device according to claim 2, wherein an accumulator, arranged to be portable on one'"'"'s back, serves as the power supply for the search device.