Acoustic tracking system
First Claim
1. An acoustic tracking system mounted on an ocean-going vessel having a keel and a chine on either side of the keel, the system being employed for locating and tracking sound emitting cetaceans remote from the vessel, the sounds emitted by the cetaceans having known characteristics and acoustic parameters, said system comprising:
- an array of a plurality of sound sensitive units mounted on the bottom of the vessel and receiving the cetacean originated acoustic signal sounds through the water and converting the sounds to electrical signals;
receiver means mounted on the vessel;
means for transmitting the electrical signals from said sound sensitive units to said receiver meansmeans included in said receiver means pursuant to the signals received from a plurality of said sound sensitive units for calculating relative range and bearing from the vessel to the acoustic signal producing cetacean; and
means connected to said receiver means for indicating said bearing and range.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An acoustic tracking system designed to allow scientists and fishermen to follow dolphins and whales without harming or harassing them. The system utilizes six flow shielded hydrophones mounted on the bottom of a vessel in two arrays of three hydrophones in each array. Acoustic signals of interest (dolphin calls) which strike the hydrophone piezo-electric elements are transmitted to a receiver-display device which determines and displays both the bearing to the signal of interest and the relative range from the vessel to that signal. The receiver-display device utilizes digital microprocessors to determine the difference in signal arrival time of an incoming signal at pairs of hydrophones. The resulting computed bearing to the dolphin call is displayed as a lighted indicator on an electronic heading display. In addition, the digital microprocessors compare the received sound pressure level of incoming signals of interest and display the relative range as a series of lighted LED'"'"'s on the electronic heading indicator.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An acoustic tracking system mounted on an ocean-going vessel having a keel and a chine on either side of the keel, the system being employed for locating and tracking sound emitting cetaceans remote from the vessel, the sounds emitted by the cetaceans having known characteristics and acoustic parameters, said system comprising:
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an array of a plurality of sound sensitive units mounted on the bottom of the vessel and receiving the cetacean originated acoustic signal sounds through the water and converting the sounds to electrical signals; receiver means mounted on the vessel; means for transmitting the electrical signals from said sound sensitive units to said receiver means means included in said receiver means pursuant to the signals received from a plurality of said sound sensitive units for calculating relative range and bearing from the vessel to the acoustic signal producing cetacean; and means connected to said receiver means for indicating said bearing and range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An acoustic tracking system for a remote signal source emitting signals of predetermined frequencies, said system comprising:
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an array of sound sensitive units mounted on a body in the medium in which the signals are being propagated, said units receiving and converting the acoustic signals to electrical signals, the spacing between adjacent said units being equal to or greater than one-half the wavelength of the signals; receiver means mounted on said body; means for transmitting the electrical signals from said sound sensitive units to said receiver means; and signal processing means in said receiver means to unambiguously determine the time difference of arrival of a complex signal at each adjacent pair of said units and thereby determine the bearing from the body to the signal source. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for acoustically tracking sound emitting cetaceans, said method comprising the steps of:
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mounting an array of a plurality of sound sensitive units on an ocean-going vessel having a keel and chine on either side of the keel; moving the vessel and array to the vicinity of acoustic signal producing cetaceans; receiving such acoustic signals by the plurality of sound sensitive units; converting tire acoustic signals to electrical signals; transferring such electrical signals to a receiver; calculating tire relative range and bearing from the vessel to the acoustic signal producing cetaceans; and providing indications of the calculated range and bearing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for acoustically tracking a remote signal source emitting signals of predetermined frequencies, said method comprising the steps of:
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mounting an array of pairs of sound sensitive units in mutual fixed relationship on a body in the medium in which the signals are being propagated; receiving the signals by the sound sensitive units, the spacing between the units in each pair being equal to or greater than one-half the wavelength of the signals; converting the received signals to electrical signals; transmitting the electrical signals to a receiver; and determining in an unambiguous manner the time difference of arrival of a complex signal at each unit in each pair of units and thereby determining the bearing from the body to the signal source. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification