Sensor systems

• US 6,288,973 B1
• Filed: 10/01/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROKE Manor Research Limited (Chemring Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: ROKE Manor Research Limited (Chemring Group PLC)
• Inventors: Joynes, George M. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US09/410,064
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 367/131, 367/134, 367/135, 367/136, 367/2, 367/3, 367/4, 367/5, 367/128, 367/118
• US Class Current: 367/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/30 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

An acoustic sensor system for the detection, location and classification of sound-generating targets, such as helicopters, from a ship includes a base station aboard the ship, having a radio transmitter/receiver (B-Tx/Rx) and a digital signal processor unit (DSP). A plurality of floating remote stations, which in use are positioned remotely from the ship, are each arranged to carry apparatus including an electrical power source, a radio transmitter/receiver (STx/Rx) suitable for two way communication with the B-Tx/Rx, a control unit, sound detectors, and a data processor (DP). The control unit is responsive to signals transmitted from the B-Tx/Rx and received by the S-Tx/Rx for controlling provision of electrical power for the apparatus. The DP is operative to classify electrical signals generated by the sound detectors in response to the reception thereby of sound signals, and to initiate, dependent upon classification, transmission of data from the S-Tx/Rx to the B-Tx/Rx appertaining to the sound signals. The DSP is operative, dependent upon reception of these signals from each of the remote stations, to generate data derived therefrom appertaining to the position and classification of the sound source.

Claims

1. An acoustic sensor system for the detection, location and classification of sound generating targets from a ship comprising:

a base station aboard the ship, including a first radio transmitter/receiver and a digital signal processor unit; and

a plurality of floating remote stations which are adapted to be positioned remotely from the ship, and which are each arranged to carry apparatus including an electrical power source, a second radio transmitter/receiver suitable for two way communication with the first radio transmitter/receiver, a control unit, a sound detector, and a data processor, wherein;

the control unit is responsive to signals transmitted from the first radio transmitter/receiver and received by the second radio transmitter/receiver for controlling provision of electrical power for the apparatus;

the data processor is operative to classify electrical signals generated by the sound detector in response to the reception thereby of sound signals from a sound source, and to initiate in dependence upon classification, transmission of data signals from the second radio transmitter/receiver to the first radio transmitter/receiver appertaining to the sound signals; and

the digital signal processor is operative, based upon data signals received from each of the remote stations, to generate data derived therefrom appertaining to position and classification of the sound source.

2. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the floating remote stations are buoys.

3. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the data processor comprises a threshold detector that is responsive only to signals above a predetermined threshold; and

classification of received sound signals is enhanced by further processing in the digital signal processor for target identification and/or target location.

4. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floating remote stations are small unmanned power driven boats or unmanned surface vessels, operated remotely under control of personnel aboard the ship and positionally controlled by control signals from the digital signal processor at the base station, which control signals are fed via the control unit at the remote station.

5. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data processor includes means to carry out data processing for at least some aspects of target identification and location.

6. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sound detector comprises at least one microphone sensor responsive to airborne sounds.

7. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the sound detector further comprises at least one underwater hydrophone sensor responsive to waterborne sounds;

the output of said at least one hydrophone sensor is analyzed in combination with signals derived from the microphone sensor.

8. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one hydrophone sensor comprises an array of individual hydrophones.

9. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the microphone sensor comprises a single microphone.

10. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the microphone sensor comprises an array having a plurality of microphones.

11. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said array comprises a plurality of microphones deployed on booms.

12. An acoustic sensor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the remote stations comprise sensors that are responsive to radiation other than sound; and

said radiation other than sound is analyzed and used as an additional information source to supplement data derived from the sound sensor.

13. An acoustic sensor system according to claim 12, wherein said radiation other than sound is infrared radiation.