3-D forward looking sonar with fixed frame of reference for navigation

• US 7,035,166 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2003
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Farsounder, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Farsounder, Inc.
• Inventors: Zimmerman, Matthew Jason, Miller, James Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US10/688,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20050099887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 367/88, 367/129, 367/130, 367/131
• US Class Current: 367/88
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52003 Techniques for enhancing spatial resolution of targets G01S7/52046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/527 Extracting wanted echo signals Doppler systems G01S15/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/53 Means for transforming coordinates or for evaluating data, e.g. using computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/6245 Stereoscopic displays; Three-dimensional displays; Pseudo-three dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/6263 in which different colours are used

Abstract

An imaging sonar system develops three-dimensional images of the space below, to the sides, and forward of a ship relative to a fixed frame of reference. Various features permit the system to be used in non-military environments and make possible low cost with substantial capabilities.

Claims

1. A sonar system, comprising:

one or more sonar emitters;

an array of sonar sensors configured to receive an echo from an outgoing signal generated by said sonar emitter and generate a raw data signal;

at least one roll, tilt, and yaw sensor;

input from a sensor determining the latitude and longitude position of the sonar emitter;

circuitry adapted to collect said raw signal data and the reduce and ouput said raw signal data to image data, which has been rotated responsively to the roll, tilt and yaw orientation of the sonar system as determined by the respective sensors at least one roll, tilt and yaw sensor with respect to a fixed frame of reference from ping-to-ping allowing for the successive display of multiple images from successive transmissions to be oriented with the same fixed frame of reference in a direction relative to the earth; and

wherein said system is generates a complete image with a single transmission.

2. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to reduce said raw data signal to image data including two-dimensional image data.

3. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to reduce said raw data signal to image data including three-dimensional image data.

4. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein said emitter ensonifies a volume with a broad beam and the receiver sensors are configured to receive echoes in such a way that the raw data signals can be processed to produce a beam with a beamwidth smaller than that of a transmitter.

5. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein said image is combined with ancillary geo-referenced information for display.

6. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein successive images are combined into one larger geo-referenced image.

7. A sonar system as in claim 6, wherein the said combined image is combined with ancillary geo-referenced information for display.

8. A sonar system as in claim 4, wherein the said receive beam processing utilizes a Discrete Time Fourier Transform (DTFT) at each range sample to combine raw data signals from the receiver sensors.

9. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein the said circuitry adapted to collect said raw data includes bandpass filters and utilizes band pass sampling techniques to sample said signals.

10. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitted by the emitter is coded in at least one of phase, frequency, spectrum or time in, such a way that different transmit signals may be distinguished from one another and wherein the transmit and receive systems are capable of supporting said different transmit signals.

11. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein the volume of processing is confined to a defined spatial volume to reduce computational load.

12. A sonar system as in claim 11, wherein the said volume processing in defined relative to a fixed frame of position and is responsively determined relative to the sonar system from at least one of a roll, tilt, yaw, depth, or latitude/longitude sensor.

13. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein returns, within a specified spatial location, by a beamformer are removed from further processing.

14. A sonar system as in claim 13, wherein returns corresponding to above the sea surface generated by the beamformer are removed from further processing.

15. A sonar system as in claim 13, wherein returns corresponding to a volume immediately near the sonar system generated by the beamformer are removed from further processing.

16. A sonar system as in claim 13, wherein returns corresponding to above the sea surface generated by the beamformer are removed from further processing.

17. A sonar system as in claim 13, wherein returns corresponding to below the sea bottom generated by the beamformer are removed from further processing.

18. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein returns from within specified spatial volume are removed if they fall below a given signal level.

19. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein returns from within specified spatial volume are removed if they contain given spectral information.

20. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein return from behind other returns are removed from display along a given line of sight.

21. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein returns from the sea floor are smoothed with a line-of-sight filter.

22. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein targets are grouped together based on at least one of proximity to other targets, signal strength, depth, range, spectral content, and speed.

23. A sonar system as in claim 22, wherein target group information is used classify groups and then process or display group data differently than other groups.

24. A sonar system as in claim 1, wherein any number of alarms may be activated based on at least one of target depth, group size, target range, target bearing, target signal strength, target speed.

25. A sonar system as in claim 24, wherein the said alarm is sounded via at least one of audio, visual, or electronic message with at least one of a user interface, stand alone alarm console, or machine interface.

26. A sonar system as in claim 25, wherein the said alarm information is used by a processor to produce navigation recommendations.

27. A sonar system as in claim 20, wherein said processed image is displayed to the user overlaid upon another image of less processed information.

28. A sonar system as in claim 8 wherein beamformer steer angles are dynamically created on each transmission and vary from range sample to range sample so that beamforming and further processing are performed on locations that are within a geometric boundary.