Variable aperture phased array incorporating vehicle swarm

• US 9,247,364 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Brusniak, Leon, Underbrink, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/057,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20150112518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 735/87
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations by using a detector in a fluid G01H7/00, G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/14 Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0027 involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308

Abstract

In one aspect a system for acoustic testing comprises a plurality of acoustic sensors mounted to a plurality of vehicles, a control system to control the plurality of vehicles, and a data acquisition system to receive data generated by the plurality of acoustic sensors in response to noise from a noise source proximate the plurality of vehicles.

Claims

1. A system for acoustic testing, comprising:

a plurality of acoustic sensors mounted to a plurality of vehicles, wherein the plurality of vehicles comprise at least one aerial-based vehicle;

a control system configured to;

instruct the plurality of vehicles to move into a first predetermined configuration at a first time; and

instruct the plurality of vehicles to move into a second predetermined configuration at a second time; and

a data acquisition system configured to;

receive a first set of data generated by the plurality of acoustic sensors in response to noise from a noise source proximate the plurality of vehicles when the plurality of vehicles are in the first predetermined configuration at the first time; and

receive a second set of data generated by the plurality of acoustic sensors in response to noise from the noise source proximate the plurality of vehicles when the plurality of vehicles are in the second predetermined configuration at the second time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vehicles comprises at least one of a maimed vehicle, an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned water-based vehicle, or an unmanned ground-based vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of acoustic sensors, when the plurality of vehicles are in the first predetermined configuration, form a first acoustic array having a first aperture size and a first spatial resolution.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first predetermined configuration positions the plurality of acoustic sensors in a first plane.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of acoustic sensors, when the plurality of vehicles are in the second predetermined configuration, form a second acoustic array having a second aperture size and a second spatial resolution.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second predetermined configuration positions the plurality of acoustic sensors in a plurality of planes.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system instructs the plurality of vehicles into move to the first predetermined configuration in response to a first signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system instructs the plurality of vehicles to move into the first predetermined configuration in response to an environmental condition or a test condition.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is communicatively coupled to the plurality of vehicles via a wireless communication interface.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to determine, based on the first set of data and the second set of data, different locations corresponding to respective noise source components included in the noise source.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising determining, based on the first set of data and the second set of data, different locations corresponding to respective noise source components included in the noise source.

12. A method for acoustic testing, comprising:

instructing a plurality of vehicles to move into a first predetermined configuration at a first time, wherein a plurality of acoustic sensors are mounted to the plurality of vehicles, and the plurality of vehicles comprise at least one aerial-based vehicle;

receiving a first set of data generated by the plurality of acoustic sensors in response to noise from a noise source proximate the plurality of vehicles in the first predetermined configuration at the first time;

instructing the plurality of vehicles to move into a second predetermined configuration at a second time; and

receiving a second set of data generated by the plurality of acoustic sensors in response to noise from a noise source proximate the plurality of vehicles in the second predetermined configuration at the second time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of vehicles comprises at least one of a manned vehicle, an unmanned aerial vehicle, an unmanned water-based vehicle, or an unmanned ground-based vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising moving the plurality of vehicles into the first predetermined configuration in response to an environmental condition.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the first predetermined configuration positions the plurality of sensors in a first plane.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of acoustic sensors, when the plurality of vehicles from are in the first predetermined configuration, form a first acoustic array having a first aperture size and a first spatial resolution, and wherein the plurality of acoustic sensors, when the plurality of vehicles are in the second predetermined configuration, form a second acoustic array having a second aperture size and a second spatial resolution.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the second predetermined configuration positions the plurality of sensors in a plurality of planes.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the plurality of vehicles into the first predetermined configuration in response to a signal.