Device, method and program for processing signal, underwater detecting device and radar apparatus

• US 9,857,464 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2015
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Original Assignee: Furuno Electric Co, Ltd
• Inventors: Kozuki, Kohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Ratcliffe, Luke D
• Assistant Examiner(s): N'DURE, AMIE MERCEDES
• Application Number:
  US14/750,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20160003942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 367 87
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/28 with time compression of received pulses
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/937 of marine craft
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/06 Systems determining the position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/10 using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves determination of distance by phase measurement G01S15/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 for locating fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/8006 Multi-channel systems specially adapted for direction-finding, i.e. having a single aerial system capable of giving simultaneous indications of the directions of different signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/292 Extracting wanted echo-signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/527 Extracting wanted echo signals Doppler systems G01S15/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/539 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A signal processor for processing target echo signal is provided. The signal processor includes a filter configured to generate a filtered echo signal by extracting echo signal components within a predetermined frequency band from the target echo signal, a high resolution signal generator configured to generate a high resolution signal based on the target echo signal, and a synthesizing module configured to synthesize the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal. The high resolution signal has higher resolution than the filtered echo signal.

Claims

1. A signal processor for processing a target echo signal obtained based on a reflection wave caused by a reflection of a transmission wave on a target object, comprising:

processing circuitry configured to;

generate a filtered echo signal by extracting echo signal components within a predetermined frequency band from the target echo signal;

generate a high resolution signal based on the target echo signal, the high resolution signal having higher resolution than the filtered echo signal;

partition a distance range into a first zone where an intensity of a first sample sampled from the high resolution signal is the same as or higher than an intensity of a second sample sampled from the filtered echo signal, said first and second samples being corresponding samples, and a second zone where the intensity of the first sample is lower than the intensity of the second sample, said distance range corresponding to a time length from transmission of the transmission wave until reception of the reflection wave; and

synthesize the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal in each of the first and second zones and generate an echo image from the synthesized filtered echo signal and high resolution signal in each of the first and second zones, wherein the generated echo image comprises reduced false images while maintaining resolution of the echo image generated, in order to improve target detection images.

2. The signal processor of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry synthesizes the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal based on an intensity of the filtered echo signal and an intensity of the high resolution signal.

3. The signal processor of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry synthesizes the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal based on the intensity of the first sample and the intensity of the second sample.

4. The signal processor of claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry synthesizes the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal by selecting a sample with a lowest intensity between the first and second samples.

5. The signal processor of claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry synthesizes the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal by adding a value obtained by multiplying the first sample by a first coefficient to a value obtained by multiplying the second sample by a second coefficient.

6. The signal processor of claim 3, wherein the processing circuitry selects one of the first sample and the second sample based on a comparison between the intensities of the first and second samples.

7. The signal processor of claim 6, wherein

the processing circuitry selects among a plurality of said first zones the first sample for a first zone having a length smaller than a predetermined threshold.

8. The signal processor of claim 6, wherein

the processing circuitry selects among a plurality of said first zones the first sample for a first zone when a first sample with a highest intensity among first samples within said first zone is at a position other than at a boundary of said first zone with the second zone adjacent thereto and when a maximum value among ratios between first and second corresponding samples within said first zone is lower than a predetermined threshold.

9. The signal processor of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

perform inverse filtering of the target echo signal; and

calculate an intensity spectrum of the inverse-filtered target echo signal.

10. The signal processor of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to perform pulse compression of the target echo signal.

11. An underwater detecting device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a target echo signal to be processed, the target echo signal being caused by an acoustic wave transmitted underwater;

the signal processor described in claim 1, configured to process the target echo signal received by the receiver; and

a display unit configured to display a synthesized signal generated by the signal processor.

13. A radar apparatus, comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a target echo signal to be processed;

the signal processor described in claim 1, configured to process the target echo signal received by the antenna; and

a display unit configured to display a synthesized signal generated by the signal processor.

12. An underwater detecting device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a target echo signal to be processed, the target echo signal being caused by an acoustic wave transmitted underwater;

a signal processor including processing circuitry configured to process the target echo signal received by the receiver; and

a display unit configured to display a synthesized signal, wherein the processing circuitry of the signal processor is configured to;

generate a filtered echo signal by extracting echo signal components within a predetermined frequency band from the target echo signal;

generate a high resolution signal based on the target echo signal, the high resolution signal having higher resolution than the filtered echo signal;

synthesize the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal and generate the synthesized signal;

detect a depth position of a water bottom; and

specify a target range within which the processing circuitry synthesizes the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal, the target range being a predetermined depth range including the depth position of the water bottom and generate an echo image from the synthesized filtered echo signal and high resolution signal in the target range, wherein the generated echo image comprises reduced false images while maintaining resolution of the echo image generated, in order to improve underwater images.

14. A method of processing a target echo signal obtained based on a reflection wave caused by a reflection of a transmission wave on a target object, the method comprising:

generating a filtered echo signal by extracting echo signal components within a predetermined frequency band from the target echo signal;

generating a high resolution signal based on the target echo signal, the high resolution signal having higher resolution than the filtered echo signal;

partitioning a distance range into a first zone where an intensity of a first sample sampled from the high resolution signal is the same as or higher than an intensity of a second sample sampled from the filtered echo signal, said first and second samples being corresponding samples, and a second zone where the intensity of the first sample is lower than the intensity of the second sample, said distance range corresponding to a time length from transmission of the transmission wave until reception of the reflection wave; and

synthesizing the filtered echo signal with the high resolution signal in each of the first and second zones and generating an echo image from the synthesized filtered echo signal and high resolution signal in each of the first and second zones, wherein the generated echo image comprises reduced false images while maintaining resolution of the echo image generated, in order to improve target detection images.