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US 11,899,152 B2Granted
Acoustic ranging apparatus and methods
AssigneeION Geophysical Corporation
InventorClement B. Guillot, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ranging system comprises a plurality of receivers. A plurality of transmitters is configured to generate acoustic or ranging signals over one or more channels. A processor is configured to define a subset of the transmitters within a predefined limited range or listening distance of each receiver. In the subset, the transmitters are configured to generate the acoustic signals over different channels.
Claims25
A system comprising:
- a plurality of acoustic receivers configured to receive acoustic signals;
- and
- a plurality of acoustic transmitters, wherein each of the acoustic transmitters is configured to transmit a ranging pulse on a respective one of the acoustic signals, over one of a plurality of channels;
- and
- a processor configured to define a respective predefined limited range for each of the acoustic receivers, wherein a subset of the acoustic transmitters is defined within the respective predefined limited range thereof, and wherein each acoustic transmitter of the respective subset is configured to transmit the ranging pulse on the respective acoustic signal over a different one of the plurality of channels;
- wherein, during an acoustic ranging cycle, the plurality of acoustic transmitters are each configured to initiate transmission of the ranging pulses on the respective acoustic signals at a substantially same time, such that propagation of the ranging pulses on each of the acoustic signals is substantially simultaneous;
- wherein the plurality of acoustic receivers are each configured to detect the ranging pulses transmitted by the respective subset of the acoustic transmitters within a time window defined by the respective predefined limited range;
- and
- wherein a cycle time of the acoustic ranging cycle starts with initiation of transmission of the ranging pulses on the respective acoustic signals by each of the acoustic transmitters at the substantially same time, and ends upon expiration of the time window defined by a longest of the respective pre-defined limited ranges.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- defining a respective limited listening distance for each acoustic receiver in each of respective pluralities of acoustic receivers, wherein each acoustic receiver in each of the respective pluralities of acoustic receivers is configured to receive acoustic signals from selected acoustic transmitters spaced within the respective listening distance thereof;
- and
- during an acoustic ranging cycle:
- providing a synchronizing signal to each of the acoustic transmitters and to each acoustic receiver in each of the respective pluralities of acoustic receivers;
- in response to receipt of the synchronizing signal, initiating transmission of a ranging pulse on a respective acoustic signal from each of the acoustic transmitters at a substantially same time, wherein the ranging pulses transmitted on each of the respective acoustic signals propagate substantially simultaneously;
- and
- in response to receipt of the synchronizing signal, substantially simultaneously determining for each acoustic receiver a respective acoustic range to the selected acoustic transmitters within the respective listening distance, based on propagation time of the ranging pulses on the respective acoustic signals from the selected acoustic transmitters;
- wherein a cycle time of the acoustic ranging cycle starts with initiation of transmission of the ranging pulses on the respective acoustic signals by each of acoustic transmitters at the substantially same time, and ends upon expiration of a time window defined by a longest of the respective limited listening distances.
5 more elements
A ranging system comprising:
- a plurality of receivers configured to receive ranging signals;
- a plurality of transmitters configured transmit ranging signals over a plurality of channels;
- and
- a processor configured to determine distances between each of the receivers and a subset of the transmitters within a predefined limited range thereof, based on propagation of the respective ranging signals from the subset of the transmitters within the respective predefined limited range of each receiver;
- wherein each transmitter in the subset of transmitters within the respective predefined limited range is configured to generate the respective ranging signal over a different one of the plurality of channels;
- and
- wherein, during an acoustic ranging cycle and in response to receipt of a synchronization signal, the plurality of transmitters are each configured to initiate transmission of the respective ranging signals at a substantially same time, such that propagation of the respective ranging signals is substantially simultaneous;
- wherein each of the receivers is configured to detect the ranging signals within a time window defined by the respective predefined limited range;
- and
- wherein a cycle time of the acoustic ranging cycle starts with initiation of transmission of the respective ranging signals by each of the transmitters at the substantially same time, and ends upon expiration of the time window defined for a longest of the respective predefined limited ranges.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.