Back to results
US 12,498,391 B2Granted
Underwater acoustic receiver apparatus and method of monitoring a target portion of a water column
AssigneeSonardyne International Limited
InventorsPhilip Hugh Bennet, Robert James Crook, Darryl Newborough, Jonathan James Davies
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An underwater acoustic receiver apparatus (100) comprises an acoustic reflector (102, 104, 106, 108) and an acoustic device (110, 114, 116, 118) aimed at the acoustic reflector (102, 104, 106, 108). The acoustic reflector (102, 104, 106, 108) is disposed at a predetermined distance and orientation relative to the acoustic device (110, 114, 116, 118).
Claims19
An underwater acoustic receiver apparatus comprising:
- a central spacer having a central longitudinal axis, the central spacer having a first end longitudinally distal from a second end thereof with respect to the central longitudinal axis;
- a first acoustic device operably coupled at the first end of the central spacer and aimed at a first acoustic reflector operably coupled to the second end of the central spacer, the first acoustic device being spaced from the first acoustic reflector by a first predetermined distance;
- a second acoustic device operably coupled at the first end of the central spacer and aimed at a second acoustic reflector operably coupled to the second end of the central spacer, the second acoustic device being spaced from the second acoustic reflector by a second predetermined distance;
- and
- a third acoustic device operably coupled at the first end of the central spacer and aimed at a third acoustic reflector operably coupled to the second end of the central spacer, the third acoustic device being spaced from the third acoustic reflector by a third predetermined distance, wherein
- the first acoustic device, the second acoustic device, and the third acoustic device are disposed about the central longitudinal axis of the central spacer at the first end thereof,
- the first acoustic reflector, the second acoustic reflector, and the third acoustic reflector are disposed about the central longitudinal axis of the central spacer at the second end thereof, and
- the first acoustic reflector, the second acoustic reflector, and the third acoustic reflector are oriented away from each other and from the central spacer.
5 more elements
A method of receiving acoustic reflections from a target portion of a water column, the method comprising:
- providing a central spacer having a central longitudinal axis, the central spacer having a first end longitudinally distal from a second end thereof with respect to the central longitudinal axis;
- disposing a first acoustic device, a second acoustic device and a third acoustic device about the central longitudinal axis of the central spacer at the first end thereof;
- disposing a first acoustic reflector, a second acoustic reflector and a third acoustic reflector about the central longitudinal axis of the central spacer at the second end thereof;
- spacing the first acoustic device a first predetermined distance from the first acoustic reflector and aiming the first acoustic device at the first acoustic reflector;
- spacing the second acoustic device a second predetermined distance from the second acoustic reflector and aiming the second acoustic device at the second acoustic reflector;
- spacing the third acoustic device a third predetermined distance from the third acoustic reflector and aiming the third acoustic device at the third acoustic reflector;
- orienting the first acoustic reflector, the second acoustic reflector and the third acoustic reflector away from each other and the central spacer;
- the first acoustic device receiving a first acoustic beam from the first acoustic reflector, the first acoustic reflector reflecting the first acoustic beam from the target portion of the water column;
- the second acoustic device receiving a second acoustic beam from the second acoustic reflector, the second acoustic reflector reflecting the second acoustic beam from the target portion of the water column;
- and
- the third acoustic device receiving a third acoustic beam from the third acoustic reflector, the third acoustic reflector reflecting the third acoustic beam from the target portion of the water column.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.