# US 2013/0155809 A1 · Method and Device for Managing the Acoustic Performances of a Network of Acoustic Nodes Arranged Along Towed Acoustic Linear Antennas > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155809 A1 - Document ID: US20130155809A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/720,413 - Filed: 2012-12-19 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19 - Assignees: Sercel - Inventors: Christophe L'Her; Simon Vallez - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155809A1 ## CPC - G01V 1/3835: {measuring position, e.g. by GPS or acoustically} - G01S 11/14: using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves - G01V 1/38: specially adapted for water-covered areas (G01V1/28 takes precedence) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A method and apparatus are provided for managing the acoustic performances of a network of acoustic nodes arranged along towed acoustic linear antennas. The network of acoustic nodes is adapted to determine inter-node distances allowing to locate the acoustic linear antennas. The method includes: obtaining a determined layout of the network of acoustic nodes; obtaining at least one marine environment property relating to an area of performance of a survey with the network of acoustic nodes; and quantifying the acoustic performances of the network of acoustic nodes, using a sound propagation model, the at least one marine environment property and the determined layout. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for managing the acoustic performances of a network of acoustic nodes arranged along towed acoustic linear antennas, the network of acoustic nodes being adapted to determine inter-node distances allowing to locate the acoustic linear antennas, wherein the method comprises steps of: obtaining a determined layout of the network of acoustic nodes; obtaining at least one marine environment property relating to an area of performance of a survey with the network of acoustic nodes; and quantifying the acoustic performances of the network of acoustic nodes, using a sound propagation model, the at least one marine environment property and the determined layout. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determined layout is defined at least by determined horizontal distances between the acoustic nodes and a determined immersion depth of each acoustic node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of quantifying the acoustic performances comprises, for at least one given couple of nodes comprising a sender node and a receiver node, steps of: estimating the propagation properties of an acoustic signal through an underwater acoustic channel between the sender node and the receiver node of the given couple of nodes, using said sound propagation model and knowing: the immersion depths of the sender node and the receiver node, a horizontal distance between the sender node and the receiver node, and the at least one marine environment property, comprising at least an estimate of the sound speed profile of the underwater acoustic channel; associating an acoustic performance value to the given couple of nodes, as a function of at least one the result of the step of estimating the propagation properties. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the at least one result of the step of estimating the propagation properties belongs to the group comprising: a first piece of information relating to a kind of at least one path existing between the sender node and the receiver node of the given couple of nodes; a second piece of information relating to a magnitude of at least one path existing between the sender node and the receiver node of the given couple of nodes; and a third piece of information relating to a multipath correlation distortion rate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one marine environment property belongs to the group comprising: sound speed profiles, depending on depth; bathymetric characteristics; sub-bottom properties. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of obtaining at least one marine environment property is carried out using at least one method belonging to the group consisting of: methods of consulting at least one database; methods of direct measuring, using a measurement device and/or an acoustic method; or methods of indirect measuring, using an inversion process. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a step of improving the acoustic performances of the network of acoustic nodes, as a function of at least one result of the step of quantifying. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of improving the acoustic performances takes into account the acoustic performance value associated to the at least one given couple of nodes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of improving the acoustic performances of the network of acoustic nodes comprises a step of modifying the determined layout, as a function of at least one result of the step of quantifying. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein it is executed before the survey. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of improving the acoustic performances of the network of acoustic nodes comprises a step of adjusting at least one parameter of the network of acoustic nodes, without modifying the determined layout, as a function of the result of the step of quantifying. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one parameter of the network of acoustic nodes belongs to the group consisting of: emitted levels of acoustic signals emitted by the acoustic nodes; properties of acoustic signals emitted by the acoustic nodes; time and/or frequency sharing methods implemented by the acoustic nodes, having an impact on acoustic cycle durations; and signal processing methods implemented by the acoustic nodes to process received acoustic signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein it is executed during the survey. ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable carrier medium storing a program which, when executed by a computer or a processor, causes the computer or the processor to carry out a method for managing the acoustic performances of a network of acoustic nodes arranged along towed acoustic linear antennas, the network of acoustic nodes being adapted to determine inter-node distances allowing to locate the acoustic linear antennas, the method comprising steps of: obtaining a determined layout of the network of acoustic nodes; obtaining at least one marine environment property relating to an area of performance of a survey with the network of acoustic nodes; quantifying with the computer or the processor the acoustic performances of the network of acoustic nodes, using a sound propagation model, the at least one marine environment property and the determined layout. ### Claim 16 A device for managing the acoustic performances of a network of acoustic nodes arranged along towed acoustic linear antennas, the network of acoustic nodes being adapted to determine inter-node distances allowing to locate the acoustic linear antennas, wherein the device comprises: means for obtaining a determined layout of the network of acoustic nodes; means for obtaining at least one marine environment property relating to an area of performance of a survey with the network of acoustic nodes; and means for quantifying the acoustic performances of the network of acoustic nodes, using a sound propagation model, the at least one marine environment property and the determined layout.