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US 6,185,156 B2Granted
Underwater acoustic impulse source
AssigneeHydroacoustics Inc.
InventorJohn V. Bouyoucos
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHydroacoustics Inc.
InventorJohn V. Bouyoucos
Estimating the term…
An acoustic transmission in an underwater environment having a spectrum (amplitude/frequency signature) of interest is generated by cyclically releasing energy which forms impulses which individually have spectral amplitudes principally near one end of the desired spectrum, but which impulses are repeated at a rate near the opposite end of the desired spectrum, which rate may be varied to smooth the spectral response. A multiplicity of impulses may be generated synchronously, the number depending upon the desired amplitude of the spectrum. A multi-port air gun having a stator with a series of ports, which are valved by a rotor coaxial with the stator provides the energy in the form of the release of compressed air bubbles. The rate at which the impulses are produced is controlled by controlling the speed of rotation of the rotor. The amplitude of the transmission may be controlled by means of a ram which moves along the axis of rotation of the rotor to select the number of ports commensurate with the required amplitude of the spectrum. The source may be housed in a tow body and provides a transmission simulating a ship's noise spectrum which may be used as an aid to acoustic mine sweeping.
A source for transmitting acoustic impulses underwater comprising a body locatable in an underwater environment and charged with compressed gas, which source produces said acoustic impulses whenever a portion of said compressed gas is abruptly released into said environment, an energy controller actuated to enable cyclical timed release of said gas to provide an acoustic transmission having a predetermined spectrum, and wherein said impulses provide acoustic energy principally in one portion of said spectrum and wherein said cyclical timed release extends said response into portions of said spectrum outside said one portion.
A source for transmitting acoustic impulses underwater comprising a body locatable in an underwater environment and charged with compressed gas, which source produces said acoustic impulses whenever a portion of said compressed gas is abruptly released into said environment, an energy controller actuated to enable cyclical timed release of said gas to provide an acoustic transmission having a predetermined spectrum, and further comprising a modulator associated with said controller for changing the timing of said cyclical release to vary the rate of said impulses so as to smooth said spectrum.
A source for transmitting acoustic impulses underwater comprising a body locatable in an underwater environment and charged with compressed gas, which source produces said acoustic impulses whenever a portion of said compressed gas is abruptly released into said environment, an energy controller actuated to enable cyclical timed release of said gas to provide an acoustic transmission having a predetermined spectrum, and wherein said body has porting for release of a multiplicity of impulses.
A source for transmitting acoustic impulses underwater comprising a body locatable in an underwater environment and charged with compressed gas, which source produces said acoustic impulses whenever a portion of said compressed gas is abruptly released into said environment, an energy controller actuated to enable cyclical timed release of said gas to provide an acoustic transmission having a predetermined spectrum, and wherein said body is provided by an array of elements which release said energy coherently to provide each of said impulses, said energy controller being operable to control each of said elements and being cyclically operable to provide said impulses at a predetermined rate selected from a constant rate, a variable rate which increases, a variable rate which decreases and a variable rate which increases to and decreases from said constant rate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.