Acoustic surveillance system with signature and bearing data display
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsJohn J. Molini, Warren C. Hollis, Sung Hong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An underwater acoustic sensor system for detecting and efficiently displaying data from small, shallow-draft targets at high speeds in shallow or very shallow water. Sonar buoys transmit electrical signals representing sound pressure waves, which are processed to ascertain bearing and signature information for a detected object. A single display having a bearing history area, a frequency history area, and a bearing/frequency area, provide a system operator with efficient correlation between bearing and frequency data.
Claims26
An acoustic surveillance system comprising:
- at least one group of sonar buoys for sensing pressure waves characteristics of sound signal sources in an underwater environment, providing sound data signals representative of the sensed pressure wave characteristics and transmitting the sound data signals;
- a processor for receiving the sound data signals and determining bearing and frequency characteristics of the sound data signals;
- and
- an acoustic data display coupled to the processor for displaying the bearing and frequency characteristics of the sound data signals, the acoustic data display including:
- a frequency history display area having a first frequency axis and a first time axis;
- a bearing history display area having a first bearing axis and a second time axis substantially perpendicular to the first time axis;
- and
- a frequency/bearing display area displaying frequency along the first frequency axis versus bearing along the first bearing axis.
An acoustic surveillance system user interface for graphically displaying acoustic information produced by acoustic surveillance system sensors, the acoustic surveillance system user interface comprising:
- a processor for receiving the acoustic information from the acoustic surveillance system sensors and providing graphical display information representative of the acoustic information;
- and
- an acoustic data display coupled to the processor for receiving the graphical display information and including:
- a frequency history display area having a first frequency axis and a first time axis;
- a bearing history display area having a first bearing axis and a second time axis substantially perpendicular to the first time axis;
- and
- a frequency/bearing display area displaying frequency along the first frequency axis versus bearing along the first bearing axis.
An acoustic surveillance system user interface for graphically displaying sensor information produced by a plurality of acoustic surveillance system sensors, the acoustic surveillance system user interface comprising:
- a display having a plurality of display areas for providing graphical information including a control display area, a frequency history display area having a first frequency axis and a first time axis, a bearing history display area having a first bearing axis and a second time axis substantially perpendicular to the first time axis, and a frequency/bearing display area displaying frequency along the first frequency axis versus bearing along the first bearing axis;
- an input device for selecting at least one group of acoustic system sensors and providing control information related to the plurality of display areas;
- and
- a processor receiving the sensor information and responsive to the control information provided by the input device to control the display to graphically display in the plurality of display areas information from the at least one acoustic system sensor selected by the input device.
A method of acoustic surveillance, the method comprising:
- sensing pressure waves characteristics of sound signal sources in an underwater environment;
- providing sound data signals representative of the sensed pressure wave characteristics;
- transmitting the sound data signals;
- receiving the sound data signals and determining bearing and frequency characteristics of the sound data signals;
- displaying frequency history representing the frequency characteristics of the sound data signals in a first display area having a first frequency axis and a first time axis;
- displaying bearing history representing the bearing characteristics of the sound data signals in a second display area having a first bearing axis and a second time axis substantially perpendicular to the first time axis;
- and
- displaying frequency/bearing information representing the bearing and frequency characteristics in a third display area along the first frequency axis versus the first bearing axis.
A method of graphically displaying information representing underwater sound characteristics determined by an acoustic surveillance system, the method comprising:
- displaying underwater sound frequency along a first frequency axis versus time along a first time axis in a first display area;
- displaying underwater sound bearing along a first bearing axis versus time along a second time axis substantially perpendicular to the first time axis in a second display area;
- and
- displaying underwater sound frequency along the first frequency axis versus bearing along the first bearing axis in a third display area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.