Object-oriented system for simulating sonar target acoustic scattering

A system for simulating an acoustic received signal arising from an acoustic source signal scattered by a target having a plurality of highlights, the system comprising:

• a data processor;
• a user interface coupled to the data processor for accepting user commands and data;
• a data memory coupled to the data processor for storing information and executable processor instructions, including
• information representing the properties of the acoustic source signal,
• information representing the geometric relationship of the simulated positions of an acoustic source, an acoustic receiver, and the target,
• information representing medium propagation properties selected from the group that includes velocity, density, and scattering properties;
• a class library including a target class having a plurality of methods, a highlight base class and one or more highlight subclasses each having a plurality of methods,
• program means for instantiating from the stored class library a target object representing the target,
• program means for instantiating from the stored class library a highlight object representing one or more of the target highlights, and
• program means for executing a plurality of the methods in the target and highlight objects to predict the simulated acoustic received signal;
• and
• a display coupled to the data processor for displaying the simulated acoustic received signal.

A computer program product for use with a system for simulating an acoustic received signal arising from an acoustic source signal scattered by a target having a plurality of highlights, the system including a data memory and a display device, the computer program product comprising:

• a recording medium;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory information representing the properties of the acoustic source signal;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory information representing the geometric relationship of the simulated positions of an acoustic source, an acoustic receiver, and the target;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory information representing medium propagation properties selected from the group that includes velocity, density, and scattering properties;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory a class library including a target class having a plurality of methods, a highlight base class and one or more highlight subclasses each having a plurality of methods;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to instantiate from the stored class library a target object representing the target;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to instantiate from the stored class library a highlight object representing one or more of the target highlights;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to execute a plurality of the methods in the target and highlight objects to predict the simulated acoustic received signal;
• and
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to display on the display device the simulated acoustic received signal.

A machine-implemented method of simulating an acoustic received signal arising from an acoustic source signal scattered by a target having a plurality of highlights, the method comprising the unordered steps of:

• storing in a data memory information representing the properties of the acoustic source signal;
• storing in the data memory information representing medium propagation properties selected from the group that includes velocity, density, and scattering properties;
• storing in the data memory information representing the geometric relationship of the simulated positions of an acoustic source, an acoustic receiver, and the target;
• storing in the data memory a class library including a target class having a plurality of methods, a highlight base class and one or more highlight subclasses each having a plurality of methods;
• instantiating from the stored class library a target object representing the target;
• instantiating from the stored class library a highlight object representing one or more of the target highlights;
• and
• executing a plurality of the methods in the target and highlight objects to predict the simulated acoustic received signal.

A system for simulating an acoustic received signal arising from an acoustic source signal scattered by a target having a plurality of highlights, the system comprising:

• a data processor;
• a user interface coupled to the data processor for accepting user commands and data;
• a data memory coupled to the data processor for storing information and executable processor instructions, including
• information representing the properties of the acoustic source signal,
• information representing the geometric relationship of the simulated positions of an acoustic source, an acoustic receiver, and the target,
• information representing medium propagation properties selected from the group that includes velocity, density, and scattering properties;
• a class library including a target class having a plurality of methods, a highlight base class and one or more highlight subclasses each having a plurality of methods,
• program means for instantiating from the stored class library a target object representing the target,
• program means for instantiating from the stored class library a highlight object representing one or more of the target highlights, and
• program means for executing a plurality of the methods in the target and highlight objects to predict the simulated acoustic received signal.

A computer program product for use with a system for simulating an acoustic received signal arising from an acoustic source signal scattered by a target having a plurality of highlights, the system including a data memory and a display device, the computer program product comprising:

• a recording medium;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory information representing the properties of the acoustic source signal;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory information representing the geometric relationship of the simulated positions of an acoustic source, an acoustic receiver, and the target;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory information representing medium propagation properties selected from the group that includes velocity, density, and scattering properties;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to store in the data memory a class library including a target class having a plurality of methods, a highlight base class and one or more highlight subclasses each having a plurality of methods;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to instantiate from the stored class library a target object representing the target;
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to instantiate from the stored class library a highlight object representing one or more of the target highlights;
• and
• program means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the system to execute a plurality of the methods in the target and highlight objects to predict the simulated acoustic received signal.