Cavity wall measurement apparatus and method
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsLynn T. Antonelli, Kenneth M. Walsh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of measuring the vapor-liquid boundary surrounding a supercavitational high speed underwater vehicle includes the steps of arranging a sensor on a surface of the vehicle. The sensor has a transmit source for emitting an optical signal and a plurality of optical detectors for receiving a reflected optical signal. The reflected optical signal is detected with one of the optical detectors, and a duration of time between the emitting of the optical signal and the receiving of the reflected optical signal is measured. The method determines a separation distance from the transmit source to the receiving optical detector. The duration of time and the separation distance are combined to compute a boundary distance.
Claims17
A method of measuring the vapor-liquid boundary surrounding a supercavitational high speed underwater vehicle comprising the steps of:
- arranging a sensor on a surface of the vehicle, said sensor comprising a transmit source for emitting an optical signal, and a plurality of optical detectors for receiving a reflected optical signal;
- emitting an optical signal from said sensor at said transmit source;
- detecting a reflection of said emitted optical signal with at least one of said plurality of optical detectors of the sensor;
- measuring a duration of time between said emitting of said optical signal and said detecting of said reflection;
- computing a separation distance from said transmit source to at least one of said plurality of optical detectors having detected said reflection;
- and
- combining said duration of time and said separation distance to compute a boundary distance.
An apparatus for measuring the distance to a reflective boundary from a vehicle comprising:
- at least one sensor arranged on a surface of the vehicle, said sensor comprising:
- a transmit source to emit an optical signal;
- and
- a plurality of optical detectors positioned to detect a reflection of said optical signal;
- a timer joined to said optical detectors to measure a duration of time between said emitting of said optical signal and said detection of said reflection;
- a computer joined to said timer and said optical detectors to compute a separation distance from said transmit source to one of said plurality of optical detectors having detected said reflection, said computer then receiving said duration of time from said timer and utilizing said duration of time and said separation distance to compute a boundary distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.