US 7,072,244 B2 · Underwater exterior ship hull imaging system employing a remote microprocessor controlled acoustic transducer array

Abstract

A multi-beam acoustic transducer array system for producing color enhanced, three dimensional, high resolution images of a ship's underwater hull, wherein the acoustic transducers can be mounted in orthogonal pairs, each pair being positioned opposite from another pair within a shipping channel. The array can be utilized either in a stationary configuration within a controlled shipping lane or suspended in the water column from a mobile support vessel, with at least one array being orthogonally mounted and suspended in the water column from the mobile support vessel, wherein the mobile configuration obviates the need for multiple orthogonal arrays, for purposes of performing acquisition and imaging of a ship's hull. Each orthogonal array consists of a first transducer transmitting sonar pulses along a horizontal plane and a second transducer transmitting sonar pulses along a vertical plane, such that the two beaming sonar pulses are orthogonal, thereby providing optimal coverage.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A ship hull imaging system for the use in a shipping channel or bay, the imaging system comprising:

a) at least one fixed acoustic transducer array employed below a water level in which the ship hull is present for sending an acoustic signal through the water and receiving a reflected signal, the acoustic and reflected signal providing data for rendering an actual image of the ship hull, each at least one fixed acoustic transducer array comprising a first transducer head oriented to propagate sound waves in a horizontal plane and a second transducer head oriented to propagate sound waves in a vertical plane, both the first and second transducer heads propagating sound waves simultaneously;
b) at least one processor suite installed above the water level coupled to the at least one fixed acoustic transducer array;
c) a central processing and imaging unit for converting the data provided by the acoustic and reflected signal into information that is interpretable as the actual image of the ship hull;
and
d) means for communication between the at least one processor suite and the central processing and imaging unit.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Underwater exterior ship hull imaging system employing a remote microprocessor controlled acoustic transducer array

Life of this patent

Underwater exterior ship hull imaging system employing a remote microprocessor controlled acoustic transducer array

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11