Sonar systems
AssigneeBlueview Technologies, Inc.
InventorsR. Lee Thompson, Jason L. Seawall, Scott T. Bachelor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vessel-mountable integrated sonar system is provided. The vessel-mountable integrated sonar system comprises at least one imaging sonar data acquisition device and at least one processing system electronically and removably connected to the at least one imaging sonar data acquisition device, wherein the sonar data acquisition device preferably provides acoustic data to the processing system, producing sonar imageries utilizing the acoustic data, and wherein the system provides digital tilt and azimuth direction feedback for accurate geo-referencing of data to localize targets of interest.
Claims18
A sonar system, comprising:
- (a) at least one sonar data acquisition device;
- (b) at least one user interface allowing an operator to select a desired target for tracking;
- and
- (c) at least one processing system electronically and removably connected to the at least one sonar data acquisition device and the at least one user interface;
- wherein the sonar data acquisition device provides acoustic data and orientation and/or positioning feedback based on the position of the sonar acquisition device to the processing system, and the processing system acquires the desired target for tracking from the user interface and maintains the at least one imaging sonar data acquisition device aimed and pointed at the desired target independent of the position and orientation of the vessel on which the sonar system is mountable.
A sonar system, comprising:
- (a) at least one sonar data acquisition device;
- and
- (b) at least one processing system electronically and removably connected to the at least one sonar data acquisition device;
- wherein the sonar data acquisition device provides acoustic data and orientation and/or positioning feedback based on the position of the sonar acquisition device to the at least one processing system, and the at least one processing system is capable of performing a predetermined or selectable sonar inspection routine covering predetermined target areas with relation to the vessel on which the sonar system is mountable.
A method of providing continuous underwater target maintenance and tracking using a sonar system incorporating a mountable pan and tilt sonar module, a user interface allowing an operator to select a desired underwater target, and a computer system for communicating with the sonar module and user interface and for processing acquired data, comprising:
- referencing and interfacing the absolute position of a sonar data acquisition device;
- selecting an underwater target;
- geo-referencing the selected underwater target;
- acquiring real-time data relating to the orientation of the sonar data acquisition device;
- and automatically maintaining the sonar module aimed at the target independent of the vessel's position and orientation.
A sonar system, comprising:
- (a) at least one imaging sonar data acquisition device utilizing multiple beams;
- (b) at least one processing system electronically and removable connected to the at least one imaging sonar data acquisition device and, based on sonar data acquired, providing high definition two dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) sonar imagery;
- and
- (c) a display interfacing with the at least one processing system for displaying sonar imagery;
- wherein the sonar acquisition device provides acoustic data and orientation and/or positioning feedback based on the position of the sonar acquisition device to the processing system and the processing system provides accurate geo-referencing of selected targets and 2D or 3D sonar imagery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.