Frontal sonar
AssigneeIxblue
InventorsFrédéric Jean, Frédéric Mosca
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Frontal sonar for observing the seafloor, characterized in that it includes: elements for insonifying a seafloor area divided into M sectors, able to perform a characteristic insonification of each sector of the area during an operation recurrence of the sonar; and receiving elements including a physical antenna consisting of an array of K transducers, the antenna being lacunar and thus ambiguous, so that it defines N image lobes, and in that each of the characteristically insonified sector is associated with a single image lobe defined by the antenna, so that the antenna ambiguity is removed.
Claims17
A frontal sonar (10) for observing the seafloor (2), comprising:
- means for insonifying a seafloor area divided into M sectors (E1-E4), able to perform a characteristic insonification of each sector of the area during an operation recurrence of said sonar;
- and
- receiving means comprising a physical antenna (11) consisting of an array of K transducers, said antenna being lacunar and thus ambiguous thereby defining N image lobes,
- and in that each of said characteristically insonified sectors is associated with a single image lobe defined by the antenna, so that said antenna ambiguity is removed.
A method of observing a seafloor strip (W) by means of a sonar, wherein said sonar (10) being provided with a lacunar antenna (11) consisting of an array of K transducers defining N image lobes, said method comprising:
- dividing a seafloor area to be imaged (E) into several sectors (E1-Em);
- geometrically associating a single image lobe with each of said sectors;
- characteristically insonifying each of said sectors using the insonification means of said sonar;
- acquiring the echo of the sound waves emitted by means of said lacunar antenna;
- forming the channels of said antenna while removing ambiguity of said antenna, taking into account said association of an image lobe with a sector and said characteristic insonification of said sector;
- obtaining an image of the seafloor area (I).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.