Sonar system with acoustic beam reflector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11397263-B2
Application number	US-202017087910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2020
Priority date	Nov 5, 2019
Publication date	Jul 26, 2022
Grant date	Jul 26, 2022

Abstract

Sonar systems and related methods are provided. A sonar system for a water craft includes at least one transducer element having at least one emitting face. The at least one transducer element is mountable to the water craft. A sonar signal processor is in electronic communication with the at least one transducer element and is operative to associate signals with the at least one transducer element to cause at least one acoustic beam to be emitted from the at least one emitting face in a first beam direction. A beam reflector is mounted with respect to the at least one transducer element such that at least one beam reflecting surface of the beam reflector is positioned along the first beam direction. The at least one acoustic beam impinges upon the at least one beam reflecting surface and is reflected in a second beam direction different than the first beam direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sonar system for mounting to a water craft and generating one or more sonar images of an underwater environment below, the sonar system comprising:
at least one transducer element, the at least one transducer element having at least one emitting face, wherein the at least one transducer element is mountable to the water craft so as to extend underneath the water craft;
a sonar signal processor in electronic communication with the at least one transducer element, the sonar signal processor operative to associate signals with the at least one transducer element to cause at least one acoustic beam to be emitted from the at least one emitting face in a first beam direction into the underwater environment; and
a beam reflector mounted in a fixed position relative to the at least one transducer element, wherein the beam reflector comprises at least one beam reflecting surface positioned along the first beam direction such that, when the at least one acoustic beam is emitted, the at least one acoustic beam impinges upon the at least one beam reflecting surface and is reflected in a second beam direction different than the first beam direction,
wherein the sonar signal processor is further configured to:
receive sonar return data generated by receipt of sonar return signals by the at least one transducer element, wherein the sonar return signals returned from the underwater environment and reflected off the at least one beam reflecting surface prior to being received by the at least one transducer element; and
generate, based on the sonar return data, sonar image data corresponding to generation of a sonar image of the underwater environment.

2. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transducer element has a first emitting face and a second emitting face disposed on an opposite side of the transducer element from the first emitting face, and wherein the sonar signal processor is operative to associate signals with the at least one transducer element to cause a first acoustic beam to be emitted from the first emitting face in the first beam direction and a second acoustic beam to be emitted from the second emitting face in a third beam direction.

3. The sonar system of claim 2 , wherein the beam reflector comprises a first beam reflecting surface positioned along the first beam direction and a second beam reflecting surface positioned along the third beam direction.

4. The sonar system of claim 3 , wherein, when the second acoustic beam is emitted, the second acoustic beam impinges upon the second beam reflecting surface and is reflected in a fourth beam direction different than the third beam direction.

5. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the first beam direction is alongship.

6. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the second beam direction is vertically downward.

7. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one beam reflecting surface is curved.

8. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transducer element is part of a transducer array.

9. A sonar system for mounting to a water craft and generating one or more sonar images of an underwater environment, comprising:
at least one transducer element, the at least one transducer element having at least one emitting face, wherein an axis extends perpendicularly to the at least one emitting face of the at least one transducer element, and wherein the at least one transducer element is mountable to the water craft so as to extend underneath the water craft;
a sonar signal processor in electronic communication with the at least one transducer element, the sonar signal processor operative to associate signals with the at least one transducer element to form at least one acoustic beam in the underwater environment; and
a beam reflector positioned along the axis, wherein the beam reflector comprises at least one beam reflecting surface disposed in facing opposition to the at least one emitting face of the at least one transducer element;
wherein the at least one beam reflecting surface is disposed at an angle to the axis,
wherein the sonar signal processor is further configured to:
receive sonar return data generated by receipt of sonar return signals by the at least one transducer element, wherein the sonar return signals returned from the underwater environment and reflected off the at least one beam reflecting surface prior to being received by the at least one transducer element; and
generate, based on the sonar return data, sonar image data corresponding to generation of a sonar image of the underwater environment.

10. The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the angle is about 45 degrees.

11. The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one transducer element comprises a piezoelectric ceramic disc.

12. The sonar system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one acoustic beam is conical.

13. The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one beam reflecting surface is disposed such that a center impingement point on the beam reflecting surface is positioned a distance from the at least one emitting face of the at least one transducer element, wherein the distance is less than 6 in.

14. The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the axis extends in an athwartship direction.

15. The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one beam reflecting surface is formed of a foam material.

16. A method of using an underwater sonar system, wherein the underwater sonar system is mounted to a water craft and used to generate one or more sonar images of an underwater environment below the water craft, the method comprising:
providing at least one transducer element, the at least one transducer element having at least one emitting face;
providing a beam reflector having at least one beam reflecting surface in a fixed position relative to the at least one transducer element such that an acoustic beam emitting from the at least one emitting face impinges upon the at least one beam reflecting surface;
associating, via a sonar signal processor, signals with the at least one transducer element so as to form at least one acoustic beam, wherein the at least one acoustic beam is emitted from the at least one emitting face and propagates in a first beam direction that impinges upon the at least one beam reflecting surface;
wherein, following impingement on the at least one beam reflecting surface, the at least one acoustic beam propagates in a second beam direction that is different than the first beam direction,
receiving, at the sonar signal processor, sonar return data generated by receipt of sonar return signals by the at least one transducer element, wherein the sonar return signals returned from the underwater environment and reflected off the at least one beam reflecting surface prior to being received by the at least one transducer element; and
generating, based on the sonar return data, a sonar image of the underwater environment.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising encapsulating the at least one transducer element and the at least one beam reflecting surface in a potting compound.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the at least one transducer element comprises first and second transducer elements, wherein the at least one beam reflecting surface comprises first and second beam reflecting surfaces disposed in facing opposition to each other, wherein providing the beam reflector comprises disposing the beam reflector with respect to the first and second transducer elements such that the first beam reflecting surface is disposed opposite

Assignees

• Navico Holding As

Inventors

• Caspall Jayme

Classifications

• G01S15/8902 Primary

  Side-looking sonar · CPC title

• G01S15/8922

  the array being concentric or annular · CPC title

• G01S15/42

  Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates (indirect measurement G01S15/46) · CPC title