Transducer Array Having a Transceiver

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016232884-A1
Application number	US-201514618987-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2015
Priority date	Feb 10, 2015
Publication date	Aug 11, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Various implementations described herein are directed to a transducer array. The transducer array may include a first receiver having a first aperture width. The transducer array may include a second receiver having a second aperture width that is substantially equal to the first aperture width. The transducer array may also include a transceiver having a third aperture width that is larger than the first aperture width and the second aperture width.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A transducer array comprising:
a first receiver having a first aperture width; a second receiver having a second aperture width that is substantially equal to the first aperture width; and a transceiver having a third aperture width that is larger than the first aperture width and the second aperture width.

2 . The transducer array of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver comprises:
a first element comprising a first portion of the transceiver; and a second element comprising a second portion of the transceiver.

3 . The transducer array of claim 1 , wherein the third aperture width is greater than or equal to twice the width of the first or second aperture.

4 . The transducer array of claim 1 , wherein the transducer array is configured to provide first reflected signals received from the first receiver, second reflected signals received from the second receiver, and third reflected signals received from the transceiver to a controller.

5 . The transducer of claim 4 , wherein the controller is operably connected to the first receiver, the second receiver, and the transceiver in order to determine an angle of incidence of the first reflected signals, the second reflected signals, and the third reflected signals.

6 . The transducer of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a signal having a wavelength that is approximately equivalent to the first aperture width or second aperture width.

7 . The transducer of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first receiver and second receiver is approximately equivalent to a distance between the second receiver and the transceiver.

8 . A method comprising:
transmitting acoustic signals with a transceiver; receiving first reflected signals at a first receiver; receiving second reflected signals at a second receiver; and receiving third reflected signals at the transceiver, wherein:
the first receiver has a first aperture width;
the second receiver has a second aperture width that is substantially equivalent to the first aperture width; and
the transceiver has a third aperture width that is larger than the first aperture width and the second aperture width.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the transceiver further comprises:
a first element comprising a first portion of the transceiver; and
a second element comprising a second portion of the transceiver.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining an angle of incidence based on time delays between the first reflected signals, the second reflected signals and the third reflected signals.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the transmitted acoustic signals have a wavelength that is less than double a pitch of a transducer array comprising the first receiver, second receiver and transceiver.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a coarse angle of incidence by measuring a time delay between the first receiver and the second receiver; determining a medium resolution angle of incidence by measuring a time delay between the second receiver and the transceiver; and determining a fine resolution angle of incidence by measuring a time delay between the first receiver and the transceiver.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising using the coarse angle of incidence to select the medium resolution angle of incidence or the fine resolution angle of incidence.

14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining a distance to an underwater object or feature from the first reflected signals, the second reflected signals, and the third reflected signals.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the transmitted acoustic signals have a wavelength approximately equivalent to the first or second aperture width, a distance between the first receiver and the second receiver, or a distance between the second receiver and the transceiver.

16 . A transducer array comprising:
a first receiver having a first aperture width; a second receiver having a second aperture width that is substantially equal to the first aperture width; a first element having a first portion of a transceiver; and a second element having a second portion of the transceiver.

17 . The transducer of claim 16 , wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a signal having a wavelength that is approximately equivalent to the first aperture width or second aperture width.

18 . The transducer of claim 16 , wherein a distance between the first receiver and the second receiver is approximately equivalent to a distance between the second receiver and the first element or a distance between the first element and the second element.

19 . The transducer of claim 16 , wherein the first receiver, second receiver, first element, and second element have a substantially equivalent length.

20 . The transducer of claim 16 , wherein the first element portion has a third aperture width, the second element portion has a fourth aperture width, and the third and fourth widths are substantially equivalent to the first or second width.

Assignees

• Navico Holding As

Inventors

• Parks David

Classifications

• G01S15/876

  Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S15/872 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S15/42

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

• G01S7/6218

  providing two-dimensional coordinated display of distance and direction · CPC title

• G01S15/003

  Bistatic sonar systems; Multistatic sonar systems · CPC title

• G01S13/003

  Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems · CPC title