US3594716A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic docking guidance system
Assignee: Edo Western Corp
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Filing: 1969-04-24
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Granted: 1971-07-20
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Expires: 1989-04-24
Abstract
Abstract A vessel docking system employs transmitting and receiving transducers for developing Doppler frequency shifted signals indicative of velocity components along particular ship''s axes. The signals are converted to digital form, and processed to yield speed and direction information along the sensed axes. The velocity information is corrected to compensate for variations in the acoustical propagating characteristic of the ocean medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Glenn N Waterman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:53
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02; G01S15/50; G01S15/58; G01S15/60; G01S1/00; G01S1/72; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52004; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S367/00; Y10S367/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
In combination in a docking system, transmitting transducer means for radiating emitted energy downward and outward along a desired sensing axis, receiving transducer means for recovering a returned portion of said emitted energy, said returned energy portion having a frequency dependent upon the speed of said transducers along said sensed axis, means for generating first and second digital square wave signals each having a frequency reflecting the difference in frequency between the emitted and returned signals and having a relative phase dependent upon the direction of motion of said transducers along said axis, means for sampling said second square wave signal during a predetermined point in the cycle of said first square wave signal, means responsive to the output of said sampling means for presenting informatIon identifying the relative direction of said transducers along said sensing axis, means for developing a sequential pulse train dependent in frequency upon the frequency of one of said square waves, digital counter means for counting the pulses produced by said pulse developing means, information outputting means, latching memory means for operating said information outputting means in accordance with the contents of said counter during a sampling interval, and time gate means for periodically initializing said counter to a reference state and for periodically supplying control signals to said latching memory means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
In combination in a docking system, transmitting transducer means for radiating emitted energy downward and outward along a desired sensing axis, receiving transducer means for recovering a returned portion of said emitted energy, said returned energy portion having a frequency dependent upon the speed of said transducers along said sensed axis, means for generating first and second digital square wave signals each having a frequency reflecting the difference in frequency between the emitted and returned signals and having a relative phase dependent upon the direction of motion of said transducers along said axis, means for sampling said second square wave signal during a predetermined point in the cycle of said first square wave signal, means responsive to the output of said sampling means for presenting informatIon identifying the relative direction of said transducers along said sensing axis, means for developing a sequential pulse train dependent in frequency upon the frequency of one of said square waves, digital counter means for counting the pulses produced by said pulse developing means, information outputting means, latching memory means for operating said information outputting means in accordance with the contents of said counter during a sampling interval, and time gate means for periodically initializing said counter to a reference state and for periodically supplying control signals to said latching memory means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A combination as in claim 1 wherein said time gate means includes means for varying said counter initializing periodicity and said control signal supplying periodicity responsive to variations in the acoustical propagating characteristic of the emitted energy propagating medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
93 words
A combination as in claim 2 wherein said time gate means includes a reference oscillator, means for supplying a signal having a frequency dependent upon the acoustical propagating characteristic of the wave propagating medium, mixer and filter means for obtaining an output signal dependent upon the difference in frequency between the output of said reference oscillator and the output of said propagation characteristic dependent signal supplying means, and scaler means for periodically supplying pulses responsive to a plurality of input oscillation cycles supplied thereto by the output of said mixer and filter means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combination as in claim 3 wherein said time gate means further includes a flip-flop connected to said scaler means, said scaler means being adapted to selectively set said flip-flop, and delay means connected to an output of said flip-flop for resetting said flip-flop.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
A combination as in claim 1 wherein said first and second digital square wave generating means comprise first and second mixer and filter means, squaring circuit means connected to the output of each of said input filters, means for supplying said emitted and returned signals to said first and second mixer and filter means, and means connected at the input of said second mixer and filter for producing a 90* relative phase shift between said emitted and said returned signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A combination as in claim 1 further comprising scaler means connected intermediate said digital counter means and said pulse developing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
A combination as in claim 6 further comprising switching means for varying the pulse frequency division factor for said scaler means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
115 words
A combination as in claim 1 wherein said second square wave sampling means includes means for generating an output pulse responsive to a voltage transient condition for said first square wave signal, first and second AND gates each having two inputs, said voltage transient responsive pulse being supplied to one input of each of said AND gates, means for supplying said second square wave in inverted relationships to a second input of said first and second AND gates, an output from one of said AND gates signaling motion in one direction along said sensing axis and an output from the other of said AND gates signaling motion in the other direction along said sensing axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
A combination as in claim 8 wherein said sampling means further comprises third and fourth AND gates, means for supplying one of said square wave signals to each of said third and fourth AND gates, a flip-flop selectively set by said first AND gate and selectively reset by said second AND gate, one output from said flip-flop being connected to said third AND gate and the other output of said flip-flop being connected to said fourth AND gate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A combination as in claim 9 wherein said relative direction identifying means comprises verifier means for signaling the relative direction only after the incidence of a plurality of pulses corresponding to motion in a like direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
A combination as in claim 10 wherein Said verifier means includes first and second additional counting means respectively connected to said third and fourth AND gates, first and second verifier flip-flops selectively set by said first and second additional counters, additional latched memory means for developing a relative direction display dependent upon the relative states of said verifier flip-flops, and means for periodically disabling said verifier circuit for further change after one of said verifier flip-flops is set.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A combination as in claim 1 wherein said information outputting means comprises at least one decade display, and at least one decoder-driver means responsive to the output of said latching memory means for selectively activating said decade display.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A combination as in claim 1 further comprising additional receiving and transmitting transducers for producing relative frequency signals indicative of motion along at least one additional sensing axis, and means connected to said transducers for computing and displaying the direction and magnitude of motion along said additional sensing axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A combination as in claim 1 further comprising means for audibly reproducing one of said square wave signals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
169 words
In combination in a docking system, transmitting transducer means for radiating emitted energy downward and outward along a desired sensing axis, receiving transducer means for recovering a returned portion of said emitted energy, said returned energy portion having a frequency dependence upon the speed of said transducers along said sensing axis, means responsive to said radiated and returned energy for determining the direction of motion of said transducers along said sensing axis, means for producing a pulse train having a repetition rate dependent upon the difference in frequency between said transmitted and returned signals, scaler means for reducing the frequency of said pulse train in accordance with an engineering unit of interest, counter means cycled by said scaler means, gating means for periodically resetting said counter means, and means for displaying the highest count attained by said counter means, said counter resetting gating means including means for periodically resetting said counter at a repetition rate dependent upon the acoustical propagation characteristic of the radiated and returned energy propagating medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
169 words
In combination in a docking system, transmitting transducer means for radiating emitted energy downward and outward along a desired sensing axis, receiving transducer means for recovering a returned portion of said emitted energy, said returned energy portion having a frequency dependence upon the speed of said transducers along said sensing axis, means responsive to said radiated and returned energy for determining the direction of motion of said transducers along said sensing axis, means for producing a pulse train having a repetition rate dependent upon the difference in frequency between said transmitted and returned signals, scaler means for reducing the frequency of said pulse train in accordance with an engineering unit of interest, counter means cycled by said scaler means, gating means for periodically resetting said counter means, and means for displaying the highest count attained by said counter means, said counter resetting gating means including means for periodically resetting said counter at a repetition rate dependent upon the acoustical propagation characteristic of the radiated and returned energy propagating medium.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A combination as in claim 15 wherein said counter resetting gating means includes means for varying the frequency of said resetting signals in accordance with the salinity and temperature of the propagating medium.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
A combination as in claim 15 wherein said counter resetting gating means includes a voltage controlled oscillator having an output signal which varies in frequency with the acoustical propagation characteristic of the propagating medium, a reference oscillator, mixer and filter means for developing a frequency dependent upon the difference in frequency between the output of said reference oscillator and the output of said voltage controlled oscillator, and additional scaling means for reducing the frequency of the output signal developed by said mixer and filter means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3337840A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-19 | 1975-01-18 | 1975-07-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-19 | 1979-01-18 | 1979-07-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-19 | 1983-01-18 | 1983-07-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |