Electronic aids for aquanauts

Claim 2

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a pair of first and second signal receiving transducers space separated by a predetermined baseline the perpendicular bisector of which lies in and establishes a reference plane, a beacon signal transmitting source including a predetermined tonal frequency component, each of said transducers receiving said beacon signal, signal processing means receiving the outputs from each of said transducers and developing an aural output signal comprised of a continuous tone of fixed amplitude corresponding to said tonal frequency component when said beacon source lies on said reference plane, and respective repetitive complementary impulse sequences of said tonal frequency when said beacon source lies on respective sides of said reference plane, the modulation index of said impulse sequences being proportional to the angular discrepancy between said beacon source and said reference plane.

Claim 3

A system as defined in claim 1 further comprising third and fourth transducers, said first and third transducers comprising a second transducer pair, said first and fourth transducers comprising a third transducer pair, said transducer pairs defining baselines therebetween which respectively lie in and establish first, second and third reference planes the respective intersections of which define orthogonal axes, said signal processing means comprising means for sequential processing the signals received from said first, second and third transducer pairs to develop sequential aural output signals each of which comprises a continuous tone when the beacon source lies on the associated reference plane, said aural output signals comprising sequential first, second and third respectively aurally distinguishable complementary tone impulse sequences when said beacon source lies on respective sides of the associated ones of said reference planes.

Claim 4

A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal processing means comprising phase shifting means receiving the output from said first transducer and shifting the phase thereof by 90*, means for reversing the phase of the output of said phase shifter at a repeated sequence of time intervals wherein the phase reversed and non-phase reversed intervals of each of said repeated sequences are complementary, summing means receiving the output of said phase reversing means and that of the other transducer of said pair, and the output of said summing means comprising said aural output signal.

Claim 5

A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said signal processing means comprises phase shifting means receiving the output from said first transducer and shifts the phase thereof by 90*, means for periodically reversing the phase of the output of said phase shifting means at a repeated sequence of time intervals wherein the phase reversed and non-phase reversed intervals of each said repeated sequences are complementary, signal summing means receiving the output of said phase reversing means as a first input thereto, means for sequentially gating the outputs of said second, third and fourth transducers as respective second inputs to said summing means during successive time periods equal that of said repeated sequence of time intervals, and the output of said summing means sequentially comprising aural outputs definitive of the angular orientation of said beacon with sequential ones of said first, second and third reference planes.

Claim 6

A system as defined in claim 4 further comprising means for heterodyning the output of said signal summing means to a selected different frequency, the output of said heterodyning means comprising said aural output signal.

Claim 7

An aural orientation receiving system comprising first, second, third, and fourth receiving transducers, said first and second transducers comprising a first transducer pair, said first and third transducers comprising a second transducer pair, said first and fourth transducers comprising a third transducer pair, the transducers in each of said pairs defining an associated baseline the perpendicular bisector of which lies in and defines an associated one of three mutually orthogonal reference planes, a beacon signal transmitting source including a predetermined tonal frequency component, each of said transducers receiving said beacon signal, signal processing means receiving the outputs of each of said transducers, said processing means comprising means for processing the signals received from said first, second, and third transducer pairs to develop aural outputs at respective first, second, and third tonal frequencies, each of said aural outputs comprising a constant amplitude tone when the beacon source lies on the associated one of said reference planes and first and second aurally distinguishable complementary tone impulse sequences when said beacon lies on respective sides of the associated one of said transducer pair defined reference plane, the modulation index of said tonal sequences being proportional to the angular discrepancy between said beacon Source and the associated one of said reference planes.

Claim 8

An aural orientation receiving system comprising first, second, third, and fourth receiving transducers, said first and second transducers comprising a first transducer pair, said first and third transducers comprising a second transducer pair, said first and fourth transducers comprising a third transducer pair, the transducers in each of said pairs defining an associated baseline the perpendicular bisector of which lies in and defines an associated one of three mutually orthogonal reference planes, a beacon signal transmitting source including a predetermined tonal frequency component, each of said transducers receiving said beacon signal, signal processing means receiving the outputs of each of said transducers, said processing means comprising means for processing the signals received from said first, second, and third transducer pairs to develop aural outputs at respective first, second, and third tonal frequencies, each of said aural outputs comprising a constant amplitude tone when the beacon source lies on the associated one of said reference planes and first and second aurally distinguishable complementary tone impulse sequences when said beacon lies on respective sides of the associated one of said transducer pair defined reference plane, the modulation index of said tonal sequences being proportional to the angular discrepancy between said beacon Source and the associated one of said reference planes.

Claim 9

A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said signal processing means comprises means for sequentially processing the signals from said first, second, and third transducer pairs to develop said aural outputs in repetitive time sequence.

Claim 10

A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said signal processing means comprising means for simultaneously processing the signals from said first, second, and third transducer pairs to develop said aural outputs simultaneously.

Claim 11

A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said signal processing means comprises phase shifting means receiving the output from said first transducer and shifting the phase thereof by 90*, means for reversing the phase of the output of said phase shifting means at a repeated sequence of time intervals wherein the phase reverse and non-phase reverse intervals of each said repeated sequence are complementary, means for sequentially converting the signals from each of said second, third and fourth transducers to respective first, second and third different tonal frequencies for successive time periods corresponding to the duration of successive ones of said repeated sequences, signal summing means receiving the output of said phase reversing means as a first input thereto, means for successively applying said first, second and third tonal frequencies as second inputs to said signal summing means, and the output of said summing means comprising said aural output signal.

Claim 12

A system as defined in claim 7 wherein said signal processing means comprises phase shifting means receiving the output from said first transducer and shifting the phase thereof by 90*, means for reversing the phase of the output of said phase shifting means at a repeated sequence of time intervals wherein the phase reversed and non-phase reversed intervals of each said repeated sequence are complementary, signal summing means receiving the output of said phase reversing means as a first input thereto, means for sequentially applying the outputs from said second, third and fourth transducers as successive second input signals to said signal summing means, signal mixing means receiving the output of said summing means as a first input thereto, means synchronous with said gating means for successively applying first, second and third respectively different injection frequency signals as successive second inputs to said signal mixing means, and the output from said mixing means comprising said aural output signal.

Claim 13

A system as defined in claim 10 comprising frequency heterodyne means receiving the output from said signal summing means, narrowband filter means receiving the output from said heterodyne means, and the output of said heterodyning means comprising said first input to said signal mixing means.

Claim 14

A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said signal processing means comprises phase shifting means receiving the output from said first transducer and shifting the phase thereof by 90*, means for reversing the phase of the output of said phase shifting means at a repeated sequence of time intervals wherein the phase reversed and non-phase reversed intervals of each said repeated sequence are complementary; means including first, second, and third injection oscillator frequency sources for respectively and simultaneously converting the outputs from said first, second, and third transducers to first, second, and third heterodyne frequencies, signal summing means receiving said first, second, and third heterodyne frequencies as inputs thereto, signal mixing means for individually and simultaneously mixing the output from said first transducer with respective ones of said first, second, and third injection oscillator frequencies, the outputs of said signal mixing means being applied as further inputs to said signal summing means, and the output from said signal summing means comprising said aural output signal.

Claim 15

An aural orientation receiving sYstem comprising first, second, third, and fourth signal receiving transducers, said first and second transducers comprising a first transducer pair, said first and third transducers comprising a second transducer pair, said first and fourth transducers comprising a third transducer pair, said transducer pairs defining respective baselines therebetween the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish respective first, second, and third reference planes the intersections of which define orthogonal axes, a plurality of N beacon signal transmitting sources each of a different frequency, each of said transducers receiving each of said different transmitted frequencies, signal processing means for sequentially developing a first and sequential aural sequences including an Nth aural sequence; said first aural sequence comprising a constant amplitude tone at a first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said first reference plane and respective complementary impulses of a first sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said first reference plane followed by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at a second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said second reference planes and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said second reference plane, and terminated by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at a third audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said third reference plane and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said third audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said third reference plane; further ones of said aural sequences being like that of said first aural sequence with said impulses therein being of successive complementary sequences including an Nth complementary sequence, said first and successive ones of said complementary sequences being aurally distinguishable.

Claim 16

An aural orientation receiving sYstem comprising first, second, third, and fourth signal receiving transducers, said first and second transducers comprising a first transducer pair, said first and third transducers comprising a second transducer pair, said first and fourth transducers comprising a third transducer pair, said transducer pairs defining respective baselines therebetween the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish respective first, second, and third reference planes the intersections of which define orthogonal axes, a plurality of N beacon signal transmitting sources each of a different frequency, each of said transducers receiving each of said different transmitted frequencies, signal processing means for sequentially developing a first and sequential aural sequences including an Nth aural sequence; said first aural sequence comprising a constant amplitude tone at a first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said first reference plane and respective complementary impulses of a first sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said first reference plane followed by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at a second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said second reference planes and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said second reference plane, and terminated by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at a third audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said third reference plane and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said third audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said third reference plane; further ones of said aural sequences being like that of said first aural sequence with said impulses therein being of successive complementary sequences including an Nth complementary sequence, said first and successive ones of said complementary sequences being aurally distinguishable.

Claim 17

A system as defined in claim 13 wherein said signal processing means comprises, phase shifting means receiving the output of said first transducer and shifting the phase thereof by substantially 90*, means for periodically reversing the phase of the output of said phase shifting means during each of a plurality of N successive time intervals the sum of which corresponds to one of said aural sequences, the phase reversed and non-phase reversed periods during each of said intervals being complementary and mutually asynchronous, signal summing means receiving the output of said phase reversing means as a first input thereto, means for sequentially gating such second, third, and fourth transducer outputs as respective second inputs to said signal summing means, first signal mixing means receiving the output of said summing means as a first input thereto, injection oscillator means for sequentially providing a plurality of N injection frequencies including a first and an Nth injection frequency as second inputs to said first mixing means in time synchronism with the time periods defined by respective ones of said plurality of aural sequences, narrow band filtering means receiving the output from said first signal mixing means, second signal mixing means, further injection oscillator means sequentially providing respective first, second, and third injection frequencies as second inputs to said second mixing means in time synchronism with the time intervals defining each respective first, second, and third phase-reversal sequence in each of said plurality of aural sequences, and the output of said second mixing means comprising said aural output signal.

Claim 18

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers pairs of which are space separated by predetermined baselines the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish respective referencE planes, a beacon signal transmitting source including a predetermined tonal frequency component, each of said transducers receiving said beacon signal, signal processing means receiving the outputs from each of said transducers, said signal processing means comprising means for sequential processing the signals received from each pair of said plurality of transducer pairs to develop sequential aural output signals each of which comprises a continuous tone when the beacon source lies on the associated reference plane, said aural output signals comprising sequential respectively aurally distinguishable complementary tone impulse sequences when said beacon source lies on respective sides of the associated one of said reference planes, the modulation index of said impulse sequences being proportional to the angular discrepancy between said beacon source and said reference plane.

Claim 19

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers pairs of which are space separated by predetermined baselines the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish respective referencE planes, a beacon signal transmitting source including a predetermined tonal frequency component, each of said transducers receiving said beacon signal, signal processing means receiving the outputs from each of said transducers, said signal processing means comprising means for sequential processing the signals received from each pair of said plurality of transducer pairs to develop sequential aural output signals each of which comprises a continuous tone when the beacon source lies on the associated reference plane, said aural output signals comprising sequential respectively aurally distinguishable complementary tone impulse sequences when said beacon source lies on respective sides of the associated one of said reference planes, the modulation index of said impulse sequences being proportional to the angular discrepancy between said beacon source and said reference plane.

Claim 20

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers predetermined pairs of said transducers defining an associated baseline the perpendicular bisector of which lies in and defines an associated one of a plurality of reference planes, a beacon signal transmitting source including a predetermined tonal frequency component, each of said transducers receiving said beacon signal, signal processing means receiving the outputs of each of said transducers, said processing means comprising means for processing the signals received from each of said predetermined transducer pairs to develop aural outputs at respectively different tonal frequencies, each of said aural outputs comprising a constant amplitude tone when the beacon source lies on the associated one of said reference planes and first and second aurally distinguishable complementary tone impulse sequences when said beacon lies on respective sides of the associated one of said transducer pair defined reference plane, the modulation index of said tonal sequences being proportional to the angular discrepancy between said beacon source and the associated one of said reference planes.

Claim 21

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers predetermined pairs of said transducers defining an associated baseline the perpendicular bisector of which lies in and defines an associated one of a plurality of reference planes, a beacon signal transmitting source including a predetermined tonal frequency component, each of said transducers receiving said beacon signal, signal processing means receiving the outputs of each of said transducers, said processing means comprising means for processing the signals received from each of said predetermined transducer pairs to develop aural outputs at respectively different tonal frequencies, each of said aural outputs comprising a constant amplitude tone when the beacon source lies on the associated one of said reference planes and first and second aurally distinguishable complementary tone impulse sequences when said beacon lies on respective sides of the associated one of said transducer pair defined reference plane, the modulation index of said tonal sequences being proportional to the angular discrepancy between said beacon source and the associated one of said reference planes.

Claim 22

A system as defined in claim 16 wherein said signal processing means comprises means for sequentially processing the signals from each of said plurality of transducer pairs to develop said aural outputs in repetitive time sequence.

Claim 23

A system as defined in claim 16 wherein said signal processing means comprising means for simultaneously processing the signals from each of said plurality of transducer pairs to develop said aural outputs simultaneously.

Claim 24

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers, predetermined pairs of said transducers defining respective baselines therebetween the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish a plurality of M respective reference planes, a plurality of N beacon signal transmitting sources each of a different frequency, each of said transducers receiving each of said different transmitted frequencies, signal processing means for sequentially developing a first and sequential aural sequences including an Nth aural sequence; said first aural sequence comprising a constant amplitude tone at a first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a first one of said plurality of reference planes and respective complementary impulses of a first sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said first reference plane followed by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at a second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a second one of said reference planes and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said second reference plane, and terminated by an aural output signal comprised on a constant amplitude tone at an Mth audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said Mth reference plane and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said Mth audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said Mth reference plane; the sequential ones of said aural sequences being like that of said first aural sequence with said impulses therein being of successive different complementary sequences including an Nth complementary sequence, each of said sequential ones of said aural sequences providing source location indication for respective successive ones of said N beacon sources, said first and successive ones of said complementary sequences being aurally distinguishable.

Claim 25

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers, predetermined pairs of said transducers defining respective baselines therebetween the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish a plurality of M respective reference planes, a plurality of N beacon signal transmitting sources each of a different frequency, each of said transducers receiving each of said different transmitted frequencies, signal processing means for sequentially developing a first and sequential aural sequences including an Nth aural sequence; said first aural sequence comprising a constant amplitude tone at a first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a first one of said plurality of reference planes and respective complementary impulses of a first sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said first reference plane followed by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at a second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a second one of said reference planes and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said second audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said second reference plane, and terminated by an aural output signal comprised on a constant amplitude tone at an Mth audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on said Mth reference plane and respective complementary impulses of said first sequence at said Mth audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said Mth reference plane; the sequential ones of said aural sequences being like that of said first aural sequence with said impulses therein being of successive different complementary sequences including an Nth complementary sequence, each of said sequential ones of said aural sequences providing source location indication for respective successive ones of said N beacon sources, said first and successive ones of said complementary sequences being aurally distinguishable.

Claim 26

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers, predetermined pairs of said transducers defining respective baselines therebetween the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish a plurality of M respective reference planes, a plurality of N beacon signal transmitting sources each of a different frequency, each of said transducers receiving each of said different transmitted frequencies, signal processing means for sequentially developing a first and sequential aural sequences including an Nth aural sequence; said first aural sequence comprising a constant amplitude tone at a first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a first one of said plurality of reference planes and respective complementary impulses of a first sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said first reference plane followed by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a second one of said reference planes and respective complementary impulses of a second sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said second reference plane, and terminated by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at said first frequency when said first beacon source lies on said Mth reference plane and respective complementary impulses at said first audio frequency of said Mth sequence when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said Mth reference plane; the sequential ones of said aural sequences being like that of said first aural sequence with said impulses therein being of successive different audio frequencies including an Nth audio frequency, each of said further ones of said aural sequences providing source location indication for respective successive ones of said N beacon sources, said first and successive ones of said complementary sequences being aurally distinguishable.

Claim 27

An aural orientation receiving system comprising a plurality of receiving transducers, predetermined pairs of said transducers defining respective baselines therebetween the perpendicular bisectors of which lie in and establish a plurality of M respective reference planes, a plurality of N beacon signal transmitting sources each of a different frequency, each of said transducers receiving each of said different transmitted frequencies, signal processing means for sequentially developing a first and sequential aural sequences including an Nth aural sequence; said first aural sequence comprising a constant amplitude tone at a first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a first one of said plurality of reference planes and respective complementary impulses of a first sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said first reference plane followed by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on a second one of said reference planes and respective complementary impulses of a second sequence at said first audio frequency when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said second reference plane, and terminated by an aural output signal comprised of a constant amplitude tone at said first frequency when said first beacon source lies on said Mth reference plane and respective complementary impulses at said first audio frequency of said Mth sequence when said first beacon source lies on respective sides of said Mth reference plane; the sequential ones of said aural sequences being like that of said first aural sequence with said impulses therein being of successive different audio frequencies including an Nth audio frequency, each of said further ones of said aural sequences providing source location indication for respective successive ones of said N beacon sources, said first and successive ones of said complementary sequences being aurally distinguishable.