US3742435A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fathometer means and method
Assignee: Texaco Inc
•
Filing: 1971-06-03
•
Granted: 1973-06-26
•
Expires: 1991-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A fathometer, for measuring the depth in water to a sloping bottom surface, includes a transmitter, periodically providing pulses in the water, and at least a pair of receivers arranged in a predetermined manner with the transmitter. Each receiver receives reflection pulses of the transmitted pulses from the sloping surface. Synchronizing pulses coinciding with the transmitted pulse and outputs from corresponding receivers control elapsed time circuits to provide signals corresponding to time intervals. Each time interval starts with the transmission of a pulse by the transmitter and the reception of a reflection pulse by a corresponding receiver. An analog computer provides outputs corresponding to the water''s measured depth and to the location of the depth measurement in accordance with the time interval signals and the known predetermined arrangement of the transmitter and the receivers. A recorder provides a record of the depth measurement and its proper location in accordance with the outputs from the analog computer.
Inventors
- 👤 K Pann
- 👤 S Stubblefield
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:23
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02; G01S15/06; G01S15/08; G01S15/10; G01S15/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
Apparatus for providing outputs corresponding to a depth measurement in a body of water and to the location of the depth measurement, comprising means mounted on a boat along the longitudinal axis of the boat for transmitting a pulse through the water, two receivers mounted on the boat along the longitudinal axis of the boat and separated by the transmitting means, each receiver being a predetermined distance d from the transmitting means and providing an output in response to a reflection of the transmitted pulse from a surface beneath the water, two elapsed time circuits being connected to the transmitting means and to a corresponding receiver and providing a signal corresponding to the elapsed time between the transmission of a pulse and the reception of its reflection by the receiver, and means connected to the receivers for providing the output corresponding to the depth Y measurement and the location of the depth measurement which is a distance X from a vertical axis passing through the transmitting means in accordance with the elapsed time signals and the following equations: X (V2/8d) (T12- T22) and
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
Apparatus for providing outputs corresponding to a depth measurement in a body of water and to the location of the depth measurement, comprising means mounted on a boat along the longitudinal axis of the boat for transmitting a pulse through the water, two receivers mounted on the boat along the longitudinal axis of the boat and separated by the transmitting means, each receiver being a predetermined distance d from the transmitting means and providing an output in response to a reflection of the transmitted pulse from a surface beneath the water, two elapsed time circuits being connected to the transmitting means and to a corresponding receiver and providing a signal corresponding to the elapsed time between the transmission of a pulse and the reception of its reflection by the receiver, and means connected to the receivers for providing the output corresponding to the depth Y measurement and the location of the depth measurement which is a distance X from a vertical axis passing through the transmitting means in accordance with the elapsed time signals and the following equations: X (V2/8d) (T12- T22) and
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as described in claim 1 further comprising means connected to the output means for providing a record of the depth measurement and the location of the depth measurement in accordance with the outputs from the output means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
128 words
Apparatus as described in claim 2 in which the transmitting means and a first receiver are mounted on a boat along a longitudinal axis of the boat, the first receiver being separated from the transmitting means by a predetermined distance d1, second and third receivers are located at the second predetermined distance from each other along an axis traversing the longitudinal axis of the boat and at a third predetermined distance d2 from the transmitting means so that a line drawn through the transmitting means and the second or third receiver is at an angle B with the longitudinal axis of the boat, and the output means provides the outputs corresponding to the depth measurement and the location of the depth measurement in accordance with the following equations:
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus as described in claim 3 further comprising means for sensing the yaw angle delta of the boat and providing signals corresponding to sin delta and cos delta , and means connected to the output means to sensing means and to the recording means for correcting the Xo and Yo outputs from the output means to compensate for the yaw angle of the boat and providing compensated signals to the recording means in accordance with the sin delta and cos delta signals from the sensing means and the following equations: X'' Xo cos delta + Yo sin delta and Y'' - Xo sin delta + Yo cos delta where X'' and Y'' are the compensated signals.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for measuring depth of water and locating the depth measurement, which comprises transmitting a pulse through the water with a transmitter mounted along the longitudinal axis of a boat, receiving reflections of the transmitted pulse from a surface beneath the water with at least two receivers mounted along the longitudinal axis of the boat and separated by the transmitter, each receiver being a distance d from the transmitter, determining time intervals, each time interval starting with the transmission of the transmitted pulse and ending with the reception of a reflected pulse by a corresponding receiver, and the location of the depth measurement of X from a vertical axis passing through the transmitter, in accordance with the following equations: X (V2/8d) (T12- T22) and
Claim 7
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for measuring depth of water and locating the depth measurement, which comprises transmitting a pulse through the water with a transmitter mounted along the longitudinal axis of a boat, receiving reflections of the transmitted pulse from a surface beneath the water with at least two receivers mounted along the longitudinal axis of the boat and separated by the transmitter, each receiver being a distance d from the transmitter, determining time intervals, each time interval starting with the transmission of the transmitted pulse and ending with the reception of a reflected pulse by a corresponding receiver, and the location of the depth measurement of X from a vertical axis passing through the transmitter, in accordance with the following equations: X (V2/8d) (T12- T22) and
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as described in claim 5, which further comprises recording the depth measurement and the location of the depth measurement in accordance with the outputs corresponding thereto.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
128 words
A method as described in claim 6 in which the transmitting step includes locating the means transmitting the pulse on the longitudinal axis of the boat, the receiving step includes locating a first receiver on the longitudinal axis of the boat a predetermined distance d1 from the transmitting means, second and third receivers are located by a second predetermined distance from each other along an axis traversing the longitudinal axis of the boat and at a third predetermined distance d2 from the transmitting means and the second or third receiver is at an angle B with the longitudinal axis of the boat, and the providing step includes providing the outputs corresponding to the depth measurement and the location of the depth measurement in accordance with the following equations:
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-06-25 | 1976-12-25 | 1977-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-06-25 | 1980-12-25 | 1981-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-06-25 | 1984-12-25 | 1985-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |