Patent US3784805A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3784805A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Sonar image converter
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1972-10-04
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Granted: 1974-01-08
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Expires: 1992-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A sonar system is disclosed as having a rotatable shaft with an electroacoustical transducer array mounted on one end thereof, a light output diode readout array mounted on the other end thereof, a receiver mounted on said shaft and connected between said transducer and readout arrays. A transmitter is also connected to said electroacoustical array. An electric motor rotates said shaft through a pair of gears, and a programmed function generator causes sonar target search and echo signals to be timely broadcast by said transmitter and received by said receiver during the rotation of said arrays. An objective lens views the outputs from the light diode output array and transmits it via a bundle of optical fibers to a pair of readout prisms located in a diver''s face mask. With the exception of a large portion of the optical fibers and readout prisms, the entire sonar system may be encased in a waterproof housing to facilitate its being used as a visual aid to underwater swimmers and divers working in turbid water.
Inventors
- 👤 A Rolle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:34
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/02; G01S7/04; G01S7/06; G01S15/00; G01S15/88; G01S15/89; G01S15/8906; G01S15/8909; G01S15/8915; G01S15/8925; G01S15/8934; G01S15/8938; G01S15/894; G01S7/003; G01S7/52; G01S7/56; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S367/00; Y10S367/90; Y10S367/903; Y10S367/91
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A sonar system, comprising in combination: a rotatable shaft; a plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers disposed in an array having a predetermined pattern mounted on one end of said rotatable shaft; a plurality of light output diodes disposed in an array having a pattern substantially similar to array pattern of the aforesaid plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers, respectively, mounted on the other end of said shaft; means effectively connected to the inputs of said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers for the timely energization thereof, respectively, mounted on said rotatable shaft; a receiver means having a plurality of receiving channels with the inputs thereof respectively effectively connected to the outputs of predetermined ones of said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers and with the outputs thereof respectively connected to the inputs of predetermined ones of said plurality of light output diodes mounted on said rotatable shaft; function generator means connected to the aforesaid reversible electroacoustical transducer energizing means and said receiver means for effecting the broadcasting and receiving of predetermined signals thereby in accordance with predetermined programs, respectively; and means connected to said rotatable shaft for effecting the rotation thereof while the aforesaid predetermined signals are being broadcast and received.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
A sonar system, comprising in combination: a rotatable shaft; a plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers disposed in an array having a predetermined pattern mounted on one end of said rotatable shaft; a plurality of light output diodes disposed in an array having a pattern substantially similar to array pattern of the aforesaid plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers, respectively, mounted on the other end of said shaft; means effectively connected to the inputs of said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers for the timely energization thereof, respectively, mounted on said rotatable shaft; a receiver means having a plurality of receiving channels with the inputs thereof respectively effectively connected to the outputs of predetermined ones of said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers and with the outputs thereof respectively connected to the inputs of predetermined ones of said plurality of light output diodes mounted on said rotatable shaft; function generator means connected to the aforesaid reversible electroacoustical transducer energizing means and said receiver means for effecting the broadcasting and receiving of predetermined signals thereby in accordance with predetermined programs, respectively; and means connected to said rotatable shaft for effecting the rotation thereof while the aforesaid predetermined signals are being broadcast and received.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said means effectively connected to the inputs of said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers for the timely energization thereof, respectively, mounted on said rotatable shaft comprises a transmitter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
150 words
The device of claim 1 wherein each of the receiving channels of said receiving means comprises: an analog gate having a data signal input effectively connected to one of the reversible electroacoustical transducers of the aforesaid array thereof and a control input adapted for the opening thereof in response to a range gate pulse signal; a tuned time-varied-gain amplifier having a data signal Input and a gain control voltage signal input, with the data signal input thereof effectively connected to the output of said analog gate; a detector connected to the output of said tuned time-varied-gain amplifier; a peak detector and memory having a data signal input and a reset pulse input, with the data signal input thereof connected to the output of said detector; and an emitter-follower connected between the output of said peak detector and memory and one of the aforesaid light output diodes of the array thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said means connected to the aforesaid reversible electroacoustical transducer energizing means and said receiver means for effecting the broadcasting and receiving of predetermined signals thereby in accordance with predetermined programs comprises a programmed function generator which timely produces transmitter gating signals, range gate pulses, gain control voltage signals, and reset pulses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said means connected to said rotatable shaft for effecting the rotation thereof while the aforesaid predetermined signals are being broadcast and received comprises: a driven gear connected to said rotatable shaft; a drive gear disposed for driving engagement with said driven gear; and a motor having a rotatable shaft connected to said dirve gear.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 1, further characterized by a plurality of transmit-receive switches connected between said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers, said energization means therefor, and the aforesaid receiver means, respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
The invention of claim 1, further characterized by: an objective lens spatially disposed from said light output diode array in such manner as to have said light output diode array in the field of view thereof; a readout; and means connected between the optical output of said lens and the optical input of said readout for transmitting images formed by the former to the latter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
The invention of claim 1, further characterized by: an objective lens spatially disposed from said light output diode array in such manner as to have the light output thereof focused at a predetermined spot thereby; a pair of combining prism eye pieces for presenting visual images of objects; and a bundle of optical fibers connected between the focal spot of said objective lens and the optical inputs of said pair of combining prism eye pieces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
103 words
The invention of claim 1, further characterized by: an objective lens spatially disposed from said light output diode array in such manner as to have said light output diode array in the field of view thereof; a diver''s face mask; a pair of combining prism eye pieces respectively mounted within said diver''s face mask in such manner as to be in alignment with and in front of the eyes of a diver wearing said face mask; and a bundle of optical fibers connected between the optical output of said objective lens and the optical inputs of said pair of combining prism eye pieces.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention of claim 1, further characterized by a waterproof housing encasing said sonar system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
The invention of claim 1, further characterized by: another plurality of receiver channels having a plurality of inputs and outputs, with predetermined ones of the inputs thereof connected to predetermined ones of the outputs of said function generator means, and with the outputs thereof connected to predetermined ones of said plurality of light output diodes, respectively; and a like plurality of transmit-receive switches connected between predetermined ones of said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers, said energization means, and predetermined inputs of the aforesaid plurality of receiver channels, respectively.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 11, further characterized by means connected between a predetermined output of said function generator means and predetermined inputs of said Another plurality of receiving channels for effecting the multiplexing thereof in accordance with a predetermined program.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention of claim 1, further characterized by an acoustic lens means spatially disposed from said plurality of reversible electroacoustical transducers in such manner as to be located in the operative fields of projection and reception of the acoustical energy timely broadcast and received thereby.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
173 words
A sonar system, comprising in combination: a reversible electroacoustical transducer for broadcasting and receiving acoustical energy in accordance with a predetermined directivity pattern; a transmitter effectively connected to the output of said reversible electroacoustical transducer for the timely energization thereof; a receiver effectively connected to the output of said reversible electroacoustical transducer; a light output diode connected to the output of said receiver and disposed in such manner as to shine its light energy in accordance with a predetermined directivity pattern; an objective lens spatially disposed from said light output diode in such manner that the predetermined directivity pattern of the light energy therefrom is located within the field of view thereof; function generator means connected to the aforesaid transmitter and receiver for timely effecting the transmission and reception thereof in accordance with predetermined operational programs, respectively; and means connected to the aforesaid reversible electroacoustical transducer, to said transmitter, to said receiver, to said function generator means, and to said light output diode for effecting the simultaneous rotation thereof about a common axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
173 words
A sonar system, comprising in combination: a reversible electroacoustical transducer for broadcasting and receiving acoustical energy in accordance with a predetermined directivity pattern; a transmitter effectively connected to the output of said reversible electroacoustical transducer for the timely energization thereof; a receiver effectively connected to the output of said reversible electroacoustical transducer; a light output diode connected to the output of said receiver and disposed in such manner as to shine its light energy in accordance with a predetermined directivity pattern; an objective lens spatially disposed from said light output diode in such manner that the predetermined directivity pattern of the light energy therefrom is located within the field of view thereof; function generator means connected to the aforesaid transmitter and receiver for timely effecting the transmission and reception thereof in accordance with predetermined operational programs, respectively; and means connected to the aforesaid reversible electroacoustical transducer, to said transmitter, to said receiver, to said function generator means, and to said light output diode for effecting the simultaneous rotation thereof about a common axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 14, further characterized by means effectively connected to the output of said objective lens for conducting light energy transmitted therethrough to a predetermined location remote therefrom.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 15, further characterized by a readout connected to the remote output of said light conducting means for displaying the light energy conducted thereby.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention of claim 14, further characterized by an acoustic lens means spatially disposed from said reversible electroacoustical transducer in such manner as to be located in the operative fields of projection and reception of the acoustical energy timely broadcast and received thereby.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3045206A
Cited
US3543229A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |