US3824531A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plural beam steering system
Assignee: Raytheon Co
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Filing: 1973-01-15
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Granted: 1974-07-16
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Expires: 1993-01-15
Abstract
Abstract A system for forming and steering beams of radiation at a plurality of frequencies radiated into a medium capable of producing a nonlinear reaction between these beams resulting in a radiant energy signal having a resultant frequency equal to an arithmetic combination of the radiated frequencies. The beam forming is accomplished by an array of radiating elements arranged preferably in a random fashion to produce a directivity pattern having a main lobe while minimizing the magnitudes of side lobes. The steering is accomplished by variable delay lines coupled between a source of signals at the radiated frequencies and the array of radiating elements providing for individual delays to each of these radiating elements so that each of the beams can be steered with individually controllable steering angles. The delays are varied in accordance with command signals from a beam steering computer to direct the main lobes of the radiation patterns through a common region of the medium as the beams are scanned, this resulting in a scanned beam at the resultant frequency. The signal resulting from the nonlinear reaction may be correlated with a replica thereof, the replica being generated in conjunction with the two radiated frequencies.
Inventors
- 👤 G Walsh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:48
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00; G01S15/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A scanning sonar system comprising: means for radiating sonic energy in a first and in a second sonic radiation paTtern respectively at a first and a second frequency in a medium capable of producing nonlinear acoustic effects, each of said radiation patterns having a main lobe and side lobes, each of said main lobes being directed through a common region of said medium, the side lobes of said first radiation pattern ensonifying regions of said medium separate from regions of said medium ensonified by side lobes of said second radiation pattern; means for altering the directions of each of said main lobes and said side lobes relative to said radiating means, each of said altered main lobes being directed through a common region of said medium, the altered side lobes of said first radiation pattern ensonifying regions of said medium separate from regions of said medium ensonified by altered side lobes of said second radiation pattern; and means coupled to said radiating means for generating said sonic energy at a sufficiently high intensity level for providing a nonlinear reaction in the common region of said medium ensonified by said main lobes wherein radiant acoustic energy is provided at a third frequency equal to an arithmetic combination of said first and said second frequencies.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
A scanning sonar system comprising: means for radiating sonic energy in a first and in a second sonic radiation paTtern respectively at a first and a second frequency in a medium capable of producing nonlinear acoustic effects, each of said radiation patterns having a main lobe and side lobes, each of said main lobes being directed through a common region of said medium, the side lobes of said first radiation pattern ensonifying regions of said medium separate from regions of said medium ensonified by side lobes of said second radiation pattern; means for altering the directions of each of said main lobes and said side lobes relative to said radiating means, each of said altered main lobes being directed through a common region of said medium, the altered side lobes of said first radiation pattern ensonifying regions of said medium separate from regions of said medium ensonified by altered side lobes of said second radiation pattern; and means coupled to said radiating means for generating said sonic energy at a sufficiently high intensity level for providing a nonlinear reaction in the common region of said medium ensonified by said main lobes wherein radiant acoustic energy is provided at a third frequency equal to an arithmetic combination of said first and said second frequencies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said altering means comprises means for delaying a signal radiated from a portion of said radiating means relative to a signal radiated from another portion of said radiating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 2 wherein said delaying means comprises a multiply tapped delay medium and a plurality of switches interconnecting respective ones of said taps with respective portions of said radiating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 3 wherein said delay medium comprises a pair of shift registers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system according to claim 4 comprising means for generating a generally square shaped waveform at said first frequency and a generally square shaped waveform at said second frequency, and means for sampling said waveform at said first frequency and said waveform at said second frequency at a sampling rate higher than said first frequency and higher than said second frequency, said sampling means being coupled to said shift registers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system according to claim 5 including oscillator means for providing said waveform at said first frequency, said system further comprising a signal generator and means for combining an output of said signal generator with an output of said oscillator means to provide said waveform at said second frequency.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
192 words
In combination: a plurality of radiating elements positioned for coupling radiant energy into a medium capable of inducing a nonlinear reaction between waves of such radiant energy propagating through said medium; first means for energizing a plurality of said radiating elements with a signal at a first frequency; second means for energizing a plurality of said radiating elements with a signal at a second frequency and an intensity which is sufficiently high to induce said nonlinear reaction in said medium between waves of the energies at said first frequency and said second frequency; said first energizing means including means coupled to respective ones of said radiating elements for steering a wave front of radiation at said first frequency; and said second energizing means including means coupled to respective ones of said radiating elements for steering a wave front of radiation at said second frequency in a direction for intercepting a region of said medium illuminated by said radiation at said first frequency for providing said nonlinear reaction in said commonly illuminated region, said nonlinear reaction resulting in a signal radiated at a third frequency different from said first and said second frequency.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
192 words
In combination: a plurality of radiating elements positioned for coupling radiant energy into a medium capable of inducing a nonlinear reaction between waves of such radiant energy propagating through said medium; first means for energizing a plurality of said radiating elements with a signal at a first frequency; second means for energizing a plurality of said radiating elements with a signal at a second frequency and an intensity which is sufficiently high to induce said nonlinear reaction in said medium between waves of the energies at said first frequency and said second frequency; said first energizing means including means coupled to respective ones of said radiating elements for steering a wave front of radiation at said first frequency; and said second energizing means including means coupled to respective ones of said radiating elements for steering a wave front of radiation at said second frequency in a direction for intercepting a region of said medium illuminated by said radiation at said first frequency for providing said nonlinear reaction in said commonly illuminated region, said nonlinear reaction resulting in a signal radiated at a third frequency different from said first and said second frequency.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A combination according to claim 7 wherein said first energizing means includes means for providing a sample of said signal at said third frequency, said sample being suitable for a correlation of said sample with said signal radiated at said third frequency.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A combination according to claim 8 wherein said second energizing means includes an oscillator for providing a signal at said second frequency.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A combination according to claim 9 wherein said first energizing means includes means for combining said signal of said oscillator with said sample to provide a signal at said second frequency.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The combination according to claim 10 wherein said first energizing means and said second energizing means includes means for sampling said signal of said oscillator and said signal of said combining means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A combination according to claim 11 wherein said steering means of said first energizing means includes a delay medium coupled to the sampling means of said first energizing means, said delay medium providing a set of delays of said sampled signal, said steering means of said first energizing means further comprising means for selectively coupling delays of said delay medium to said respective ones of said radiating elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
A combination according to claim 7 wherein said plurality of radiating elements are positioned in an array, said array of radiating elements including radiating elements positioned for coupling radiant energy at said third frequency from said medium for receiving said radiant energy.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3613069A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-15 | 1978-01-14 | 1978-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-15 | 1982-01-14 | 1982-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-15 | 1986-01-14 | 1986-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |