Circular array hydrophone simulator

Claim 1

Apparatus for simulating the progressively delayed outputs resulting from impingement of sonic energy having a point source on a nonlinear array of hydrophones, comprising: signal generating means for providing an analog output signal having a frequency simulative of the point source; pulse forming means connected to receive said analog output signal for converting the analog output signal into a digital pulse train output signal; clock means for providing clock pulses at predetermined equal intervals; delay means connected to receive said clock pulses and said digital pulse train output signal for providing a plurality of outputs each representative of the pulse train but serially delayed by one interval; and a plurality of wave forming means corresponding to the number of hydrophones in the nonlinear array respectively connected to receive preselected ones of said delay means outputs for converting said delay means outputs to analog output signals, said preselected ones of delay means outputs corresponding to the predicted impingement times of the sonic energy at the respective hydrophones; a plurality of noise generating means for producing random noise output signals simulative of a water body; and a plurality of summing means having a first input connected to receive respective ones of said noise generating means outputs signals and a second input connected to receive respective ones of said wave forming means analog output signals for respectively summing the noise and analog signals to form output signals simulative of individual hydrophone outputs within said nonlinear array.