Measurement and presentation of acoustic target length and aspect

Claim 1

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain the values of the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line of the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these values to a computer; and utilizing said computer to operate upon these variables (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 , and φ 2 ) and obtain the angle between the nearest and farthest range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), and the length of the object (l).

Claim 2

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain the values of the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line of the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these values to a computer; and utilizing said computer to operate upon these variables (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 , and φ 2 ) and obtain the angle between the nearest and farthest range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), and the length of the object (l).

Claim 4

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), and the length of the object (l); and converting said length value (l) into a physically identifiable form, wherein said irradiating pulse is a sonar pulse and said energy values are voltage amplitudes.

Claim 5

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), and the length of the object (l); and converting said length value (l) into a physically identifiable form, wherein said irradiating pulse is a sonar pulse and said energy values are voltage amplitudes.

Claim 6

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), and the length of the object (l); and converting said length value (l) into a physically identifiable form, wherein said energy values are computed from the following mathematical relationships: φ = |φ.sub.2 - φ.sub.1 | l.sub.y ≈ | R.sub.2 - R.sub.1 | r≈ r.sub.1 + 1/2 l.sub.y ##EQU4## l= √l.sub.x.sup.2 + l.sub.y.sup.2 .

Claim 7

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), and the length of the object (l); and converting said length value (l) into a physically identifiable form, wherein said energy values are computed from the following mathematical relationships: φ = |φ.sub.2 - φ.sub.1 | l.sub.y ≈ | R.sub.2 - R.sub.1 | r≈ r.sub.1 + 1/2 l.sub.y ##EQU4## l= √l.sub.x.sup.2 + l.sub.y.sup.2 .

Claim 9

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain the values of the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these values to a computer; and utilizing said computer to operate upon these variables (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain the angle between the nearest and farthest range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), the length of the object (l), the angle (γ) representing the least angle between the bow of the object and the normal to the line of sight between the transducer and the target, and the aspect angle (θ).

Claim 10

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain the values of the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these values to a computer; and utilizing said computer to operate upon these variables (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain the angle between the nearest and farthest range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), the length of the object (l), the angle (γ) representing the least angle between the bow of the object and the normal to the line of sight between the transducer and the target, and the aspect angle (θ).

Claim 12

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), the length of the object (l), and angle (γ) representing the least angle between the bow of the object and the normal to the line of sight between the transducer and the target, and the aspect angle (θ); and converting the length (l) and aspect angle (θ) values into a physically identifiable form, wherein said irradiating pulse is a sonar pulse and said energy values are voltage amplitudes.

Claim 13

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), the length of the object (l), and angle (γ) representing the least angle between the bow of the object and the normal to the line of sight between the transducer and the target, and the aspect angle (θ); and converting the length (l) and aspect angle (θ) values into a physically identifiable form, wherein said irradiating pulse is a sonar pulse and said energy values are voltage amplitudes.

Claim 14

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), the length of the object (l), the angle (γ) representing the least angle between the bow of the object and the normal to the line of sight between the transducer and the target, and the aspect angle (θ); and convverting the length (l) and aspect angle (θ) values into a physically identifiable form, wherein said energy values are computed from the following mathematical relationships: φ = | φ.sub.2 - φ.sub.1 | l.sub. y ≈ |R.sub.2 - R.sub.1 | r≈ r.sub.1 + 1/2l.sub.y ##EQU5## l= √l.sub.x.sup.2 + l.sub.y.sup.2 ##EQU6## quad. I: θ = γ + 90° quad. II: θ = 360° - (γ + 90°) quad. III: θ = 180° + (γ + 90°) quad. IV: θ = 180° - (γ + 90°).

Claim 15

A method for measuring the length of a longitudinal object where said object is irradiated by a short pulse of energy from a transducer comprising the steps of: receiving an echo pulse from said object; utilizing said echo pulse to obtain energy values corresponding to the nearest-point range (R 1 ) of said object, the farthest-point range (R 2 ), the angle from the center line of the transducer to the nearest-range line (φ 1 ), and the angle from the center line to the farthest-range line (φ 2 ); feeding these energy values to a computer; utilizing said computer to operate upon said energy values (R 1 , R 2 , φ 1 and φ 2 ) and obtain energy values corresponding to the angle between the nearest-range and farthest-range lines (φ), the average range (R), the projected length of the object on the line of sight (l y ), the projected length of the object on the normal to the line of sight (l x ), the length of the object (l), the angle (γ) representing the least angle between the bow of the object and the normal to the line of sight between the transducer and the target, and the aspect angle (θ); and convverting the length (l) and aspect angle (θ) values into a physically identifiable form, wherein said energy values are computed from the following mathematical relationships: φ = | φ.sub.2 - φ.sub.1 | l.sub. y ≈ |R.sub.2 - R.sub.1 | r≈ r.sub.1 + 1/2l.sub.y ##EQU5## l= √l.sub.x.sup.2 + l.sub.y.sup.2 ##EQU6## quad. I: θ = γ + 90° quad. II: θ = 360° - (γ + 90°) quad. III: θ = 180° + (γ + 90°) quad. IV: θ = 180° - (γ + 90°).