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US4173748A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Acoustic transducing system

Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corp
•
Filing: 1978-08-03
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Granted: 1979-11-06
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Expires: 1998-08-03
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Abstract

Abstract A transducer array is provided with omni-directional transducers, bi-directional transducers, and a processor which forms omni and bi-directional beams that are combined to cancel image lobes to give the array a uni-directional characteristic in which but a single, steerable main lobe is formed over a broad range of steering angles.

Inventors

  • 👤 Leon M. Lewandowski

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-26 22:05
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/34; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S367/00; Y10S367/905

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 106 words
An acoustic transducing system comprising: an array of spaced apart elements, each of said elements including an omni-directional acoustic transducer and a bi-directional acoustic transducer; a beam former for the outputs from the omni-directional transducers; a beam former for the outputs from the bi-directional transducers; and means for combining selected outputs from said omni-directional beam former and selected outputs from said directional beam former so as to selectively cancel image lobes from the outputs of the bi-directional transducers, whereby the pattern of said array is capable of producing a single main lobe thereby giving the array a uni-directional characteristic over a broad range of steering angles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 106 words
An acoustic transducing system comprising: an array of spaced apart elements, each of said elements including an omni-directional acoustic transducer and a bi-directional acoustic transducer; a beam former for the outputs from the omni-directional transducers; a beam former for the outputs from the bi-directional transducers; and means for combining selected outputs from said omni-directional beam former and selected outputs from said directional beam former so as to selectively cancel image lobes from the outputs of the bi-directional transducers, whereby the pattern of said array is capable of producing a single main lobe thereby giving the array a uni-directional characteristic over a broad range of steering angles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 100 words
An acoustic transducing system comprising: an array of spaced apart elements, each of said elements including an omni-directional acoustic transducer and a bi-directional acoustic transducer; a beam former for the outputs from the omni-directional transducers which provides an output signal representing a predetermined beam steering angle; a beam former for the outputs from the bi-directional transducers which provides an output signal representing the same predetermined beam steering angle; and means for combining selected ones of said output signals such that one cancels the other, whereby said array is given a uni-directional lobe characteristic over a broad range of steering angles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 100 words
An acoustic transducing system comprising: an array of spaced apart elements, each of said elements including an omni-directional acoustic transducer and a bi-directional acoustic transducer; a beam former for the outputs from the omni-directional transducers which provides an output signal representing a predetermined beam steering angle; a beam former for the outputs from the bi-directional transducers which provides an output signal representing the same predetermined beam steering angle; and means for combining selected ones of said output signals such that one cancels the other, whereby said array is given a uni-directional lobe characteristic over a broad range of steering angles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said omni-directional beamformer further includes means for multiplying the output signal provided thereby by the cosine of said predetermined beam steering angle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said multiplying means includes a cosine potentiometer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
An acoustic transducing system comprising: a line array of spaced-apart elements, each of said elements including an omni-directional transducer and a bi-directional transducer, and means for processing the output signals from said transducers to give said array a uni-directional lobe characteristic over a broad range of steering angles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 48 words
An acoustic transducing system comprising: a line array of spaced-apart elements, each of said elements including an omni-directional transducer and a bi-directional transducer, and means for processing the output signals from said transducers to give said array a uni-directional lobe characteristic over a broad range of steering angles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 54 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said processing means includes means for forming omni and bi-directional beams at a selected beam steering angle and further including means for multiplying output signals from said omni beam forming means with the cosine of said selected beam steering angle to provide an amplitude adjusted omni beam signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 38 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said processing means including means for combining said adjusted omni-beam signal with the signal derived from said bi-directional beam forming means thereby to effect beam cancellation, whereby said uni-directional characteristic is achieved.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3670335A Cited
US3870989A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1982-11-05 1983-05-07 1983-11-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1986-11-05 1987-05-07 1987-11-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1990-11-05 1991-05-07 1991-11-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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