US4323988A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Sonobuoy system
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1966-04-19
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Granted: 1982-04-06
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Expires: 1986-04-19
Abstract
Abstract A deep water explosive echo ranging system capable of detecting high perfance submarines by using favorable acoustic paths available at deep depths. An umbrella hydrophone array is deployed from a sonobuoy to deep depths; an electrical subsystem transmits data from the hydrophone array to a transmitter housed in a surface float unit; a multichannel receiver and signal processing and display apparatus in an aircraft receives and processes radio data signals sent from sonobuoy transmitters; and an explosive underwater charge package is remotely triggered by a command generator in the aircraft.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert S. Will
- 👤 Earl A. Schuchard
- 👤 John P. Buckley
- 👤 Armand Cioccio
- 👤 John C. Hetzler, Jr.
- 👤 Sylvan Wolf
- 👤 Donald E. Jefferson
- 👤 Jim B. McQuitty
- 👤 Robert A. Urick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:15
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S15/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A sonobuoy system for underwater detection of a long range target over a wide detection area comprising, a multibeam omnidirectional sonobuoy dropped in the vicinity of an underwater target having means for detecting acoustic signals in a plurality of beam sections simultaneously which sectors provide a 360° discrimination directional pattern, compass means for referencing said beam sectors and means for transmitting simultaneously compass information, and target range and target bearing information signals from each of said sectors to a remote location, remote control means providing an initiating signal to said sonobuoy when the sonobuoy is in a predetermined detection position, receiving means in said remote location for receiving and processing said information signals transmitted from said sonobuoy, means electrically connected to said receiving means for discriminating between sectors having nontarget reverberation signals and a sector containing a target, and means for displaying said target range and bearing information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A sonobuoy system for underwater detection of a long range target over a wide detection area comprising, a multibeam omnidirectional sonobuoy dropped in the vicinity of an underwater target having means for detecting acoustic signals in a plurality of beam sections simultaneously which sectors provide a 360° discrimination directional pattern, compass means for referencing said beam sectors and means for transmitting simultaneously compass information, and target range and target bearing information signals from each of said sectors to a remote location, remote control means providing an initiating signal to said sonobuoy when the sonobuoy is in a predetermined detection position, receiving means in said remote location for receiving and processing said information signals transmitted from said sonobuoy, means electrically connected to said receiving means for discriminating between sectors having nontarget reverberation signals and a sector containing a target, and means for displaying said target range and bearing information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising in said sonobuoy a transmitter floating near the surface of the water, a hydrophone array deployed at a predetermined depth having a plurality of horizontal and vertical directivity transducers connected to said array, providing a plurality of individual detection channels to acoustic signals originating underwater, a long transmission cable extending to said predetermined depth, connected to said transmitter at the surface end thereof, digital sampling means in said array periodically sampling said transducer detection channels simultaneously, and multiplexing means connecting said array to the deep end of said transmission cable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a radio signal receiver, a demultiplexer, and a multibeam former, said receiver having an input connected to said demultiplexer, said demultiplexer having a plurality of output channels corresponding to said sonobuoy detection channels, and said multibeam former coupled to said output channels combining predetermined ones of said output channels into a plurality of overlapping beam channels corresponding to sectors of detection volume in the water.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said receiving means comprises a radio signal receiver, a demultiplexer, and a multibeam former, said receiver having an input connected to said demultiplexer, said demultiplexer having a plurality of output channels corresponding to said sonobuoy detection channels, and said multibeam former coupled to said output channels combining predetermined ones of said output channels into a plurality of overlapping beam channels corresponding to sectors of detection volume in the water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a variable integrator means connected between the said overlapping beam channels and said display means whereby said sonobuoy system passively detects target generated noise signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
143 words
A sonobuoy apparatus capable of being launched by an aircraft into the sea comprising a three piece sequentially removable housing containing a deflated parafloat, a long helically wound transmission cable, a transmitter, and a collapsed hydrophone array, a first of said housing pieces, enclosing said parafloat and breakably sectioned into two portions which separate from said sonobuoy upon launching, a second housing piece having an inside sleeve and an outside sleeve with the cylindrical space of said inside sleeve containing said transmitter and having said cable wound around said inside sleeve filling the space between said sleeves, said second housing piece sectioned into two portions which separate from said sonobuoy when said cable is being extended to a predetermined sea depth, and a third housing piece, spring releasable from said sonobuoy, enclosing said collapsed hydrophone array until said array reaches a predetermined depth.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
143 words
A sonobuoy apparatus capable of being launched by an aircraft into the sea comprising a three piece sequentially removable housing containing a deflated parafloat, a long helically wound transmission cable, a transmitter, and a collapsed hydrophone array, a first of said housing pieces, enclosing said parafloat and breakably sectioned into two portions which separate from said sonobuoy upon launching, a second housing piece having an inside sleeve and an outside sleeve with the cylindrical space of said inside sleeve containing said transmitter and having said cable wound around said inside sleeve filling the space between said sleeves, said second housing piece sectioned into two portions which separate from said sonobuoy when said cable is being extended to a predetermined sea depth, and a third housing piece, spring releasable from said sonobuoy, enclosing said collapsed hydrophone array until said array reaches a predetermined depth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said hydrophone array comprises an electronic cannister, means connecting said cannister to said cable, a plurality of spring loaded arms movable from a parallely collapsed position against said cannister to a radially extending position perpendicular to said cannister, and a plurality of staves having transducer elements connected thereto each hingedly connected to one of said arms at one of a plurality of positions along a arm, said staves movable from collapsed position against said arms to perpendicularly extending positions extending downward from said arms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
A hydrophone volume array comprising an electronic cannister, means connecting said cannister to a deep water supporting cable, a plurality of spring loaded arms movable from a parallely collapsed position against said cannister to a radially extending position perpendicular to said cannister, and a plurality of staves having transducer elements connected thereto each hingedly connected to one of said arms at one of a plurality of positions along a arm, said staves movable from collapsed position against said arms to perpendicularly extending positions extending downward from said arms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
A hydrophone volume array comprising an electronic cannister, means connecting said cannister to a deep water supporting cable, a plurality of spring loaded arms movable from a parallely collapsed position against said cannister to a radially extending position perpendicular to said cannister, and a plurality of staves having transducer elements connected thereto each hingedly connected to one of said arms at one of a plurality of positions along a arm, said staves movable from collapsed position against said arms to perpendicularly extending positions extending downward from said arms.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of detecting and localizing an object in a water area by a mobile station comprising the steps of moving the mobile station into the water area, dispatching a multibeam omnidirectional sonobuoy from the mobile station into the water area, dispatching an explosive charge from the mobile station into the water area near the multibeam omnidirectional sonobuoy, simultaneously generating an omnidirectional detection pattern divided into a plurality of sectors, detonating said charge by a signal from the mobile station, and determining the sector location and range of said object from a single pressure pulse generated by said charge.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of detecting and localizing an object in a water area by a mobile station comprising the steps of moving the mobile station into the water area, dispatching a multibeam omnidirectional sonobuoy from the mobile station into the water area, dispatching an explosive charge from the mobile station into the water area near the multibeam omnidirectional sonobuoy, simultaneously generating an omnidirectional detection pattern divided into a plurality of sectors, detonating said charge by a signal from the mobile station, and determining the sector location and range of said object from a single pressure pulse generated by said charge.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of detecting a long range target with a single sonobuoy deployed into the sea in the vicinity of a target using favorable acoustic paths in deep water comprising the steps of lowering a hydrophone array having a plurality of directional transducers to an acoustically favorable deep water depth, emitting a sound signal in the vicinity of said hydrophone array to provide echo signals from reflecting surfaces including a possible target surface, detecting echo signals from a target location and any other reverberation signals returning at the same time to the array, processing said detected signals and compass information signals through an underwater transmission channel to a surface transmitter for aerial transmission to a remote receiving location, directing said processed signals into preassigned overlapping beam channels at said remote location wherein each beam is an electrical representation of a predetermined volume sector of water, and comparing electrical signals in beam channels containing both target location information and reverberation signals with electrical signals in the beam channels containing only reverberation signals, whereby the location of said target is identified with information from a single sonobuoy.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of detecting a long range target with a single sonobuoy deployed into the sea in the vicinity of a target using favorable acoustic paths in deep water comprising the steps of lowering a hydrophone array having a plurality of directional transducers to an acoustically favorable deep water depth, emitting a sound signal in the vicinity of said hydrophone array to provide echo signals from reflecting surfaces including a possible target surface, detecting echo signals from a target location and any other reverberation signals returning at the same time to the array, processing said detected signals and compass information signals through an underwater transmission channel to a surface transmitter for aerial transmission to a remote receiving location, directing said processed signals into preassigned overlapping beam channels at said remote location wherein each beam is an electrical representation of a predetermined volume sector of water, and comparing electrical signals in beam channels containing both target location information and reverberation signals with electrical signals in the beam channels containing only reverberation signals, whereby the location of said target is identified with information from a single sonobuoy.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-04-05 | 1985-10-05 | 1986-04-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-04-05 | 1989-10-05 | 1990-04-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-04-05 | 1993-10-05 | 1994-04-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |