DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING ECHORTRACES OF MOVING OBJECTS FOR A SET OF IMPULSE WIDTHS

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device 250 and a method 900 for generating echo traces for a plurality of predefined pulse widths. The device 250 comprises an antenna 316 for receiving echo information 317 from source waves 252 at a ship 202 from a target object 204. A processing circuit 406 is configured to generate a plurality of processed echo information sets from the received echo information 254. The received echo information 254 corresponds to a first pulse width of the echo trace. The plurality of processed echo information sets, comprising a plurality of echo traces ET(1) to ET(N) of the target object 204, is stored in memory modules 408. An echo trace from the plurality of echo traces ET(1) to ET(N) is selected by a selection module 410 based on a second pulse width set by the user.A synthesizer module 412 synthesizes a display output 334 based on the selected echo track.

Description

Technical field The present disclosure relates generally to methods for object detection and in particular to a device and a method for generating echo traces of moving objects for a plurality of predefined pulse widths. background Moving bodies in the marine environment, such as ships, barges, boats, etc., are typically used for transporting people and goods, as well as for various other applications worldwide. Detection, range-measuring, and monitoring devices, such as radar and sonar systems, installed on board these moving bodies or in stationary monitoring stations, are used to identify moving and stationary objects in a marine environment. These devices emit electromagnetic (in the case of radar) or sound pressure waves (in the case of sonar) and scan the marine environment for other objects or bodies. The electromagnetic or sound pressure waves are reflected by a target object, such as a target ship or vessel. The reflected electromagnetic or sound pressure waves received by the aforementioned devices are called echoes.Echoes are generally considered signals containing information about the distance, speed, direction, position, course, etc., of the target object. Based on this echo information, the target object's position, direction, translational speed, etc., can be determined by relevant devices such as radar or sonar. The location of the target object can also be displayed using an echo trail. Echo trailing is a technique used to visually represent the movement (e.g., distance and speed) of moving objects in the environment by superimposing multiple received echoes from several respective radar or sonar scans. Information such as the direction and speed of the moving objects can be captured and displayed in a near real-time environment. Echo trails can be of great assistance to an observer in the real-time assessment of maritime traffic within a predefined area, regardless of whether the observer is on a ship, barge, or at a stationary monitoring station. The echo trail can be either relative or actual. Relative echo trails show the relative movement between the observer and the target object.Relative echo trails provide an early indication of the existing collision risk. Furthermore, relative echo trails, in combination with actual vectors, show the relative movement of the target object, such as other vessels. Actual echo trails show the actual movements of the target object as a function of its speed and course. The duration of the echo trail can be adjusted according to the observer's requirements. For example, the user (e.g., the observer of the display) can specify the period over which the target object is to be monitored; that is, the display duration of the echo trail can be set by the observer. The observer can also specify a pulse width with which the target object is to be monitored. The pulse width refers to the time interval between the leading and trailing edges of a single energy pulse.The electromagnetic or sound pressure waves reflected from a target object are a function of the pulse's peak energy, pulse width, and pulse repetition frequency. Based on the newly set pulse width, the echo trail and echo of the target object are displayed. The systems and methods for generating and displaying echo traces that are state-of-the-art have several shortcomings. For example, if the pulse width is changed by the observer, it is difficult to assess the echo traces of the newly set pulse width, as the echo trace may partially disappear or deteriorate for a certain period. In this respect, several solutions have been proposed to at least partially address the aforementioned shortcomings. U.S. Patent No. 7,768,447B2 discloses methods and devices for processing detection signals. One method comprises recording a detection image captured in a first detection area and outputting the detection image to a display. The method further comprises recording additional information displayed on a screen and outputting additional information to the display. When the first detection area is changed to a second detection area, a new image is calculated from the recorded detection image using a computer image processing function, such that the calculated image corresponds to a new scale of the second detection area. The calculated image is recorded.The calculation modifies the recorded additional information to fit the new scale of the changed range and records the calculated additional information. Despite adding the additional information to the new scale, this process results in degradation and eventual disappearance of the echo trace due to the time required to process the additional information. Furthermore, the trace degrades each time the display range is repeatedly changed. In some cases, the trace becomes interrupted due to differing settings, such as pulse width, used by different display ranges. Patent Literature 1: US Patent No. US 7,768,447B2 Fig. 1A shows a block diagram of a processing circuit 100 for processing echo information 102 in a conventional prior art radar device. The echo received by an antenna 104 from a target object (not shown in Fig. 1) includes the echo information 102, which specifies the distance, speed, direction, position, etc., of the target object. A memory 106 stores the received echo information 102, and the synthesizer 108 synthesizes a display output 110, which includes the echo and the echo trail. The display output 110 is shown on the display unit 112. If the observer changes a display parameter such as the display range, the width of the echo trail, the duration of the echo trail, etc., the echo trail is likely to have an inconsistent (or discontinuous) width on the display unit 112.The radars are configured to scale (enlarge / reduce) or delete stored echo traces when the pulse width is changed by the user. Therefore, image quality may deteriorate and / or parts of the echo traces may disappear completely, making it difficult for the observer to objectively examine the information provided by the echo traces immediately after the pulse width change. Fig. 1B shows a schematic representation of display outputs (e.g., 120, 130, 140) with an echo trace and an echo in a conventional radar device according to the prior art. By changing the pulse width of the transmitted electromagnetic waves, the width of the received echo changes. The conventional radar device of Fig. 1B therefore does not scale the echo traces according to the pulse width. In this method, the echo trace 122 of the previously set pulse width appears together with an echo trace of the newly set pulse width. The echo trace 122 of the previously set pulse width disappears after a certain time. Due to the simultaneous display of two echo traces, it is therefore difficult to assess the situation of the target until the echo trace 122 of the previous pulse width disappears. The pulse width refers to the time interval between the leading and trailing edges of a single energy pulse.The electromagnetic waves reflected by a target object are a function of the peak energy of the pulse, the pulse width, and the pulse repetition frequency. Increasing the pulse width increases the amount of energy reflected by the target and thus the range at which an object can be detected. As shown in Fig. 1B, display output 120 represents an echo track image containing echo track 122 and echo 124 of the target object. Display output 120 corresponds to a current pulse width (for a preset display range) in a display. When the user changes the pulse width to a new pulse width, echo track images in display output 120 degrade and disappear. For example, if the pulse width is increased, as shown in display output 130, the echo track image shows a new echo 134 with echo tracks 122 and 132. Echo tracks 122 and 132 represent the echo tracks of the previous pulse width and the new pulse width, respectively. If the pulse width is decreased, as shown in display output 140, the echo track images show a new echo 144 with echo tracks 122 and 142. Echo tracks 122 and 142 represent the echo tracks of the previous pulse width and the new pulse width, respectively.The antenna position in display outputs 120, 130, and 140 is also shown in Fig. 1B. Thus, instead of only displaying the echo and echo trail of the selected pulse width, the echo and echo trail of the previously set pulse width are also displayed. This makes tracking and locating the target object more difficult. Therefore, there is a need for techniques to reduce the occurrence of deterioration and the disappearance of echo trail images and to make it easier for the observer to assess the situation immediately after the change in pulse width, in addition to other technical advantages. Summary To solve the aforementioned problem and offer further advantages, one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method that includes receiving echo information from a multitude of source waves at a ship from a target object by means of an antenna. The method further includes generating a multitude of processed echo information sets from the received echo information by means of processing circuits. The multitude of processed echo information sets corresponds to a multitude of predefined pulse widths and a user-defined display range. The method further includes storing the multitude of processed echo information sets by means of a multitude of memory modules. The multitude of processed echo information sets comprises a multitude of echo tracks corresponding to the multitude of predefined pulse widths (for a preset display range) of the target object.The method further includes selecting an echo track from the multitude of echo tracks stored in memory using a selection module, based on a second pulse width specified by a user (e.g., the viewer of the display). This second pulse width is selected from a multitude of predefined pulse widths. The method further includes synthesizing a display output based on the selected echo track using a synthesizer module. In one aspect, the procedure further includes the display by a display unit of the display output, which includes the echo track selected by the selection module and the echo information of the second pulse width from the multitude of source waves. In one aspect, the procedure also includes the acceptance, via a user interface, of the second pulse width set by the user. In one aspect, the second pulse width is set by the user by changing the first pulse width to the second pulse width. In one aspect, the procedure further includes processing the echo information by a processing circuit to generate the multitude of processed echo information sets for the multitude of predefined pulse widths based on the received echo information. In one aspect, the method also includes generating, by the processing circuit, the multitude of processed echo information sets from the received echo information for any pulse width. In one aspect, the method further includes the generation by a processing circuit of the multitude of processed echo information sets through one or more steps of scaling, filtering, matching, linear interpolating and linear extrapolating the echo information. The device (hereinafter also referred to as the acquisition device) for generating echo images is disclosed. The acquisition device comprises an antenna configured to receive echo information from a target object and a multitude of source waves of a first pulse width at a ship. The system also comprises a processing circuit configured to generate a multitude of processed echo information sets from the received echo information. The multitude of processed echo information sets correspond to several predefined pulse widths and a user-defined display range. The acquisition device also comprises a multitude of storage modules configured to store the multitude of processed echo information sets. The multitude of processed echo information sets comprises a multitude of echo traces of the target object.The acquisition device also includes a selection module configured to choose an echo track from a multitude of echo tracks in a given memory module, based on a second pulse width specified by the user. The second pulse width is selected from a range of predefined pulse widths. The system also includes a synthesizer module configured to generate a display output based on the echo track selected by the selection module and the second pulse width echo information received by the antenna. In one aspect, the detection device further includes a display unit configured to show the display output with the selected echo track and the echo information of the second pulse width received by the antenna. In one aspect, the detection device also includes a user interface configured to accept the second pulse width set by the user. The second pulse width is set by the user by changing the first pulse width to the second pulse width. In one aspect, the processing circuit is further configured to process the echo information in order to generate the multitude of processed echo information sets for the multitude of predefined pulse widths based on the received echo information. In one aspect, the processing circuit is further configured to generate the multitude of processed echo information sets from the received echo information for any pulse width. In one aspect, the processing circuit is further configured to generate the multitude of processed echo information sets by performing one or more steps of scaling, filtering, matching, linear interpolating and linear extrapolating the echo information. An advantage of various embodiments is that the display output is free from degradation and the disappearance of echo trail images when the pulse width is changed by the user. The present disclosure describes a detection device and a method for generating echo trails. Echo information received from multiple radar or sonar scans is used to generate echo trails of target objects, such as surrounding vessels, for several different pulse widths. The generated echo trails can then be stored in memory.When a pulse width is changed from one specific value to another, the stored echo trace for the newly set pulse width value is selected from the stored echo traces and displayed on the display unit. This reduces the occurrence of degradation and the disappearance of echo trace images and makes it easier for an observer to monitor the surrounding area without significant delay or latency after the pulse width change. In this respect, the observer may be on a moving barge or vessel, or the observer may be at a stationary maritime surveillance station or similar location. The foregoing summary is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be restrictive in any way.In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments and features described above, further aspects, embodiments and features will become clear with reference to the figures and the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The accompanying figures serve to enhance understanding of the present disclosure and are an integral part of this description. The figures illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. It should be noted that in the accompanying figures, identical or similar reference numerals point to identical or functionally similar elements in the individual views that have been included in the description and form part of it, further illustrating the disclosed embodiments and, together with the detailed description of the disclosure, serving to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments. The diagrams are for illustrative purposes only and therefore do not constitute a limitation of the present disclosure. Furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the figures are not to scale. Fig. 1A shows a simplified block diagram of a processing circuit for processing the echo in a conventional radar device according to the prior art; Fig. 1B shows a schematic representation of an echo and an echo trace in a conventional radar device according to the prior art; Fig. 2A shows an exemplary representation of an environment relating to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 2B shows another example of a representation of the environment from Fig. 2A relating to at least some embodiments of the present disclosure; Fig. 3 shows a simplified block diagram of the detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig.Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of various inputs to the processing circuit of the detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of the echoes received for a plurality of predefined pulse widths, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 6 shows a simplified block diagram of the processing circuit for processing the echo in the detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram with example processes involved in the processing circuit for processing the echo in the detection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figures 8A and 8B show example representations of an echo with an echo trail of received echo information and processed echo information, respectively, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FigureFigure 8C shows an example representation of an echo with echo trail of processed echo information from a conventional detection device; and Figure 9 shows a flowchart of a method for generating echo images of one or more target objects according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed description The following is a detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments are described in sufficient detail to clearly convey the disclosure. However, the level of detail is not intended to limit the expected variations of the embodiments; rather, it is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the scope of this disclosure according to the accompanying claims. The following description sets forth numerous specific details to provide a comprehensive understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present disclosure can also be realized without some of these specific details. It is understood that the particular values ​​and configurations discussed in the following non-limiting examples can be varied and are included only to illustrate at least one embodiment and not to limit its scope. The present disclosure relates to a detection device and method for generating echo traces of moving objects for a set of predefined pulse widths. A detection device, which may be located on board a ship or at a stationary monitoring station in the middle of the ocean or on the coast, receives echo information, including multiple echoes from a target object, and performs processing of the echo information, such as scaling, enlarging, reducing, linear interpolation, etc. The echo information of the received echoes is processed to generate multiple processed echo information sets corresponding to several predefined pulse widths. The generated processed echo information sets are stored in a plurality of memory modules.When a user changes the pulse width from one value to another, an echo trail stored in one of the many memory modules is retrieved for the newly set pulse width value and displayed on the display unit. This reduces the occurrence of degradation and disappearance of echo trail images due to pulse width changes and allows the user to easily assess the vessel's surroundings without any significant delay or latency after the pulse width change. It should be noted that the pulse width is changed from the current echo trail pulse width to one of several predefined pulse widths. A multitude of predefined pulse widths corresponds to a display range previously set by the observer. Thus, for the currently set display range, the number of echo traces corresponding to the multitude of predefined pulse widths is stored in the multitude of memory modules. When the pulse width is changed by the observer from one selectable value to another, the echo trace of the newly set pulse width can be easily retrieved from the respective memory module within the multitude of memory modules, and a display output of the newly set pulse width, including the echo and the echo trace, is shown on the display unit. The multitude of configured pulse widths is not limited to small, medium, or large widths (e.g., S1, S2, M1, M2, M3, L1) of the transmitted source waves (e.g., electromagnetic waves), and the display range is not limited to, for example, 1.5 NM, 3 NM, 12 NM, etc., where NM stands for nautical miles, limited over which the target object must be monitored. Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to Figs. 2A, 2B to 9. It should be noted that in the present disclosure, the memory module can store one or more pulse widths for the display range set by the user. Based on the received echo information, the set of echo traces corresponding to the one or more pulse widths and the previously set display range is generated by the processing circuitry of the detection device and stored in memory ( ). When the pulse width is changed from one selectable value to another, the echo trace of the newly set pulse width can be retrieved from memory and displayed to the observer. It should be noted that the term "echo tracks" is used synonymously with "a multitude of echo tracks," "a multitude of potential echo tracks," "a multitude of processed echo set information," etc. Similarly, the term "pulse widths" is used synonymously with "a set of pulse widths," "a multitude of pulse widths," etc. Fig. 2A shows an example of an environment 200 relating to at least some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The environment 200 is, for example, a marine environment 200 comprising one or more watercraft (e.g., a ship) designed for navigation in waters (e.g., the sea). The environment 200 comprises one or more objects 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210. The environment 200 also comprises a communication base station 212 and a communication network station 214. The communication base station 212 and the communication network station 214 are in at least wireless communication with each of the one or more objects 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210.In this respect, for the generation of echo trails, any of the communication base stations 212, the communication network station 214, and one or more of the objects 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210 can act as an observation station, while the remaining one or more objects 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210 act as target objects. For example, if one of the communication base stations 212 and the communication network station 214 act as an observation station, all one or more objects 204, 206, 208, and 210 act as target objects. Alternatively, if one of the one or more objects (e.g., a ship 202) acts as an observation station, the remaining objects 202, 204, 206, 208 and 210, i.e., objects 204, 206, 208 and 210, act as target objects for generating echo trails.However, the communication base station 212 and the communication network station 214 cannot be considered as target objects, since they are intended as stationary locations with respect to an inertial reference system. In this respect, the observation station (e.g., the ship 202) can be equipped with a detection device 250. The detection device 250 can be selected from a group consisting of a radio direction finder (RADAR) and a sonic direction finder (SONAR). The detection device 250 is used to identify moving objects (e.g., ships 204, 206, and an aircraft 210) and stationary objects (e.g., a ship 208), as well as other systems (not shown), in the marine environment. Ship 202 can be associated with Communication Base Station 212 and Communication Network Station 214. Communication Base Station 212 and Communication Network Station 214 can be connected to Ship 202 either via a wired or wireless connection. The communication base station 212 serves as a central connection point for the communication of a wireless communication device. The communication base station 212 has a fixed transceiver and functions as the main communication point for one or more moving objects (e.g., ships 204, 206, and an aircraft 210), stationary objects (e.g., a ship 208), and other systems (not shown) in the marine environment 200. The communication base station 212 may have one or more receiving / transmitting antennas, microwave antennas, electronic circuits, etc., which are used to process traffic such as cellular traffic, data traffic, signal traffic, etc. It serves as a bridge between the communication devices and systems in the marine environment 200, such as one or more moving objects (e.g., ships 204, 206, and an aircraft 210), stationary objects (e.g., a ship 208), and other systems (not shown).The communication network station 214 connects the communication devices and systems in the marine environment 200. In the marine environment 200, the communication devices and systems are installed, among other things, in one or more moving objects (e.g., ships 204, 206, and an aircraft 210), stationary objects (e.g., a ship 208), and other systems (not shown). In one embodiment, the communication devices and systems in the marine environment 200 include devices used for detection, distance measurement, and monitoring, such as radar and sonar systems installed on board the moving bodies or stationary monitoring stations. Communication typically takes place via wireless means, such as a radio channel in telecommunications and computer networks.The Communication Network Station 214 is used for transmitting information, such as a digital bitstream, from one or more senders to one or more receivers. The Communication Network Station 214 has a specific capacity for transmitting information, often measured by its bandwidth in Hz or its data rate in bits per second. The detection device 250 and other communication devices and systems in the marine environment 200 communicate with each other and also with the communication base station 212 using the communication network station 214. In some embodiments, the communication network station 214 functions as a dual-function radar communication base station (DFBS). In the DFBS system, the communication base station 212 functions both as a central connection point for communication of the wireless device and as a sensor device, for example, radar, for receiving echo signals reflected from the targets. The detection device 250 can comprise one or more components configured to detect target objects (either in a static or dynamic state) located within a predetermined area of ​​the vessel 202 (which acts as an observation station) and to determine one or more parameters associated with the detected target object 204. The one or more parameters associated with the detected target object 204 are not limited to position information, motion information, direction, and speed. Fig. 2B shows a further example of the representation of the environment 200 from Fig. 2A with respect to at least some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The detection device 250 emits a plurality of source waves 252 by means of several full-circle (360-degree) swivel movements. The multiple source waves 252 reach the one or more target objects 204, 206, 208, and 210 and are reflected by the one or more target objects 204, 206, 208, and 210. The reflected waves correspond to the plurality of source waves 252, which are, for example, referred to as echoes 254, and are received by the ship 202 from the target object 204. Fig. 3 shows a simplified block diagram of the detection device 250 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The detection device 250 comprises a transmitter segment 300, a receiver segment 302, the display unit 304, and a user interface (UI) 306. The transmitter segment 300 can be, among other things, a magnetron, a traveling wave tube, or a transistor amplifier. The transmitter segment 300 has a waveform generator 308 for generating a low-power signal (e.g., radio waves) (e.g., source waves 252). The source waves 252 are transmitted by the observation station (e.g., the ship 202) to detect a target object (e.g., the target ship 204). The signal generated by the waveform generator 308 is fed to a pulse amplifier 310. In pulse radar, magnetrons are often used as transmitters, but if high average power is required, the pulse amplifier 310 can be used. The transmitter segment 300 also has a pulse modulator 312. The pulse modulator 312 switches the pulse amplifier 310 on and off according to the input pulses generated by the waveform generator 308. A duplexer 314 is used to isolate the transmitter segment 300 from the receiver segment 302. The transmission of the source waves 252 by the transmitter segment 300 and the reception of the echoes 254 by the receiver segment 302 can be achieved using a single antenna 316, as shown in Fig. 3. The duplexer 314 allows the single antenna 316 to be used for both transmission and reception purposes. Since the transmitter segment 300 and the receiver segment 302 operate at different power levels, the duplexer 314 isolates the transmitter segment 300 and the receiver segment 302 from each other. Thus, the signal from the pulse amplifier 310 is forwarded via the duplexer 314 to the antenna 316. The antenna 316 also receives the echoes 254 from the one or more target objects 204, 206, 208, and 210. Information that can be extracted from the echoes 254, referred to as echo information 317, can include the positions, directions, and velocities of the one or more target objects 204, 206, and 208. Using the echo information 317, the position, direction, and velocity of the target object 204 can be calculated by the detection device 250. An example of receiver segment 302 is a superheterodyne receiver. The superheterodyne receiver is a type of radio receiver that uses frequency mixing to convert the echoes 254 into a fixed intermediate frequency (IF) signal that can be processed more conveniently than an original carrier frequency. Receiver segment 302 includes a high-frequency (RF) amplifier 318 (e.g., a low-noise RF amplifier). The RF amplifier 318 acts as the input stage for receiver segment 302. The RF amplifier 318 generates an RF pulse that is proportional to the echoes 254 of the source waves 252. In one embodiment, the RF amplifier 318 acts in the input stage of receiver segment 302. In another embodiment, a mixer 320 acts in the input stage by eliminating the RF amplifier 318.Mixer 320 mixes the output of RF amplifier 318 and the output of a local oscillator 322, and the output of mixer 320 is fed into IF amplifier 324. In IF amplifier 324, the RF pulse received by mixer 320 is converted into an IF pulse. The IF pulse generated by mixer 320 is amplified by IF amplifier 324. IF amplifier 324 acts as a matched filter and increases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the echoes 254. It also improves the echo detection capability of receiver segment 302 by reducing the effects of unwanted signals. The bandwidth of receiver segment 302 is related to the bandwidth of IF amplifier 324. The receiver segment 302 also has a detector 326 (e.g., a crystal diode) to demodulate the echoes 254 by separating the source waves 252 from a carrier. A video amplifier 328 amplifies the echo 254 to a level that can be displayed on the display unit 304. A threshold determination unit 330 determines the presence of the target object 204 in the marine environment 200. The threshold determination unit 330 is set to a threshold value that is compared to the magnitude of the source waves 252. If the threshold value is exceeded by the threshold determination unit 330, this indicates the presence of the target object 204. Otherwise, it is assumed that only the noise component is present in the waves received by the antenna 316. The display unit 304 shows a display output 334 of the receiver segment 302. The distance and position of the target object 204 are displayed on the display unit 304 by mapping it in polar coordinates. In one embodiment, the display unit 304 is implemented with a planar position indicator (PPI) which is implemented with a cathode ray tube (CRT). The display output 334 modulates the electron beam of the CRT so that the electron beam can move from the center towards the outside of the CRT. This movement represents a rotation that is synchronized with the orientation of the antenna 316. The antenna 316 acts as a transceiver for transmitting source waves 252 around the ship 202. The antenna 316 also receives the echoes 254 from the target object 204. The acquisition module 332 processes the received echoes 254 and transmits the echo information 317 (e.g., position, direction, speed of the target object) in the form of echo images to the display unit 304. The acquisition device 250 also has the user interface 306, through which a user can input display settings. In one embodiment, the user interface 306 allows the user to change the pulse width to any value selected from a variety of predefined and configured pulse widths of the current echo track on the display unit 304. The detection device 250 processes the received echoes 254 of a currently set pulse width and generates a multitude of potential echo tracks for each selectable range (also referred to as a "multitude of pulse widths"). The multitude of potential echo tracks for each selectable pulse width is stored in a memory (not shown in Fig. 2B). The user can select a pulse width from a variety of pulse widths via the user interface 306. Based on the display parameter set by the user (i.e., the pulse width), the display output of the target object 204 on the display unit 304 is adjusted. The variety of pulse widths is a set of pulse widths that can be selected using the detection device 250. An example of the variety of pulse widths is not limited to a variety such as S1, S2, M1, M2, M3, L (where S1 and S2 represent a short pulse width range, M1, M2, and M3 a medium pulse width range, and L a long pulse width range, where S1 < S2 < M1 < M2 < M3 < L). Based on the selected pulse width, the display output (e.g., echo and echo trail) of the target object is shown on the display unit 304. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the acquisition module 332 generates a plurality of processed echo information sets from the received echo information 317. The received echo information 317 corresponds to a first pulse width of the current echo track on the display unit 304. The first pulse width represents the current pulse width of the echo track on the display unit 304. The user can change the pulse width using the user interface 306 by selecting a new pulse width from the plurality of pulse widths. The new pulse width selected by the user represents a second pulse width. That is, the user changes the pulse width from the first pulse width to the second pulse width using the user interface 306. The detailed steps of the echo processing by the acquisition module 332 are shown in Fig. 6. The detection device 250 is configured to locate the objects (e.g., target ships 204, 206, 208, and 210) within the predetermined area of ​​ship 202, based on the reception of reflected source waves (e.g., echoes 254) intercepted by the target ships (e.g., target ships 204, 206, 208, and 210). Furthermore, the detection device 250 is configured to determine the coordinates of the target ships (e.g., target ships 204, 206, 208, and 210) and the distance between ship 202 and each of the target ships (e.g., target ships 204, 206, 208, and 210). The distance between the ship 202 and the target ships (e.g., target ships 204, 206, 208 and 210) is calculated on the basis of the time measured between the emission of the source waves 252 and the reception of the echoes 254.From the received echoes 254, the detection device 250 can extract echo information 317 such as the positions, directions, and speeds of one or more target objects (e.g., target ships 204, 206, 208, and 210). More precisely, the detection module 332 is capable of processing the echoes 254 and extracting the positions, directions, and speeds of one or more target objects (e.g., target ships 204, 206, 208, and 210) from them. The acquisition module is further configured to generate a multitude of processed echo information sets from the received echoes 254. The received echoes 254 correspond to a first pulse width of the current echo track on the display unit 304. The multitude of processed echo information sets, comprising a multitude of echo tracks of the target object (e.g., ship 204), is stored in a multitude of memory modules (not shown in Fig. 3). An echo track from the multitude of echo tracks is selected by a selection module (not shown in Fig. 3) based on a second pulse width set by the user. A synthesizer module (not shown in Fig. 3) synthesizes the display output 334 based on the echo track selected by the selection module.When a pulse width is changed from one specific value to another, the stored echo track for the newly set pulse width value is selected from the stored echo tracks and displayed on the display unit 304. This reduces the occurrence of degradation and disappearance of echo track images displayed on the display unit 304. Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of various inputs 402 (e.g., position information, travel information, direction, and speed) to the acquisition module 332 of the acquisition device 250 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The echo information 317 is received by the acquisition device 250 of the ship 202 from a plurality of target objects 404 (e.g., moving ships 204, 206, stationary ships 208, and aircraft 210). The acquisition device 250 also receives data from or transmits data to the communication base station 212. The echo information 317 includes, among other things, inputs 402 from one or more of the target objects (204, 206, 208, or 210). The acquisition module 332 has a processing circuit 406, a variety of memory modules 408, a selection module 410 and a synthesizer module 412. The processing circuit 406 is configured to generate a multitude of processed echo information sets from the received echoes 254. The multitude of processed echo information sets corresponds to the multitude of pulse widths (also referred to as the "multitude of predefined pulse widths") and a user-defined display range. The received echo information 317 corresponds to a first pulse width of the current echo track on the display unit 304. The multitude of processed echo information sets, comprising a multitude of echo tracks of the target object (e.g., 204), is stored in the multitude of memory modules 408. The echo track from the multitude of echo tracks is selected by a selection module 410 based on the second pulse width defined by the user. The synthesizer module 412 synthesizes the display output 334 based on the echo track selected by the selection module 410.The synthesizer module 412 generates a display output 334, which includes an echo track selected by the selection module 410 and the received echo information 317. Fig. 5 shows a schematic representation of the echoes (502, 504, 506, and 508) received for a plurality of predefined pulse widths (M1, S2, M2, and M3), according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The display unit 304 can be configured in two or more display ranges, for example, range R1, range R2, and range R3. The user can set a display range, for example, range R1, and a pulse width, for example, M1. For display range R1, the observer can switch from the current pulse width (also referred to as the "first pulse width") to the new pulse width (also referred to as the "second pulse width," e.g., S2, M2, M3). For example, if the first pulse width is M1 (where S2 < M1 < M2 < M3), the observer can change the pulse width from M1 to S2. The observer can also change the pulse width from M1 to S2 or from M1 to M3.Since the display area remains constant for the given multitude of predefined pulse widths, only the width of the echo and the echo trace on the display output 334 is changed according to the new pulse width set by the observer. As shown in Fig. 5, echo 502 represents the echo received for the pulse width M1 (i.e., first pulse width) set by the user. Echoes 504, 506, and 508 represent the echoes generated for the respective pulse widths S1, M2, and M3 (e.g., processed echo information). The user can switch from pulse width M1 (i.e., the first pulse width) to at least one of the pulse widths S1, M2, and M3 (i.e., the second pulse width). Fig. 6 shows a simplified block diagram of the acquisition module 332 for processing the echo information 317 in the acquisition device 250 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the processing of the echo information 317 in the receiver segment 302 is omitted, and Fig. 6 mainly describes the processing of the echo information 317 in the acquisition module 332. The acquisition module 332 has a processing circuit 406 (also referred to as the "processing processor 406") for processing the echo information 317 received from the antenna 316. The processing circuit 406 generates several sets of processed echo information from the received echo information 317. The sets of processed echo information represent several echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N) (where N is an integer) and each corresponds to several pulse widths.The multiple echo traces ET(1) to ET(N) are generated based on the received echo information 317. Depending on the configuration of at least the detection device 250 and the setting (e.g., pulse width and display range) on the display unit 304, multiple echo traces ET(1) to ET(N) of the target object 204 are thus generated by the processing circuit 406. The acquisition module 332 has one or more memory modules, for example, a memory module 602 and a plurality of memory modules 408 (also referred to as "memory modules 408"). The memory module 602 stores the echo track ET'(1), which corresponds to the current pulse width, i.e., the first pulse width. The plurality of memory modules 408 can be, for example, memory modules 408(1) to 408(N) (where N is an integer). The processing circuit 406 generates the multiple echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N) based on the received echo information 317. Each of the generated multiple echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N) of the target object 204 corresponds to a pulse width set in the acquisition module 332. Each of the generated multiple echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N) of the target object 204 is stored in the respective memory modules 408(1) to 408(N).The multiple echo traces ET(1) to ET(N) (for a range or a set of pulse widths) can correspond to a display range preset by the observer. When the user changes the pulse width from the first pulse width to the second pulse width via the user interface 306, the corresponding echo track (one of the echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N)), which is stored in the corresponding memory module (e.g., one of the memory modules 408(1) to 408(N)), is selected by a selection module 410. The echo track (one of the echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N)) selected based on the second pulse width (i.e., the newly set pulse width) is displayed as display output 334 on the display unit 304. It should be noted that the variety of pulse widths is predefined depending on the device specification of at least one of the sensing devices 250 and the display unit 304. The device specification is not limited to the operating range of the sensing device 250, the processing speed of the sensing module 332 and the processing circuit 406, the frequency of the source wave from the waveform generator 308, etc. A synthesizer module 412 displays the output 334 based on the selected echo track. It should be noted that the output 334 includes the echo information 317 and the echo track selected based on the new pulse width. Thus, the delay, degradation, and disappearance of the echo track at the time of the pulse width change (for example, from the first pulse width to the second pulse width) can be avoided, since the echo track of the selected pulse width is already stored in one of the memory modules 408(1) to 408(N) and can be easily retrieved and displayed on the display unit 304. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the memory modules 408(1) to 408(N) store a plurality of widths of the respective echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N). The echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N) correspond to the plurality of predefined pulse widths of the source wave of the detection device 250 (e.g., radar device). Fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram representing example processes 700 involved in the acquisition module 332 for processing the echoes 254 in the acquisition device 250 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. From the echo information 317 (derived from the echoes 254) received from the target object (e.g., 204), the acquisition module 332 processes multiple echo information sets 702 for each pulse width. The multiple echo information sets 702 for all pulse widths are generated by the acquisition module 332 from the received echo information 317. Since the echo traces ET(1) to ET(N) for all pulse widths for the received echo trace are readily available in the respective memory modules 408(1) to 408(N), the echo trace of the pulse width selected by the user is displayed immediately on the display unit 304 without delay.This reduces the occurrence of deterioration and disappearance of echo trace images and facilitates the assessment of the situation immediately after the change in pulse width. Some of the processing operations performed by the 406 processing circuit for each selectable pulse width are not limited to the following one or more steps: Echo scaling: This includes increasing or decreasing the size of the echoes for each selectable pulse width. Image filtering: To smooth the echo after echo scaling. Echo size processing: To adapt to the corresponding pulse width set for each display area. Echo size processing can include, without limitation, linear interpolation and linear extrapolation. Linear interpolation is a method useful for creating new data points within the range of a discrete set of already known data points. Thus, linear interpolation can be used to find a new pulse width between the known pulse widths. Linear extrapolation creates a tangent at the end of the known data and extends it beyond this limit. Thus, linear extrapolation can be used to find a new pulse width beyond the known pulse widths. This allows the 250 detection device to operate with more selectable, predefined pulse widths. Figures 8A and 8B show exemplary representations of an echo with an echo trail of received echo information and processed echo information, respectively, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. In Figures 8A and 8B, the pulse width is changed from M1 to M3. Display output 800 shows the echo trail at pulse width M1. Display output 810 shows the echo trail at pulse width M3 (after the change from M1). It is evident that there is no degradation or disappearance of the echo trail images, which makes it easier for the observer to assess the situation of the target object immediately after the change in pulse width. Fig. 8C shows example representations of an echo with echo trail from processed echo information of a conventional detection device. Display output 820 shows the echo trail at pulse width M3 (after the change of M1) in the conventional method (see Fig. 1B). It is evident that the pulse width of M1 appears together with the pulse width of M3 in the echo trail images, which makes it difficult for the observer to assess the situation of the target object. The position of the antenna (e.g., antenna 316) in display outputs 800, 810, and 820 is also shown in Figs. 8A to 8C. Fig. 9 shows a flowchart of a method 900 for generating echo images according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The operations of the flowchart of method 900 and combinations of the operations in the flowchart of method 900 can be implemented, for example, by hardware, firmware, a processing circuit, and / or other equipment associated with the execution of software containing one or more computer program instructions. The sequence of operations of method 900 need not necessarily be performed in the same order in which they are shown. Furthermore, one or more operations can be grouped and performed as a single step, or an operation can comprise several substeps that can be performed in parallel or sequentially. Method 900 begins with step 902. In step 902, the procedure 900 includes receiving echo information 317 of a multitude of source waves 252 at a ship 202 from a target object 204 through an antenna 316. In step 904, the method 900 comprises generating a plurality of processed echo information sets from the received echo information by the processing circuit 406. The received echo information corresponds to a first pulse width of the echo track. The processing circuit 406 processes the echo information 254 to generate the plurality of processed echo information sets for the plurality of predefined pulse widths based on the received echo information. In one embodiment, the processing circuit 406 processes the plurality of processed echo information sets from the received echo information for any desired pulse width. The desired pulse width can be set or predefined by the user.In another embodiment, generating the multitude of processed echo information sets comprises one or more steps of scaling, filtering, matching, linear interpolating and linear extrapolating the echo information. In step 906, the procedure 900 comprises storing the plurality of processed echo information sets by the plurality of memory modules 408. The plurality of processed echo information sets comprises the plurality of echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N) of the target object 204. In step 908, procedure 900 includes the selection of an echo track from the plurality of echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N) by the selection module 410 from a memory module selected from the plurality of memory modules 408, based on a second pulse width set by the user. The second pulse width is set from a plurality of predefined pulse widths. The observer can switch from the first pulse width to the second pulse width via the user interface 306. The selection module 410 selects the echo track of the newly set pulse width from the plurality of echo tracks ET(1) to ET(N). In step 910, the method 900 comprises synthesizing the display output 334 by the synthesizer module 412 based on the echo track selected by the selection module 410. The echo and the echo track of the newly set pulse width are synthesized and displayed to the observer on the display unit 304. In one embodiment, the display output 334 comprises the echo track selected by the selection module 410, and the received echo information is generated by the synthesizer module 412. The methods disclosed with respect to Fig. 9 or one or more operations of the device 250 can be implemented using software comprising computer-executable instructions or machine-readable instructions that are executed on one or more computer-readable media (e.g., non-volatile computer-readable media such as one or more optical media discs, volatile memory components (e.g., DRAM or SRAM), or non-volatile memory or storage components (e.g., hard disks or non-volatile solid-state memory components such as flash memory components)) and on a computer (e.g., a suitable computer such as a multifunction device (MFD), multifunction device black box (MFD-BB), navigation device, chart plotter, electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS), laptop, netbook, webbook, tablet computer, smartphone, or other mobile computing devices).Such software can be run, for example, on a single local computer or in a network environment (e.g., via the internet, a wide area network, a local network, a remote web-based server, a client-server network (such as a cloud computing network), or other such networks) using one or more network computers. Furthermore, any intermediate or final data created and used during the implementation of the disclosed methods or systems can also be stored on one or more computer-readable media (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable media) and is considered part of the scope of the disclosed technology. In addition, each of the software-based embodiments can be uploaded, downloaded, or remotely accessed via a suitable means of communication.Such a suitable means of communication includes, for example, the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet, software applications, cables (including fiber optic cables), magnetic communication, electromagnetic communication (including RF, microwave and infrared communication), electronic communication or other such means of communication. Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it should be noted that various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the general spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the various processes, blocks, etc., described herein can be implemented and operated using hardware circuits (e.g., logic circuits based on complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS)), firmware, software, and / or any combination of hardware, firmware, and / or software (e.g., embodied in a machine-readable medium). For example, the devices and methods can be implemented using transistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and / or digital signal processor (DSP) circuits). In particular, the processing circuit 406, among other components of the device 250, can be implemented using software and / or using transistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits (e.g., integrated circuits such as ASICs). Various embodiments of the present disclosure may include one or more computer programs stored or otherwise embodied on a computer-readable medium, wherein the computer programs are configured to cause a processor or computer to perform one or more operations. A computer-readable medium that stores, embodies, or encodes a computer program or similar language may be embodied as a tangible data storage device that stores one or more software programs configured to cause a processor or computer to perform one or more operations.Such operations can be any of the steps or operations described herein. In some embodiments, the computer programs can be stored and made available to a computer using any type of non-transient computer-readable media. Non-transient computer-readable media includes all types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-volatile computer-readable media include magnetic storage media (such as floppy disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives, etc.), magnetic optical storage media (such as magneto-optical disks), Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact Disc Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disc Rewritable (CD-R / W), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), BD (BLU-RAY® Disc), and semiconductor memory (such as mask ROM, programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), flash memory, random access memory (RAM), etc.).Furthermore, a physical data storage device can be implemented as one or more volatile storage devices, one or more non-volatile storage devices, and / or a combination of one or more volatile and non-volatile storage devices. In some embodiments, computer programs can be provided to a computer using any type of volatile, computer-readable media. Examples of volatile, computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. Volatile, computer-readable media can deliver the program to a computer via a wired communication link (e.g., electrical wires and fiber optics) or a wireless communication link. Thus, the processing circuit 406 ensures that the echo trace images do not degrade or disappear when the pulse width is changed by the user. Furthermore, this disclosure allows the observer to easily assess the situation of the target object immediately after the pulse width change. It is understood that not all objectives or advantages can necessarily be achieved according to a particular embodiment described herein. For example, it will be clear to the person skilled in the art that certain embodiments may be configured to operate in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein, without necessarily achieving other objectives or advantages taught or proposed herein. All the methods described herein can be embodied and fully automated in software code modules executed by a computer system with one or more computers or processors. The code modules can be stored on any non-volatile, machine-readable medium or other computer storage device. Some or all of the methods can be embodied in specialized computer hardware. This disclosure gives rise to many further variations beyond those described here. For example, depending on the embodiment, certain operations, events, or functions of the algorithms described here can be executed in a different order, added, combined, or omitted entirely (e.g., not all described operations or events are required for the application of the algorithms). Furthermore, in certain embodiments, actions or events can be executed concurrently, for example, through multithreading, interrupt handling, multiple processors or processor cores, or on other parallel architectures, instead of sequentially. Additionally, different tasks or processes can be executed by different machines and / or computer systems that can work together. The various illustrative logic blocks and modules described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or executed by a machine, for example, a processor. A processor can be a microprocessor, but alternatively, the processor can also be a controller, a microcontroller, a state machine, a combination thereof, or the like. A processor can comprise electrical circuits configured to process computer-executable instructions. In another embodiment, a processor comprises an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable devices that perform logical operations without processing computer-executable instructions. A processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g.,A processor may be a combination of a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, a multitude of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Although described herein primarily in terms of digital technology, a processor may also comprise primarily analog components. For example, some or all of the signal processing algorithms described herein may be implemented in analog circuits or mixed analog and digital circuits. A computing environment may include any type of computer system, including, but not limited to, a microprocessor-based computer system, a mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, a portable computing device, a device controller, or a calculating machine within a device, to name just a few. Conditional language, including but not limited to "may," "might," "possibly," or "might," unless explicitly stated otherwise, is to be understood in context as it is generally used to express that certain embodiments include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments do not. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments, or that one or more embodiments necessarily contain logic to decide, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and / or steps are included or performed in a particular embodiment. Disjunctive formulations such as the expression "at least one of X, Y, or Z" are, unless explicitly stated otherwise, to be understood in context as generally being used to indicate that an element, concept, etc., can be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and / or Z). Therefore, such disjunctive language is not intended to generally imply, nor should it imply, that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z. All process descriptions, elements, or blocks in the flowcharts described herein and / or depicted in the accompanying figures are to be understood as potential representations of modules, segments, or code sections containing one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or elements in the process. Alternative implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein, in which elements or functions may be deleted, executed in a different order than that shown or described, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as known to a person skilled in the art. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, articles such as "a" or "an" should generally be interpreted as including one or more described items. Accordingly, expressions such as "a device configured to" should include one or more named devices. These one or more named devices may also be configured together to perform the named tasks. For example, "a processor configured to perform descriptions A, B, and C" may include a first processor configured to perform description A, in conjunction with a second processor configured to perform descriptions B and C. The same applies to the use of certain articles to introduce performance descriptions.Even if a specific number of an introduced embodiment is expressly mentioned, the person skilled in the art will recognize that such a statement is generally to be interpreted as including at least the stated number (e.g., the mere statement "two embodiments" without further modifiers generally means at least two embodiments or two or more embodiments). Experts will understand that the terms used herein are generally to be understood as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to”, the term “with” should be interpreted as “with at least”, the term “comprises” should be interpreted as “comprises but not limited to”, etc.). For the sake of clarity, the term "horizontal" in this description is defined as a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the ground in the area where the described system is used or the described procedure is carried out, regardless of its orientation. The term "ground" may be used interchangeably with "earth" or "water surface." The term "vertical" refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal just defined. Terms such as "above," "below," "ground," "top," "side," "higher," "lower," "upper part," "above," and "below" are defined in relation to the horizontal plane. Unless otherwise specified, the terms "attached," "connected," "coupled," and other such relational terms are to be understood as encompassing removable, movable, fixed, adjustable, and / or detachable connections or fastenings. The connections / fastenings may include direct connections and / or connections with an intermediate structure between the two components under discussion. Numbers preceded by a term such as "approximately," "about," and "essentially" encompass the stated figures and also represent an amount close to the stated amount that nevertheless fulfills a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," and "essentially" may refer to an amount that is less than 10% of the stated amount. Features of the embodiments disclosed herein, preceded by a term such as "approximately," "about," and "essentially," as used herein, represent the feature with some variability that nevertheless fulfills a desired function or achieves a desired result for that feature. It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications can be made to the embodiments described above, the elements of which are to be understood as examples among other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are hereby included within the scope of this disclosure and are protected by the following claims. List of reference symbols 200 Environment 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 Ship / Object 212 Communication Base Station 214 Communication Network Station 250 Detection Device 252 Multiple Source Waves 254, 502, 504, 506, 508 Echoes 300 Transmitter Segment 302 Receiver Segment 304 Display Unit 306 User Interface (UI) 308 Waveform Generator 310 Pulse Amplifier 312 Pulse Modulator 314 Duplexer 316 Antenna 317 Echo Information 318 High-Frequency Amplifier (HF Amplifier) ​​320 Mixer 322 Local Oscillator 324 IF Amplifier 326 Detector 328 Video Amplifier 330 Threshold Determination Unit 332 Detection Module 334, 800, 810, 820 Display Output 402 Inputs to the acquisition module 404 Objects / Ships 406 Processing circuit 408 / 408(1) to 408(N) Multiple memory modules 410 Selection module 412 Synthesizer module 602 Memory module 700 Processes in the acquisition module 702 Multiple echo information ET'(1) Echo tracks of the first pulse width ET(1) to ET(N) Multiple echo tracks QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature US 7,768,447B2 [0005, 0006]

Claims

Method (900) for generating echo images, comprising: Receiving (902), by an antenna (316), echo information (317) of a plurality of source waves (252) of a first pulse width at a ship (202) from a target object (204); Generating (904), by a processing circuit (406), a plurality of processed echo information sets from the echo information (317), wherein the plurality of processed echo information sets correspond to a plurality of pulse widths and a display range specified by a user; Storing (906), by a plurality of storage modules (408), the plurality of processed echo information sets, wherein the plurality of processed echo information sets comprise a plurality of echo traces (ET(1) to ET(N)) of the target object (204);Select (908), by a selection module (410), an echo track from the plurality of echo tracks (ET(1) to ET(N)) based on a second pulse width specified by a user, the second pulse width being selected from a plurality of predefined pulse widths; and Synthesize (910), by a synthesizer module (412), a display output (334) based on the echo track selected by the selection module (410) and the echo information (317) of the second pulse width received by the antenna (316). Method (900) according to claim 1, comprising: displaying, by means of a display unit (304), a display output (334) comprising the echo track selected by the selection module (410) and the echo information (317) received for a second pulse width by the antenna (316). Method (900) according to claim 1, comprising: Receiving by a user interface (306) a second pulse width set by the user. Method (900) according to claim 3, wherein: the setting of the second pulse width by the user comprises a change of the first pulse width to the second pulse width. Method (900) according to claim 1, comprising: processing by a processing circuit (406) of the echo information (317) to generate a plurality of processed echo information sets for a plurality of predefined pulse widths based on the received echo information (317). Method (900) according to claim 5, comprising: generating by the processing circuit (406) from the echo information (317) a plurality of processed echo information sets for any pulse width. Method (900) according to claim 1, wherein: the generation of the multiple processed echo information sets by the processing circuit (406) comprises one or more of the following steps: scaling, filtering, matching, linear interpolation and linear extrapolation of the echo information (317). Detection device (250) for generating echo images, comprising: an antenna (316) configured to receive echo information (317) of a plurality of source waves (252) of a first pulse width at a ship (202) from a target object (204); a processing circuit (406) configured to generate a plurality of processed echo information sets from the echo information (317), wherein the plurality of processed echo information sets correspond to a plurality of pulse widths and a display range specified by a user; a plurality of storage modules (408) configured to store the plurality of processed echo information sets, wherein the plurality of processed echo information sets comprise a plurality of echo traces (ET(1) to ET(N)) of the target object;Selection module (410) configured to select an echo track from the plurality of echo tracks (ET(1) to ET(N)) from the respective memory module from the plurality of memory modules (408) based on a second pulse width specified by a user, the second pulse width being selected from a plurality of predefined pulse widths; and synthesizer module (412) configured to synthesize a display output (334) based on the echo track selected by the selection module (410). Detection device (250) according to claim 8, further comprising: a display unit (304) configured to display the display output (334) with the echo track selected by the selection module (410). Detection device (250) according to claim 8, further comprising: a user interface (306) configured to accept the second pulse width set by the user. Detection device (250) according to claim 10, wherein: the user sets the second pulse width by changing the first pulse width to the second pulse width. Detection device (250) according to claim 8, wherein: the processing circuit (406) is further configured to process the echo information (317) in order to generate the plurality of processed echo information sets for the plurality of predefined pulse widths based on the echo information (317). Detection device (250) according to claim 12, wherein: the processing circuit (406) is further configured to generate the plurality of processed echo information sets from the echo information (317) for any pulse width. Acquisition device (250) according to claim 8, wherein: the processing circuit (406) is further configured to generate the plurality of processed echo information sets by performing one or more steps of scaling, filtering, matching, linear interpolating and linear extrapolating the echo information (317). A program for generating echo images, configured to cause a processing circuit to perform processing, the processing comprising: Receiving (902), by an antenna (316), of echo information (317) of a plurality of source waves (252) of a first pulse width at a ship (202) from a target object (204); Generating (904), by the processing circuit (406), a plurality of processed echo information sets from the echo information (317), wherein the plurality of processed echo information sets correspond to a plurality of pulse widths and a display range specified by a user; Storing (906), by a plurality of storage modules (408), the plurality of processed echo information sets, wherein the plurality of processed echo information sets comprises a plurality of echo traces (ET(1) to ET(N)) of the target object (204);Select (908), by a selection module (410), an echo track from the plurality of echo tracks (ET(1) to ET(N)) based on a second pulse width specified by a user, the second pulse width being selected from a plurality of predefined pulse widths; and Synthesize (910), by a synthesizer module (412), a display output (334) based on the echo track selected by the selection module (410) and the echo information (317) of the second pulse width received by the antenna (316).

Images