305 results about "Acoustic array" patented technology

A method of communicating with an ingestible capsule includes detecting the location of the ingestible capsule, focusing a multi-sensor acoustic array on the ingestible capsule, and communicating an acoustic information exchange with the ingestible capsule via the multi-sensor acoustic array. The ingestible capsule includes a sensor that receives a stimulus inside the gastrointestinal tract of an animal, a bidirectional acoustic information communications module that transmits an acoustic information signal containing information from the sensor, and an acoustically transmissive encapsulation that substantially encloses the sensor and communications module, wherein the acoustically transmissive encapsulation is of ingestible size. The multi-sensor array includes a plurality of acoustic transducers that receive an acoustic signal from a movable device, and a plurality of delays, wherein each delay is coupled to a corresponding acoustic transducer. Each delay may be adjusted according to a phase of a signal received by the corresponding acoustic transducer.

Frequency-steered acoustic arrays transmitting and/or receiving multiple, angularly dispersed acoustic beams are used to generate 2D and 3D images. Input pulses to the arrays are generally non-linear, frequency-modulated pulses. Frequency-steered acoustic arrays may be provided in one-dimensional linear and two dimensional planar and curvilinear configurations, may be operated as single order or multiple order arrays, may employ periodic or non-periodic transducer element spacing, and may be mechanically scanned to generate 2D and 3D volumetric data. Multiple imaging fields of view may generated in different directions by switching the polarity of phase-shifted array transducer elements. Multiple frequency-steered arrays arranged in an X-configuration provide a wide, contiguous field of view and multiple frequency steered arrays arranged in a T-configuration provide orthogonally oriented fields of view. Methods and systems for operating acoustic arrays in a frequency-steered mode in combination a mechanical beam steering mode, electronic time-delay and phase shift beam forming modes, and phase comparison angle estimation modes are also provided.

An acoustic array platform comprising multiple spaced microphones and associated processing electronics/algorithms projects distinct beams in a chosen look direction across which moving objects such as vehicles pass. These moving objects are accurately detected, classified and counted at extended ranges. The acoustic microphone array employs optimized beamforming to create specially focused listening directions that function as a “motion detector” and “trip line counter”. Algorithms detect and confirm the appropriate presence of objects moving through the beams and perform other algorithmic tests to verify that the object is a valid object to be counted. The proposed approach is realized with modest sized acoustic arrays and a reasonable number of microphones by employing an adaptive beamforming algorithm that achieves enhanced directivity in a principal look direction and which significantly reduces the effects of interferers outside the precise steering direction of the “trip line”.

A low profile acoustic array (10) is configured to selectively respond to shear waves while rejecting compression wave energy in the frequency range of interest. One sensor array is configured as a linear strip with a frame segment having at least one longitudinally extending rail and a plurality of sensor elements (20) extending therefrom. These sensor elements have a resilient core and opposing PDVF outer layers configured with opposing polarities onto the core. The linear strip array also includes a pair of separate electrical signal transmission paths. The transmission lines can include a series of undulations formed thereon to help minimize undesired mechanical crossover between sensors. A carrier member can be configured to be detachably releasable carries the discrete sensors to maintain the positional alignment until they are secured to a patient.

An acoustic transducer array and method of baffle construction is presented to provide an improved array for use in underwater installations. The array is presented wherein a significant majority of the acoustic energy receiving surface is formed by lightweight acoustic baffling material while still maintaining a fully functional, fully populated array. The acoustic baffle constructed is incompressible and suitable for deep water operation while demonstrating both improved acoustic performance and positive buoyancy when necessary. In addition, the invention eliminates the non-uniform element to element spacing that occurs between sub-panels in similar arrays.

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for acquiring seismic data. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for acquiring seismic data is described in which recorder instruments are deployed to the seafloor and utilized for recording pressure wave and shear wave data. An acoustic array, displaced from the seafloor, is also provided for sending acoustic signals to the instruments on the seafloor. The orientation of the instruments on the seafloor is determined via acoustic communication between the acoustic array and the instruments. Related systems and methods for acquiring seismic data are also described.

A waterway shield system comprises a plurality of autonomous underwater nodes wherein each underwater node comprises acoustic detectors which may comprise horizontal and/or vertical acoustic arrays which may be directly mounted thereto or extend outwardly therefrom. Each underwater node comprises an acoustic modem for transmitting high resolution acoustic data to a gateway node that provides a connection to a surface system and a network of other underwater nodes in other waterways. The data from the underwater nodes may be utilized to produce acoustic attribute data for hulls of ships in the waterways. An acoustic database is provided that compiles the predetermined acoustic attribute data for a variety of ships and other entities thereby providing previously stored identifying means. The acoustic database is utilized in conjunction with one or more databases of other physical attributes of ships or other objects to thereby provide an automated identification process.

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for acquiring seismic data. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for acquiring seismic data is described in which recorder instruments are deployed to the seafloor and utilized for recording pressure wave and shear wave data. An acoustic array, displaced from the seafloor, is also provided for sending acoustic signals to the instruments on the seafloor. The orientation of the instruments on the seafloor is determined via acoustic communication between the acoustic array and the instruments. Related systems and methods for acquiring seismic data are also described.

The invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic probes, in particular to an ultrasonic array probe signal acquisition component and a preparation method thereof, and a probe. The acquisition component provided by the invention comprises two or more probe array elements, each probe array element comprises a backing and a piezoelectric layer composed of two or more piezoelectric crystal plates; flangings of positive electrodes and negative electrodes of the two piezoelectric crystal plates are butted; the piezoelectric layer is divided into a lead region, a heat conduction region and a signal region; a backing is connected to the signal region, and the bottom of the backing is connected with the bottom of the backing of an adjacent probe array element; a heat dissipating piece is connected to the heat conduction region, and the heat dissipating piece is connected with the ground electrode of an outer cable; and a flexible circuit board is connected with the lead region, and the flexible circuit board is connected with the outer cable through the probe circuit board. According to the ultrasonic array probe signal acquisition component and the probe provided by invention, the problem of probe temperature rising is effectively solved, the send-receive capacity of signals is improved, probe functions of testing image resolution ratio and sharpness are improved, and the impact of the probe array element signal crosstalk to imaging sharpness is decreased.

An ultrasound acoustic assembly includes a number of ultrasound acoustic arrays, each array comprising an acoustic stack comprising a piezoelectric layer assembled with at least one acoustic impedance dematching layer and with a support layer. The acoustic stack defines a number of dicing kerfs and a number of acoustic elements, such that the dicing kerfs are formed between neighboring ones of the acoustic elements. The dicing kerfs extend through the piezoelectric layer and through the acoustic impedance dematching layer(s) but extend only partially through the support layer. The ultrasound acoustic assembly further includes a number of application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) die. Each ultrasound acoustic array is coupled to a respective ASIC die to form a respective acoustic-electric transducer module. Methods of manufacture are also provided.

The invention relates to a subaqueous multi-cable positioning system and a method thereof. The system comprises a data collection card, a main control machine and a plurality of dragging cables, wherein the data collection card and the main control machine are positioned on a water surface cable dragging ship, and the dragging cables are dragged by the cable dragging ship. Array elements comprising an acoustic energy transducer, a bathometer and a compass and a data transmission system comprising a data transmission packet are arranged in the dragging cables. The main control machine transmitsa positioning command to each array element, the array elements measure the required positioning information, and the main control machine resolves each section of concrete position of the dragging cables. The invention adopts the hydroacoustic positioning of an optimized acoustic array and combines a GPS drogue, the compass and the bathometer to position a plurality of cables. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, determining the geodetic coordinates of the front end and the back end of each dragging cable by a GPS; measuring the depth information of each section of the draggingcables by the bathometer, resolving the transverse and longitudinal coordinates of each section on the dragging cables relative to the navigation direction of the dragging ship by acoustic positioning primarily and retaining the value of the transverse coordinates; and recalculating the longitudinal coordinates of each section on the dragging cables by the value of the transverse coordinates obtained by compass data and acoustic positioning.

An improvement to the feederhouse on an agricultural combine. The invention includes a stone detection and ejection system on the feederhouse of an agricultural combine and an acoustic array positioned beneath the front drum and having an acoustic sensor and sounding plate. The sounding plate is generally parallel to the feederhouse floor and includes interruptions configured upon its surface to ensure that a stone or other hard object, sliding over its surface, or a flow of crop material carrying a stone, excites the plate to a sufficient magnitude detectable by an acoustic sensor.

A telemetry system includes a plurality of acoustic sensors for receiving acoustic information and generating analog signals based on the received acoustic information. A first plurality of subsystems is coupled to at least a subset of the plurality of acoustic sensors. The first plurality of subsystems is configured to receive the analog signals from the acoustic sensors and generate digital values based on the received analog signals. The system includes a first optical splitter. A first optical transmitter transmits a first set of optical pulses to the first optical splitter. The first optical splitter is configured to transmit the first set of optical pulses to each subsystem in the first plurality of subsystems. Each subsystem in the first plurality of subsystems is configured to modulate the first set of optical pulses based on the generated digital values and thereby generate a modulated optical pulse stream. A first optical combiner receives and combines the modulated optical pulse stream from each subsystem in the first plurality of subsystems, thereby generating a combined modulated optical pulse stream. A first optical receiver receives the combined modulated optical pulse stream from the first optical combiner. The first optical receiver is configured to generate electrical signals based on the received combined modulated optical pulse stream.

A matched-field based sonar system and method of use that supports real-time, three-dimensional acoustic source localization using a mobile, horizontal array. The system receives and processes acoustic array, non-acoustic array, and own-ship navigational data in the matched-field process (MFP). Driven by own-ship and array status, a global bathymetry database and an acoustic environmental model are used to generate replicas for the MFP. If a three-dimensional tracker is assigned, then the tracker will steer the search region to maintain contact on the target of interest. Displays are provided to the user including tracker displays (which provide tracker information), MFP ambiguity surface displays (which support contact localization), and non-acoustic and navigational displays. A control interface allows a user to control the search region in bearing, range, depth, and frequency; assign the three-dimensional tracker function; and control display processing.

The invention discloses a sound identification method based on a cross acoustic array broadband wave beam formation. The sound identification method comprises steps of using a cross acoustic array to align with a needed direction to collect acoustic signals, 2, performing pre-processing on collected sound, 3, performing DFT (discrete Fourier transform) on processed data of each frame, performing frequency band extraction according to a needed frequency band, 4, performing LSMI-MVDR wave beam formation on the needed direction by the extracted frequency band, 5, performing inverse DFT on a frequency domain signal after the wave beam is formed, 6, performing frame overlapping synthesis according to the framing principle to output a signal, and 7, performing characteristic extraction and classification study and identification. The sound identification method based on cross acoustic array broadband wave beam formation can improve a signal-to-noise ratio of the signal received in an expected direction, inhibits interference signals of other directions, can be applied to a signal processing process of an acoustic identification system and can effectively improve an identification rate and reliability of the identification system on the identification object.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic array transducer and a production method thereof. The ultrasonic array transducer comprises a matching layer and a piezoelectric layer. Array elements in the matching layer are completely separated from one another, and the matching layer is used for reducing crosstalk. Array elements in the piezoelectric layer are incompletely separated from one another, and the piezoelectric layer is used for separating the array elements and providing support to an array. The structure array elements are mutually separated while being mutually connected and supported through retaining portions, so that steps for additionally adding of supporting pieces are omitted, equipment size is reduced, and the ultrasonic array transducer has larger application range; the production method of the ultrasonic array transducer has the same advantages.