Spiral Wavefront Transducer Phase Discontinuity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing underwater acoustic transducers face challenges in effectively producing a spiral wavefront for navigation and communication, particularly in maintaining continuous phase variation with azimuthal angle, leading to discontinuities when a full revolution is reached.

Innovation Solution

The use of electroacoustic transducers that produce spatially orthogonal acoustic dipoles driven in phase quadrature, with a temporal phase bias of π/2 radians, utilizing piezoelectric or magnetostrictive materials in cylindrical or spherical configurations, to create a spiral wavefront with a phase dependent on azimuthal angle, ensuring continuous phase variation and broad frequency operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If transducers are arranged in a cylindrical pattern with incremental phase bias to produce spiral wavefront, then bearing angle determination capability is improved, but discontinuity occurs when one full revolution is reached

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebearing angle determinationVSAvoidphase continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The transducer array is divided into multiple discrete elements arranged in a cylindrical pattern, with each element contributing to the overall spiral wavefront. This segmentation allows precise control of phase at each element while maintaining continuous coverage around the cylinder, resolving the discontinuity issue at full revolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous phase variation around the entire cylindrical array by carefully designing the incremental phase bias sequence to wrap smoothly from 360 degrees back to 0 degrees. This ensures the spiral wavefront maintains its continuous useful action without interruption when completing a full revolution, enabling reliable bearing angle determination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Ease of operation

If transducers are arranged in a cylindrical-spiral pattern with incremental radial offset to create spatial phase delay, then spiral wavefront generation is improved, but discontinuity occurs at full revolution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespiral wavefront generationVSAvoidphase continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar spiral arrangement to a three-dimensional cylindrical-spiral configuration. By adding the radial dimension and distributing elements around the cylinder, the system achieves continuous phase progression in three dimensions, eliminating the discontinuity that occurs in two-dimensional arrangements when completing a full spiral revolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Measurement precision

If multiple transducer elements are used to produce orthogonal acoustic dipoles with phase quadrature, then spiral wavefront quality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespiral wavefront qualityVSAvoidtransducer array configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each transducer element in the cylindrical array is designed to serve multiple functions: it contributes to the overall spiral wavefront generation, provides phase reference for bearing determination, and maintains structural integrity of the array. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, thereby managing device complexity while achieving high spiral wavefront quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution enables the production of a spiral wavefront with a phase linearly dependent on azimuthal angle, providing accurate bearing angle determination and communication over a wide frequency range without discontinuities, enhancing navigation and communication capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

The at least one transducer can be comprised of piezoceramic elements that have inner and outer electrodes surfaces and may be radially polarized, or utilize narrow electrode stripes and be tangentially polarized on its inner and/or outer surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPiezoelectric effect: Piezoelectric Effect

Implementation Method 2

Alternatively the transducer may be realized with any suitable magnetostrictive or electrostrictive material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMagnetostriction: Magnetostriction

Data Source

PatentUS8638640B2Acoustic transducers for underwater navigation and communication

Publication Date: 2014.01.28 BROWN DAVID ALAN

AI summary

Methods and transducers for producing acoustical signals having a spiral wavefront with omnidirectional magnitude and a phase that varies with angle and transducers for producing broadband omnidirectional reference signals for underwater navigation and communication.