Patent · US Expired

Sonar system for identifying foreign objects

US5438552A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
2References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 1994
Grant dateAug 1, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01S7/539
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A sonar system is provided for identifying a foreign object includes a technique for providing a two dimensional array of pixels, each one of the pixels representing the intensity of a signal at a predetermined range position and a predetermined cross-range position from a reference position and quantizing the intensity of each one of the pixels into one of a plurality of levels. The technique further includes comparing a distribution of the levels of pixels over a range scan at a cross-range position with the distribution of levels of pixels over a range scan at a different cross-range position to identify the existence of a foreign object. With such an arrangement a sonar system is provided that can automatically detect the existence of a foreign object such as a mine.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.