Optical underwater acoustic sensor
US7259864B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 25, 2005 |
| Grant date | Aug 21, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 11, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04R23/008
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An acoustic sensor used in underwater applications. The sensor includes a reflective material adhered to a structure, such as an outer submarine hull or any marine vessel hull. A laser interferometer is placed on the side of the structure with the reflective material. The laser interferometer sends a plurality of laser beams, in sequence or all at one time, to a plurality of points across the retro-reflective material. The laser beams reflect back to the interferometer, which captures the reflected beams using receiving optics. The phase modulation of the reflected laser beams is compared to a reference laser beam within the interferometer to obtain the vibration velocity characteristics of the hull surface structure. Since the reflective material is adhered to the structure, the structure vibration is the same as the vibration of the reflective material. From this vibration, the acoustic pressure associated with the structure may be calculated.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.