| US 7,457,196 B2 | ||
| Networked sonar observation of selected seabed environments | ||
| Timothy W. Acker, Arlington, Wash. (US); Assad E. K. Ebrahim, Bellevue, Wash. (US); and James J. Dawson, Edmonds, Wash. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Biosonics, Inc., Seattle, Wash. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 17, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/458,011. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0013404 A1, Jan. 17, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01S 15/89 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 367—88 | 24 Claims |
| 1. A sonar transducer network for observing a seabed comprising:
a controller;
a first transducer assembly at a first network node including
a first transducer to convert a first ping to a first electrical signal; and
a first transducer processor to receive a first electrical signal from the first transducer to generate the first transducer
data;
at least one second transducer assembly at least one second network node, the second transducer assembly including:
a second transducer to convert a second ping to a second electrical signal; and
a second transducer processor to receive the second electrical signal from the second transducer to generate second transducer
data;
a network bus to communicate first transducer data through the first node and second transducer data through the second node
with the controller; and
wherein at least one of the transducer assemblies includes:
an at least two-axis mount affixed to the transducer the two axis mount having:
an azimuthal actuator configured to orient the transducer to an azimuth angle responsive to the transducer processor; and
a depression actuator configured to orient the transducer to a depression angle responsive to the transducer processor.
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