초록 ▼

A beamformer forms a beam from a set of samples of signals from an array of elements such as sonar transducers. Sequences of signal samples from each transducer are delayed relative to each other by fractional amounts of the intersample interval. The sequences of the signal samples with the predeter

A beamformer forms a beam from a set of samples of signals from an array of elements such as sonar transducers. Sequences of signal samples from each transducer are delayed relative to each other by fractional amounts of the intersample interval. The sequences of the signal samples with the predetermined delays therebetween are applied to a common beamforming filter having a pass band of sufficient width to accommodate the signals. The impulse response time of the filter is longer than the intersample interval in any one of the sample sequences for providing a beam equal to the sum of regenerated transducer signals. The radiation pattern of the beam is independent of the sampling rate.

대표청구항 ▼

A beamformer for forming a beam from signals of an array of transducers, said beamformer comprising: means for sampling signals of individual ones of said transducers to provide samples of said signals; means for delaying said samples in increments of fractional amounts of the intersample interval b

A beamformer for forming a beam from signals of an array of transducers, said beamformer comprising: means for sampling signals of individual ones of said transducers to provide samples of said signals; means for delaying said samples in increments of fractional amounts of the intersample interval between successive signal samples of any one of said transducers; a beamforming filter; and means connected between said delaying means and said filter for coupling individual ones of said samples, one at a time, from said delaying means to said filter, the impulse response time of said filter being longer than said intersample interval to provide an integration of signal samples of said transducers to produce said beam.