Method and apparatus for accurate acoustic distance measurement

G - Physics – 01 – S

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G01S 11/14 (2006.01)

Patent

CA 2107198

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for accurate acoustic distance measurement is disclosed. A transceiver pair comprising two acoustic transceiver units named 'controller' and 'remote' is employed to measure the distance between the transceivers simultaneously in both directions. Thus, errors due to wind or fluid currents along the acoustic path are effectively cancelled. Both units can instantaneously communicate with each other via wired or wireless means. The controller initiates measurement by sending an instantaneous trigger signal (a current pulse or electromagnetic pulse) synchronously with an acoustic pulse signal to the remote. At the same instant, a plurality of timers is started. Upon receipt of the instantaneous trigger, the remote sends its acoustic pulse signal to the controller. When the controller detects the acoustic signal from the remote a first timer is stopped, and when the remote detects the controller acoustic signal, an instantaneous trigger signal is sent from the remote to the controller to stop the second timer. Calculations within the controller determine the average distance measurement by using the ambient speed of sound and the timer data. Theapplication of this method and apparatus results in the following improvements over conventional methods of acoustic distance measurement: distance measurements with range expanded by a factor of 2 minimum over echo ranging; distance measurements with greater reliability, i.e. ambiguous measurement situations are resolved; distance measurements which are independent of target details; distance measurements with a higher measurement repeat rate than echo ranging or master-slave systems; distance measurements with ideal wind or fluid current compensation. In addition, the increased versatility of the system allows for uses such as small scale surveying and three-dimensional mapping realized by mounting the controller on a goniometer or transit and aiming at the remote, or by employing multiple remote transceivers with a single controller. Any application where motion of the medium of acoustic transport affects accuracy will benefit from the use of this invention.

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