Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and an apparatus for ultrasound imaging wherein transmitting elements of an ultrasonic array probe transmit ultrasound energy and receiving elements of the ultrasonic array probe receive received signals from the test object. The method includes deriving analytic signal values from the received signals, the analytic signal values being derived by applying a Hilbert transform to the received signals and performing a summation of multiple signal products derived by multiplication of a corresponding group of analytic signal values.

An underwater detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include a transmission transducer, a reception transducer, and processing circuitry. The transmission transducer may transmit a transmission wave. The reception transducer may include a plurality of reception elements that generate a reception signal based on a reflection wave including a reflection of the transmission wave on an underwater target. The processing circuitry may generate a 3D image data that represents an echo intensity of the underwater target based at least in part on the reception signal generated by each reception element, and may set a depth marking on the 3D image data for which a depth is equal to a given depth, by changing an echo intensity color that represents the echo intensity of the 3D image data into a depth color that represents a depth of the 3D image data, the depth color being different from the echo intensity color.

A survey system including a multibeam echo sounder and a beam selector for selecting beams with the largest amplitudes.

A small aperture acoustic velocity sensor and a method for velocity measurement are disclosed. In one aspect, the disclosed technology uses spatially-shifted sub-arrays for projection and/or hydrophone receipt and cross-correlation of successive pulses to improve correlation and reduce bias. The spatial shift can be created physically by selection of groups of elements or virtually by weighting the contributions of fixed sub-arrays. Spatial modulation can be used to form a projected signal and measured spatial phase of slope across the set of sub-arrays allows correction of both long- and short-term errors. The disclosed technology uses spatial and/or temporal interpolation.

Sonar devices for detecting underwater objects are provided whereby a set of angled ultrasound transducers are employed to sense ultrasound signals from a plurality of different spatial regions. The angled ultrasound transducers may include a first pair of side-viewing ultrasound transducers and a second pair of ultrasound transducers configured for interrogating forward and reverse directions. The ultrasound signals from the set of angled ultrasound transducers may be processed to identify the presence of underwater objects in each spatial region, and the resulting identified underwater objects may be displayed, on a per-region basis, on a user interface. The ultrasound signals may additionally or alternatively be processed to generate a topographical model of the bed surface, and to generate a topographical surface image based on the three-dimensional topographical model. The topographical surface image may be displayed as a fly-over animation.

A digital transmit beamformer for an ultrasound system has a waveform sample memory which stores sequences of samples of different pulse transmit waveforms of differing pulse widths. The memory is shared by a plurality of transmit channels, each of which can access its own selected sample sequence, independent of the selections by other channels. Waveform sample readout by the channels occurs substantially simultaneously during a transmit event, producing a transmit beam from a transmit aperture with different pulse waveforms applied to different elements of the transmit aperture. Higher energy waveforms with wider pulse widths are applied to central elements of the aperture and lower energy waveforms with narrower pulse widths are applied to lateral elements of the aperture to produce an apodized transmit beam.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide networkable sonar systems for mobile structures. A networkable sonar system includes a transducer module and associated sonar electronics and optionally orientation and/or position sensors and/or other sensors disposed substantially within the housing of a sonar transducer assembly, which is coupled to one or more user interfaces and/or other sonar systems over an Ethernet connection. The sonar transducer assembly may be configured to support and protect the transducer module and the sonar electronics and sensors, to physically and/or adjustably couple to a mobile structure, and/or to provide a simplified interface to other systems coupled to the mobile structure. Resulting sonar data and/or imagery may be transmitted over the Ethernet connection and displayed to a user and/or used to adjust various operational systems of the mobile structure.

A sonar device including a transmitter, a transducer, and processing circuitry is provided. The transmitter is configured to transmit a transmission signal. The transducer is configured to project ultrasonic waves in a water body, the ultrasonic waves being generated based on the transmission signal; receive reflected ultrasonic waves from one or more objects in the water body; and generate a reception signal based on the reflected ultrasonic waves. The processing circuitry is configured to generate a plurality of reception beams based on the reception signal; detect a seafloor among the one or more objects based on the plurality of reception beams; determine a limit incidence angle at which the seafloor is detected; extrapolate a shoal line based on the limit incidence angle, the extrapolated shoal line connecting with the detected seafloor; and detect a potential shoal hazard based on a determined depth of the extrapolated shoal line.

A sonar transducer system is provided having a display and a sonar transducer assembly having a transmitter configured to transmit sonar signals. The transmitter has a peak transmit sensitivity occurring at a first frequency. The sonar transducer assembly has a receiver configured to receive return sonar signals, with the receiver having a peak receive sensitivity occurring at a second frequency. The transmitter and the receiver share a same facing direction and are provided as physically separate components. At least one of the transmitter or the receiver is tuned so that the peak transmit sensitivity and the peak receive sensitivity occur at a same frequency. The sonar transducer assembly is configured to improve the peak transmit sensitivity and/or the peak receive sensitivity to generate a sonar image having a greater quality, and the sonar image may be presented on the display.

A survey system including a transmitter, receiver, projector array and hydrophone array transmits and receives sound waves to perform one or more survey missions.