US 11,947,004 B2
Multifan survey system and method
Jens Steenstrup, Austin, TX (US); Christopher Tiemann, Austin, TX (US); Mark Chun, Austin, TX (US); and Kirk Hobart, Austin, TX (US)
Assigned to R3VOX LTD, (MT)
Filed by R2SONIC, LLC, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on May 1, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/864,252.
Application 16/864,252 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/133,547, filed on Sep. 17, 2018, granted, now 11,428,809.
Application 16/133,547 is a continuation of application No. 15/802,307, filed on Nov. 2, 2017, granted, now 10,094,924, issued on Oct. 9, 2018.
Application 15/802,307 is a continuation of application No. 15/495,362, filed on Apr. 24, 2017, granted, now 9,817,117, issued on Nov. 14, 2017.
Application 15/495,362 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/476,137, filed on Mar. 31, 2017, granted, now 10,132,924, issued on Nov. 20, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/372,231, filed on Aug. 8, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/329,631, filed on Apr. 29, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2020/0292700 A1, Sep. 17, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01S 15/89 (2006.01)
CPC G01S 15/89 (2013.01) 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Multifan equipment for survey operations such as bathymetry, water column monitoring, forward look sonar, Doppler velocimetry, Doppler current profiling, and motion stabilization, the multifan equipment comprising:
a transmitter and a receiver of a multibeam echo sounder;
the transmitter for constructing a message that includes N>=3 coded message components to excite projectors in a single projector array;
each message component resulting in a particular projector array beam that ensonifies reflectors in a respective fan; and,
following transmission of a message, the receiver for receiving ensonified reflector returns via hydrophones arranged in a single hydrophone array;
wherein multiple hydrophone beams formed by the hydrophone array intersect the fans and fans are distinguished from each other using N filters.