Communications – electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices – Sonar counter-measures
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-27
2002-01-22
Lobo, Ian J. (Department: 3662)
Communications, electrical: acoustic wave systems and devices
Sonar counter-measures
Reexamination Certificate
active
06341101
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to acoustic countermeasure devices such as incoming torpedo and sonar countermeasure systems and, more specifically, to apparatus and method for a launchable countermeasure device with the capability to store, select, program, and rapidly deploy any one or a combination of a variety of countermeasure devices.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
While acoustic countermeasure devices have a small cost in comparison to the cost of the submarines, ships and other vessels they protect, nonetheless it would be desirable to further reduce the costs associated with such systems if the overall effectiveness could be maintained and preferably significantly increased. The submarine fleet currently uses at least two separate countermeasure devices in the external six-inch countermeasure launchers including one against sonar systems and one against incoming threat torpedoes. Due to their sealed construction, communication interface is limited so that stored tactical information tends to be difficult to change. For the same reason, testing and maintenance tends to be difficult and time consuming. As acoustic masking systems involve highly specialized tasks as suggested by the following prior art patents, dedicated components, logistics, and software are used in prior art devices. Modifications and upgrades therefore require significant time and cost. The present design uses only a single cable connection that is preferably provided for receiving launch control panel signals prior to deployment in accordance with specifications of the existing CSA MK2 Launcher system. The signals used by the CSA MK2 Launcher system are different from those used by a standard PC such as RS232 and RS422 signal formats. The CSA MK2 Launcher system is not designed to download operational code or provide signal generation updates such as might be tailored to specific threats as would be desirable for installation dockside rather than at the factory. Several of the following patents disclose prior art efforts to provide countermeasure systems for protecting ships and submarines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,797, issued Mar. 10, 1981, to P. L. Stocklin, discloses a sonic attenuation system for directing a beam of sound of sufficient amplitude for inducing a finite amplitude effect in water for interaction with a field of sound to produce intermodulation products. Energy is removed from the sound field in the formation of the intermodulation products resulting in an attenuation of sound in the sound field.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,343, issued Aug. 23, 1994, to R. L. Aske, discloses an explosive actuated acoustic device that emits sound to be used in torpedo countermeasures. Numbered devices are delivered over an extended area and sink through the water. The devices are actuated at different times as they sink, to provide sound masking over an extended period of time. The devices also include safety devices which prevents premature actuation from jarring or jolting and from impact with the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,209, issued Jan. 15, 1980, to R. P. Christ, discloses a towed decoy system adapted to be towed from a towing vessel, an electrically powered noisemaker, an electrical tow cable attached to the noisemaker, a depressor vane, a depressor cable connected to the depressor vane and to the towing vessel, and means interconnecting the depressor cable and the electrical tow cable at a point near the depressor vane. The interconnecting means comprises a pair of cable grips respectively attached at one end to adjacent sections of the electrical tow cable and at the other end to a snatch block movably mounted on the depressor cable thereby providing slack in the electrical tow cable whereby the noisemaker is towed at a depth not less than that of the point of attachment of the snatch block to the depressor cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,526, issued Mar. 20, 1984, to R. O. Thomalla, discloses a sound masking system for generating background sound. The background sound is automatically adjusted to ambient noise level by adjusting the amplitude of the frequency levels detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,906, issued Sep. 25, 1984, to Warnaka et al., discloses an active attenuator for the attenuation of a relatively broad band of lower frequency vibration such as sound waves from a given source, by the introduction of canceling vibration having the mirror image amplitude and phase characteristics of the source vibration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,028, issued Jul. 16, 1991, to D. R. Browning, discloses apparatus for overcoming stroke limitations of moving coil reaction-mass vibration dampers by recovering armature stroke displacement. The coil housing is selectively coupled or de-coupled to the vibrating structure. If, when the armature reaches its travel limit, sufficient damping energy has not been applied to the structure, the coil-housing assembly is decoupled from the structure while the armature is pulsed back to its zero displacement position. The housing is then re-coupled to the surface having displaced some distance from its previous location. The process continues until the needed additional damping force is generated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,401, issued May 26, 1992, to P. L. Feintuch, discloses an active adaptive noise cancelling device that inserts delays in the weight update logic of an adaptive filter employed by the canceller to make the filter stable. It has been found that there is a great deal of flexibility regarding the selection of the delay values. This insensitivity permits designing the delays in advance, and not having to adjust them to different situations as they change, thus no longer requiring a training mode. The canceller dramatically reduces the amount of hardware needed to perform active adaptive noise canceling, and eliminates the need for the training mode, which in some applications, including automobiles, for example, can be as objectionable as the noise sources that are to be suppressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,376, issued Feb. 28, 1995, to Riddle et al., discloses an apparatus for reducing acoustic radiation from an enclosure containing a fluid that includes one or more vibration sensors in communication with surfaces of the enclosure. A control unit uses a reference signal and a summation signal to calculate a cancellation waveform to offset the cause of the detected vibration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,724, issued May 24, 1977, to Davidson, Jr. et al., discloses an array of independent sound cancellation units arranged over a vibrating noise generating surface. Each unit includes an arrangement of acoustic transducers (sensors) positioned adjacent to the surface to obtain an electrical average of the local acoustic noise generated by a predetermined zone of the surface. A projected output signal detected by the sensors is used as a feedback signal along with appropriate time delays to cancel the effect of the projected output signal, and to cancel the effect of the output of other projectors of the array.
In summary, while the prior art shows various acoustic systems and acoustic countermeasure means, the above disclosed prior art does not show a launchable countermeasure device with the capability to store, select, program and rapidly deploy any one or a combination of a variety of countermeasure techniques and devices. The prior art does not disclose a launchable countermeasure device with capability of computer communications apart from those of a launch control panel and which allows for a variety of functions for factory preset loading, built in testing, downloading of operational code including tactical operational parameters, signal generation updates, greatly reduced hardware requirements and costs, reduced control system size, and less cost to produce than the combined costs of prior art sonar and incoming threat countermeasure systems.
Consequently, there remains a need for a system that allows for greatly increased operational flexibility, improved testing ability, reduced maintenance costs and time, and reduced manufactu
Dutton C. Ray
Lopes Joseph B.
Potter Lynn A.
Kasischke James M.
Lall Prithvi C.
Lobo Ian J.
McGowan Michael J.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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