846results about "Direction finders using ultrasonic/sonic/infrasonic waves" patented technology

Methods and systems for determining and utilizing spatial correlative information relating to two or more devices to determine device positioning are described. Using audio signals emitted from stereo speakers, for example, associated with a first device and a microphone associated with the second device, the distance and angle between the two devices and as their relative positions can be determined. No other sensors or specialized accessories are needed on either device to calculate the distance and angles. The devices need only be loaded with the appropriate software which, when executed, is able to carry out steps of the present invention. The usefulness of one or both of the devices may be enhanced by knowing the distance and angle data between the devices. For example, one device may be a TV having stereo speakers and the other device may be a handheld device, such as a smartphone, having a microphone.

A method for reducing noise associated with an audio signal received through a microphone sensor array is provided. The method initiates with enhancing a target signal component of the audio signal through a first filter. Simultaneously, the target signal component is blocked by a second filter. Then, the output of the first filter and the output of the second filter are combined in a manner to reduce noise without distorting the target signal. Next, an acoustic set-up associated with the audio signal is periodically monitored. Then, a value of the first filter and a value of the second filter are both calibrated based upon the acoustic set-up. A system capable of isolating a target audio signal from multiple noise sources, a video game controller, and an integrated circuit configured to isolate a target audio signal are included.

Provided is a wireless power transmission apparatus. The apparatus includes an ultrasound transmitter generating an ultrasound signal in response to an external source voltage and transmitting the generated ultrasound signal to a medium layer and an ultrasound receiver receiving the ultrasound signal through the medium layer and converting the received ultrasound signal into a driving voltage. The ultrasound transmitter and receiver are manufactured to control impedance values thereof to be matched with each other and a distance between the ultrasound transmitter and receiver is controlled according to predetermined distance conditions.

A position detection system comprising positional element and positioning device, wherein the positional element transmits a continuously modulated acoustic waveform and a synchronization signal that is a sequence of at least two synchronization packets, each bearing timing data for the continuously modulated acoustic waveform. Additionally, the synchronization signal uses time hopping to support concurrent positioning of a plurality of positional elements.

A GPS-based underwater cable positioning system for use in determining the shape and position of hydrophone streamers towed underwater behind survey vessels involved in marine seismic prospecting. The system includes a plurality of surface units towed behind the vessel. Each surface unit includes a GPS receiver to receive radio frequency GPS signals and to determine its positions. Each surface unit also has an acoustic transmitter to transmit an acoustic message signal representing its position and an optional time stamp into the water. Acoustic receiver units, attached spaced apart locations along one or more streamer cables, each include an acoustic receiver to receive the acoustic message signals from the surface units and to determine its position from the message signals. To augment the message signals from the surface units at locations distant from the surface units, acoustic transceiver units may be used. The acoustic transceiver units are attached to the streamer cables at ranges between the surface units and distant acoustic receiver units. The acoustic transceiver units each include an acoustic receiver that performs as the receivers in the acoustic receiver units and an acoustic transmitter to transmit acoustic message signals representing its position and an optional time stamp into the water to be received by the acoustic receiver units. In this way, the positions and shapes of towed streamer cables can be determined.

A temperature sensing device for remotely detecting the temperature of a subject having an identifying feature and a target zone in a fixed relationship to the identifying feature comprising: a distance sensor which measures the distance between the subject and the distance sensor; a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature difference in a sensing zone; a digital image capture device for capturing a digital image of the subject; a means of tilting at least the temperature sensor along at least one axis, and preferably tilting and panning along two axes; a controller that actuates the tilting means; and a support for supporting the distance sensor, the temperature sensor and the digital image capture device; wherein the controller tilts the distance sensor using the tilting means to reduce the distance between the target zone and the sensing zone; and a temperature sensor that measures a temperature difference proximate to the target zone, to detect elevated temperature illness in humans or animals.

A system and method for detecting, identifying, and fixing the location of the source of an acoustic event. The inventive system includes: a plurality of sensors dispersed at somewhat regular intervals throughout a monitored area; a communication network adapted to deliver information from the sensors to a host processor; and a process within the host processor for determining, from the absolute times of arrival of an event at two or more sensors, a position of the source of the event. Acoustic events are detected and analyzed at each sensor so that the sensor transmits over the network: an identifier for the sensor; an identifier for the type of event; and a precise absolute time of arrival of the event at the sensor. In a preferred embodiment, the system also identifies the type of weapon firing a gunshot.

The invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring and position determination of objects and/or living beings within an area, such as, e.g. a room in a building. The system comprises a plurality of electronic units, called identification tags, which are attached to the objects that have to be monitored. Each identification tag has its own identification code (ID code) and is equipped with an ultrasonic transmitter, radio transmitter and radio receiver. The ultrasonic signals are recieved by one or more master and slave units which calculate transit time differences of ultrasonic pulses. This information together with the identification tags' ID code, identification of the room in which it is located, and any additional information are transmitted to a central processing unit which calculates the identification tag's position and presents it to a user of the system.

A system comprises a plurality of acoustic transmitters, mounted inside the streamers, adapted to transmit broadband signals having low cross-correlation between the signals of different transmitters; a plurality of acoustic receivers, mounted inside the streamers, adapted to receive the signals from the transmitters; at least one processor adapted to cross-correlate the signals received at the receivers with copies of transmitter signals to determine identities of the transmitters of the received signals and to determine travel times of the received signals; and a main processor adapted to convert the travel times to distances between the identified transmitters and the receivers and to determine relative positions of the streamers from the distances.

Disclosed herein is a robot mechanism for inspection of a live-line suspension insulator string. A robot body of the robot mechanism reciprocates along the live-line suspension insulator string and includes upper and lower robot frames configured to encircle the insulator string, a battery module provided to either end of the robot body, an actuation module for moving the robot body along the insulator string, an inspection module for electrically inspecting an insulator, a connection module for coupling the robot body to an installation/dismantlement mechanism, a wing opening/closing module for manually separating the robot body from the insulator string, a measurement module for measuring electrical properties of the insulator, a controller for controlling operation of the robot body, and a crack detection unit for detecting cracks formed in the insulator.

Each of multiple probability distribution outputting units computes a probability distribution of a data value detected by the corresponding sensor or algorithm in an image recognition processing or the like. The respective probability distributions of the multiple probability distribution outputting units are given as outputs to a synthetic determination processing unit. Data formats of the outputs to the synthetic determination processing unit can be thereby standardized. Hence, the synthetic determination processing unit is exempted from considering which type of sensor or algorithm each of the outputs is based upon. Even when a sensor or algorithm is added or changed, the same data-fusing algorithm in the synthetic determination processing unit can be uniformly used.

Systems, apparatuses and methods are described for integrating an electronic metrology sensor with precision production equipment such as computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines. For example, a laser distance measuring sensor is used. Measurements are taken at a relatively high sample rate and converted into a format compatible with other data generated or accepted by the CNC machine. Measurements from the sensor are synchronized with the position of the arm of the machine such as through the use of offsets. Processing yields a detailed and highly accurate three-dimensional map of a workpiece in the machine. Applicable metrology instruments include other near continuously reading non-destructive characterization instruments such as contact and non-contact dimensional, eddy current, ultra-sound, and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) sensors. Various uses of measurements include: multiple component matching, correction of machine drift, closed loop control of machines, and verification of product tolerances via substantially complete serialized dimensional quality control.

The present invention provides a Positioning on One Device (POD) for locating and tracking objects and an autonomous ultrasound indoor track system (AUITS) and method for locating objects by using the POD. The AUITS can comprise: a tag device installed on a mobile object, which includes radio frequency (RF) and ultrasound transmitters for transmitting RF and ultrasound signals; and a POD for receiving the RF and ultrasound signals transmitted from the tag device to locate the mobile object. The POD can comprise: a plurality of leaf modules, each of the leaf modules including a positioning signal receiver for receiving the positioning signals (e.g. ultrasound signal) transmitted from the tag device, wherein there is a known structural topology relationship between the plurality of leaf modules. Then, the positioning signal detection times from respective positioning signal receivers and the structural topology relationship of the POD can be used for calculation of the position of the object. Compared with the prior arts, the POD and the AUITS system of the present invention presents several advantages, such as high accuracy, easy deployment, calibration free, low cost, in-device coordination, and flexibility.

A method and apparatus for detecting and locating leaks in buried pipes is disclosed in which ground penetrating radar, induction, acoustic, and vacuum excavation systems are selected based on soil conditions and then employed in selected combinations. The conductivity and wave speed of the soil are used in the selection process and in the process of detecting and locating a leak based on the measurements obtained from the selected combination of detection systems.

A system and method for detecting the exact location of an acoustic event, the system comprising a plurality of variably spaced sensors, wherein each sensor comprises an omnidirectional microphone for detecting the acoustic event; a global positioning system (GPS); and a transmitter receiver for transmitting (i) the time that the acoustic event arrived at a particular sensor and (ii) the location of the particular sensor at the time the acoustic event arrived at the particular sensor; and a central processor radio-linked to the plurality of variably spaced sensors comprising a software program comprising at least one algorithm for determining the location of the acoustic event.

A method of acquiring seismic data adapted for a land or transition zone environment including placing a location identifier in a particular location, placing a seismic sensor near the location identifier, reading the location identifer using a seismic data cable, recording seismic data acquired by the seismic sensor using the seismic data cable, and assigning sensor position coordinates to the seismic data based on measured position coordinates of the location identifier. The invention also includes an apparatus adapted for seismic data acquisition in a land or transition zone environment including a location identifier, a seismic senor capable of being placed near the location identifier, a seismic data cable, means for reading the location identifier using the seismic data cable, means for recording seismic data acquired by the seismic sensor using the seismic data cable, and means for assigning sensor position coordinates to the seismic data based on measured position coordinates of the location identifier.

A method and apparatus for identifying running vehicles in an area to be monitored using acoustic signature recognition. The apparatus includes an input sensor for capturing an acoustic waveform produced by a vehicle source, and a processing system. The waveform is digitized and divided into frames. Each frame is filtered into a plurality of gammatone filtered signals. At least one spectral feature vector is computed for each frame. The vectors are integrated across a plurality of frames to create a spectro-temporal representation of the vehicle waveform. In a training mode, values from the spectro-temporal representation are used as inputs to a Nonlinear Hebbian learning function to extract acoustic signatures and synaptic weights. In an active mode, the synaptic weights and acoustic signatures are used as patterns in a supervised associative network to identify whether a vehicle is present in the area to be monitored. In response to a vehicle being present, the class of vehicle is identified. Results may be provided to a central computer.