HYDROACOUSTIC SYNCHRONOUS RANGE-FINDING NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR POSITIONING UNDERWATER OBJECTS IN NAVIGATION FIELD OF RANDOMLY ARRANGED HYDROACOUSTIC TRANSPONDER BEACONS Russian patent published in 2013 - IPC G01S15/08 

FIELD: radio engineering, communication.

SUBSTANCE: hydroacoustic synchronous range-finding navigation system, having a bottom navigation base consisting of M hydroacoustic transponders with different response frequencies f_m (m=1-M), a clock-pulse generator and an acoustic transmitter with sampling frequency f₀ mounted on the navigation object, the input of the acoustic transmitter being connected to the first output of the clock-pulse generator. An M-channel receiver for receiving response signals with frequencies f_m, M devices for measuring time of propagation of acoustic signals to the transponder, operating at the frequency of that channel, and back, first inputs of which are connected to outputs of the M-channel receiver, and second inputs are connected to second outputs of the clock-pulse generator, M×N units for converting time intervals to distance based on the number N of possible beam paths, inputs of which are connected to outputs of corresponding devices for measuring propagation time, M units for selecting maximum distance, inputs of which are connected to outputs of N units for converting time intervals to distance of the given channel, a navigation object coordinate computer, the first input of which is connected to outputs of M units for selecting maximum distance, an additional second bottom navigation base consisting of M hydroacoustic transponder beacons with different radiation frequencies F_m (m=1-M), which are mechanically connected to corresponding M transponder beacons, having M synchronously operating clock-pulse generators, M transmitters with different operating frequencies F_m, the inputs of which are connected to outputs of clock-pulse generators, M hydroacoustic radiators with operating frequencies F_m, inputs of which are connected to outputs of transmitters with corresponding operating frequencies; the navigation object is additionally fitted with a second clock-pulse generator which operate synchronously with the clock-pulse generators of the transponder beacons, the first output of which is used to synchronise the M synchronously operating clock-pulse generators of the hydroacoustic transponder beacons before mounting at the bottom, a trailing receiving acoustic antenna, a second M-channel receiver for receiving acoustic signals of transponder beacons, the input of which is connected to the output of the trailing receiving acoustic antenna, M devices for measuring time of propagation of acoustic signals from the transponder beacons to the navigation object, first inputs of which are connected to outputs of the second M-channel receiver, and second inputs are connected to the second output of the second clock-pulse generator, additional M units for converting time intervals to distance, inputs of which are connected to outputs of M devices for measuring time of propagation of acoustic signals from the transponder beacons to the navigation object, and the outputs are connected to second inputs of the navigation object coordinate computer, wherein the M hydroacoustic radiators of the transponder beacons and the trailing receiving acoustic antenna lie near the seabed at a distance not greater than the wavelength at operating frequencies F_m, and the additional M units for converting time intervals to distance calculate the desired distances r_m through propagation times t_m, characterised by that the additional second bottom navigation base consisting of M hydroacoustic transponder beacons with different radiation frequencies F_m (m=1-M), mechanically connected to corresponding M transponder beacons, is also electrically connected to the same corresponding transponder beacons; the navigation object is also fitted with a receiver-indicator for receiving satellite signals, the first receiving antenna of which is mounted on its housing, and the second receiving antenna is mounted on a unit for counting displacements of the conducting rope which connects the navigation object with the trailing receiving acoustic antenna, and another n receiving antennae are mounted on transponder beacons of the additional second bottom base; M hydroacoustic transponders are provided with a ballast anchor with a hydroacoustic release; the antenna of the M-channel receiver has a cylindrical shape and is made from M hydrophones which form in the horizontal plane two navigation bases for detecting acoustic signals, wherein the lateral and rear directions are blinded by shields, M transponder beacons of the first and second bottom base, the navigation object is provided with sensors for measuring sound speed in water, hydrodynamic pressure and orientation.

EFFECT: longer range without increase in error when determining coordinates of a navigation object.

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