"That the automobile has practically reached the limit of its development is suggested by the fact that during the past year no improvements of a radical nature have been introduced."
Scientific American ; Jan. 2 edition, 1909
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8018794 | Independent device for determining absolute geographic coordinates of an immersed moving body This invention relates to immersed moving bodies for which the activity requires knowledge of their absolute geographic coordinates. This is the case particularly for moving bodies performing site survey operations, excavations and more generally exploration operati... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7817497 | Arrangeable airborne acoustic sensor array Embodiments for determining the bearings to targets from a remote location are disclosed. The apparatus consists of an array of acoustic sensors that is capable of autonomous flight. The array may be large in diameter, approximately one meter or greater. The apparat... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7548488 | Airborne acoustic sensor array Embodiments for determining the bearings to targets from a remote location are disclosed. The apparatus consists of an array of acoustic sensors that is capable of autonomous flight. The array may be large in diameter, approximately one meter or greater. The apparat... | 06/16/2009 |
| 7391674 | Methods and systems for determining orientation of seismic cable apparatus Methods and systems for estimating one or more orientation parameters of a seismic apparatus are described. One method comprises initiating an acoustic signal from an acoustic transmitter in a marine seismic spread comprising a streamer, the streamer having at least... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7307537 | Identification tag The invention relates to an identification chip for insertion in an object located in a liquid. The identification chip comprises an acoustic resonator (100), which exhibits a number of distinct resonant frequencies, where the combination of resonant frequenc... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7161873 | Method of detecting and locating a source of partial discharge in an electrical apparatus A method of detecting and localizing a source of partial discharge in an electrical apparatus placed in an enclosure containing an acoustically-conductive fluid. The method consists in: positioning (31) acoustic detectors an... | 01/09/2007 |
| 6859359 | Modular sensor platform Robot and remote controlled devices have been utilized for information gathering purposes. However these robotic vehicles lack efficiency because they are not capable of operating out of doors or where the sensors and apparatus located on the robots are subject to h... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6570817 | Apparatus for detecting position An apparatus for detecting the position of an object moveable along a predetermined travel path. The apparatus includes an acoustic signal waveguide, a signal input coupler, at least one signal output coupler, and means for generating. The acoustic signal... | 05/27/2003 |
| 6473363 | Sonar direction finding A method of determining the bearing of a source of a sonar signal comprising determining the phase of a cyclic variation of the output signal of a sonar detector having a directional characteristic which occurs as the orientation of the detector, and henc... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6366532 | Apparatus for detecting position The invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the position of an object moveable along a predetermined travel path, comprising: an acoustic signal waveguide extending along the travel path and having a predetermined, uniform speed of propagation of sound... | 04/02/2002 |
| 6237410 | Method for controlling the speed of a pump based on measurement of the fluid depth in a well A method and apparatus for measuring the depth of fluid in a well and for controlling the speed of a pump which pumps fluid out of the well according to the measured depth is disclosed. The depth of fluid in a well is measured by sending an acoustic pulse... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6097670 | Method and apparatus for tracking objects underwater The position of an object is tracked underwater. Prior to tracking, the object is tagged with an acoustic transmitter. It is important that the transmitter emits sound waves having a frequency of at least 200 kilohertz (kHz) because it has been found that... | 08/01/2000 |
| 5940346 | Modular robotic platform with acoustic navigation system A navigation system and method for identifying a position or navigating an autonomous robotic platform within an area is provided including a moveable device having an acoustic transmitter for transmitting an acoustic signal, an electronic processor devic... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5903517 | Moving body control apparatus The present invention relates to a moving body control apparatus wherein operating control flexibility and system maintainability are improved by carrying out moving body travel control by transfer of ultrasonic wave signals between moving bodies, without... | 05/11/1999 |
| 5790476 | Methods and systems for locating an underground sewer using a buoy A first system for locating a portion of an underground sewer includes a buoy which is released into the sewer. The buoy is carried to the portion of the sewer by a flow of fluid therein. An electronic tracking system tracks the buoy during its travel thr... | 08/04/1998 |
| 5732043 | Optimized deterministic bearings only target motion analysis technique A method for selecting a set of four target bearings from a plurality of bearing measurements to optimize rapidity, accuracy and stability of a target track solution in a bearings-only target motion algorithm. Four bearings are selected to generate the de... | 03/24/1998 |
| 5666326 | Homing device for underwater divers This invention is in the field of underwater ultrasonic communications systems, more particularly, underwater acoustic homing devices suitable for diver direction finding. This invention utilizes a single omnidirectional sound source and a simple receiver... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5627800 | Method and apparatus for determining position of a moving object in a tank A method and apparatus for determining position of a vehicle in a tank of fluid. At least one transducer is disposed on the vehicle and a plurality of transducers are disposed on the outside wall of the tank. The transducers are arranged in a substantiall... | 05/06/1997 |
| 5570324 | Underwater sound localization system A control system connected to a passive underwater transducer array is located remotely from the array, e.g. above the surface of the water, to localize an underwater source of acoustic energy in a relatively simple manner by introducing listener-motion, ... | 10/29/1996 |
| 5553498 | Pipe and duct run locator An apparatus and method for identifying a conduit at a second location remote from a known first location of the conduit, characterized by a vibration device and means for removably coupling the vibration device to a wall of the conduit for transmission o... | 09/10/1996 |
| 5526433 | Tracking platform system A self-steering platform system incorporates at least three and preferably four microphones circumferentially spaced about the platform which is mounted for movement preferably around two mutually perpendicular axes. A sound source is selected and separat... | 06/11/1996 |
| 5504477 | Tracking system A performer tracking system, and an associated method, for tracking movements of at least one performer upon a stage. A plurality of signal transmitters are positioned about the stage and transmit electromagnetic signals. Performers on the stage carry tra... | 04/02/1996 |
| 5490219 | Noise canceling microphone with visual feedback Briefly, according to the invention, a noise-cancelling microphone apparatus (400) is disclosed. The microphone (400) comprises a sound transducer (106) for converting sound waves to electrical signals and means for substantially preventing ambient noise ... | 02/06/1996 |
| 5452263 | Method and apparatus for detecting location of a subterranean pipe A method and apparatus for detecting the location of subterranean pipe includes sensors 24 and 26 which detect seismic energy. A pulsing valve (20) is disposed on one end of a water line (10) to allow water to intermittently flow and be shut off. This res... | 09/19/1995 |
| 5315917 | Monoport airgun for seismic exploration having discharge port extending continuously for 360 degree around its axis A monoport airgun for seismic exploration has a single discharge port extending continuously for 360° around its longitudinal axis. This airgun has a first housing providing a firing chamber containing pressurized gaseous fluid (gas) and a second housing... | 05/31/1994 |
| 5214618 | Method and arrangement for combating a submerged target object A method for combating a submerged target object through the intermediary of an active body which is deployable in an airborne mode, and which picks up a sonar contact with the target object from a helically descending searching trajectory below the water... | 05/25/1993 |
| 5099455 | Passive acoustic aquatic animal finder apparatus and method Aquatic animal finder apparatus and method include one or more passive transducers for converting sounds, including bio-soundwaves from a living aquatic animal source traveling in a body of water, to electrical signals, the transducer is caused to scan ab... | 03/24/1992 |
| 5036497 | Method and apparatus for detecting location of a subterranean pipe A method and apparatus for detecting the location of subterranean pipe includes sensors 24 and 26 which detect seismic energy. A pulsing valve (20) is disposed on one end of a water line (10) to allow water to intermittently flow and be shut off. This res... | 07/30/1991 |
| 4980871 | Ultrasonic tracking system An ultrasonic tracking system comprising a transmitting unit and a drive unit. The transmitting unit is carried by the subject to be tracked and produces brief, periodic ultrasonic bursts. The drive unit has an ultrasonic receiver and a motorized assembly... | 12/25/1990 |
| 4911012 | Sewer line detection system A system for detecting the location of an underground portion of a sewer line. A vibration or sound of a predetermined frequency is introduced into an accessible (e.g., above ground) portion of the sewer line. The vibration is allowed to propagate through... | 03/27/1990 |
| 4815048 | Dual axis transducer A dual axis transducer assembly comprises a transducer (20), a yoke (24) which mounts the transducer for oscillating movement about a substantially horizontal axis. A turntable (28) mounts the yoke and hence the transducer for oscillating motion about a v... | 03/21/1989 |
| 4779239 | Sonar transducer system for image formation A sonar transducer comprising a stack of an even number of antennae with identical linear networks. The stack is driven by a reciprocating rotary movement of low amplitude, with the antennae alternately emitting and receiving with each half wavelength of ... | 10/18/1988 |
| 4594694 | Sound source searching device A sound source searching device for searching an objective sound source out of a plurality of sound sources, is disclosed. The device comprises an intensity probe provided with one pair of microphones, pulse motors for rotating the probe on the horizontal... | 06/10/1986 |
| 4577299 | Acoustic direction finder An acoustic direction finding method utilizes correlation between the signals of plural sound pickups on a rotating base. As the base rotates the pickups receive signals from a source of sound which is the target for which direction information is to be o... | 03/18/1986 |
| 4509151 | Marine acoustic analysis system and method An apparatus for locating, classifying and identifying underwater marine animals by means of the sounds they make includes an elongated submersible array adapted to be towed in various directions. The array is made up of subarrays of multiple hydrophones ... | 04/02/1985 |
| 4425634 | Detection system The present invention is directed to a detection system which forms reception beams successively in a series of angular directions. The detection system comprises receiving means for receiving incoming signals in such a manner that the frequency of the in... | 01/10/1984 |
| 4350045 | Apparatus and method for characterizing an acoustic field An apparatus for and method of characterizing an acoustic field, and particularly of visually characterizing the field. An acoustic receiving transducer means is moved to a plurality of predetermined coordinate and angular positions in the acoustic field,... | 09/21/1982 |
| 4309576 | Listening device for localizing underground water leakages A listening device for pinpointing water leakages, which includes a manually operated rod having a handle at one end for manually positioning of the listening device. An acoustic pick-up apparatus is mounted on the other end of the rod, and it comprises a... | 01/05/1982 |
| 4292679 | Variable directivity mounting means Means for mounting a member functioning with a directivity to a mounting station of an associated device or the like. A housing for the member with its functional end surface exposed to the exterior is tapered at the periphery toward the other end to be, ... | 09/29/1981 |
| 4183009 | Low frequency detection system A low frequency detection system including the use of the sloping characteristics of the underwater near shore, the tapered section of ocean above the near shore, and an acoustic array. The acoustic array comprises a plurality of detectors that extend int... | 01/08/1980 |