Acoustic Projector with Source Level Monitoring and Control

Abstract

In an embodiment, an acoustic projector includes an acoustic transmit transducer capable of producing a sound pressure radiation in response to a driver signal received from a transmit source, an acoustic receive transducer capable of producing a source level signal in response to receiving at least a portion of the sound pressure radiation, and a controller configured to monitor the source level signal and report the source level signal monitored.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An acoustic projector comprising:
 a marine acoustic transmit transducer capable of producing a sound pressure radiation in response to a driver signal received from a transmit source;   a voltage monitoring circuit configured to measure a voltage level of the driver signal;   a current monitoring circuit configured to measure a current level of the driver signal; and   a controller configured to monitor the measured voltage level and the measured current level to derive an indication of impedance of the acoustic transmit transducer based on the monitored voltage level and the monitored current level.   
     
     
         2 . The acoustic projector of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to report the monitored voltage level. 
     
     
         3 . The acoustic projector of  claim 2  wherein the controller is further configured to report the monitored voltage level to a remote controller configured to control the drive signal based further on the monitored voltage level. 
     
     
         4 . The acoustic projector of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to report the monitored current level. 
     
     
         5 . The acoustic projector of  claim 4  wherein the controller is configured to report the monitored current level to a remote controller configured to control the drive signal based further on the monitored current level. 
     
     
         6 . The acoustic projector of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to control the drive signal based further on the impedance indication. 
     
     
         7 . The acoustic projector of  claim 1  wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a defect is present based on the impedance indication. 
     
     
         8 . The acoustic projector of  claim 1  wherein the sound pressure radiation is in a kHz frequency band. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 producing a sound pressure radiation at a marine acoustic transmit transducer in response to a drive signal received from a transmit source;   monitoring a voltage level of the driver signal and a current level of the driver signal; and   deriving an indication of impedance of the acoustic transmit transducer based on the monitored voltage level and the monitored current level.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising reporting the monitored voltage level. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein reporting the monitored voltage level includes reporting the monitored voltage level to a remote controller over a bus and further comprising controlling the drive signal based further on the monitored voltage level. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising reporting the monitored current level. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein reporting the monitored current level includes reporting the monitored current level to a remote controller over a bus and further comprising controlling the drive signal based further on the monitored current level. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising reporting the indication of impedance to a remote controller over a bus and further comprising controlling the drive signal based further on the impedance indication. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising determining whether a defect is present based on the impedance indication. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the sound pressure radiation is in a kHz frequency band.