Multi-modal acoustic imaging tool

Abstract

Systems and methods directed toward acoustic analysis can include a plurality of acoustic sensor arrays, each including a plurality of acoustic sensor elements, and a processor in communication with the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays. The processor can be configured to select one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays based on one or more input parameters, and generate acoustic image data representative of an acoustic scene based on received acoustic data from the selected one or more acoustic sensor arrays. Such input parameters can include distance information and/or frequency information. Different acoustic sensor arrays can share acoustic sensor elements in common or can be entirely separate from one another. Acoustic image data can be combined with electromagnetic image data from an electromagnetic imaging tool to generate a display image.

1 . An acoustic analysis system comprising:
 a plurality of acoustic sensor arrays including at least
 a first acoustic sensor array comprising a first plurality of acoustic sensor elements being configured to receive acoustic signals from an acoustic scene and output acoustic data based on the received acoustic signals; 
 a second acoustic sensor array comprising a second plurality of acoustic sensor elements being configured to receive acoustic signals from an acoustic scene and output acoustic data based on the received acoustic signals; and 
   a processor in communication with each of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays, the processor being configured to:   select one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays based on one or more input parameters; and   generate acoustic image data representative of an acoustic scene based on received acoustic data from the selected one or more acoustic sensor arrays.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of acoustic sensor elements and the second plurality of acoustic sensor elements share at least one acoustic sensor element in common. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second plurality of acoustic sensor elements is a subset of the first plurality of acoustic sensor elements, such that the second acoustic sensor array is a portion of the first acoustic sensor array. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more acoustic sensor elements of the second plurality of acoustic sensor elements are nested within the first acoustic sensor array. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second acoustic sensor array is positioned between the first acoustic sensor array and the acoustic scene. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electromagnetic imaging tool in communication with the processor and being configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from a target scene and output electromagnetic image data representative of the received electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured generate a display image including combined electromagnetic image data and acoustic image data. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more input parameters comprises distance information representative of a distance to target value. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a distance measuring tool configured to output distance information representative of a distance to target, and wherein the processor is configured to receive distance information from the distance measuring tool and select one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays based on the received distance information. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein generating acoustic image data comprises performing a back-propagation calculation based on acoustic signals received from the selected one or more acoustic sensor arrays and the distance information. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the back-propagation calculation is selected from a plurality of possible back-propagation calculations based on the received distance information. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more input parameters comprises frequency information representative of frequency content of the acoustic scene. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive acoustic signals from at least one of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays;   analyze the received acoustic signals to determine frequency information representative of the frequency content of the acoustic scene; and   select the one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays based on the frequency information.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface in communication with the processor, and wherein the one or more input parameters comprises a selection of one or more acoustic sensor array from the user interface. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of acoustic sensor elements and the second plurality of acoustic sensor elements do not have any acoustic sensor elements in common. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of acoustic sensor elements includes a first type of acoustic sensor element and the second plurality of acoustic sensor elements includes a second type of acoustic sensor element, different from the first. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays further comprises a third acoustic sensor array comprising a third plurality of acoustic sensor elements being configured to receive acoustic signals from an acoustic scene and output acoustic data based on the received acoustic signals; and wherein the processor is configured to select one or more of the first acoustic sensor array, the second acoustic sensor array, or the third acoustic sensor array based on the one or more input parameters. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein
 the first acoustic sensor array is optimized for a first frequency range;   the second acoustic sensor array is optimized for a second frequency range; and   the third acoustic sensor array is optimized for a third frequency range.   
     
     
         19 . A method for generating acoustic image data of an acoustic scene using an acoustic imaging device having a plurality of acoustic sensor arrays, each of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays comprising a plurality of acoustic sensor elements, the method comprising:
 receiving one or more input parameters;   selecting one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays based on the received one or more input parameters;   receiving acoustic signals from the selected one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays; and   generating acoustic image data representative of an acoustic scene based on the received acoustic signals from the selected one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein receiving one or more input parameters comprises receiving distance information representative of a distance to target, and wherein the selecting the one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays is performed based on the received distance information. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the generating the acoustic image data comprises performing a back-propagation calculation using the received acoustic signals and the received distance information, and wherein the back-propagation calculation is one of a plurality of back-propagation calculations selected based on the received distance information. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein receiving one or more input parameters comprises receiving frequency information representative of frequency content in the acoustic scene, and wherein the selecting the one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays is performed based on the received frequency information. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 receiving acoustic signals from one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays representing an acoustic scene;   analyzing the received acoustic signals; and   determining frequency information representative of the acoustic scene based on the analyzed received acoustic signals; and wherein   the received frequency information comprises the frequency information representative of the acoustic scene determined from analysis of the received acoustic signals.   
     
     
         24 . A handheld portable acoustic imaging tool comprising:
 a plurality of acoustic sensor arrays, each of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays comprising a plurality of acoustic sensor elements;   electromagnetic imaging tool configured to receive electromagnetic radiation from a target scene and output electromagnetic image data representative of the received electromagnetic radiation; and   processor in communication with the electromagnetic tool and each of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays, the processor being configured to:   select one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays based on one or more input parameters;   generate acoustic image data representative of an acoustic scene based on received acoustic data from the selected one or more acoustic sensor arrays; and   combine the generated acoustic image data with electromagnetic image data from the electromagnetic imaging tool to generate a display image.   
     
     
         25 . The handheld portable acoustic imaging tool of  claim 24 , further comprising a distance measuring tool in communication with the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to receive distance information from the distance measuring tool and select the one or more of the plurality of acoustic sensor arrays based on the received distance information.