Abstract: Ultrasonic locationing interleaved with alternate audio functions includes a plurality of transmitters for emitting ultrasonic bursts and alternate audio signals. A backend controller schedules the ultrasonic bursts and alternate audio signals from each transmitter. The backend controller can characterize an interference effect of defined interference parameters for each alternate audio signal, with respect to the ultrasonic bursts, and modify interleave scheduling of the ultrasonic bursts and alternate audio signals in accordance with the respective interference effect. A mobile device can receive the ultrasonic bursts for locationing of the mobile device, while a user or other device that can act on information in the alternate audio signals. Input from a user to an interface device can trigger the backend controller to schedule an alternate audio signal containing information related to the input.

Abstract: A technique for non-echo pulsed ranging of a mobile device within an environment includes a plurality of emitters within the environment transmitting signal pulses of a predefined frequency to a mobile device that can receive a signal pulse, convert the signal pulse into a digital waveform, store the digital waveform into a buffer having a predetermined length of time, and analyze the digital waveform to detect a signal pulse at the predefined frequency. If a signal pulse is detected, the mobile device can re-analyze the digital waveform that was stored in the buffer to see if another signal pulse can be detected within the waveform, indicating the existence of a reflected signal. If another signal pulse is detected, the mobile device can select the signal pulse that was received first in time, i.e. the direct signal, for use in ranging of the mobile device.

Abstract: A method for acquisition of seismic data in a marine environment.

Abstract: An omnidirectional antenna to equip a sonar, the antenna centered around a longitudinal axis and comprises an assembly of emission rings stacked along the longitudinal axis, each emission ring formed around the longitudinal axis. The emission rings are assembled in groups of ring, the antenna comprises at least two groups of rings and each group of rings comprises at least two rings, the inter-ring spacings between the rings of one and the same group and the inter-group spacings between two successive groups of rings chosen so as to optimize the emission bandwidth and the sound level.

Abstract: A circuit for an ultrasonic channel has a first and a second terminal between which extend a resistive and diode signal paths including a pair of diodes with opposing polarities, for example in anti-parallel. Switching circuitry is coupled with the resistive and diode signal paths and is switchable between first and second states. In the first state, the first and the second terminals are coupled with one another via the resistive signal path. In the second state, the first and the second terminals are coupled with one another via the diode signal path. The switching circuitry includes first and second transistor discharge circuits coupled between first and second drive lines and current paths of these transistors, and coupled to control terminals of these transistors. The control terminals are coupled to the first or second drive line and are non-conductive and conductive in first and second operating states, respectively.

Abstract: The invention discloses an omnidirectional vector electrostatic levitation geophone, comprising: a regular tetrahedron hollowed-out structure, and an inner hollowed-out base and an outer hollowed-out base that are provided inside and outside the regular tetrahedron hollowed-out structure and at equal distance from the regular tetrahedron hollowed-out structure, and have the same structure as and different size from the regular tetrahedron hollowed-out structure; the regular tetrahedron hollowed-out structure has a solid part and a hollowed-out part of each surface thereof, the solid part is a quadrangle divided from angular bisectors of two angles on each surface and an isosceles triangle that abuts the solid part by a surface central point, and the hollowed-out part is two triangles that are divided from the angular bisectors of the two angles and abut each other by a surface center.

Abstract: There are provided an ultrasonic imaging apparatus, an ultrasonic probe apparatus, a signal processing apparatus, and a method for controlling an ultrasonic imaging apparatus. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus may include at least one first ultrasound element installed in a first ultrasound element installation unit; at least one second ultrasound element installed in a second ultrasound element installation unit that is separate from the first ultrasound element installation unit and such that the second ultrasound element forms a gap with the first ultrasound element; and a processor configured to estimate one or two or more virtual ultrasound signals that correspond to the gap based on a first ultrasound signal output from the at least one first ultrasound element and a second ultrasound signal output from the at least one second ultrasound element.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a system for determining a location of a device is provided. According to one embodiment, the system comprises a management component, a plurality of microphones including a first microphone and a second microphone, at least one receiving component, the at least one receiving component coupled to the plurality of microphones and configured to receive signals from the plurality of microphones related to an acoustic signal detected by the plurality of microphones, determine a first timestamp of the acoustic signal using the signals received from the first microphone, determine a second timestamp of the acoustic signal using the signals received from the second microphone, and send the first timestamp and the second timestamp to the management component, the management component being configured to receive the first timestamp and the second timestamp and calculate the location of the device using the first timestamp and the second timestamp.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer having a flexible printed circuit board with a thick metal layer and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The ultrasonic transducer, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises: an active element that generates an ultrasonic signal, wherein the active element has a thickness of ¼? or less at the center frequency of the generated ultrasonic signal; and a flexible printed circuit board that includes a metal layer with a predetermined thickness, which is formed on one surface of the active element and is electrically connected to the active element, wherein the metal layer blocks ultrasonic waves that propagate in an opposite direction to a predetermined travel path of the ultrasonic waves.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to control of seismic sources such as marine vibrators. According to some embodiments, iterative learning control (ILC) systems may be used to control such seismic sources. According to some embodiments, local sensor(s) placed in, on, or near a seismic source and/or remote sensors placed in the far-field region may be used to determine a transfer function for the seismic source for such ILC control.

Abstract: A marine node for recording seismic waves underwater. The node includes a spherical body made of a material that has a density similar to a density of the water so that the body is buoyant neutral; a first sensor located in the body and configured to record three dimensional movements of the node; a second sensor located in the body and configured to record pressure waves propagating through the water; and one or more cables connected to the first and second sensors and configured to exit the body to be connected to an external device. The body is coupled to the water.

Abstract: In some examples, a CMUT may include a plurality of electrodes, and each electrode may include a plurality of sub-electrodes. For instance, a first sub-electrode and a second sub-electrode may be disposed on opposite sides of a third sub-electrode. In some cases, a first bias voltage may be applied to the third sub-electrode and a second bias voltage may be applied to the first and second sub-electrodes while causing at least one of the first sub-electrode, the second sub-electrode, or the third sub-electrode to transmit and/or receive ultrasonic energy. For example, the second bias voltage may be applied at a different voltage amount than the first bias voltage, and/or may be applied at a different timing than the first bias voltage.

Abstract: Power consumption of a seismic sensor is suppressed. The seismic sensor is operated in a power-saving mode and a measuring mode in which the power consumption is larger than that of the power-saving mode. The seismic sensor includes: a measuring part configured to measure an acceleration; an index calculator configured to transition from the power-saving mode to the measuring mode to calculate an index value indicating a size of an earthquake when the acceleration measured with the measuring part exceeds a first threshold; and a threshold adjuster configured to change the first threshold so as to increase the first threshold relative to a predetermined reference value when a tendency of the acceleration measured with the measuring part satisfies a predetermined condition.

Abstract: A marine sonar device comprises a display, a sonar element, and a processing element. The display displays sonar images. The sonar element generates a sonar beam during a ping and presents transducer signals. The processing element is configured to instruct the sonar element to generate the sonar beam at a first frequency during a first ping, receive a first transducer signal resulting from received reflections of the sonar beam at the first frequency, filter the first transducer signal to exclude frequencies other than the first frequency, instruct the sonar element to generate the sonar beam at a second frequency during a second ping, the second frequency being different from the first frequency, receive a second transducer signal resulting from received reflections of the sonar beam at the second frequency, and filter the second transducer signal to exclude frequencies other than the second frequency.

Abstract: An ultrasonic measurement apparatus has an ultrasonic transducer device including an ultrasonic element array, a first through n-th first end-side terminal XA1 to XAn provided to a first end side, and a first through n-th second end-side terminal XB1 to XBn provided to a second end side opposing the first end side; a first transmission circuit outputting first drive signals VTA1 to VTAn to the first through n-th first end-side terminals XA1 to XAn; and a second transmission circuit outputting second drive signals VTB1 to VTBn to the first through n-th second end-side terminals XB1 to XBn.

Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes an element substrate provided with an ultrasonic transducer array having a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged in an array, and having a first surface and a second surface located on an opposite side to the first surface, a terminal part disposed on the first surface of the element substrate, and outside the ultrasonic transducer array in a planar view viewed from a normal direction of the first surface, and electrically connected to the ultrasonic transducers, and a reinforcing plate disposed on the second surface of the element substrate in an area overlapping the terminal part in the planar view, and higher in bending rigidity than the element substrate.

Abstract: The present technology relates generally to receiving arrays to measure a characteristic of an acoustic beam and associated systems and methods. The receiving arrays can include elongated elements having at least one dimension, such as a length, that is larger than a width of an emitted acoustic beam and another dimension, such as a width, that is smaller than half of a characteristic wavelength of an ultrasound wave. The elongated elements can be configured to capture waveform measurements of the beam based on a characteristic of the emitted acoustic beam as the acoustic beam crosses a plane of the array, such as a transverse plane. The methods include measuring at least one characteristic of an ultrasound source using an array-based acoustic holography system and defining a measured hologram at the array surface based, at least in part, on the waveform measurements. The measured hologram can be processed to reconstruct a characteristic of the ultrasound source.

Abstract: Example implementations relate to determining a location using time difference of arrival (TDOA). For example, a computing device may include a first sensor to receive a signal at a first time, where the signal is generated by a user contact at a particular location on a keyboard associated with the computing device. The computing device also includes a second sensor to receive the signal at a second time and a third sensor to receive the signal at a third time. The computing device may also include a processor. The processor may calculate a set of TDOAs associated with the first time, the second time, and the third time. The processor may determine the particular location of the user contact using a triangulation based on the set of TDOAs and may identify a character on the keyboard, where the character is associated with the particular location.

Abstract: An illustrative controller embodiment includes: a transmitter that causes reverberation of a piezoelectric transducer; and a linear damping module that measures characteristics of the reverberation and tunes at least one of a shunt resistance and a shunt reactance for the piezoelectric transducer based on said characteristics. An illustrative sensor embodiment includes: a piezoelectric transducer; and a transducer controller coupled to the piezoelectric transducer to transmit pulses and receive echoes for measuring distances. The controller includes a linear damping module with: a shunt resistance; a shunt inductance; and an optional switch that couples the shunt resistance and shunt inductance in parallel to the piezoelectric transducer to damp reverberation of the piezoelectric transducer after said transmit pulses. The controller measures at least one characteristic of said reverberation and responsively tunes the shunt resistance or the shunt inductance.

Abstract: A wireless sonar receiver is provided including a wireless receiver configured to receive sonar data from a wireless sonar transducer configured to receive sonar returns from an underwater environment as first sonar return data, convert the first sonar return data into sonar image data, and transmit the sonar image data wirelessly to the wireless sonar receiver. The wireless sonar receiver also includes a receiver processor and a receiver memory including computer program code configured to, with the receiver processor, cause the wireless sonar receiver to convert the sonar image data to second sonar return data corresponding to the sonar returns received by the wireless sonar transducer. The wireless sonar transducer also includes an output port configured to transmit the second sonar return data to a marine electronic device for processing of the second sonar return data to generate at least one sonar image for display on a user interface.