Abstract: The invention relates to a method of classifying one or several watercraft using the sound waves emitted or transmitted by these vehicles. The sound waves are thereby received using an array of underwater sound sensors of a sonar receiving system and processed into received signals. At least one amplitude spectrum is generated from these received signals consisting of one or more sets of frequency lines and any individual lines, from which the characteristic vehicle parameters are automatically determined in a frequency line pattern detection module or determined manually. Subsequently, the vehicle characteristic parameters are compared with the database parameters, where this comparison is evaluated with a matching factor. Considering the matching factor, one or several watercraft are determined as the result of the classification. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding device for carrying out the process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of classifying one or several watercraft using the sound waves (2) emitted or transmitted by these vehicles. The sound waves (2) are thereby received using an array of underwater sound sensors of a sonar receiving system (4) and processed into received signals (6). At least one amplitude spectrum (24) is generated from these received signals (6) consisting of one or more sets of frequency lines and any individual lines, from which the characteristic vehicle parameters (28) are automatically determined in a frequency line pattern detection module (26) or determined manually. Subsequently, the vehicle characteristic parameters (28) are compared with the database parameters, where this comparison is evaluated with a matching factor (34). Considering the matching factor (34), one or several watercraft are determined as the result of the classification. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding device for carrying out the process.