RU2366104C1 - Antenna module with digital output - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: instrument engineering.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to hydroacoustics and can be applied in manufacturing of hydroacoustic antennas. An antenna module with digital output embodies an integral module combining functions of hydroacoustic signal reception and signal preprocessing: analogue signal multiplication, filtration and analogue signal to digital code conversion. There is disclosed integrated structure easy-to-make, adjustable, transportable and serviceable. The integrated structure is presented by two versions of design arrangement of the antenna module: number of channels more than 20 and number of channels less than 20. There is covered side benefit of the antenna module if bears function of output data compression. In this case, total number of multicore cables from the antenna modules to the main body is decreased that improves body strength and survivability of a vessel that carries the antenna modules.

EFFECT: such integral design allows improving electromagnetic noise immunity of the antenna module owing to the absence of interface cables to transfer analogue signals from the hydroacoustic receivers of the antenna.

3 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to hydroacoustics, in particular to the design of antenna modules that allow you to combine the reception of hydroacoustic waves with the functions of amplification, filtering and converting an analog signal to a digital code.

Known hydroacoustic antenna modules of underwater objects according to patents of the Russian Federation (No. 2209530, class H04R 1/44 "Receiving multi-element integrated antenna for deep-sea phase bathymetric side-scan sonar"; No. 2147499, class H04R 1/44 "Linear antenna module of a hydroacoustic antenna"; No. 2269875, class H04R 1/44 “Multi-element antenna module of a hydroacoustic receiving antenna”), which group hydroacoustic transducers, which are located on a metal base, into groups. Hydroacoustic transducers are sealed with an acoustically transparent material. A multicore cable emerges from the antenna module, through which analog signals from hydroacoustic transducers are transmitted to a separate sealed instrument container, in which the signals are amplified.

The presence of cable connections between the antenna modules and the equipment containers increases the level of electromagnetic interference and reduces the level of the useful signal on the segments of the connecting cables.

Closest to the totality of common features is a typical design of a discrete hydroacoustic antenna (see M.D.Smaryshev, Yu.Yu. Dobrovolsky. Hydroacoustic antennas. L .: Shipbuilding, 1984, p.6), which we will take as a prototype.

According to the description of the prototype, a discrete sonar antenna contains sonar transducers mounted on a supporting structure using shock absorbers. The electrical leads of the sonar transducers are connected to a multicore cable through a sealed cable block.

The disadvantage of the antenna module of the prototype is the structural separation and diversity of the antenna module and the hardware container, in which the signal preprocessing takes place, which required the introduction of a connecting cable to transmit analog signals from the antenna module. With a significant amplification of weak signals by the signal preprocessing equipment (POS) in the equipment container, the receiving channels become very sensitive to the influence of electromagnetic interference affecting the transmission lines of the connecting cables. This circumstance, as well as the fact that the analog signal is attenuated the greater the longer the line length, makes it extremely undesirable to use connecting cables to transmit weak analog signals from sonar receivers of the antenna, since the signal to noise ratio decreases.

The technical result from the introduction of the proposal is the development of a structurally unified module that combines the functions of receiving hydroacoustic signals and at the same time the functions of signal preprocessing - amplification of analog signals, their filtering and conversion of analog signals to digital codes. This design allows you to improve the noise immunity of the antenna module from electromagnetic interference due to the absence of connecting cables for transmitting analog signals from sonar receivers of the antenna, as well as due to the location of the POS equipment at the location of the sonar transducers (nose end of a light housing, pull-out fence), where the level of electromagnetic interference significantly lower than at the location of the PIC equipment in the structural separation of antennas module and hardware container.

In addition, if the equipment of the antenna module will perform the function of compressing the output information, then the total number of multicore cables coming from the antenna modules to the main body is reduced. For example, a manufactured sample of an antenna module with 120 channels, due to the compression of the output information, made it possible to do just one multicore cable for transmitting information from the antenna module to the main body. Without seal, five cables would be required to transmit this information.

Reducing the number of sealed cable entries in the main hull increases the strength of the hull and the survivability of the ship-carrier antenna modules.

Thus, in an antenna module containing a multi-channel (more than 20 channels) sealed unit of hydroacoustic transducers, in which the transducers are mounted on a flat supporting base, an additional sealed instrument container is installed on the back of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers, in which a PIC unit is installed, which carries out amplification, filtering and converting analog signals to digital codes, in the necks on the back of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers and the part connected to it The equipment container contains pressure inputs with the corresponding parts of the input electrical connectors, which, when the container is installed on the unit of hydroacoustic transducers, provides automatic electrical connection of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers with the equipment container, the connection of the equipment container with the output cable is carried out through a similar pressure inlet with the electrical connector installed in the neck of the back of the container whose mate is in to sealed cable entry of the output cable.

At the same time, with the introduction of the digital output digital compression function in the antenna module, the number of cables coming from the antenna modules of the receiving antenna to the main body has been reduced.

With the number of channels in the antenna module up to 20 inclusive, it seems irrational to create a separate sealed equipment container for placement of the POS block in it based on the following considerations:

1. With a relatively small volume of the PIC unit, the container body, pressure glands, electrical connectors and sealing elements will occupy a volume larger than the POS unit itself.

2. Due to the small number of electrical connections between the unit of hydroacoustic transducers and the PIC unit, it is not necessary to introduce a detachable electrical connection between them.

Thus, structurally, the antenna module with a 20-channel unit of hydroacoustic transducers is a single housing with hydroacoustic transducers installed in it, mounted on a common base, and a PIC unit with a pressure seal installed on it with an output electrical connector. The Germanovod, in turn, is located in the neck of the sealing cover of the antenna module to ensure that the connector is docked with its counterpart located in the housing of the hermetic cable input of the output cable. The electrical connection of the unit of sonar transducers with the PIC block is carried out by soldering the conclusions of the sonar transducers directly to the contacts of the circuit board of the said block.

The invention is illustrated in figure 1, 2. Figure 1 shows an example of the structural layout of the proposed multi-channel antenna module with the number of channels more than 20, figure 2 - structural layout of the antenna module with the number of channels no more than 20.

Designations in figure 1, 2:

1 - block sonar transducers;

2 - the working surface of the unit sonar transducers;

3 - sealing material;

4 - sonar transducers;

5 - base;

6 and 8 - pressure inputs of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers and equipment unit, respectively;

7 - input electrical connector;

9 - hardware container;

10 - rubber sealing rings;

11 - output pressure seal;

12 - output electrical connector;

13 - the mate of the output electrical connector;

14 - output cable;

15 - signal preprocessing unit;

16 - circuit board of the PIC unit;

17 - antenna module housing;

18 - rubber sealing rings.

Presented in figure 1, the antenna module is made in the form of a prefabricated structure of two main elements: a unit of hydroacoustic transducers 1 and a hardware container 9. Such a prefabricated design is convenient in the manufacturing, tuning, transportation and operation.

The unit of hydroacoustic transducers 1 contains a set of hydroacoustic transducers 4 (conventionally shown by a dashed line) fixed on a common base 5. The transducers 4 are sealed on the working surface 2 with an acoustically transparent material 3 (rubber, polyurethane). On the back side of the base 5 there is a hermetic inlet 6 of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers 1 with the corresponding part of the electrical connector 7, to the shanks of which, by soldering, the leads of the hydroacoustic transducers are connected 4. The outputs of the input analog circuits of the unit are connected to the counterpart of the connector installed on the hermetic inlet 8 of the equipment container 9 Pic. When installing the hardware container 9 on the unit of sonar transducers 1, both their mechanical and electrical connections are made, provided by the applied inter-unit connectors with automatic docking. The sealing of the connection of the unit 1 with the container 9 is provided with rubber sealing rings 10 installed in the grooves on the protruding cylindrical part of the neck of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers 1.

In the neck of the rear part of the equipment container 9, a pressure lead 11 is installed with an output electrical connector 12, the counterpart 13 of which is located in the housing of the sealed cable entry of the output cable 14.

Description of the operation of the antenna module with a digital output.

Hydroacoustic waves pass through an acoustically transparent sealing material 3 and act on the working surface 2 of the hydroacoustic transducers 4 of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers 1. As a result of exposure to the conclusions of the hydroacoustic transducers, a signal appears in the form of an electrical voltage. The conclusions of the hydroacoustic transducers are connected by soldering to the shanks of the electrical connector 7 installed in the pressure lead 6. The electrical signals pass through the mating input of the electrical connector 7 installed in the pressure lead 8 of the instrument container 9 and are fed to the input analog circuit of the PIC unit. In the PIC block, amplification, filtering and digitalization of the electrical signal from each sonar transducer takes place. Next, the digital code is transmitted through the output electrical connector 12 installed in the output pressure lead 11 and the counterpart of the electrical connector 13 installed in the housing of the sealed cable entry of the output cable 14.

If there is no compaction function, the digital code of the signal from each sonar transducer is transmitted in the output cable via a separate information transmission line.

In the presence of the compaction function, the digital code of the signal from several hydroacoustic transducers is transmitted in the output cable via one information transmission line, due to which the required number of lines is reduced compared to the version without the compaction function. In specific samples of antenna modules, the function of compressing the output information is implemented, which made it possible to reduce the number of information transmission lines by 16, 24, and 30 times compared to the number of sonar transducers.

It should be borne in mind that part of the electric lines of the output cable is used to supply power to the PIC unit, control signals for operating modes, synchronization signals and service information.

Figure 2 presents the structural layout of the antenna module with 16 channels. The difference between this module and the one shown in Fig. 1 is that the POS 15 unit is located in the internal sealed volume of the antenna module in the housing 17, sealed with rubber o-rings 18. The electrical leads from the unit of hydroacoustic transducers are soldered directly to the petals of the circuit board 16 of the PIC unit.

Claims (3)

1. Antenna module with a digital output containing a sealed unit of hydroacoustic transducers, in which the hydroacoustic transducers are mounted on a bearing base, characterized in that a sealed instrument container is installed on the back of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers, in which a signal preprocessing unit that amplifies and filters is placed and converting analog signals to digital codes, in the necks on the back of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers and hermetic inlets of the equipment container are hermetic inlets with corresponding parts of the input electrical connectors, which, when the container is installed on the unit of hydroacoustic transducers, provides automatic electrical connection of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers with the equipment container, in the neck on the back of the container there is a hermetic inlet with an output electrical connector, a reciprocal part of the electrical connector located in the case of a sealed cable entry of the output cable, wherein the sealing of the connection of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers with the instrument container is ensured by the installation of rubber o-rings in the grooves on the protruding cylindrical neck of the unit of hydroacoustic transducers. 2. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal preprocessing unit is located inside the volume formed by the hermetic connection of the sonar transducer block and the sealing cover of the antenna module, the conclusions of the sonar transducer block are directly soldered to the input circuit board of the signal preprocessing unit, the output electrical connector is installed on the signal preprocessing unit and placed in the neck of the antenna mode sealing cap I, and the mating part of the electrical connector mounted in the housing watertight gland output cable. 3. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that in the PIC unit, the digital output information is densified, thereby reducing the number of cables coming from the antenna modules of the receiving antenna to the main body.

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