Abstract
This paper describes the development of a high‐resolution imaging sonar system based on innovative digital beamforming technology. The new beamformer provides rapid access to a high‐resolution, three‐dimensional image field, scanning simultaneously in both azimuth and elevation, to produce a “staring” image as well as traditional range/bearing presentation. The new digital beamformer operates on sampled data, and uses time delays rather than phase shifts for broadband signal capability. It also features dynamic, pulse‐tracking focusing from within one aperture of the array. An experimental imaging sonar with a 64‐channel digital beamformer has been constructed. A highly parallel, pipelined architecture is employed to obtain a processing rate of four million beam output samples per second, delayed and summed across 64 hydrophone channels. This paper describes the technology and presents results obtained with the prototype system, including samples of imagery.
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