Patent ID: 9019795
Filing Date: 2015-04-28
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A method of tracking an object in a fluid, comprising: a) recording a first set of three dimensional points representing of a first portion of the surface of the object, the first set of three dimensional points recorded in computer readable media; b) directing sound waves from a source towards at least a second portion of the surface of the object, wherein the object is immersed in a fluid, the sound waves directed at a time t c) receiving sound waves reflected from the second portion of the surface with a two dimensional sonar receiving array, wherein the sonar receiving array communicates signals measuring the reflected sound waves to a computer readable recording device, and wherein the first and second portions of the surface have at least one overlap region; then d) constructing a second set of three dimensional points representing the surface of the second portion of the surface of the object from the signals recorded on the computer readable recording device; then e) iteratively matching the first set of points to the second set of points; then f) displaying a three dimensional sonar image of the second portion of the surface combined with a three dimensional image of a third portion of the surface of the object, the three dimensional image of the third portion of the surface calculated the first set of points, wherein the third portion of the surface is included in the first portion of the surface and not part of the second portion of the surface.