Patent ID: 7245559

Claim:
A sonar sensor system for determining if a potential underwater intruder passes within a protective boundary, the sonar system comprising: a first sonar sensor module comprising: a first sonar array that has a first sonar radiation pattern, wherein the first sonar radiation pattern is essentially omni-directional in a first underwater region; and a first data collection module that collects first sonar data of a target from the first sonar array; a second sonar sensor module comprising: a second sonar array that has a second sonar radiation pattern, wherein the second sonar radiation pattern is essentially omni-directional in a second underwater region; and a second data collection module that collects second sonar data of the target from the second sonar array; and a processor that obtains the first sonar data and that obtains the second sonar data, wherein the processor processes the first sonar data and the second sonar data in order to determine whether the target is deemed to be a threatening underwater intruder.