Patent ID: 8199953

Claim:
A device for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic signals, the device comprising: a transducer configured to convert between electrical energy and the ultrasonic signals; and an acoustic horn coupled to the transducer, the acoustic horn comprising a plurality of horn structures having a common throat opening adjacent to the transducer and a plurality of mouth openings corresponding to a plurality of apertures through which the ultrasonic signals are transmitted or received in order to manipulate at least one of a radiation pattern, frequency response or magnitude of the ultrasonic signals, wherein the plurality of horn structures comprise a center horn structure and at least two adjacent peripheral horn structures aligned in a linear form, an aperture of the center horn structure having a different size than apertures of the at least two adjacent peripheral horn structures, and wherein the center horn structure is tubular, having parallel sides extending from the common throat opening to the aperture of the center horn structure, and each of the at least two adjacent peripheral horn structures comprises a conical outer portion extending to the aperture of the adjacent peripheral horn structure.