Patent ID: 8054712

Claim:
An autonomous hydrophone position locating and target tracking system, for deployment within a preselected volume of water, said water volume having a top surface, a bottom surface, and access to one or more overhead satellites, said system further including a plurality of distributed autonomous apparatuses, each said apparatus comprising: an array tether cable having a top end and a bottom end, said cable being disposed between said surface of said body of water and said ocean bottom surface; velocimeter means, attached to said array cable at discreet intervals, for determining water velocity gradients at preselected water depths; a buoy assembly floating on said ocean surface, said buoy assembly being connectably attached to the top end of said array tether cable, for communicating therewith and with said satellite; a base unit, deployed on said ocean bottom, said base unit being connectably attached to the bottom end of said array tether cable for communicating therewith; and a hydrophone, connectably attached to the exterior of said base unit, for receiving target generated acoustic signals and transmitting said signals via said base unit, said array cable and said surface buoy to said satellite.