William James Zehner

US Patent:

6366887, Apr 2, 2002

Filed:

Jan 12, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/005936

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL
R. Lee Thompson - Austin TX

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

G10L 1306

US Classification:

704278, 704267

Abstract:

A method transforms non-speech input signals into the temporal, spectral and redundancy patterns resembling that of human speech. A digital signal series x (n) is generated as a function of a non-speech analog input signal in accordance with where N is the length of the input signal, L is the length of a windowed portion of the input signal, A is an offset between successively applied ones of the windowed portions, w(m) is a smoothing function simulating amplitude and structure of human speech phonemes, f is a rate at which the input signal is sampled, and (n-pL+m) is a delta function that is equal to 1 for (n-pL+m)=0 and equal to 0 for (n-pL+m)â0. The digital signal series is output to a device that presents its temporal, spectral and redundancy patterns.

US Patent:

44492090, May 15, 1984

Filed:

Jan 11, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/338787

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL
David P. Skinner - Panama City FL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01S 1534

US Classification:

367102

Abstract:

A continuous transmission FM sonar avoids target ambiguities while utiliz the entire transmitted bandwidth for echo analysis. The sonar is characterized by digital generation of direct and quadrature versions of the transmitted frequency sweep, and balanced modulators responsive thereto to effect complex demodulation of the returned signals prior to analysis, as by a fast fourier transform frequency analyzer for target detection.

US Patent:

55329748, Jul 2, 1996

Filed:

Jun 9, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/521379

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

H04B 1700

US Classification:

367013

Abstract:

An apparatus for performing beam pattern measurements for a side-scanning nar. The apparatus consists of a vertically mounted guide affixed to one end of a test pool and a vertically fixed mounting means affixed to the opposite end of the pool, the guide and mounting means orthogonal to each other. A carriage to which the transducer under test is attached is movably secured to travel up and down the guide. A gear motor having a takeup reel winds and unwinds an attached cable, the other end of which connects to the carriage, producing its up and town travel. The motor connects via a motor controller and position cable to a motor controller at a remote instrumentation facility. A position sensing device slaved to the carriage cable sends carriage position information to the facility for motor control. The array is secured immobile to the vertically fixed mounting means. The vertically fixed mounting means may be arranged to permit horizontal travel in the direction of the vertically mounted guide for range adjustment.

US Patent:

56423292, Jun 24, 1997

Filed:

Oct 3, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/538484

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01S 1500

US Classification:

367105

Abstract:

A sonar array which has a resolving power which is double that of convental sonar arrays includes an array of hydrophones each having an acoustic center, a first projector positioned proximate a first endmost one of the hydrophones for launching a first sound signal during a first transmission time period, a second projector positioned proximate a second endmost one of the hydrophones for launching a second sound signal during a second transmission time period, wherein the hydrophones receive first echo signals and convert the first echo signals into first electrical echo signals during the first transmission time period, and receive second echo signals and convert the second echo signals into second electrical echo signals during the second transmission time period, and, a receiver for receiving and storing the first and second electrical echo signals, and for coherently summing the stored first and second electrical echo signals, to thereby produce a beam having a half-power beam width which is one-half that of a beam produced by a conventional sonar array. Also disclosed is a method for doubling the resolving power of a sonar array.

US Patent:

55463568, Aug 13, 1996

Filed:

Jun 30, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/083607

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01S 1500

US Classification:

367 88

Abstract:

A pulsed-transmission, single frequency echo-ranging sonar system has a w-beam acoustic projector with sharp cutoff of energy radiated in directions other than the desired field of view and a nearly constant amount of acoustic energy throughout the desired vertical field.

US Patent:

55068120, Apr 9, 1996

Filed:

Jun 30, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/083606

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01S 1589

US Classification:

367 88

Abstract:

A pulsed-transmission, narrow-band, echo-ranging sonar system has a tow b in which the transmit and receive arrays are mounted so that the field searched forms a toroidal volume.

US Patent:

55329730, Jul 2, 1996

Filed:

Jun 9, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/521376

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

H04B 1700

US Classification:

367 13

Abstract:

A resolving power target for side-scanning sonars and other sound transming devices such as but not limited to ultrasonic devices. The target is a planar sheet having one smooth surface to which a resolution pattern is masked. An adhesive is applied to the masked pattern and articles such as gravel or other three-dimensional equivalents are introduced to produce the irregularity to the smooth surface within the confines of the resolution pattern. The resolution pattern for a particular application is selected experimentally, however, a Limansky pattern is used in the present invention for side-scanning sonar resolution measurements.

US Patent:

53294955, Jul 12, 1994

Filed:

Jun 30, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/083600

Inventors:

William J. Zehner - Lynn Haven FL

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

H04R 1700

US Classification:

367138

Abstract:

A pulsed-transmission, narrow-band sonar system has a first antenna array ich is unshaded and a second array partitioned into four parts, the center two of which are electrically connected in parallel and the outer two of which are connected in series.