Multifan survey system and method

1. A survey system for performing a multifan bathymetric survey, the survey system including a multibeam echo sounder system for installation on a water going vehicle, the survey system comprising:

an acoustic transceiver for use with one or more transducers in a single projector array and plural transducers in a single hydrophone array;

the single projector array and said hydrophone array in a Mills Cross arrangement;

a transceiver transmitter for generating a message including N>=3 coded message components configured to simultaneously ensonifying three or more respective fans on a waterbody bottom using the single projector array;

a transceiver receiver having a receiver operating frequency range, the receiver for receiving returns from the ensonified fans that overlap in time and frequency;

N matched filters in the receiver, each matched filter selectively detecting a respective fan return out of the three or more respective fans and the operating frequency range of the receiver including a message component frequency band;

wherein the message components overlap in time and frequency.

2. The survey system of claim 1 wherein each of the coded message components occupies substantially all of the message component frequency band.

3. The survey system of claim 1 further comprising:

N signal generators in the transceiver transmitter, each signal generator for generating a respective one of the coded message components.

4. The survey system of claim 1 further comprising:

N spread spectrum signal generators in the transceiver transmitter, each signal generator for generating a respective one of the coded message components; and,

wherein the message component frequency band occupies less than one-half of the receiver operating frequency range.

5. The survey system of claim 1 further comprising:

N spread spectrum signal generators in the transceiver transmitter, each signal generator for generating a respective one of the coded message components; and,

wherein the message component frequency band occupies substantially all of the receiver operating frequency range.

6. The survey system of claim 5 further comprising: a set of differing frequency hopping codes, each code used to guide the selection of three or more frequencies characterizing each one of the message components.

7. The survey system of claim 6 wherein each one of the message components includes sequential sinusoidal waveforms at the three or more frequencies.

8. The survey system of claim 7 wherein Costas codes are used to guide the selection of three or more frequencies.

9. The survey system of claim 8 wherein the message components within the message are transmitted in parallel.

10. The survey system of claim 5 wherein the message includes five or more message components.

11. The survey system of claim 5 wherein the message includes ten or more message components.

12. The survey system of claim 5 wherein the message includes twenty or more message components.

13. The survey system of claim 10 wherein the message components within the message are transmitted in parallel.

14. The survey system of claim 10 wherein the message components within the message are transmitted serially.

15. The survey system of claim 10 wherein: the message includes (y+z) message components;

they message components are transmitted in parallel in a time interval t1;

the z message components are transmitted in parallel in a time interval t2; and the time interval t2 begins later than the time interval t1.

16. A survey system for performing a multifan bathymetric survey, the survey system including a multibeam echo sounder system for installation on a water going vehicle, the survey system comprising:

an acoustic transceiver for use with a projector array and a hydrophone array;

the projector array and the hydrophone array in a Mills Cross arrangement;

a transceiver transmitter for generating a message including N>=3 coded message components configured to simultaneously ensonifying three or more respective fans on a waterbody bottom using the single projector array;

a transceiver receiver having a receiver operating frequency range, the receiver for receiving returns from the ensonified fans that overlap in time and frequency;

N matched filters in the receiver, each matched filter selectively detecting a respective fan return and

the operating frequency range of the receiver including a message component frequency band;

wherein the coded message components overlap in time and frequency.

17. The survey system of claim 16 wherein the projector array ensonifies the entirety of a swath on a single ping.

18. The survey system of claim 17 wherein the projector array includes multiple distinct groups of projectors.