A Jump-U model of echo pattern for a sonar ranging module

Sonar is extensively used in robot as a range sensor and the time-of-flight (TOF) information of ultrasonic echo is frequently adopted in sonar applications. This paper proposes a Jump-U model of ultrasonic echo pattern based on TOF data for a sonar ranging module. The model is established through a data regression method, utilizing TOF data and the relation between the delay time and the bearing angle of the sensor as input parameters. Because the proposed model can explain the jump phenomenon of TOF data and the shape of TOF data is similar to character U, the model is named as Jump-U. Moreover, the model includes several parameters, and one of them is intensity factor which can be regard as a relative strength of ultrasonic echo. Experiments are conducted to verify the proposed model by measuring the echo's TOF data of a plane with distances ranging from 100 to 200 cm. The results show a close agreement between simulation and measurements.