Systems and associated methods for producing sonar image overlay
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
- receive sonar data associated with an underwater environment relative to a watercraft at a location of a body of water, wherein the sonar data comprises sonar returns received by one or more sonar transducers of the watercraft, wherein the sonar returns are received from the underwater environment corresponding to a volume extending outwardly from the watercraft;
determine the location of the watercraft at an instance in which the sonar returns are received;
generate a sonar image from the sonar returns of the sonar data received by the one or more sonar transducers, wherein the sonar image is formed using sonar returns that were only received from the one or more transducers of the watercraft at the location and the instance in which the sonar returns were received;
determine a direction and a distance the sonar image extends from the watercraft when the sonar image would be positioned over a chart at a position corresponding to the location of the watercraft at the instance in which the sonar returns were received;
determine, based on the determined direction and distance, that the sonar image would extend over a boundary of the body of water, wherein the boundary corresponds to an edge of the body of water;
generate an updated sonar image based on the sonar image and the boundary of the body of the water such that no portion of the updated sonar image extends beyond the boundary, wherein at least a portion of the sonar image that would otherwise extend over the boundary is not present in the updated sonar image; and
cause display of the updated sonar image over the chart at the location such that the updated sonar image does not extend beyond the boundary as indicated by the chart.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Overlaying a sonar image over a chart at a corresponding location can provide a beneficial and easy to understand view of the underwater environment for a user. However, in some cases, the watercraft may be close to a boundary of the body of water when the sonar data is gathered. In such a scenario, inaccurate sonar returns or preset display distances of the sonar image can cause the resulting sonar image to be displayed over the boundary and covering land. This can be confusing and can be difficult to decipher. Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for cropping the sonar image for presentation over the chart such that no portion of the image extends beyond the boundary line of the body of water. This creates a smooth and easy to read sonar image/chart display.
256 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
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receive sonar data associated with an underwater environment relative to a watercraft at a location of a body of water, wherein the sonar data comprises sonar returns received by one or more sonar transducers of the watercraft, wherein the sonar returns are received from the underwater environment corresponding to a volume extending outwardly from the watercraft; determine the location of the watercraft at an instance in which the sonar returns are received; generate a sonar image from the sonar returns of the sonar data received by the one or more sonar transducers, wherein the sonar image is formed using sonar returns that were only received from the one or more transducers of the watercraft at the location and the instance in which the sonar returns were received; determine a direction and a distance the sonar image extends from the watercraft when the sonar image would be positioned over a chart at a position corresponding to the location of the watercraft at the instance in which the sonar returns were received; determine, based on the determined direction and distance, that the sonar image would extend over a boundary of the body of water, wherein the boundary corresponds to an edge of the body of water; generate an updated sonar image based on the sonar image and the boundary of the body of the water such that no portion of the updated sonar image extends beyond the boundary, wherein at least a portion of the sonar image that would otherwise extend over the boundary is not present in the updated sonar image; and cause display of the updated sonar image over the chart at the location such that the updated sonar image does not extend beyond the boundary as indicated by the chart. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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receiving sonar data associated with an underwater environment relative to a watercraft at a location of a body of water, wherein the sonar data comprises sonar returns received by one or more sonar transducers of the watercraft, wherein the sonar returns are received from the underwater environment corresponding to a volume extending outwardly from the watercraft; determining, by a processor, the location of the watercraft at an instance in which the sonar returns are received; generating a sonar image from the sonar returns of the sonar data received by the one or more sonar transducers, wherein the sonar image is formed using sonar returns that were only received from the one or more transducers of the watercraft at the location and the instance in which the sonar returns were received; determining a direction and a distance the sonar image extends from the watercraft when the sonar image would be positioned over a chart at a position corresponding to the location of the watercraft at the instance in which the sonar returns were received; determining, based on the determined direction and distance, that the sonar image would extend over a boundary of the body of water, wherein the boundary corresponds to an edge of the body of water; generating an updated sonar image based on the sonar image and the boundary of the body of the water such that no portion of the updated sonar image extends beyond the boundary, wherein at least a portion of the sonar image that would otherwise extend over the boundary is not present in the updated sonar image; and causing display of the updated sonar image over the chart at the location such that the updated sonar image does not extend beyond the boundary as indicated by the chart. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprised of at least one memory device having computer program instructions stored thereon, the computer program instructions being configured, when run by a processor, to:
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receive sonar data associated with an underwater environment relative to a watercraft at a location of a body of water, wherein the sonar data comprises sonar returns received by one or more sonar transducers of the watercraft, wherein the sonar returns are received from the underwater environment corresponding to a volume extending outwardly from the watercraft; determine the location of the watercraft at an instance in which the sonar returns are received; generate a sonar image from the sonar returns of the sonar data received by the one or more sonar transducers, wherein the sonar image is formed using sonar returns that were only received from the one or more transducers of the watercraft at the location and the instance in which the sonar returns were received; determine a direction and a distance the sonar image extends from the watercraft when the sonar image would be positioned over a chart at a position corresponding to the location of the watercraft at the instance in which the sonar returns were received; determine, based on the determined direction and distance, that the sonar image would extend over a boundary of the body of water, wherein the boundary corresponds to an edge of the body of water; generate an updated sonar image based on the sonar image and the boundary of the body of the water such that no portion of the updated sonar image extends beyond the boundary, wherein at least a portion of the sonar image that would otherwise extend over the boundary is not present in the updated sonar image; and cause display of the updated sonar image over the chart at the location such that the updated sonar image does not extend beyond the boundary as indicated by the chart. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification