Sonar rendering systems and associated methods

• US 10,247,823 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navico Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navico Holding A.S. (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Kevin, Coleman, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Baghdasaryan, Hovhannes
• Application Number:
  US14/936,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20160061951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/50 Systems of measurement, based on relative movement of the target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8902 Side-looking sonar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/6281 Composite displays, e.g. split-screen, multiple images
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/629 the display being oriented or displaced in accordance with the movement of object carrying the transmitting and receiving apparatus

Abstract

Sonar rendering systems and methods are described herein. One example is an apparatus that includes a transducer element, position sensing circuitry, processing circuitry, and a display device. The processing circuitry may be configured to receive raw sonar data and positioning data, convert the raw sonar data into range cell data based at least on amplitudes of the return echoes, make a location-based association between the raw sonar data and the positioning data, plot the range cell data based on respective positions derived from the positioning data and rotate the range cell data based on a direction of movement of the watercraft to generate adjusted range cell data. The processing circuitry may be further configured to convert the adjusted range cell data into sonar image data, and cause the display device to render the sonar image data with a presentation of a geographic map.

Claims

1. A sonar system for a watercraft, the sonar system comprising:

a transducer assembly configured to;

emit one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment,

receive sonar returns of the one or more sonar beams, wherein the sonar returns are received from the underwater environment corresponding to a volume extending outwardly from the watercraft,

convert the sonar returns into raw sonar data, and

be mounted to the watercraft,

wherein the transducer assembly comprises at least one transducer;

a position sensor configured to determine positioning data indicative of a position of the watercraft;

one or more processors configured to;

receive the raw sonar data and the positioning data,

process the raw sonar data to determine a plurality of different depth measurements associated with a floor of the underwater environment, wherein each different depth measurement is associated with at least one corresponding sonar return converted into the raw sonar data;

determine respective positions on the floor of the underwater environment for each of the plurality of depth measurements based on one or more characteristics of the sonar return associated with each depth measurement;

determine, based on the raw sonar data, a plurality of depth sounding indicators based on the respective positions on the floor of the underwater environment for each of the plurality of depth measurements, wherein the plurality of depth sounding indicators include at least one of one or more numbers or one or more contour lines;

determine, based on the positioning data, a location within at least one of a chart or a geographic map corresponding to the position of the watercraft when the raw sonar data was acquired,

generate a sonar image from the sonar returns of the raw sonar data, wherein the sonar image is formed using sonar returns that were only received from the transducer assembly of the watercraft at the location and an instance in which the sonar returns were received, wherein the sonar image includes the plurality of depth sounding indicators, wherein the sonar image illustrates an area of the floor of the underwater environment with each of the plurality of depth sounding indicators at different positions within the area, and

cause the sonar image to overlay the at least one geographic map or chart at the determined location; and

a display device configured to display the sonar image with the one or more depth sounding indicators over the at least one geographic map or chart at the determined location.

2. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

filter the raw sonar data to determine sonar returns that are associated with a floor of the underwater environment; and

form the sonar image based solely on the sonar returns that are associated with the floor of the underwater environment.

3. The sonar system of claim 1 further comprising a direction sensor, wherein:

the one or more processors are configured to;

determine a direction the watercraft is headed when the raw sonar data was acquired; and

determine an orientation for the sonar image with respect to the at least one chart or geographic map based on the direction; and

wherein the display device is configured to display the sonar image over the at least one chart or geographic map in the determined orientation.

4. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more processors are configured to;

receive subsequent raw sonar data as the watercraft travels along a surface of water,

form subsequent sonar images with one or more depth sounding indicators based on the subsequent raw sonar data, and

determine respective subsequent locations on the at least one chart or geographic map corresponding to the position of the watercraft when the subsequent raw sonar data represented in the subsequent image was acquired; and

the display device is configured to display the subsequent sonar images with the one or more depth sounding indicators over the at least one geographic map or chart at the respective subsequent locations to create a representative image of the floor of the underwater environment that includes one or more depth sounding indicators.

5. The sonar system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are configured to form the sonar image, and the display device is configured to display the sonar image, in a live mode such that the sonar image is formed and displayed as the watercraft travels along the surface of water.

6. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the sonar image comprises at least a first layer corresponding to a sonar data image formed based on the sonar returns and a second layer corresponding to a depth sounding indicator image that includes the one or more depth sounding indicators.

7. The sonar system of claim 6, wherein the display device is configured to display the first layer and the second layer over the at least one geographic map or chart based on a user selection.

8. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to scale the sonar image based on a zoom level of the at least one chart or geographic map.

9. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to dynamically adjust a scan rate for the transducer assembly based on a speed of the watercraft such that the transducer assembly is configured to repeatedly emit the sonar beam at a first scan rate when the watercraft is traveling at a first speed and a second scan rate when the watercraft is traveling at a second speed, wherein the first scan rate is greater than the second scan rate and the first speed is greater than the second speed.

10. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein, in an instance in which at least two depth sounding indicators are associated with a same location, the display device is configured to display the sonar image at the same location corresponding to the depth sounding indicator with a smaller depth value.

11. A method comprising:

emitting, by a transducer assembly, one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment, wherein the transducer assembly comprises at least one transducer and is configured to be mounted to a watercraft;

receiving sonar returns of the one or more sonar beams, wherein the sonar returns are received from the underwater environment corresponding to a volume extending outwardly from the watercraft;

converting the sonar returns into raw sonar data;

determining, by a position sensor, positioning data indicative of a position of the watercraft;

receiving, by one or more processors, the raw sonar data and the positioning data;

processing the raw sonar data to determine a plurality of different depth measurements associated with a floor of the underwater environment, wherein each different depth measurement is associated with at least one corresponding sonar return converted into the raw sonar data;

determining respective positions on the floor of the underwater environment for each of the plurality of depth measurements based on one or more characteristics of the sonar return associated with each depth measurement;

determining, based on the raw sonar data, a plurality of depth sounding indicators based on the respective positions on the floor of the underwater environment for each of the plurality of depth measurements, wherein the plurality of depth sounding indicators include at least one of one or more numbers or one or more contour lines;

determining, based on the positioning data, a location within at least one of a chart or a geographic map corresponding to the position of the watercraft when the raw sonar data was acquired;

generating a sonar image from the sonar returns of the raw sonar data, wherein the sonar image is formed using sonar returns that were only received from the transducer assembly of the watercraft at the location and an instance in which the sonar returns were received, wherein the sonar image includes the plurality of depth sounding indicators, wherein the sonar image illustrates an area of the floor of the underwater environment with each of the plurality of depth sounding indicators at different positions within the area;

causing the sonar image to overlay the at least one geographic map or chart at the determined location; and

displaying, by a display device, the sonar image with the one or more depth sounding indicators over the at least one geographic map or chart at the determined location.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

filtering the raw sonar data to determine sonar returns that are associated with a floor of the underwater environment; and

forming the sonar image based solely on the sonar returns that are associated with the floor of the underwater environment.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the sonar image comprises at least a first layer corresponding to a sonar data image formed based on the sonar returns and a second layer corresponding to a depth sounding indicator image that includes the one or more depth sounding indicators.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the displaying comprises displaying the first layer and the second layer over the at least one geographic map or chart based on a user selection.

13. 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 executed by one or more processors, to:

cause emission, by a transducer assembly, of one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment, wherein the transducer assembly is further configured to receive sonar returns of the one or more sonar beams and convert the sonar returns into raw sonar data, wherein the transducer assembly is configured to be mounted to a watercraft, wherein the sonar returns are received from the underwater environment corresponding to a volume extending outwardly from the watercraft;

cause determination, by a position sensor, of positioning data indicative of a position of the watercraft;

receive the raw sonar data and the positioning data;

process the raw sonar data to determine a plurality of different depth measurements associated with a floor of the underwater environment, wherein each different depth measurement is associated with at least one corresponding sonar return converted into the raw sonar data;

determine respective positions on the floor of the underwater environment for each of the plurality of depth measurements based on one or more characteristics of the sonar return associated with each depth measurement;

determine, based on the raw sonar data, a plurality of depth sounding indicators based on the respective positions on the floor of the underwater environment for each of the plurality of depth measurements, wherein the plurality of depth sounding indicators include at least one of one or more numbers or one or more contour lines;

determine, based on the positioning data, a location within at least one of a chart or a geographic map corresponding to the position of the watercraft when the raw sonar data was acquired;

generate a sonar image from the sonar returns of the raw sonar data, wherein the sonar image is formed using sonar returns that were only received from the transducer assembly of the watercraft at the location and an instance in which the sonar returns were received, wherein the sonar image includes the plurality of depth sounding indicators, wherein the sonar image illustrates an area of the floor of the underwater environment with each of the plurality of depth sounding indicators at different positions within the area;

cause the sonar image to overlay the at least one geographic map or chart at the determined location; and

cause display, by a display device, of the sonar image with the one or more depth sounding indicators over the at least one geographic map or chart at the determined location.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the image comprises at least a first layer corresponding to a sonar data image formed based on the sonar returns and a second layer corresponding to a depth sounding indicator image that includes the one or more depth sounding indicators.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein causing display of the sonar image comprises causing display of the first layer and the second layer over the at least one geographic map or chart based on a user selection.