Operating a sonar transducer

• US 10,324,175 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navico Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navico Holding A.S. (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Laster, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Isam A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ndure, Amie M
• Application Number:
  US14/566,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• 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 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/60 for providing a permanent recording
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/6218 providing two-dimensional coordinated display of distance and direction
• 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

Various implementations described herein are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, may cause the computer to sense deployment of a transducer in water based on receiving sonar data from the transducer. The computer may automatically trigger at least one event upon receiving the sonar data. The at least one event may include recording the sonar data generated by the transducer.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a first signal from a transducer associated with a conductivity sensor configured to automatically sense deployment of the transducer into a body of water, wherein the first signal includes a first command to start recording sonar data generated by the transducer, wherein the transducer comprises a castable sonar transducer, and wherein automatic sensing of deployment of the transducer in the body of water occurs after casting the transducer in the body of water by a user;

determine deployment of the transducer in the body of water based on receiving the first signal from the transducer;

receive sonar data generated by the transducer;

in response to receiving the sonar data subsequent to determining deployment of the transducer, automatically trigger recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer to create a sonar log of the sonar data;

sense removal of the transducer from the body of water based on receiving a second signal from the transducer, the second signal including a second command to stop recording sonar data generated by the transducer; and

automatically trigger stopping recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

generate a map of an underwater environment below a surface of the body of water between the surface of the body of water and a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

display images associated with the sonar data on a computer display.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

automatically upload the sonar data to at least one database via a network.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein recording the sonar data comprises:

associating the sonar data generated by the transducer-with geographical coordinate data generated by a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the sonar log comprises the associated sonar data and geographical coordinate data.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

display a map of the underwater environment below the surface of the body of water based on the sonar data and the geographical coordinate data on a computer display.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

upload the sonar log including the associated sonar data and the geographical coordinate data to at least one database via a network.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

generate a map of the underwater environment below the surface of the body of water based on the associated sonar data and geographical coordinate data of the sonar log.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein generating the map of the underwater environment comprises stitching two or more sonar logs together.

10. A method of operating a sonar transducer comprising:

receiving a first signal from the transducer associated with a conductivity sensor configured to automatically sense deployment of the transducer into a body of water, wherein the first signal includes a first command to start recording sonar data generated by the transducer, wherein the transducer comprises a castable sonar transducer, and wherein automatically sensing deployment of the transducer in the body of water occurs after casting the transducer in the body of water by a user;

determining, by a processor, deployment of the transducer in the body of water based on receiving the first signal from the transducer;

receiving sonar data generated by the transducer;

in response to receiving the sonar data subsequent to determining deployment of the transducer, automatically triggering, by a processor, recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer to create a sonar log of the sonar data;

sensing removal of the transducer from the body of water based on receiving a second signal from the transducer, the second signal corresponding to a second command to stop recording sonar data generated by the transducer; and

automatically triggering stopping recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a map of an underwater environment below a surface of the body of water between the surface of the body of water and a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein recording the sonar data comprises:

associating the sonar data generated by the transducer with geographical coordinate data generated by a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the sonar log comprises the associated sonar data and geographical coordinate data.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

generating a map of the underwater environment below the surface of the body of water based on the associated sonar data and geographical coordinate data of the sonar log.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the map of the underwater environment comprises stitching two or more sonar logs together.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a first signal from a transducer associated with a conductivity sensor configured to automatically sense deployment of the transducer into a body of water, wherein the first signal includes a first command to start recording sonar data generated by the transducer, wherein the transducer is coupled to a vessel and wherein automatically sensing deployment of the transducer in the body of water occurs after launching the vessel in the body of water;

determine deployment of the transducer in the body of water based on receiving the first signal from the transducer;

receive sonar data generated by the transducer;

in response to receiving the sonar data subsequent to determining deployment of the transducer, automatically trigger recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer to create a sonar log of the sonar data;

sense removal of the transducer from the body of water based on receiving a second signal from the transducer, the second signal corresponding to a second command to stop recording sonar data generated by the transducer; and

automatically trigger stopping recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

generate a map of an underwater environment below a surface of the body of water between the surface of the body of water and a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

display images associated with the sonar data on a computer display.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein recording the sonar data comprises:

associating the sonar data generated by the transducer-with geographical coordinate data generated by a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver, wherein the sonar log comprises the associated sonar data and geographical coordinate data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

generate a map of the underwater environment below the surface of the body of water based on the associated sonar data and geographical coordinate data of the sonar log.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein generating the map of the underwater environment comprises stitching two or more sonar logs together.