Side scan sonar imaging system with enhancement

• US 20090147622A1
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Outdoors, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Johnson Outdoors, Inc.
• Inventors: Betts, David A., Derrow, Robert W., Howells, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,755,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/88
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/107 using frequency agility of carrier wave
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8902 Side-looking sonar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 for locating fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features

Abstract

A system for use with a boat to provide underwater sonar images, includes a left side scan sonar transducer for transmitting left side scan sonar pulses and for receiving left side scan sonar return signals, a right side scan sonar transducer for transmitting right side scan sonar pulses and for receiving right side scan sonar return signals, and signal processing circuitry for processing the left and right side scan sonar return signals to produce side scan image data. The system further includes a user interface including user inputs and a display and a digital processor for providing signals to the display to show an underwater image based upon the side scan image data, wherein the digital processor, in response to a user command, performs an image enhancement algorithm to enhance the underwater image.

Claims

1. A method of providing underwater sonar images, the method comprising:

transmitting left and right side scan sonar pulses with left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively;

receiving left and right side scan sonar return signals with the left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively;

generating side scan image data from the left and right side scan sonar return signals;

displaying an underwater image based upon the side scan image data;

receiving a user command;

applying an image enhancement algorithm to the side scan image data in response to the user command; and

displaying an underwater image based upon enhanced side scan image data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image enhancement algorithm comprises user adjustable time variable gain optimization.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the image enhancement algorithm comprises a fish finding algorithm to differentiate between side scan sonar return signals from fish and other side scan sonar return signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the left and right side scan sonar transducers are mounted to a boat, and wherein the image enhancement algorithm comprises differential amplitude filtering to filter certain noise common to boat operation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the left and right side scan sonar transducers are mounted to the boat in a position that detects noise caused by spark plug operation, and wherein the certain noise comprises spark plug noise.

7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

providing anti-ring pulses upon transmission of the left and right side scan sonar pulses to improve resolution of the underwater image.

4. The method of claim 4, and further comprising:

transmitting down beam sonar pulses with a down beam sonar transducer;

receiving down beam sonar return signals with the down beam sonar transducer; and

generating down beam depth values based upon the down beam sonar return signals, wherein the image enhancement algorithm uses down beam depth values to correct slant angle range information.

8. A method of providing underwater sonar images, the method comprising:

transmitting left and right side scan sonar pulses with left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively;

providing anti-ring pulses with the left and right side scan sonar pulses;

receiving left and right side scan sonar return signals with the left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively;

generating side scan image data from the left and right side scan sonar return signals; and

displaying an underwater image based upon the side scan image data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the left side scan sonar pulses are directed downward and laterally outward to a left side of a boat, the left side scan sonar pulses having a narrow horizontal width in a direction of travel of the boat and a wide vertical width in a plane perpendicular to the direction of boat travel, and wherein the right side scan sonar pulses are directed downward and laterally outward to a right side of the boat, the right side scan sonar pulses having a narrow horizontal width in the direction of travel of the boat and a wide vertical width in the plane perpendicular to the direction of boat travel.

10. A system for use with a boat to provide underwater sonar images, the system comprising:

a left side scan sonar transducer for transmitting left side scan sonar pulses and for receiving left side scan sonar return signals;

a right side scan sonar transducer for transmitting right side scan sonar pulses and for receiving right side scan sonar return signals;

signal processing circuitry for processing the left and right side scan sonar return signals to produce side scan image data;

a user interface including user inputs and a display; and

a digital processor for providing signals to the display to show an underwater image based upon the side scan image data, wherein the digital processor, in response to a user command, performs an image enhancement algorithm to enhance the underwater image.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the image enhancement algorithm comprises user adjustable time variable gain optimization.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the image enhancement algorithm comprises a fish finding algorithm to differentiate between side scan sonar return signals from fish and other side scan sonar return signals.

13. The system of claim 10, and further comprising:

a down beam sonar transducer for transmitting down beam sonar pulses and receiving down beam sonar return signals, wherein the signal processing circuitry processes the down beam sonar return signal to produce down beam depth, and wherein the image enhancement algorithm comprises use of down beam depth to correct slant angle range information.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the image enhancement algorithm comprises differential amplitude filtering to filter certain noise common to boat operation.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the left and right side scan sonar transducers is mounted to the boat in a position that detects noise caused by spark plug operation, and wherein the certain noise comprises spark plug noise.