Fish Finder
First Claim
1. A method for ultrasonic acoustic imaging of objects within a body of water, the method comprising the steps of:
- collecting a plurality of echo soundings, the soundings produced by an ultrasonic transmitter and detected by an ultrasonic receiver, wherein each echo sounding comprises a plurality of echo signals, the echo signals corresponding to an apparent vertical depth, thereby forming an unfocused image;
collecting spatial location information of the transmitter and receiver, wherein said collected spatial location information is associated with each collected echo sounding; and
forming a focused image, further comprising the steps of;
selecting a focused signal spatial location wherein the selected focused signal spatial location is defined relative to said collected spatial location information associated with the echo soundings;
selecting one or more echo soundings from said plurality of echo soundings;
selecting an echo signal from each selected echo sounding, whereby the echo signal selection is determined by a calculation of which echo signal from the selected echo sounding corresponds to a focused signal occurring at the selected focused signal spatial location, wherein said calculation is based on the selected focused signal spatial location and on the collected spatial information associated with the selected echo sounding;
combining the selected echo signals, whereby a focused echo signal is formed; and
graphing the focused echo signal based on the selected focused signal spatial location, whereby a focused image is produced.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for focused ultrasonic acoustic imaging of objects within a body of water. A plurality of echo soundings are collected, the soundings produced by an ultrasonic transmitter and detected by an ultrasonic receiver. Spatial location information of the transmitter and receiver is collected and associated with each collected echo sounding. A focused signal spatial location is selected. One or more of the collected echo soundings are selected. An echo signal from each selected echo sounding is selected. The echo signal selection is determined by a calculation of which echo signal from the selected echo sounding corresponds to a focused signal occurring at the selected focused signal spatial location. The calculation is based on the selected focused signal spatial location and on the collected spatial information associated with the selected echo sounding. The selected echo signals are combined, whereby a focused echo signal is formed. The focused echo signals are graphed based on their respective selected focused signal spatial locations, whereby a focused image is produced.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for ultrasonic acoustic imaging of objects within a body of water, the method comprising the steps of:
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collecting a plurality of echo soundings, the soundings produced by an ultrasonic transmitter and detected by an ultrasonic receiver, wherein each echo sounding comprises a plurality of echo signals, the echo signals corresponding to an apparent vertical depth, thereby forming an unfocused image; collecting spatial location information of the transmitter and receiver, wherein said collected spatial location information is associated with each collected echo sounding; and forming a focused image, further comprising the steps of; selecting a focused signal spatial location wherein the selected focused signal spatial location is defined relative to said collected spatial location information associated with the echo soundings; selecting one or more echo soundings from said plurality of echo soundings; selecting an echo signal from each selected echo sounding, whereby the echo signal selection is determined by a calculation of which echo signal from the selected echo sounding corresponds to a focused signal occurring at the selected focused signal spatial location, wherein said calculation is based on the selected focused signal spatial location and on the collected spatial information associated with the selected echo sounding; combining the selected echo signals, whereby a focused echo signal is formed; and graphing the focused echo signal based on the selected focused signal spatial location, whereby a focused image is produced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for ultrasonic acoustic imaging of objects within a body of water, the system comprising:
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means for collecting a plurality of echo soundings, the soundings produced by an ultrasonic transmitter and detected by an ultrasonic receiver, wherein each echo sounding comprises a plurality of echo signals, the echo signals corresponding to an apparent vertical depth, thereby forming an unfocused image; means for collecting spatial location information of the transmitter and receiver, wherein said collected spatial location information is associated with each collected echo sounding; and means for forming a focused image, further comprising; means for selecting a focused signal spatial location wherein the selected focused signal spatial location is defined relative to said collected spatial location information associated with the echo soundings; means for selecting one or more echo soundings from said plurality of echo soundings; means for selecting an echo signal from each selected echo sounding, whereby the echo signal selection is determined by a calculation of which echo signal from the selected echo sounding corresponds to a focused signal occurring at the selected focused signal spatial location, wherein said calculation is based on the selected focused signal spatial location and on the collected spatial information associated with the selected echo sounding; means for combining the selected echo signals, whereby a focused echo signal is formed; and means for graphing the focused echo signal based on the selected focused signal spatial location, whereby a focused image is produced. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-readable medium for use with an apparatus for ultrasonic acoustic imaging of objects within a body of water, the computer-readable medium comprising:
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instructions for collecting a plurality of echo soundings, the soundings produced by an ultrasonic transmitter and detected by an ultrasonic receiver, wherein each echo sounding comprises a plurality of echo signals, the echo signals corresponding to an apparent vertical depth, thereby forming an unfocused image; instructions for collecting spatial location information of the transmitter and receiver, wherein said collected spatial location information is associated with each collected echo sounding; and instructions for forming a focused image, further comprising; instructions for selecting a focused signal spatial location wherein the selected focused signal spatial location is defined relative to said collected spatial location information associated with the echo soundings; instructions for selecting one or more echo soundings from said plurality of echo soundings; instructions for selecting an echo signal from each selected echo sounding, whereby the echo signal selection is determined by a calculation of which echo signal from the selected echo sounding corresponds to a focused signal occurring at the selected focused signal spatial location, wherein said calculation is based on the selected focused signal spatial location and on the collected spatial information associated with the selected echo sounding; instructions for combining the selected echo signals, whereby a focused echo signal is formed; and instructions for graphing the focused echo signal based on the selected focused signal spatial location, whereby a focused image is produced. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification