WATERCRAFT AUTOMATION AND AQUATIC EFFORT DATA UTILIZATION

• US 20120072102A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin Switzerland GmbH (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ryan T. Grace, Ted V. Grace
• Inventors: GRACE, TED V., GRACE, RYAN T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 83/02 Expanding fish-hook assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 85/00 Artificial bait for fishing
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 85/02 with means for concealing or protecting hooks, e.g. to prevent entanglement with weeds
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 91/08 Trolling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 93/02 with signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/00 Accessories for angling fish stringers A01K65/00; landing-nets or landing-spoons for fishing A01K77/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2201/18 Sonar
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2211/02 Oceanography
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2213/02 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System GPS
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 51/00 Marking of navigation route
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/15 for monitoring environmental variables, e.g. wave height or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 79/40 for controlling the operation of vessels, e.g. monitoring their speed, routing or maintenance schedules
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/007 Trolling propulsion units trolling plates for slowing down B63H25/50; dynamo-electric machines of trolling units H02K
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2021/216 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/045 making use of satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2025/425 Propulsive elements, other than jets, substantially used for steering or dynamic anchoring only, with means for retracting, or otherwise moving to a rest position outside the water flow around the hull
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/21 Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 25/04 automatic, e.g. reacting to compass
• CPC Class Codes: B63J 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 : Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 : Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0206 : specially adapted to water vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/00 : Control of position or direction G05D1/00 takes precedence; numerical control to execute positioning G05B19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 : Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/80 : in fisheries management

Abstract

Watercraft automation and aquatic data utilization for aquatic efforts are disclosed. In one aspect, an anchor point is obtained and a watercraft position maintenance routine is actuated to control the watercraft to maintain association with the anchor point. In another aspect, prior aquatic effort data is obtained in association with an anchor point. In yet another aspect, current aquatic effort data is generated in association with an anchor point. In still another aspect, current aquatic effort data and prior aquatic effort data are utilized for prediction generation. In yet another aspect, current aquatic effort data and prior aquatic effort data are utilized to obtain another anchor point for a watercraft.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A computer-implemented method for anchoring a fishing boat, the computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of the fishing boat, wherein the anchor point identifier is a storage indicator that facilitates at least one member of a group comprising;

indexing of current fishing data obtained at the anchor point of the fishing boat and retrieval of prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date;

causing actuation of a position maintenance routine for anchoring the boat within a tolerance of the anchor point, wherein the position maintenance routine includes;

determining a current position of the fishing boat,

determining whether the current position is within a tolerance of the anchor point, and

when the current position is not within the tolerance of the anchor point, determining a direction to the anchor point and propelling the fishing boat in the determined direction.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising obtaining current fishing data and storing the current fishing data in association with the anchor point identifier.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the obtained current fishing data includes at least one member of a group comprising:

a quantity indicator of current fish caught at the anchor point, a fish type indicator that indicates a type of fish currently caught at the anchor point, a fish size indicator that indicates a size of fish currently caught at the anchor point, a lure indicator that indicates a lure attribute for a lure currently utilized at the anchor point, a bait indicator that indicates a bait attribute for a bait currently utilized at the anchor point, a rod indicator that indicates an attribute of a rod currently utilized at the anchor point, and a reel indicator that indicates an attribute of a reel currently utilized at the anchor point.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on obtaining the current fishing data.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein the prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date includes at least one member of a group comprising:

a quantity indicator of fish caught at the anchor point on a prior date, a fish type indicator that indicates a type of fish caught at the anchor point on a prior date, a lure indicator that indicates a lure attribute for a lure utilized at the anchor point on a prior date, a bait indicator for a bate utilized at the anchor point on a prior date, a rod indicator that indicates a rod utilized at the anchor point on a prior date.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on the retrieval of prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date.

32. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, further comprising comparing obtained current fishing data to retrieved prior fishing data to generate a predictive suggestion, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on the generated predictive suggestion.

33. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the position maintenance routine is associated with at least one member of a group comprising:

a locally stored aquatic tour, a remotely stored aquatic tour, a dynamically updatable aquatic tour, and a controlled drift routine.

34. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the tolerance of the anchor point includes at least one member of a group comprising:

a position tolerance and a drift tolerance.

35. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on an override.

36. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for anchoring a fishing boat, the computer-executable instructions comprising:

obtaining an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of the fishing boat, wherein the anchor point identifier is a storage indicator that facilitates at least one member of a group comprising;

indexing of current fishing data obtained at the anchor point of the fishing boat and retrieval of prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date;

obtaining a position maintenance routine for anchoring the fishing boat within a tolerance of the anchor point, wherein the position maintenance routine includes instructions for;

determining a current position of the boat,

determining whether the current position is within a tolerance of the anchor point, and

when the current position is not within the tolerance of the anchor point, determining a direction to the anchor point and generating instructions for propelling the fishing boat in the determined direction.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on obtaining the current fishing data.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on the retrieval of prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the position maintenance routine is associated with at least one member of a group comprising:

a locally stored aquatic tour, a remotely stored aquatic tour, a dynamically updatable aquatic tour, and a controlled drift routine.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the tolerance of the anchor point includes at least one member of a group comprising:

a position tolerance and a drift tolerance.

41. A system for anchoring a boat, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one storage having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured for;

obtaining an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of the boat, wherein the anchor point identifier is a storage indicator that facilitates at least one member of a group comprising;

indexing of current fishing data obtained at the anchor point of the boat and retrieval of prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date;

causing the processor to execute a position maintenance routine for anchoring the boat within a tolerance of the anchor point, wherein the position maintenance routine includes;

determining a current position of the boat,

determining whether the current position is within a tolerance of the anchor point, and

when the current position is not within the tolerance of the anchor point, determining a direction to the anchor point and generating instructions for propelling the boat in the determined direction.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on obtaining the current fishing data.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the position maintenance routine is modified based on the retrieval of prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the position maintenance routine is associated with at least one member of a group comprising:

a locally stored aquatic tour, a remotely stored aquatic tour, a dynamically updatable aquatic tour, and a controlled drift routine.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the tolerance of the anchor point includes at least one member of a group comprising:

a position tolerance and a drift tolerance.