Sonar fish finder apparatus providing split-screen display

• US 4,879,697 A
• Filed: 08/05/1988
• Issued: 11/07/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lowrance Electronics Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lowrance Electronics Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Weber, Ronald G., Lowrance, Darrell J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pihulic, Daniel T.
• Application Number:
  US07/228,680
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 367/111, 367/99, 367/88, 367/87, 181/123, 181/124, 364/561
• US Class Current: 367/111
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/96 for locating fish
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/6281 Composite displays, e.g. split-screen, multiple images

Abstract

A sonar fish finder system is provided for a boat for determining and displaying the location of fish in the body of water surrounding the boat. The system includes an electromechanical transducer assembly for transmitting sound waves in the body of water along separate paths in different directions into separate areas of the body of water, for receiving corresponding echoes from obstructions in the paths (including echoes from any fish in the paths) and for generating electrical signals in accordance with the received echoes. Electrical transmitters connected to the transducer assembly control transmission of the sound waves and receivers, connected to the transducer assembly, receive and process the electrical signals produced thereby. A microprocessor unit converts the output of said receivers into electrical data representative of display images of the separate areas of the body of water and a visual display device, preferably a liquid crystal display, simultaneously displays images corresponding to the electrical data at separate side by side locations on a screen to provide separate, simultaneous indications of the presence or absence of fish in the different areas.

Claims

1. A fish finder system for a boat and other watercraft for determining and displaying the location of fish or other targets in the body of water surrounding the boat, said system comprising:

electromechanical transducer means for transmitting sound waves into the body of water along three separate paths, substantially in the form of three closely spaced, conically shaped sound beams, respectively directed centrally under the boat and to left and right sides thereof into three corresponding areas of the body of water, for receiving corresponding echoes from obstructions in the paths of said sound waves including echoes from any fish in said paths and for generally electrical signals in accordance with the received echoes;

electrical transmitter means connected to said transducer means for controlling transmission of said sound waves by said transducer means;

receiver means connected to said transducer means for receiving and processing the electrical signals produced by said transducer means and for producing an output in accordance therewith;

microprocessor means connected to said receiver means for converting the output of said receiver means into electrical data representative of display images of the three areas of the body of water; and

visual display means, connected to said microprocessor means and including a screen, for simultaneously displaying images in the form of cross sections of the water in the three areas corresponding to said electrical data at three separate side by side locations on said screen to provide separate, simultaneous indications of the presence or absence of fish in the three areas.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transmitter means comprises a plurality of transmitters.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transducer means comprises a plurality of transducers.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor means includes means for generating three individual chart maps corresponding to the electrical signals produced by the echoes received in each said path, and a display image map in which the chart maps are simultaneously combined.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said visual display means comprises a liquid crystal display device.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transducer means comprises a plurality of transducers and said transmitter means comprises a single switchable transmitter which is switched sequentially between each transducer of said plurality of transducers.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transducer means comprises a plurality of transducers and said receiver means comprises a single switchable receiver which is switched sequentially between each transducer of said plurality of transducers.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said transmitter means comprises a single switchable transmitter which is switched sequentially between each transducer of said plurality of transducers.

9. A sonar system for a boat and other watercraft for determining the location of obstructions, including the bottom, in the body of water surrounding the boat, said system comprising:

electromechanical transducer means for transmitting sound waves into the body of water along at least three separate paths, substantially in the form of three closely spaced, conically shaped beams respectively directed centrally under the boat and to left and right sides thereof into at least three corresponding areas of the body of water, for receiving corresponding echoes from obstructions in the paths of said sound waves and for generating electrical signals in accordance with the received echoes;

electrical transmitter means connected to said transducer means for controlling transmission of said sound waves by said transducer means;

receiver means connected to said transducer means for receiving and processing the electrical signals produced by said transducer means and for producing an output in accordance therewith;

microprocessor means connected to said receiver means for converting the output of said receiver means into electrical data representative of display images of the at least three separate areas of the body of water; and

visual display means, connected to said microprocessor means and including a screen, for simultaneously displaying images in the form of cross sections of the water in the three areas corresponding to said electrical data in at least three separate laterally adjacent locations on said screen to provide separate, simultaneous indications of the presence or absence of obstructions in said at least three areas including an indication of the location of the bottom, said microprocessor means including means for generating three individual chart maps corresponding to the electrical signals produced by the echoes received in each said path, and a display image map in which the chart maps are simultaneously combined.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said visual display means comprises a liquid crystal display device.

11. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said transmitter means comprises a plurality of transmitters.

12. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein said transducer means comprises three individual transducer elements.