Watercraft automation and aquatic effort data utilization

• US 8,515,660 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/302,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/37, 701/45, 701/49, 701/200, 701/201, 701/300, 340/425, 340/425.5, 340/988, 438/457.1, 438/461, 438/549, 438/815.4, 438/815.45, 210/242.1, 56/8, 56/9, 414/242, 414/244, 440/30, 440/38, 440/73, 405/3, 405/52
• 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 utilized for fishing and network communication. In one aspect, an anchor point is obtained and a water craft 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. A computer-implemented method for utilizing fishing data associated with an anchor point identifier, the computer implemented method comprising:

obtaining, on at least one processor, an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of a boat, wherein the anchor point identifier facilitates indexing of current fishing data obtained at the anchor point of the boat;

obtaining, on the at least one processor, current fishing data, wherein the current fishing data includes at least one member of a group consisting of;

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; and

storing the current fishing data in association with the anchor point identifier to facilitate identification of the current fishing data via the anchor point identifier.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current fishing data is obtained via at least one member of a group consisting of:

user input and sensors.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current fishing data further includes a current position maintenance routine associated with the anchor point.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current fishing data further includes current environmental data associated with the anchor point.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current fishing data further includes current aquatic tour data associated with the anchor point.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current fishing data further includes current social network data associated with the anchor point.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the current social network data includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

text, video streams, and photographs.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current fishing data further includes internet services associated with the anchor point.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the internet services includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

mapping services, laws, angling rules, angling limits, restaurants within proximity of the anchor point, hotels within proximity of the anchor point, emergency services, water discharge data, weather report data, dam reports, moon phase reports, tide predictions, river data, water elevation data, and data from a government agency.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method is at least partially executed by at least one member of a group consisting of:

a telephone device, a cellular telephone device, a satellite telephone device, a stationary computing device, a mobile computing device, a televising device, a mobile audio device, an internet database, and a watch device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing the current fishing data for association with at least one member of a group consisting of:

an open network of users, a closed network of users, a password protected group of users, and a group of users having privileged access.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for utilizing fishing data associated with an anchor point identifier, the instructions comprising:

obtaining an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of a boat, wherein the anchor point identifier facilitates indexing of current fishing data obtained at the anchor point of the boat;

obtaining current fishing data, wherein the current fishing data includes at least one member of a group consisting of;

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; and

storing the current fishing data in association with the anchor point identifier to facilitate identification of the current fishing data via the anchor point identifier.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the current fishing data further includes current social network data associated with the anchor point.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the current fishing data further includes internet services associated with the anchor point.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computer executable instructions are is at least partially executed on at least one member of a group consisting of:

a telephone device, a cellular telephone device, a satellite telephone device, a stationary computing device, a mobile computing device, a televising device, a mobile audio device, an internet database, and a watch device.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising storing the current fishing data for association with at least one member of a group consisting of:

an open network of users, a closed network of users, a password protected group of users, and a group of users having privileged access.

17. A system for utilizing fishing data associated with an anchor point identifier, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory having computer executable instructions thereon, wherein the computer executable instructions are configured for;

obtaining an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of a boat, wherein the anchor point identifier facilitates indexing of current fishing data obtained at the anchor point of the boat;

obtaining current fishing data, wherein the current fishing data includes at least one member of a group consisting of;

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; and

storing the current fishing data in association with the anchor point identifier to facilitate identification of the current fishing data via the anchor point identifier.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the current fishing data further includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

current social network data associated with the anchor point, and internet services associated with the anchor point.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is associated with at least one member of a group consisting of:

a telephone device, a cellular telephone device, a satellite telephone device, a stationary computing device, a mobile computing device, a televising device, a mobile audio device, an internet database, and a watch device.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising storing the current fishing data for association with at least one member of a group consisting of:

an open network of users, a closed network of users, a password protected group of users, and a group of users having privileged access.