Watercraft automation and aquatic effort data utilization

• US 8,515,661 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): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARC, MCDIEUNEL
• Application Number:
  US13/302,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20120065875A1
• 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 generating a predictive suggestion based on current fishing data and prior fishing data identified by an anchor point identifier that indicates the position of an anchor point of a boat, the method comprising:

obtaining, on a processor, an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of a boat, wherein the anchor point identifier is a storage indicator to cause association with fishing data obtained at the anchor point;

receiving current fishing data associated with the anchor point identifier, wherein the current fishing data includes current environmental condition data;

determining, by the processor, whether the current environmental condition data matches environmental condition data associated with prior fishing data stored in association with the anchor point identifier; and

when the current environmental condition data matches the prior environmental condition data, generating a predictive suggestion based on the prior fishing data.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a canned predictive suggestion when the comparison of the current environmental condition data does not match the prior environmental condition data.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the canned predictive suggestion includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

angling tips associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point, temperature charts associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point, and professional tips associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion based on an aquatic tour.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the predictive suggestion based on the aquatic tour includes a detour suggestion.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion related to at least one member of a group consisting of a lure type, a bait type, a rod type, and a reel type.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion related to an anchor point of the boat.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for generating a predictive suggestion based on current fishing data and prior fishing data identified by an anchor point identifier that indicates the position of an anchor point of a boat, the computer executable instructions comprising:

obtaining an anchor point identifier that indicates a position of an anchor point of a boat, wherein the anchor point identifier is a storage indicator to cause association with fishing data obtained at the anchor point;

receiving current fishing data associated with the anchor point identifier, wherein the current fishing data includes at least one member of a group consisting of;

a current position maintenance routine, a current fishing duration, a current fish quantity, and a current fish type;

determining whether the current fishing data matches prior fishing data associated with the anchor point identifier; and

when the current fishing data matches the prior fishing data, generating a predictive suggestion based on the prior fishing data.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the current fishing data further includes current environmental conditions, wherein the prior fishing data further includes prior environmental conditions.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the prior fishing data includes internet services associated with the anchor point.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the internet services 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.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a canned predictive suggestion when the current fishing data implicates the prior fishing data.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the canned predictive suggestion includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

angling tips associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point, temperature charts associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point, and professional tips associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion based on an aquatic tour.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion related to at least one member of a group consisting of a lure type, a bait type, a rod type, and a reel type.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion related to an anchor point of the boat.

17. A process for generating a predictive suggestion based on current fishing data and prior fishing data identified by an anchor point identifier that indicates the position of an anchor point of a boat, the process comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory 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 a boat, wherein the anchor point identifier is a storage indicator to cause association with fishing data obtained at the anchor point;

receiving current fishing data associated with the anchor point identifier, wherein the current fishing data includes at least one member of a group consisting of;

a current temperature, a current location, a current time, a current date, a current water condition, a current weather condition, a current position maintenance routine, a current fishing duration, a current fish quantity, and a current fish type;

comparing the current fishing data to prior fishing data associated with the anchor point identifier, wherein the prior fishing data includes at least one member of a group consisting of;

a prior temperature, a prior location, a prior time, a prior date, a prior water condition, a prior weather condition, a prior position maintenance routine, a prior fishing duration, a prior fish quantity, and a prior fish type;

based on the comparison, generating a predictive suggestion, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion related to at least one member of a group consisting of a lure type, a bait type, a rod type, and a reel type.

18. The process of claim 17, wherein the predictive suggestion includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

angling tips associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point, temperature charts associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point, and professional tips associated with a geographic area related to the anchor point.

19. The process of claim 17, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion based in 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.

20. The process of claim 17, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a predictive suggestion related to an anchor point of the boat.