Watercraft automation and aquatic effort data utilization

• US 8,527,192 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• 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): Trammel, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US13/302,121
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 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 navigating an aquatic tour, the computer implemented method comprising:

obtaining an anchor point associated with an aquatic tour, wherein the anchor point is indicated by an anchor point identifier that causes association with fishing data;

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 fishing duration indicator associated with the anchor point, a current fish quantity indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point, and a current fish type indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point, and a current fish size indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point;

comparing the current fishing data to the fishing data of the aquatic tour associated with the anchor point identifier to determine whether another anchor point of the aquatic tour is implicated; and

causing a processor to generate a predictive suggestion related to the another anchor point of the aquatic tour when the comparison of the current fishing data to the fishing data implicates the another anchor point of the aquatic tour.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the aquatic tour is associated with at least one member of a group consisting of:

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

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

canned fishing data, and fishing guide fishing data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the fishing data includes prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the prior fishing data obtained at the anchor point on a prior date includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

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.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predictive suggestion includes a location identifier of the another anchor point.

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

a lure type, a bait type, a rod type, and a reel type.

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

angling tips, temperature charts, and professional tips.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, 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.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein comparing the current fishing data to the fishing data of the aquatic tour associated with the anchor point identifier includes comparing in 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.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for navigating an aquatic tour, the computer executable instructions comprising:

obtaining an anchor point associated with an aquatic tour, wherein the anchor point is indicated by an anchor point identifier that causes association with fishing data;

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 fishing duration indicator associated with the anchor point, a current fish quantity indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point, and a current fish type indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point, and a current fish size indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point;

comparing the current fishing data to the fishing data of the aquatic tour associated with the anchor point identifier to determine whether another anchor point of the aquatic tour is implicated; and

generating a predictive suggestion related to the another anchor point of the aquatic tour when the comparison of the current fishing data to the fishing data implicates the another anchor point of the aquatic tour.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the aquatic tour is associated with at least one member of a group consisting of:

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

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the predictive suggestion includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

a location, a lure type, a bait type, a rod type, a reel type, angling tips, temperature charts, and professional tips.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable storage medium 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.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein comparing the current fishing data to the fishing data of the aquatic tour associated with the anchor point identifier includes comparing in 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.

16. A system for navigating an aquatic tour, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one storage having computer executable instructions thereon, wherein the computer executable instructions are configure for;

obtaining an anchor point associated with an aquatic tour, wherein the anchor point is indicated by an anchor point identifier that causes association with fishing data;

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 fishing duration indicator associated with the anchor point, a current fish quantity indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point, and a current fish type indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point, and a current fish size indicator of any fish caught at the anchor point;

comparing the current fishing data to the fishing data of the aquatic tour associated with the anchor point identifier to determine whether another anchor point of the aquatic tour is implicated; and

generating a predictive suggestion related to the another anchor point of the aquatic tour when the comparison of the current fishing data to the fishing data implicates the another anchor point of the aquatic tour.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the aquatic tour is associated with at least one member of a group consisting of:

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

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the predictive suggestion includes at least one member of a group consisting of:

a location, a lure type, a bait type, a rod type, a reel type, angling tips, temperature charts, and professional tips.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one 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 16, wherein comparing the current fishing data to the fishing data of the aquatic tour associated with the anchor point identifier includes comparing in 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.