Sonar system using frequency bursts

• US 9,244,168 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Navico Incorporated (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Navico Holding A.S. (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Proctor, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J
• Application Number:
  US14/638,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 367/88
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/102 using transmission of pulses having some particular characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8902 Side-looking sonar

Abstract

A sonar system using frequency bursts. A sonar system for use with a vessel may include a sonar module having a transmitting element configured to generate a transmit signal, where the transmit signal comprises one or more bursts, and where at least one burst comprises a first portion having a first frequency and a second portion having a second frequency different than the first frequency. The sonar system may also include a transducer array in communication with the sonar module, where the transducer array is configured to (i) receive the transmit signal from the transmitting element, (ii) produce one or more sonar beams based on the first frequency and the second frequency, and (iii) receive one or more sonar return signals from an underwater environment.

Claims

1. A sonar system for a vessel configured to travel along a surface of a body of water, the sonar system comprising:

a housing mountable to the vessel;

a linear transducer element having a substantially rectangular shape, positioned within the housing, and configured to produce a fan-shaped sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water, wherein the fan-shaped sonar beam has a narrow beamwidth in a direction parallel to a fore-to-aft direction of the vessel and a wide beamwidth in a direction perpendicular to the fore-to-aft direction of the vessel, wherein the linear transducer element is configured to produce the fan-shaped sonar beam at a first frequency;

a circular transducer element positioned within the housing and configured to produce a conical sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water, wherein the circular transducer element is configured to produce the conical sonar beam at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency; and

a transmitter electrically connected to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element and configured to transmit one or more transmit signals to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element such that both the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element receive, at substantially a same time, a same transmit signal that is transmitted at at least one same frequency, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit at a plurality of different frequencies, wherein the same transmit signal comprises one of the following;

a first transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element at the first frequency,

a second transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element at the second frequency, or

a third transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element as a pulse having a first frequency portion at the first frequency and a second frequency portion at the second frequency.

2. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is electrically connected via a single channel to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element.

3. The sonar system of claim 2, wherein the single channel comprises a positive wire electrically connected to one of the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element, a negative wire electrically connected to the other of the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element, and a connection wire electrically connecting the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element.

4. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is electrically connected to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element in parallel.

5. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the first frequency corresponds to a resonant frequency of the linear transducer element, and wherein the second frequency corresponds to a resonant frequency of the circular transducer element.

6. The sonar system of claim 5, wherein the first frequency is about 790 kHz or about 430 kHz, and wherein the second frequency is about 83 kHz or about 200 kHz.

7. The sonar system of claim 5, wherein the first frequency is about 800 kHz or about 455 kHz, and wherein the second frequency is about 83 kHz or about 200 kHz.

8. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the linear transducer element is configured to receive first sonar returns from the fan-shaped sonar beam produced at the first frequency, wherein the circular transducer element is configured to receive second sonar returns from the conical sonar beam produced at the second frequency, and wherein the sonar system further comprises:

a sonar signal processor configured to;

process first sonar data corresponding to the first sonar returns, and

process second sonar data corresponding to the second sonar returns; and

a display configured to;

display an image corresponding to the first sonar data from the linear transducer element, and

display an image corresponding to the second sonar data from the circular transducer element.

9. The sonar system of claim 8, further comprising a receiver configured to:

receive the first sonar data and the second sonar data, and

distinguish the first sonar data and the second sonar data based on at least one of the first frequency or the second frequency.

10. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element are positioned within the housing such that the fan-shaped sonar beam from the linear transducer element and the conical sonar beam from the circular transducer element at least partially overlap.

11. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the linear transducer element is configured to produce the fan-shaped sonar beam at each of the first frequency and the second frequency, and wherein the circular transducer element is configured to produce the conical sonar beam at each of the first frequency and the second frequency.

12. The sonar system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a single transmitter.

13. A transducer assembly mountable to a vessel configured to travel along a surface of a body of water, the transducer housing comprising:

a linear transducer element having a substantially rectangular shape, positioned within the housing, and configured to produce a fan-shaped sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water, wherein the fan-shaped sonar beam has a narrow beamwidth in a direction parallel to a fore-to-aft direction of the vessel and a wide beamwidth in a direction perpendicular to the fore-to-aft direction of the vessel, wherein the linear transducer element is configured to produce the fan-shaped sonar beam at a first frequency; and

a circular transducer element positioned within the housing and configured to produce a conical sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water, wherein the circular transducer element is configured to produce the conical sonar beam at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency,

wherein the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element are electrically connected and configured to receive one or more transmit signals from a transmitter such that both the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element receive, at substantially a same time, a same transmit signal that is transmitted at at least one same frequency, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit at a plurality of different frequencies, wherein the same transmit signal comprises one of the following;

a first transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element at the first frequency,

a second transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element at the second frequency, or

a third transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element as a pulse having a first frequency portion at the first frequency and a second frequency portion at the second frequency.

14. The transducer assembly of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is electrically connected via a single channel to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element.

15. The transducer assembly of claim 14, wherein the single channel comprises a positive wire electrically connected to one of the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element, a negative wire electrically connected to the other of the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element, and a connection wire electrically connecting the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element.

16. The transducer assembly of claim 13, wherein the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element are configured to electrically connect to the transmitter in parallel.

17. The transducer assembly of claim 13, wherein the first frequency corresponds to a resonant frequency of the linear transducer element, and wherein the second frequency corresponds to a resonant frequency of the circular transducer element.

18. The transducer assembly of claim 13, wherein the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element are positioned within the housing such that the fan-shaped sonar beam from the linear transducer element and the conical sonar beam from the circular transducer element at least partially overlap.

19. A method for displaying images of areas of water underneath a vessel configured to travel along a surface of a body of water, the method comprising:

transmitting, via a transmitter, one or more transmit signals to a linear transducer element and a circular transducer element such that both the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element receive, at substantially a same time, a same transmit signal that is transmitted at at least one same frequency, wherein the transmitter is electrically connected to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element and is configured to transmit at a plurality of different frequencies, wherein the same transmit signal comprises one of the following;

a first transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element at a first frequency,

a second transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element at a second frequency, or

a third transmit signal transmitted to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element as a pulse having a first frequency portion at the first frequency and a second frequency portion at the second frequency,

wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency;

producing, at the first frequency, a fan-shaped sonar beam from the linear transducer element, wherein the linear transducer element is positioned within a housing mountable to the vessel, wherein the linear transducer element has a substantially rectangular shape and is configured to produce the fan-shaped sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water, wherein the fan-shaped sonar beam defines a narrow beamwidth in a direction parallel to a fore-to-aft direction of the vessel and a wide beamwidth in a direction perpendicular to the fore-to-aft direction of the vessel; and

producing, at the second frequency, a conical sonar beam from the circular transducer element, wherein the circular transducer element is positioned within the housing and configured to produce the conical sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitter is electrically connected via a single channel to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the transmitter is electrically connected to the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element in parallel.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first frequency corresponds to a resonant frequency of the linear transducer element, and wherein the second frequency corresponds to a resonant frequency of the circular transducer element.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first frequency is about 790 kHz or about 430 kHz, and wherein the second frequency is about 83 kHz or about 200 kHz.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving first sonar returns with the linear transducer element from the first fan-shaped sonar beam produced at the first frequency; and

receiving second sonar returns with the circular transducer element from the second conical sonar beam produced at the second frequency.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

processing first sonar data corresponding to the first sonar returns with a sonar signal processor; and

processing second sonar data corresponding to the second sonar returns with the sonar signal processor.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

displaying an image associated with the first sonar data from the linear transducer element on a display; and

displaying an image associated with the second sonar data from the circular transducer element on the display.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element are positioned within the housing such that the fan-shaped sonar beam from the linear transducer element and the conical sonar beam from the circular transducer element at least partially overlap.

28. A sonar system for a watercraft configured to travel on a surface of a body of water, the sonar system comprising:

a housing mountable to the watercraft;

a transducer array comprising;

a linear transducer element positioned within the housing, wherein the linear transducer element defines a substantially rectangular shape and is configured to produce a fan-shaped sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water, wherein the linear transducer element is configured to produce the fan-shaped sonar beam at a first frequency; and

a circular transducer element positioned within the housing and configured to produce a conical sonar beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane corresponding to the surface of the body of water, wherein the circular transducer element is configured to produce the conical sonar beam at a second frequency, wherein the first frequency is different than the second frequency; and

a sonar module in communication with the transducer array, the sonar module comprising a transmitter configured to transmit a first transmit signal at a first frequency to both the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element via a single positive wire and a single negative wire such that both the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element receive, at substantially a same first time, the first transmit signal that is transmitted at the same first frequency, wherein the single transmitter is further configured to transmit a second transmit signal at a second frequency to both the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element via the single positive wire and the single negative wire such that both the linear transducer element and the circular transducer element receive, at substantially a same second time, the second transmit signal that is transmitted at the same second frequency.