Event triggering using sonar data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10451732-B2
Application number	US-201414566513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Oct 22, 2019
Grant date	Oct 22, 2019

Abstract

Various implementations described herein are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, may cause the computer to receive sonar data from a transducer after deployment of the transducer in a body of water. The computer may process the sonar data to detect a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data received from the transducer. The computer may automatically trigger at least one event upon detecting the bottom of the body of water.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
receive sonar data from at least one transducer associated with a vessel after deployment of the transducer in a body of water;
process the sonar data to detect a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data received from the transducer; and
in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, automatically cause recording, in memory, geographical positions of the vessel as the vessel travels along the body of water and generating a trail map of the recorded geographical positions of the vessel.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
record the geographical positions based on geographical coordinate data received from global positioning system (GPS) transceiver.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
generate the trail map based on a plot of previously recorded geographical positions related to the geographical coordinate data received from the GPS transceiver, and
display, on a screen, one or more images associated with the trail map.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein, in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, the computer-executable instructions automatically cause recording geographical positions of the vessel as the vessel travels along the body of water and generating the trail map of the recorded geographical positions of the vessel, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
generate the trail map based on the sonar data and geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver; and
display, on a screen, one or more images associated with the trail map.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
track multiple navigated courses on the body of water based on geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver;
generate a trail map for each navigated course, each trail map having a start point and an end point for each navigated course; and
upload one or more of the sonar data, the geographical coordinate data, and each trail map to at least one database via a network.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
sense removal of the transducer from the body of water based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water;
trigger, in response to failing to detect the bottom of the body of water, at least one of:
stopping recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer; or
uploading the recorded sonar data to at least one database via a network.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
start generating a first trail map beginning at a first start point based on detecting the bottom of the body of water for a first time, wherein the first trail map is associated with tracking a first navigated course on the body of water based on the sonar data and geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver during the first time;
stop generating the first trail map terminating at a first end point based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water; and
upload one or more of the sonar data recorded during the first time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the first time, and the first trail map recorded during the first time to at least one database via a network.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
start generating a second trail map different than the first trail map, the second trail map beginning at a second start point based on detecting the bottom of the body of water for a second time, wherein the second trail map is associated with tracking a second navigated course on the body of water based on the sonar data and geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver during the second time;
stop generating the second trail map terminating at a second end point based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water; and
upload one or more of the sonar data recorded during the second time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the second time, and the second trail map recorded during the second time to at least one database via a network.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
generate a first sonar log that includes one or more of the sonar data recorded during the first time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the first time, and the first trail map generated during the first time;
generate a second sonar log that includes one or more of the sonar data recorded during the second time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the second time, and the second trail map generated during the second time; and
generate a third sonar log that links the first trail map to the second trail map by coupling the first end point of the first trail map to the second start point of the second trail map to thereby generate a third trail map beginning with the first start point of the first trail map and terminating with the second end point of the second trail map; and
upload one or more of the first sonar log, the second sonar log, and the third sonar log to at least one database via a network.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
the transducer is coupled or mounted to the vessel, wherein the vessel is configured to at least partially float on a surface of the body of water, and
processing the sonar data received from the transducer occurs after launching the vessel in the body of water by a user.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
the transducer is part of a user castable device that is configured to at least partially float on a surface of the body of water, and
processing the sonar data received from the transducer occurs after casting the transducer in the body of water by a user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to, in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, automatically cause recording, in memory, the sonar data received from the at least one transducer.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:
display, on a screen, one or more images associated with at least one of the recorded sonar data or the generated trail map.

14. A transducer assembly, the transducer assembly comprising:
a processor; and
memory including instructions that cause the processor to:
generate sonar data after deployment of the transducer in a body of water;
process the sonar data to detect a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data; and
in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, automatically cause transmission of the sonar data to a computing device along with instruction

Assignees

• Navico Holding As

Inventors

• Laster Matthew

Classifications

• G01S7/6281

  Composite displays, e.g. split-screen, multiple images · CPC title

• G01S15/86

  Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection · CPC title

• G01S7/003

  Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations · CPC title

• G01S7/6218

  providing two-dimensional coordinated display of distance and direction · CPC title

• G01S15/66

  Sonar tracking systems · CPC title