Forming a composite down sonar image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262440-B2
Application number	US-201816204517-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 29, 2018
Priority date	Aug 1, 2018
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus configured to generate a first sonar image from first sonar returns corresponding to a first depth range and generate a second sonar image from the first sonar returns and second sonar returns, the second sonar returns corresponding to a second depth range greater than the first depth range of the first sonar returns such that a portion of the second sonar image does not include sonar return data. The portion without sonar return data corresponds to a period of the first sonar returns and depths greater than the maximum depth of the first depth range. The apparatus is configured to generate and display a fill image for the portion of the second sonar image based on at least one set of side facing sonar return data corresponding to the time period associated with the first sonar returns.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An apparatus for providing marine information, the apparatus comprising:
a user interface;
a processor; and
a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive first side facing sonar returns from at least one first side facing transducer received from an underwater environment relative to a first side of a vessel;
receive second side facing sonar returns from at least one second side facing transducer received from the underwater environment relative to a second side of the vessel, wherein the second side of the vessel is opposite the first side of the vessel;
generate a composite down facing sonar image formed based on historical one-dimensional sonar data taken over time from both of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing returns, wherein the down facing sonar image is formed of at least:
a first sonar image slice that is generated based on a composite of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns taken at a first time; and
a second sonar image slice that is generated based on a composite of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns taken at a second time, where the second time is different than the first time, wherein the down facing sonar image is built up of at least the first sonar image slice extending downwardly adjacent to the second sonar image slice; and
cause the composite down facing sonar image to be displayed on the user interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein generating the composite down facing sonar image comprises generating the composite down facing sonar image based on maximum intensity value sonar returns from among the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns, wherein a first sonar return from the first side facing sonar returns is selected for use in generating the composite down facing sonar image over a second sonar return from the second side facing sonar returns when the first sonar return would have a same position as the second sonar return within the composite down facing sonar image and has a greater intensity value than the second sonar return.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein generating the composite down facing sonar image comprises generating the composite down facing sonar image based on minimum intensity value sonar returns from among the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns, wherein a first sonar return from the first side facing sonar returns is selected for use in generating the composite down facing sonar image over a second sonar return from the second side facing sonar returns when the first sonar return would have a same position as the second sonar return within the composite down facing sonar image and has a lesser intensity value than the second sonar return.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein generating the composite down facing sonar image comprises generating the first sonar image slice based on a composite of weighted intensity values of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive down facing sonar returns from an underwater environment relative to a bottom of a vessel.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:
generate a down sonar image based on the down facing sonar returns; and
cause the down sonar image to be displayed on the user interface,
wherein the composite down facing sonar image is displayed on the user interface in response to the down sonar image being unavailable.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the composite down facing sonar image is further based on the down facing sonar returns.

8. A method of providing marine information, the method comprising:
receiving first side facing sonar returns from at least one first side facing transducer received from an underwater environment relative to a first side of a vessel;
receiving second side facing sonar returns from at least one second side facing transducer received from the underwater environment relative to a second side of the vessel, wherein the second side of the vessel is opposite the first side of the vessel;
generating a composite down facing sonar image formed based on historical one-dimensional sonar data taken over time from both of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing returns, wherein the down facing sonar image is formed of at least:
a first sonar image slice that is generated based on a composite of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns taken at a first time; and
a second sonar image slice that is generated based on a composite of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns taken at a second time, where the second time is different than the first time, wherein the down facing sonar image is built up of at least the first sonar image slice extending downwardly adjacent to the second sonar image slice; and
causing the composite down facing sonar image to be displayed on the user interface.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the composite down facing sonar image comprises generating the composite down facing sonar image based on maximum intensity value sonar returns from among the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns, wherein a first sonar return from the first side facing sonar returns is selected for use in generating the composite down facing sonar image over a second sonar return from the second side facing sonar returns when the first sonar return would have a same position as the second sonar return within the composite down facing sonar image and has a greater intensity value than the second sonar return.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the composite down facing sonar image comprises generating the composite down facing sonar image based on minimum intensity value sonar returns from among the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns, wherein a first sonar return from the first side facing sonar returns is selected for use in generating the composite down facing sonar image over a second sonar return from the second side facing sonar returns when the first sonar return would have a same position as the second sonar return within the composite down facing sonar image and has a lesser intensity value than the second sonar return.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the composite down facing sonar image comprises generating the first sonar image slice based on a composite of weighted intensity values of the first side facing sonar returns and the second side facing sonar returns.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
receiving down facing sonar returns from an underwater environment relative to a bottom of a vessel.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:
generating a down sonar image based on the down facing sonar returns; and
causing the down sonar image to be displayed on the user interface,
wherein the composite down facing sonar image is displayed on the user interface in response to the down sonar image being unavailable.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the composite down facing sonar image is further based on the down facing sonar returns.

15. A s

Assignees

• Navico Holding As

Inventors

• Horner Ronald

Classifications

• G01S15/8902 Primary

  Side-looking sonar · CPC title

• G01S7/6236

  Sector-scan displays · CPC title

• G01S7/6281

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

• G01S7/58 Primary

  for providing variable ranges · CPC title