Systems and associated methods for producing a 3d sonar image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016259053-A1
Application number	US-201514683573-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 5, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided are a sonar system and transducer assembly for producing a 3D image of an underwater environment. The sonar system may include a housing mountable to a watercraft having a transmit transducer that may transmit sonar pulses into the water. The system may include at least one sidescan transducer array in the housing that receives first and second sonar returns with first and second transducer elements and converts the first and second returns into first and second sonar return data. A sonar signal processor may then generate a 3D mesh data using the first and second sonar return data and at least a predetermined distance between the transducer elements. An associated method of using the sonar system is also provided.

First claim

1 . A sonar system comprising:
a housing mountable to a watercraft capable of traversing a body of water; a transmit transducer element positioned within the housing and configured to transmit sonar pulses into the water; at least one sidescan transducer array positioned within the housing and aimed downwardly and outwardly from a side of the watercraft,
wherein the sidescan transducer array comprises a first sidescan transducer element and a second sidescan transducer element,
wherein the first sidescan transducer element is configured to receive first sonar returns from the sonar pulses produced by the transmit transducer element and convert sound energy of the first sonar returns into first sonar return data,
wherein the second sidescan transducer element is configured to receive second sonar returns from the sonar pulses produced by the transmit transducer element and convert sound energy of the second sonar returns into second sonar return data, and
wherein the first sidescan transducer element is positioned within the housing at a predetermined distance from the second sidescan transducer element; and
a sonar signal processor configured to process the first sonar return data and the second sonar return data to generate 3D mesh data based on at least the predetermined distance between the first sidescan transducer element and the second sidescan transducer element.

2 . The sonar system of claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to display a 3D image of an underwater environment based at least on the 3D mesh data.

3 . The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the sonar signal processor is further configured to:
process the first sonar return data and the second sonar return data to generate a set of 2D sonar data based on the predetermined distance between the first sidescan transducer element and the second sidescan transducer element; and generate the 3D mesh data based on the set of 2D sonar data.

4 . The sonar system of claim 3 , wherein the sonar signal processor is further configured to:
generate a plurality of sets of 2D sonar data as the watercraft traverses the body of water; and generate the 3D mesh data based on the plurality of sets of 2D sonar data generated as the watercraft traverses the body of water.

5 . The sonar system of claim 3 , wherein the set of 2D sonar data defines an angle associated with each sonar return within the set of 2D sonar data, wherein the angle associated with each sonar return is based on the predetermined distance between the first sidescan transducer element and the second sidescan transducer element.

6 . The sonar system of claim 5 , wherein the set of 2D sonar data further defines a strength value and a distance value associated with each sonar return within the set of 2D sonar data.

7 . The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the sonar signal processor is further configured to process the first sonar return data and the second sonar return data to generate 2D sonar data by calculating a phase difference between the first sonar return data and the second sonar return data.

8 . The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the sidescan transducer array is a first sidescan transducer array and the side of the watercraft is a first side of the watercraft, wherein the sonar system further comprises:
a second sidescan transducer array positioned within the housing and aimed downwardly and outwardly from a second side of the watercraft, wherein the second side of the watercraft is generally opposite to the first side of the watercraft, wherein the second sidescan transducer array comprises a third sidescan transducer element and a fourth sidescan transducer element, wherein the third sidescan transducer element is configured to receive third sonar returns from the sonar pulses produced by the transmit transducer element and convert sound energy of the third sonar returns into third sonar return data, wherein the fourth sidescan transducer element is configured to receive fourth sonar returns from the sonar pulses produced by the transmit transducer element and convert sound energy of the fourth sonar returns into fourth sonar return data, and wherein the third sidescan transducer element is positioned within the housing at a predetermined distance from the fourth sidescan transducer element; and wherein the sonar signal processor is further configured to process the third sonar return data and the fourth sonar return data to generate the 3D mesh data based on at least the second predetermined distance between the third sidescan transducer element and the fourth sidescan transducer element.

9 . The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance between the first sidescan transducer element and the second sidescan transducer element defines a first predetermined distance, wherein the sidescan transducer array further comprises a third sidescan transducer element, wherein the third sidescan transducer element is configured to receive third sonar returns from the sonar pulses produced by the transmit transducer element and convert sound energy of the third sonar returns into third sonar return data, wherein the third sidescan transducer element is positioned a second predetermined distance from the second transducer element, and
wherein the sonar signal processor is further configured to process the first sonar return data, the second sonar return data, and the third sonar return data to generate the 3D mesh data based on at least the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance.

10 . The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the first predetermined distance between the first sidescan transducer element and the second sidescan transducer element is different than the second predetermined distance between the second sidescan transducer element and the third sidescan transducer element.

11 . The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the third sidescan transducer element is positioned a third predetermined distance away from the first sidescan transducer element, and wherein the sonar signal processor is configured to process the first sonar return data, the second sonar return data, and the third sonar return data to generate the 3D mesh data further based on the third predetermined distance.

12 . The sonar system of claim 9 , wherein the sidescan transducer array comprises a fourth sidescan transducer element electrically connected in parallel to the third transducer element such that the third sidescan transducer element and the fourth sidescan transducer element are configured to receive the third sonar returns together from the sonar pulses produced by the transmit transducer element and convert the sound energy of the third sonar returns into the third sonar return data.

13 . The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined distance is designed based on a frequency of operation of the first sidescan transducer element and second sidescan transducer element.

14 . The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the first sidescan transducer element and the second sidescan transducer element are configured to receive the first sonar returns and the second sonar returns simultaneously.

15 . The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the sidescan transducer array defines an emitting surface that corresponds to an emitting surface of the first sidescan transducer element and an emitting surface of the second sidescan transducer element, wherein the emitting surface is straight such that the emitting surface of the first sidescan transducer element and the emitting surface of the second sidescan transducer element are configured to define t

Assignees

• Navico Holding As

Inventors

• Proctor Alan Lee
• Parks David Austin
• Horner Ronald Joe

Classifications

• G01S15/89

  for mapping or imaging · CPC title

• G01S15/876

  Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector (G01S15/872 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01S7/54

  with receivers spaced apart · CPC title

• G01S7/6245

  Stereoscopic displays; Three-dimensional displays; Pseudo-three dimensional displays · CPC title

• G01S15/8902 Primary

  Side-looking sonar · CPC title