US 10,719,077 B2Granted

Castable sonar devices and operations in a marine environment

AssigneeNavico Holding AS

InventorsJeremiah Clark, Andrew Corbett, Mark N. Harnett, Alan Islas Cital, Thomas E. H. Isaacson, Matthew Laster, William B. Newberry, Jr., Shauna Reed, Kristopher C. Snyder

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Abstract

Many different types of systems are utilized and tasks are performed in a marine environment. The present invention provides various configurations of castable devices that can be operated and/or controlled for such systems or tasks. One or more castable devices can be integrated with a transducer assembly, such as a phased array, that emits sonar beams and receives sonar returns from the underwater environment. Processing circuitry may receive the sonar returns, process the sonar returns, generate an image, and transmit the image to a display.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A castable sonar device, the castable sonar device comprising:

a housing configured to float on a body of water above an underwater environment, wherein the housing comprises a tether connection feature configured to connect to a tether or fishing line;
a power source positioned within the housing;
a transducer assembly positioned within the housing, wherein the transducer assembly comprises:
a transducer array positioned within the housing and aimed downwardly therefrom, wherein the transducer array comprises a phased array, wherein the phased array comprises a plurality of transducer elements, wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements is configured to receive phased array sonar returns from the underwater environment;
a wireless communication element configured to transmit one or more signals to and receive one or more signals from a remote computing device;
and
processing circuitry provided within the housing, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
receive one or more phased array sonar returns from the transducer array;
process the one or more phased array sonar returns to generate phased array sonar return data corresponding to the underwater environment, wherein generating phased array sonar return data comprises determining an angle, with respect to a water line of the body of water, of a sonar return associated with an object in the underwater environment based on relative positions and known distances between two or more of the plurality of transducer elements of the phased array, wherein the two or more of the plurality of transducer elements each receive a sonar return associated with the object;
generate, based on the phased array sonar return data, a sonar image corresponding to the underwater environment;
and
transmit, via the wireless communication element, the sonar image to the remote computing device for presentation on a display of the remote computing device.

9 more elements

A system comprising:

a castable sonar device, the castable sonar device comprising:
a housing configured to float on a body of water above an underwater environment, wherein the housing comprises a tether connection feature configured to connect to a tether or fishing line;
a power source positioned within the housing;
a transducer assembly positioned within the housing, wherein the transducer assembly comprises:
a transducer array positioned within the housing and aimed downwardly therefrom, wherein the transducer array comprises a phased array, wherein the phased array comprises a plurality of transducer elements, wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements is configured to receive phased array sonar returns from the underwater environment;
a wireless communication element configured to transmit one or more signals to and receive one or more signals from a remote computing device;
and
processing circuitry provided within the housing, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
receive one or more phased array sonar returns from the transducer array;
process the one or more phased array sonar returns to generate phased array sonar return data corresponding to the underwater environment;
generate, based on the phased array sonar return data, a sonar image corresponding to the underwater environment, wherein generating phased array sonar return data comprises determining an angle, with respect to a water line of the body of water, of a sonar return associated with an object in the underwater environment based on a phase difference between sonar returns associated with the object that are received at two or more of the plurality of transducer elements of the phased array;
and
transmit, via the wireless communication element, the sonar image to the remote computing device for presentation on a display of the remote computing device;
and
the remote computing device comprising:
a wireless communication element configured to receive the sonar image from the castable sonar device;
a user interface comprising the display;
and
processing circuitry configured to:
receive the sonar image from the castable sonar device;
and
cause presentation of the sonar image on the display of the remote computing device.

19 more elements

A system comprising:

a castable sonar device, the castable sonar device comprising:
a housing configured to float on a body of water above an underwater environment, wherein the housing comprises a tether connection configured to connect to a tether or fishing line;
a power source positioned within the housing;
a transducer assembly positioned within the housing, wherein the transducer assembly comprises:
a transducer array positioned within the housing and aimed downwardly therefrom, wherein the transducer array comprises a phased array, wherein the phased array comprises a plurality of transducer elements, wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements is configured to receive phased array sonar returns from the underwater environment;
a wireless communication element configured to transmit one or more signals to and receive one or more signals from a remote computing device;
and
processing circuitry provided within the housing, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
receive one or more phased array sonar returns from the transducer array;
and
transmit, via the wireless communication element, the one or more phased array sonar returns to the remote computing device;
and
the remote computing device comprising:
a wireless communication element configured to receive one or more signals from the castable sonar device;
a user interface comprising a display;
and
processing circuitry configured to:
receive the one or more phased array sonar returns from the castable sonar device;
process the one or more phased array sonar returns to generate phased array sonar return data corresponding to the underwater environment, wherein generating phased array sonar return data comprises determining an angle, with respect to a water line of the body of water, of a sonar return associated with an object in the underwater environment based on a phase difference between sonar returns associated with the object that are received at two or more of the plurality of transducer elements of the phased array;
generate, based on the phased array sonar return data, a sonar image corresponding to the underwater environment;
and
cause presentation of the sonar image on the display of the remote computing device.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/185,770Filed 9 Nov 2018 · continuation in part
Priority: 13 Oct 2016
Published: US 2019/0072951 A17 Mar 2019
Granted: 21 Jul 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification33 codes

G05D 1/0038
Associated with a remote control arrangement: by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard…
A01K 91/06
Lines: apparatus on lines not otherwise provided for, e.g. automatic hookers
A01K 93/02
Floats for angling, with or without signalling devices: with signalling devices
A01K 97/00
Accessories for angling

Family

Application15/292,704Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Oct 2016
Application16/001,384Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Jun 2018
US 10,019,002 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 10 Jul 2018
US 2019/0072951 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Mar 2019
Application16/001,384Parent of this continuation
US 10,725,469 B2Related patent
US 2018/0107210 A1Published application
US 2018/0275649 A1Published application
US 10,719,077 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.