US 11,971,478 B2Granted

Steering assemblies and associated methods

AssigneeNavico, Inc.

InventorsNeal S. Combs, Jeremiah D. Clark, Christopher D. Crawford, Jayme Caspall

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Abstract

A sonar system is provided including a sonar assembly configured to attach to a motor assembly of a watercraft or a watercraft. The sonar assembly includes sonar transducer element(s) that transmit sonar beam(s). The sonar system includes a display, processor(s), and a steering assembly configured to cause rotation of the sonar assembly or the motor assembly. The sonar system includes a memory including computer program code that causes the processor(s) to cause the sonar transducer element(s) to emit sonar beam(s), receive sonar return data from a coverage volume of the sonar transducer element(s), generate a sonar image of the coverage volume based on the sonar return data, receive an input from a user, determine a target in the underwater environment based on the input, and cause the steering assembly to adjust the coverage volume to maintain the target within the coverage volume as the watercraft moves relative to the target.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A system for a watercraft, the system comprising:

a trolling motor, wherein the trolling motor is configured to be attached to the watercraft and to propel the watercraft on a body of water;
a sonar assembly comprising one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein the sonar assembly is configured to be attached to the watercraft or the trolling motor that is attached to the watercraft such that the sonar assembly moves in a fixed relationship with the watercraft, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements are configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment;
a steering assembly configured to cause independent rotation of the sonar assembly relative to the watercraft and the trolling motor regardless of whether the sonar assembly is attached to the watercraft or to the trolling motor that is attached to the watercraft, wherein the steering assembly is configured to reorient a facing direction of the sonar assembly to change a direction of sonar coverage relative to the watercraft;
one or more processors;
and
a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
cause the one or more sonar transducer elements to emit the one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment;
receive sonar return data from a coverage volume corresponding to the one or more sonar beams;
generate a sonar image of the coverage volume of the underwater environment based on the sonar return data;
receive input indicating a desire to lock the coverage volume of the sonar assembly on a position within the body of water corresponding to either an actual position within the body of water or a theoretical position corresponding to a current direction that the sonar assembly is facing;
determine the position within the body of water;
determine that a current coverage volume of the sonar assembly has adjusted relative to the determined position within the body of water, wherein the adjustment is due to movement or reorientation of the watercraft or the trolling motor;
and
cause, in response thereto, the steering assembly, while the sonar assembly is attached to the watercraft or the trolling motor attached to the watercraft, to steer the sonar assembly independently of the watercraft and the trolling motor to reorient the facing direction of the sonar assembly to cause a current direction of the sonar coverage to adjust so that the coverage volume of the sonar assembly includes the determined position, such that the coverage volume of the sonar assembly maintains the determined position therein regardless of movement or reorientation by the watercraft or the trolling motor relative to the determined position.

11 more elements

A sonar system for a watercraft, the sonar system comprising:

one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements are configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements are configured to be attached to the watercraft or a trolling motor of the watercraft such that the one or more sonar transducer elements move in a fixed relationship with the watercraft;
a steering assembly configured to cause independent rotation of the one or more sonar transducer elements relative to (i) the watercraft when the one or more sonar transducer elements are attached to the watercraft or (ii) the watercraft and the trolling motor when the one or more sonar transducer elements are attached to the trolling motor, wherein the steering assembly is configured to reorient a facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements to change a direction of sonar coverage relative to the watercraft;
and
a marine electronic device comprising:
one or more processors;
and
a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
cause the one or more sonar transducer elements to emit the one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment;
receive sonar return data from a coverage volume corresponding to the one or more sonar beams;
receive input indicating a desire to lock the coverage volume of the sonar assembly on a target within the body of water;
determine a position of the target within the body of water;
determine that a current coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements has adjusted relative to the determined position within the body of water, wherein the adjustment is due to movement or reorientation of the watercraft or the trolling motor;
and
cause, in response thereto, the steering assembly, while the one or more sonar transducer elements are attached to the watercraft or the trolling motor attached to the watercraft, to steer the one or more sonar transducer elements to reorient the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements to cause a current direction of the sonar coverage to adjust so that the coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements includes the determined position, such that the coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements maintains the determined position therein regardless of movement or reorientation relative to the target by (i) the watercraft when the one or more sonar transducer elements are attached to the watercraft or (ii) the watercraft or the trolling motor when the one or more sonar transducer elements are attached to the trolling motor.

11 more elements

A system for a watercraft, the system comprising:

one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements are configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements are configured to be attached to the watercraft such that the one or more sonar transducer elements move in a fixed relationship with the watercraft;
a steering assembly configured to cause independent rotation of the one or more sonar transducer elements relative to the watercraft when the one or more sonar transducer elements are attached to the watercraft, wherein the steering assembly is configured to reorient a facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements to change a direction of sonar coverage relative to the watercraft;
one or more processors;
and
a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
cause the one or more sonar transducer elements to emit the one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment;
receive sonar return data from a coverage volume corresponding to the one or more sonar beams;
generate a sonar image of the coverage volume of the underwater environment based on the sonar return data;
receive input indicating a desire to lock the coverage volume of the sonar assembly on a position within the body of water or a current direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements;
determine, based on the input, a target position or direction corresponding to at least one of the position within the body of water or the current direction;
determine that a current coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements has adjusted relative to the determined position within the body of water, wherein the adjustment is due to movement or reorientation of the watercraft or the trolling motor;
and
cause, in response thereto, the steering assembly, while the one or more sonar transducer elements are attached to the watercraft, to reorient the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements to cause a current direction of the sonar coverage to adjust so that the coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements includes the determined target position or direction, such that such that the coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements maintains the determined target position or direction therein regardless of the movement or reorientation of the watercraft in the body of water relative to the target position or direction.

10 more elements

A method for adjusting a coverage volume of a sonar system for a watercraft, the method comprising:

providing the sonar system, wherein the sonar system includes one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein the sonar system is configured to attach to the watercraft such that the sonar system moves in a fixed relationship with the watercraft;
providing a steering assembly, wherein the steering assembly is configured to cause independent rotation of the one or more sonar transducer elements relative to the watercraft when the sonar system is attached to the watercraft, wherein the steering assembly is configured to reorient a facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements to change a direction of sonar coverage relative to the watercraft;
causing the one or more sonar transducer elements to emit one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment;
receiving sonar return data from a coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements;
generating a sonar image of the coverage volume of the underwater environment based on the sonar return data;
receiving an input from a user indicating a desire to lock the coverage volume on a position within the body of water corresponding to an actual position within the body of water or a theoretical position corresponding to a current direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements;
determining, based on the input, the position within the body of water;
determining that a current coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements has adjusted relative to the determined position within the body of water, wherein the adjustment is due to movement or reorientation of the watercraft;
and
causing, in response thereto, the steering assembly, while the sonar system is attached to the watercraft, to steer the one or more sonar transducer elements to reorient the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements to cause a current direction of the sonar coverage to adjust so that the coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements includes the determined position, such that the coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements maintains the determined position within the coverage volume regardless of movement or reorientation of the watercraft in the body of water relative to the determined position.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/884,807Filed 10 Aug 2022 · continuation
Priority: 21 May 2021
Published: US 2022/0373662 A11 Dec 2022
Granted: 30 Apr 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

G01S 15/93
Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications: for anti-collision purposes
B63H 21/21
Use of propulsion power plant or units on vessels: control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
G01S 7/521
Of systems according to group G01S15/00: constructional features
G01S 7/527
Receivers: extracting wanted echo signals

Family

Application17/326,409Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 21 May 2021
Application17/704,268Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Mar 2022
US 2022/0381906 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Dec 2022
Application17/704,268Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 12,282,121 B2Related patent
US 12,656,489 B2Related patent
US 2022/0373662 A1Published application
US 2022/0373678 A1Published application
US 11,971,478 B2This patent

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