Frequency steered sonar user interface

A marine sonar display device comprising:

• a display configured to display sonar images;
• a non-transitory memory element configured to store over a period of time sonar data and an array of sonar data slices associated with one of a plurality of frequency components;
• and
• a processing element in communication with the display and the memory element, the processing element configured to—
• transmit a transmit electronic signal including the plurality of frequency components to a frequency steered sonar element positioned under a marine vessel and operable to transmit a first array of sonar beams into a body of water in a first direction towards the front of the marine vessel forming a first sonar wedge and a second array of sonar beams into a body of water in a second direction directly below the marine vessel forming a second sonar wedge, each sonar beam transmitted in one of a plurality of angular directions and each angular direction corresponding to one of the frequency components of the transmit electronic signal, the first direction and the second direction each including a plurality of angular directions corresponding to the plurality of frequency components,
• receive a receive electronic signal from the frequency steered sonar element operable to receive reflections of the sonar beams from the body of water,
• calculate, and store in the memory element, the array of sonar data slices based on the receive electronic signal, the sonar data slice including sonar data derived from reflections of the first sonar wedge and the second sonar wedge,
• generate an array of sonar image slices, each sonar image slice generated from one of the sonar data slices and including sonar imagery of a region of the water corresponding to the angular direction of one of the array of sonar beams,
• identify a gap in an underwater area between the first sonar wedge in the first direction and the second sonar wedge in the second direction, the gap having a first edge adjacent to the first sonar wedge and an opposing second edge adjacent to the second sonar wedge,
• identify a sonar image slice in the first sonar wedge adjacent to the first edge,
• control the display to visually present the array of sonar image slices in near real time, and
• control the display to visually present in the gap between the first sonar wedge and the second sonar wedge the identified sonar image slice generated from corresponding sonar data slices of the first sonar wedge.

A marine sonar display device comprising:

• a display configured to display sonar images;
• a non-transitory memory element configured to store over a period of time sonar data and an array of sonar data slices associated with one of a plurality of frequency components;
• and
• a processing element in communication with the display and the memory element, the processing element configured to—
• transmit a transmit electronic signal including the plurality of frequency components to a frequency steered sonar element positioned under a marine vessel and operable to transmit a first array of sonar beams into a body of water in a first direction towards the front of the marine vessel forming a first sonar wedge and a second array of sonar beams into a body of water in a second direction directly below the marine vessel forming a second sonar wedge, each sonar beam transmitted in one of a plurality of angular directions and each angular direction corresponding to one of the frequency components of the transmit electronic signal, the first direction and the second direction each including a plurality of angular directions corresponding to the plurality of frequency components,
• receive a receive electronic signal from the frequency steered sonar element operable to receive reflections of the sonar beams from the body of water,
• calculate, and store in the memory element, the array of sonar data slices based on the receive electronic signal, the sonar data slice including sonar data derived from reflections of the first sonar wedge and the second sonar wedge,
• generate an array of sonar image slices, each sonar image slice generated from one of the sonar data slices and including sonar imagery of a region of the water corresponding to the angular direction of one of the array of sonar beams,
• identify a gap in an underwater area between the first sonar wedge in the first direction and the second sonar wedge in the second direction, the gap having a first edge adjacent to the first sonar wedge and an opposing second edge adjacent to the second sonar wedge,
• identify a sonar image slice in the first sonar wedge adjacent to the first edge and a sonar image slice in the second sonar wedge adjacent to the second edge,
• control the display to visually present the array of sonar image slices in near real time, and
• control the display to visually present in the gap between the first sonar wedge and the second sonar wedge the identified sonar image slices generated from corresponding sonar data slices of the first sonar wedge and the second sonar wedge.