Device and method for shoal detection

A shoal detection method, comprising:

• transmitting a transmission signal from a transmitter to a transducer;
• projecting ultrasonic waves in a water body based on the transmission signal and receiving reflected ultrasonic waves from one or more objects in the water body;
• generating a reception signal based on the reflected ultrasonic waves;
• generating a plurality of reception beams based on the reception signal;
• detecting a seafloor among the one or more objects based on the plurality of reception beams;
• determining a limit incidence angle at which the seafloor is detected;
• generating a predicted location of a shoal line that may exist between a position of the seafloor that was detected via a most horizontal reception beam of the plurality of reception beams and a surface of the body of water,
• wherein the predicted location of the shoal line is generated by extrapolating the detected seafloor beyond the position of the seafloor that was detected via the most horizontal reception beam to the surface of the body of water based on the limit incidence angle,
• wherein the predicted location of the shoal line connects with the detected seafloor;
• and
• detecting a potential shoal hazard based on a determined depth of the predicted location of the shoal line.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

• transmit a transmission signal from a transmitter to a transducer;
• project ultrasonic waves in a water body based on the transmission signal and receive reflected ultrasonic waves from one or more objects in the water body;
• generate a reception signal based on the reflected ultrasonic waves;
• generate a plurality of reception beams based on the reception signal;
• detect a seafloor among the one or more objects based on the plurality of reception beams;
• determine a limit incidence angle at which the seafloor is detected;
• generate a predicted location of a shoal line that may exist between a position of the seafloor that was detected via a most horizontal reception beam of the plurality of reception beams and a surface of the body of water,
• wherein the predicted location of the shoal line is generated by extrapolating the detected seafloor beyond the position of the seafloor that was detected via the most horizontal reception beam to the surface of the body of water based on the limit incidence angle,
• wherein the predicted location of the shoal line connects with the detected seafloor;
• and
• detect a potential shoal hazard based on a determined depth of the predicted location of the shoal line.