Universal scanning system for sonar

A method for forming a sonar image from a sonar transducer assembly on a watercraft, the method comprising:

• receiving first sonar data from the sonar transducer assembly when the sonar transducer assembly is oriented in a first orientation, the first sonar data providing data regarding a first underwater volume;
• receiving first orientation data from an orientation sensor when the sonar transducer assembly is in the first orientation;
• causing an actuator to generate movement of the sonar transducer assembly so that the sonar transducer assembly moves from the first orientation to a second orientation, with at least a portion of the sonar transducer assembly moving in a sweeping motion along an arc as the sonar transducer assembly moves from the first orientation to the second orientation;
• receiving second sonar data from the sonar transducer assembly when the sonar transducer assembly is oriented in the second orientation, the second sonar data providing data regarding a second underwater volume, the second underwater volume being at least partially different from the first underwater volume;
• receiving second orientation data from the orientation sensor when the sonar transducer assembly is in the second orientation;
• and
• creating a sonar image using the first sonar data, the second sonar data, the first orientation data, and the second orientation data, the sonar image including a first image portion including image data representative of the first sonar data and a second image portion including image data representative of the second sonar data, the second image portion being at least partially different from the first image portion, and the first image portion being positioned relative to the second image portion in a manner that correlates to the arc of the sweeping motion from the first orientation of the sonar transducer assembly to the second orientation of the sonar transducer assembly and portrays a real-world differential position of the first sonar data relative to the second sonar data within the sonar image.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to form a sonar image from a sonar transducer assembly on a watercraft by:

• receiving first sonar data from the sonar transducer assembly when the sonar transducer assembly is oriented in a first orientation, the first sonar data providing data regarding a first underwater volume;
• receiving first orientation data from an orientation sensor when the sonar transducer assembly is in the first orientation;
• causing an actuator to generate movement of the sonar transducer assembly so that the sonar transducer assembly moves from the first orientation to a second orientation, with at least a portion of the sonar transducer assembly moving in a sweeping motion along an arc as the sonar transducer assembly moves from the first orientation to the second orientation;
• receiving second sonar data from the sonar transducer assembly when the sonar transducer assembly is oriented in the second orientation, the second sonar data providing data regarding a second underwater volume, the second underwater volume being at least partially different from the first underwater volume;
• receiving second orientation data from the orientation sensor when the sonar transducer assembly is in the second orientation;
• and
• creating a sonar image using the first sonar data, the second sonar data, the first orientation data, and the second orientation data, the sonar image including a first image portion including image data representative of the first sonar data and a second image portion including image data representative of the second sonar data, the second image portion being at least partially different from the first image portion, and the first image portion being positioned relative to the second image portion in a manner that correlates to the arc of the sweeping motion from the first orientation of the sonar transducer assembly to the second orientation of the sonar transducer assembly and portrays a real-world differential position of the first sonar data relative to the second sonar data within the sonar image.