Steerable sonar mounting system
AssigneeGarmin International, Inc.
InventorsAdam E. Reetz, Chad D. DeConink
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steerable sonar mounting system comprises a sonar transducer, a gesture remote, and a motorized steering unit. The gesture remote includes a sensor, a memory, and a processor coupled to both the memory and the sensor. The processor is configured to receive a user command for repositioning the sonar transducer based on the movement of the gesture remote, determine a corresponding gesture movement using data from the sensor, and transmit an indication of the gesture movement. The motorized steering unit is coupled to the sonar transducer and communicatively linked to the gesture remote, where the motorized steering unit is configured to move the sonar transducer in response to receiving the transmitted indication of the gesture movement.
Claims15
A steerable sonar mounting system comprising:
- a sonar transducer;
- a gesture remote comprising:
- a sensor;
- a memory;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory and the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- receive a user command for the sonar transducer to be repositioned based on movement of the gesture remote;
- determine a gesture movement corresponding to the gesture remote based on data from the sensor, wherein the gesture movement comprises a rolling movement of the gesture remote about a longitudinal axis of the gesture remote;
- and
- transmit an indication of the gesture movement;
- and
- a motorized steering unit coupled to the sonar transducer and communicatively coupled to the gesture remote, the motorized steering unit comprising:
- a motor;
- and
- a drive mechanism coupled to the motor and to a rotatable shaft on which the sonar transducer is mounted, the drive mechanism configured to control rotation of the rotatable shaft about the vertical axis,
- wherein the motor and drive mechanism define a dedicated steering assembly for the sonar transducer;
- wherein the motorized steering unit is configured to rotate the rotatable shaft about the vertical axis by an amount corresponding to a change in the rolling movement of the gesture remote to change a viewing direction of the sonar transducer relative to the marine vessel.
A steerable sonar mounting system comprising:
- a sonar transducer;
- a gesture remote comprising:
- an attachment portion configured to couple the gesture remote to a fishing rod;
- a sensor;
- a memory;
- and
- a processor coupled to the memory and the sensor, wherein the processor is configured to:
- receive a user command for the sonar transducer to be repositioned based on movement of the gesture remote;
- determine a gesture movement corresponding to the gesture remote based on data from the sensor;
- and
- transmit an indication of the gesture movement;
- and
- a motorized steering unit coupled to the sonar transducer and communicatively coupled to the gesture remote, the motorized steering unit comprising:
- a motor;
- and
- a drive mechanism coupled to the motor and to a rotatable shaft on which the sonar transducer is mounted, the drive mechanism configured to control rotation of the rotatable shaft about the vertical axis,
- wherein the motor and drive mechanism define a dedicated steering assembly for the sonar transducer;
- wherein the processor is configured to operate the steerable sonar mounting system in a first operating mode and a second operating mode,
- wherein in the first operating mode the gesture movement comprises a rolling movement of the gesture, and the motorized steering unit rotates the rotatable shaft about the vertical axis by an amount corresponding to a change in the rolling movement to change a viewing direction of the sonar transducer relative to the marine vessel;
- and
- wherein in the second operating mode the gesture movement comprises a yawing movement of the gesture remote, and the motorized steering unit rotates the rotatable shaft about the vertical axis by an amount corresponding to a change in the yawing movement to change the viewing direction of the sonar transducer relative to the marine vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.