User drawn zone for marine electronic devices

A system for operating a marine electronic device for a watercraft, the system comprising:

• a user interface comprising a touch screen;
• a processor;
• and
• a memory having computer program code stored thereon, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the marine electronic device to:
• cause one of a chart, a sonar image, or a radar image to be displayed on the touch screen;
• receive, via the touch screen, a user input defining a continuous touch pattern directed to the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image, wherein the touch pattern defines a starting point, an ending point, and a touched line across the touch screen between the starting point and the ending point, wherein the touched line defines an at least partially enclosed portion of the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image;
• determine, based on the user input, a drawn zone of the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image, wherein the drawn zone comprises an enclosed portion of the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image that corresponds to the at least partially enclosed portion defined by the touched line;
• determine a drawn zone functionality associated with the user input, wherein the drawn zone functionality is at least one of:
• provide a notification when an object other than the watercraft enters into the drawn zone, provide a notification when the watercraft leaves the drawn zone, or provide a notification upon future occurrence of a sonar event that corresponds to one or more characteristics of the sonar image that are currently present within the drawn zone;
• and
• operate at least one of the marine electronic device or one or more other systems of the watercraft based on the determined drawn zone functionality.

A method for operating a marine electronic device for a watercraft, the method comprising:

• causing one of a chart, a sonar image, or a radar image to be displayed on the touch screen;
• receiving, via the touch screen, a user input defining a continuous touch pattern directed to the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image, wherein the touch pattern defines a starting point, an ending point, and a touched line across the touch screen between the starting point and the ending point, wherein the touched line defines an at least partially enclosed portion of the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image;
• determining, based on the user input, a drawn zone of the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image, wherein the drawn zone comprises an enclosed portion of the one of the chart, the sonar image, or the radar image that corresponds to the at least partially enclosed portion defined by the touched line;
• determining a drawn zone functionality associated with the user input, wherein the drawn zone functionality is at least one of:
• provide a notification when an object other than the watercraft enters into the drawn zone, provide a notification when the watercraft leaves the drawn zone, or provide a notification upon future occurrence of a sonar event that corresponds to one or more characteristics of the sonar image that are currently present within the drawn zone;
• and
• operating at least one of the marine electronic device or one or more other systems of the watercraft based on the determined drawn zone functionality.