Sonar system having an interactive sonar viewing apparatus and method of configuring same

An interactive sonar viewing apparatus for selectively configuring an associated sonar system having a plurality of transducers for emitting sonar signals through a body of water and receiving returning sonar signals reflected by objects within the body of water, wherein each respective transducer has predetermined signal characteristics, the interactive sonar viewing apparatus comprising:

• signal characteristics storage means for storing characterization data representative of the predetermined signal characteristics of the plurality of transducers;
• a screen display, responsive to said signal characteristics storage means, for displaying a graphical representation of the characterization data representative of the predetermined signal characteristics of the plurality of transducers independent of the returning sonar signals;
• and
• transducer selection means, operably connected to said signal characteristics storage means and responsive to operator selection of at least one of the plurality of transducers based upon the graphical representation of the characterization data by said screen display, for selecting the transducers to activate such that the operator can thereby selectively configure the associated sonar system.

A sonar system capable of selectively orienting a resulting visual image, the sonar system comprising:

• at least one transducer for emitting sonar signals through a body of water and for receiving returning sonar signals reflected by objects within the body of water;
• a controller, operably connected to said transducers, for processing the returning sonar signals to generate echo data representative of the reflected sonar signals;
• and
• an interactive sonar viewing apparatus operably connected to said controller, said interactive sonar viewing apparatus comprising:
• display orientation storage means for storing orientation data representative of a plurality of display frames of different orientations;
• a screen display, responsive to said display orientation storage means, capable of displaying a graphical representation of the orientation data representative of the plurality of display frames;
• and
• display orientation selection means, operably connected to said controller and responsive to operator selection of a respective display frame based upon the graphical representation of the orientation data, for selecting the orientation in which the echo data generated by said controller will be graphically displayed such that the operator can thereby selectively orient the resulting visual image on said screen display of the sonar system.

An interactive sonar viewing apparatus for selectively orienting the visual image of an associated sonar system, the interactive sonar viewing apparatus comprising:

• display orientation storage means for storing orientation data representative of a plurality of display frames of different orientations;
• a screen display, responsive to said display orientation storage means, capable of displaying a graphical representation of the orientation data representative of the plurality of display frames;
• and
• display orientation selection means, operably connected to said display orientation storage means and responsive to operator selection of a respective display frame based upon the graphical representation of the orientation data, for selecting the orientation in which the visual display of the associated sonar system will be graphically displayed such that the operator can thereby selectively orient the resulting visual image on said screen display.

A method of selectively reconfiguring a sonar system having a plurality of transducers for emitting sonar signals and for receiving returning sonar signals wherein the transducers have predetermined signal characteristics, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing characterization data representative of the predetermined signal characteristics of the plurality of transducers of the sonar system;
• displaying a graphical representation of the characterization data representative of the predetermined signal characteristics of the plurality of transducers independent of the returning sonar signals;
• and
• selecting, based upon the graphical representation of the characterization data, at least one of the plurality of transducers for activation so as to emit sonar signals having the predetermined signal characteristics into a body of water.

A method of selectively orienting a visual image of a sonar system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing orientation data representative of a plurality of display frames of different orientations;
• displaying a graphical representation of the orientation data representative of at least one display frame on the screen display;
• and
• selecting, based upon the graphical representation of the orientation data on the screen display, a respective display frame to thereby identify the orientation in which the visual image will be graphically displayed on the screen display of the sonar system.