Side scan sonar imaging system with associated GPS data

A system comprising:

• a GPS receiver for providing GPS position data;
• a left side scan sonar transducer mounted to the boat for transmitting left side scan sonar beam of pulses and for receiving left side scan sonar return signals, wherein the left side scan sonar transducer transmits the left side scan sonar pulses directed downward and laterally outward to a left side of the boat, the left side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal width and a wide vertical width;
• a right side scan sonar transducer mounted to the boat for transmitting right side scan sonar beam of pulses and for receiving right side scan sonar return signals, wherein the right side scan sonar transducer transmits the right side scan sonar pulses directed downward and laterally outward to a right side of the boat, the right side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal width and a wide vertical width;
• signal processing circuitry for processing the left and right side scan sonar return signals to produce side scan image data;
• a memory for storing the GPS position data to produce historical GPS position data;
• a display;
• and
• a digital processor for causing the display to display underwater images based upon the side scan image data, wherein the digital processor, in response to a user input that identifies a target of interest within the underwater images, determines a waypoint for the target of interest based upon a distance back from the boat determined from the historical GPS position data and a distance to the left or right side of the boat determined from the side scan image data, and stores the waypoint in the memory.

A system comprising:

• a left side scan sonar transducer mounted to a boat for transmitting left side scan sonar beam of pulses and for receiving left side scan sonar return signals, wherein the left side scan sonar transducer transmits the left side scan sonar pulses directed downward and laterally outward to a left side of the boat, the left side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal width and a wide vertical width;
• a right side scan sonar transducer mounted to the boat for transmitting right side scan sonar beam of pulses and for receiving right side scan sonar return signals, wherein the right side scan sonar transducer transmits the right side scan sonar pulses directed downward and laterally outward to a right side of the boat, the right side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal width and a wide vertical width;
• signal processing circuitry for processing the left and right side scan sonar return signals to produce side scan image data;
• a GPS receiver mounted to the boat for providing GPS position data to the digital processor;
• a memory for storing the GPS position data to produce historical GPS position data;
• a display;
• and
• a digital processor for providing signals to display underwater images based upon the side scan image data, wherein the digital processor, in response to a user command, sets a waypoint based upon a distance back from the boat determined from the historical GPS position data and a distance to the left or right side of the boat determined from side scan image data corresponding to a target of interest within the underwater images.

A method comprising:

• transmitting left and right side scan sonar beams of pulses with left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively, from a transducer assembly mounted to a boat;
• receiving left and right side scan sonar return signals with the left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively, wherein the left side scan sonar pulses are directed downward and laterally outward to a left side of a boat, the left side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal width and a wide vertical width, and wherein the right side scan sonar pulses are directed downward and laterally outward to a right side of the boat, the right side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal width and a wide vertical width;
• generating side scan image data from the left and right side scan sonar return signals;
• receiving GPS signals with a GPS receiver mounted to the boat;
• generating GPS position data based upon the GPS signals;
• relating the side scan image data with the GPS position data;
• storing the related side scan image and GPS position data in memory;
• displaying underwater images based upon the side scan sonar return signals;
• receiving a user input;
• identifying a target of interest in the underwater image being displayed in response to the user input;
• determining a waypoint for the target of interest, based upon a distance to the left or right side of the boat as determined from the stored side scan image data and a distance back from the boat determined from the stored GPS position data;
• and
• storing the waypoint.