SONAR NAVIGATION SYSTEM AND METHOD
A method for pre-determining an underwater objects GPS position using a rotatable scan sonar unit linked to a boat, magnetic compass and GPS receiver. This system determines the underwater objects GPS position using the objects distance, compass heading and a GPS receiver/sonar on a boat. This system will provide real time longitude and latitude positions of underwater objects seen with sonar at a distance from a boat, and will allow for precise autopilot navigation or fixed position fishing. The system can also be used to correct for GPS errors when using previously stored waypoints positions of an object. The computer determines an objects underwater GPS position using a sonar transducer and mounted on a 360 degree movable mechanism such as a trolling motor unit, or phased array of transducers and a compass to provide heading information and formulates the objects position based on the distance and heading of the object in relation to the boats current GPS position.
1 . A sonar navigation system comprising:
a processor configured to draw a sonar image in response to sonar information received from a sonar transducer mounted on a rotatable member for scanning an underwater area, the sonar image comprising a plurality of underwater objects identified by the sonar information, wherein the sonar transducer generates the sonar information as the rotatable member sweeps the sonar transducer over an angular distance; and
a display screen communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to display the sonar image in response to the processor drawing the sonar image.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the angular distance is a 360 degree circle and the sonar image is a 360 degree image.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the angular distance is an arc of up to 360 degrees.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein the angular distance is a preset value up to 360 degrees and the processor is further configured to cause the rotatable member to rotate over the preset value.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to determine a set of location coordinates for at least one of the plurality of underwater objects based on the sonar information, wherein the sonar information further includes a distance between at least one of the plurality of underwater objects and the sonar transducer.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the processor is configured to determine the set of location coordinates based further on a direction heading received from a compass positioned in-line with a pointing direction of the sonar transducer and a current position of the sonar transducer received from a position detection receiver.
7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member is selected from a group consisting of a motorized device and a trolling motor.
8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the rotatable member is a trolling motor and the sonar transducer is mounted to a lower unit of the trolling motor.
9 . A sonar system comprising:
at least one sonar transducer configured to transmit a sonar beam for scanning an underwater area and to generate sonar information identifying one or more underwater objects in the underwater area; and
a rotatable member coupled to the at least one sonar transducer and configured to sweep the at least one sonar transducer over an angular distance.
10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising a processor configured to draw a sonar image of the one or more underwater objects in response to sweeping the at least one sonar transducer over the angular distance, the sonar image being based on the sonar information.
11 . The system of claim 10 wherein the angular distance is a 360 degree circle and the sonar image is a 360 degree image.
12 . The system of claim 10 further comprising a display screen configured to display the sonar image.
13 . The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to control rotation of the rotatable member over the angular distance and the angular distance is a preset value up to 360 degrees.
14 . The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to control transmission of the sonar beam by the at least one sonar transducer.
15 . The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to determine location coordinates for the one or more underwater objects based on the sonar information, a direction heading of the at least one sonar transducer, and a current position of the at least one sonar transducer, the sonar information including a distance to the one or more underwater objects.
16 . The system of claim 15 further comprising a compass positioned in-line with a pointing direction of the at least one sonar transducer, the compass being configured to determine the direction heading.
17 . The system of claim 15 further comprising a position detection receiver configured to determine the current position of the at least one sonar transducer.
18 . The system of claim 9 wherein the at least one sonar transducer includes two sonar transducers, each sonar transducer transmitting a separate sonar beam.
19 . The system of claim 9 wherein the angular distance is an arc of up to 360 degrees.
20 . The system of claim 9 wherein the rotatable member is selected from a group consisting of a motorized device and a trolling motor.
21 . The system of claim 9 wherein the rotatable member is a trolling motor and the at least one sonar transducer is mounted to a lower unit of the trolling motor.