Automatic Data Display Selection

1 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

retrieve a hierarchical list of data items that correspond to marine electronics data;

select a first data item from the list of data items;

detect whether data corresponding to the first data item is available on a network; and

display data corresponding to the first data item if data corresponding to the first data item is available on the network.

2 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to display data corresponding to a second data item in the list of data items if data corresponding to the first data item is not available on the network.

3 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to detect whether the data corresponding to the first data item is available on the network comprise computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to detect whether one or more sensors measuring data corresponding to the first data item are connected to the network.

4 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to select a first data item from the list of date items comprise computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to select a data item with a highest priority in the list of data items.

5 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to detect whether data corresponding to the first data item is available on the network comprise computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to detect whether National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) 2000 compliant data corresponding to the first data item is available on the network.

6 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the hierarchical list of data items comprises one or more formulas or instructions for calculating a data item.

7 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the data corresponding to the first data item comprises data from a plurality of sensors.

8 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the first data item has a highest priority in the hierarchical or prioritized list.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

detect that the data corresponding to a displayed data item is not being transmitted on the network; and

automatically replace the displayed data item with another data item.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

detect that a sensor has been added to the network; and

automatically replace a displayed data item with a data item corresponding to the sensor.

11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

retrieve a hierarchical list of data items that correspond to marine electronics data;

select a first data item from the list of data items, wherein the first data item has the highest priority in the list;

determine whether data corresponding to the first data item is detected;

display data corresponding to the first data item if data corresponding to the first data item is detected;

select a second data item from the hierarchy, wherein the second data item has a lower priority than the first data item;

determine whether data corresponding to the second data item is detected; and

display data corresponding to the second data item if data corresponding to the second data item is detected.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to determine whether data corresponding to the first data item is detected comprise computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to detect whether one or more sensors measuring data corresponding to the first data item are connected to a network.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the hierarchical or prioritized list of data items comprises one or more formulas or instructions for calculating a data item.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to determine whether data corresponding to the first data item is detected comprise computer-executable instructions that cause the computer to detect whether National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) 2000 compliant data corresponding to the first data item is available on the network.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

determine that the data corresponding to the first or second data item is no longer detected; and

automatically replace the first or second data item with a third data item in the list of data items.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

detect that a sensor has been added to the network; and

automatically replace a displayed data item with a data item corresponding to the sensor.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a number of display fields;

retrieve a list of data types that correspond to marine electronics; and

fill the number of display fields on a display with data corresponding to the list of data types, wherein data is only displayed if a sensor transmitting the data is detected on a network.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the list of data types comprises a hierarchical or prioritized list of data items.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the network is a National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) 2000 bus.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the number of display fields is received in response to a request to display a page.