IP Library Granted Patent US 10,451,732
Granted Patent B2
US 10,451,732 · App. 14/566,513 · Granted Oct 22, 2019

Event triggering using sonar data

Inventor: Matthew Laster (Broken Arrow, OK)
Assignee: NAVICO HOLDING AS
G01S15/89G01S7/6218G01S15/66
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,451,732
App. No.
14/566,513
Granted
Oct 22, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Various implementations described herein are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, may cause the computer to receive sonar data from a transducer after deployment of the transducer in a body of water. The computer may process the sonar data to detect a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data received from the transducer. The computer may automatically trigger at least one event upon detecting the bottom of the body of water.

Claims (71)

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:

receive sonar data from at least one transducer associated with a vessel after deployment of the transducer in a body of water;

process the sonar data to detect a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data received from the transducer; and

in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, automatically cause recording, in memory, geographical positions of the vessel as the vessel travels along the body of water and generating a trail map of the recorded geographical positions of the vessel.

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

record the geographical positions based on geographical coordinate data received from global positioning system (GPS) transceiver.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

generate the trail map based on a plot of previously recorded geographical positions related to the geographical coordinate data received from the GPS transceiver, and

display, on a screen, one or more images associated with the trail map.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein, in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, the computer-executable instructions automatically cause recording geographical positions of the vessel as the vessel travels along the body of water and generating the trail map of the recorded geographical positions of the vessel, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

generate the trail map based on the sonar data and geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver; and

display, on a screen, one or more images associated with the trail map.

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

track multiple navigated courses on the body of water based on geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver;

generate a trail map for each navigated course, each trail map having a start point and an end point for each navigated course; and

upload one or more of the sonar data, the geographical coordinate data, and each trail map to at least one database via a network.

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

sense removal of the transducer from the body of water based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water;

trigger, in response to failing to detect the bottom of the body of water, at least one of:

stopping recording of the sonar data generated by the transducer; or

uploading the recorded sonar data to at least one database via a network.

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

start generating a first trail map beginning at a first start point based on detecting the bottom of the body of water for a first time, wherein the first trail map is associated with tracking a first navigated course on the body of water based on the sonar data and geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver during the first time;

stop generating the first trail map terminating at a first end point based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water; and

upload one or more of the sonar data recorded during the first time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the first time, and the first trail map recorded during the first time to at least one database via a network.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

start generating a second trail map different than the first trail map, the second trail map beginning at a second start point based on detecting the bottom of the body of water for a second time, wherein the second trail map is associated with tracking a second navigated course on the body of water based on the sonar data and geographical coordinate data received from a global positioning system (GPS) transceiver during the second time;

stop generating the second trail map terminating at a second end point based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water; and

upload one or more of the sonar data recorded during the second time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the second time, and the second trail map recorded during the second time to at least one database via a network.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

generate a first sonar log that includes one or more of the sonar data recorded during the first time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the first time, and the first trail map generated during the first time;

generate a second sonar log that includes one or more of the sonar data recorded during the second time, the geographical coordinate data recorded during the second time, and the second trail map generated during the second time; and

generate a third sonar log that links the first trail map to the second trail map by coupling the first end point of the first trail map to the second start point of the second trail map to thereby generate a third trail map beginning with the first start point of the first trail map and terminating with the second end point of the second trail map; and

upload one or more of the first sonar log, the second sonar log, and the third sonar log to at least one database via a network.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:

the transducer is coupled or mounted to the vessel, wherein the vessel is configured to at least partially float on a surface of the body of water, and

processing the sonar data received from the transducer occurs after launching the vessel in the body of water by a user.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:

the transducer is part of a user castable device that is configured to at least partially float on a surface of the body of water, and

processing the sonar data received from the transducer occurs after casting the transducer in the body of water by a user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to, in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, automatically cause recording, in memory, the sonar data received from the at least one transducer.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the computer to:

display, on a screen, one or more images associated with at least one of the recorded sonar data or the generated trail map.

14. A transducer assembly, the transducer assembly comprising:

a processor; and

memory including instructions that cause the processor to:

generate sonar data after deployment of the transducer in a body of water;

process the sonar data to detect a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data; and

in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, automatically cause transmission of the sonar data to a computing device along with instruction for the computing device to record the sonar data in a memory of the computing device.

15. The transducer assembly of claim 14 , wherein:

the sonar transducer is coupled or mounted to a vessel that is configured to at least partially float on a surface of the body of water, and

automatically transmitting the sonar data to the computing device occurs after launching the vessel in the body of water.

16. The transducer assembly of claim 14 , wherein:

the transducer is part of a user castable device that is configured to at least partially float on a surface of the body of water, and

automatically transmitting the sonar data to the computing device occurs after casting the user castable device in the body of water.

17. The transducer assembly of claim 14 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions that cause the computer to:

sense removal of the transducer from the body of water based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water; and

in response to failing to detect the bottom of the body of water, automatically causing transmission of the sonar data to the computing device to cease.

18. A castable device, the castable device comprising:

at least one sonar transducer element;

a processor; and

memory including instructions that cause the processor to:

receive sonar data from the at least one sonar transducer element after deployment of the castable device in a body of water;

process the sonar data to detect a bottom of the body of water based on the sonar data received from the at least one sonar transducer element; and

in response to detecting the bottom of the body of water, automatically cause transmission of the sonar data to a computing device along with instruction for the computing device to record the sonar data in a memory of the computing device.

19. The castable device of claim 18 , wherein:

the castable device is configured to at least partially float on a surface of the body of water; and

automatically transmitting the sonar data to the computing device occurs after casting the user castable device in the body of water.

20. The castable device of claim 18 , wherein the memory further comprise instructions that cause the computer to:

sense removal of the castable device from the body of water based on failing to detect the bottom of the body of water; and

in response to failing to detect the bottom of the body of water, automatically causing transmission of the sonar data to the computing device to cease.

Assignments (4)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: NAVICO HOLDING AS
To: NAVICO, INC.
Reel/Frame 066338/0107 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2021
From: GLAS AMERICAS LLC
To: NAVICO HOLDING AS
Reel/Frame 057780/0496 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2017
From: NAVICO HOLDING AS
To: GLAS AMERICAS LLC
Reel/Frame 042121/0692 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 17, 2016
From: LASTER, MATTHEW
To: NAVICO HOLDING AS
Reel/Frame 040356/0454 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160170022A1 · Jun 16, 2016
Cited By (6)
US 12,282,121 US 12,366,859 US 12,529,775 US 12,560,713 US 12,656,489 US 12,715,554