DEVICES AND METHODS FOR LOCATING AND VISUALIZING UNDERWATER OBJECTS
Sonar devices for detecting underwater objects are provided whereby a set of angled ultrasound transducers are employed to sense ultrasound signals from a plurality of different spatial regions. The angled ultrasound transducers may include a first pair of side-viewing ultrasound transducers and a second pair of ultrasound transducers configured for interrogating forward and reverse directions. The ultrasound signals from the set of angled ultrasound transducers may be processed to identify the presence of underwater objects in each spatial region, and the resulting identified underwater objects may be displayed, on a per-region basis, on a user interface. The ultrasound signals may additionally or alternatively be processed to generate a topographical model of the bed surface, and to generate a topographical surface image based on the three-dimensional topographical model. The topographical surface image may be displayed as a fly-over animation.
1 . A sonar device for detecting underwater objects, the sonar device comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of angled ultrasound transducers supported by said housing;
processing circuitry provided within said housing, said processing circuitry comprising an ultrasound transceiver that is operably connected to said angled ultrasound transducers, said processing circuitry further comprising an interface for communicating with a remote computing device, and wherein said processing circuitry is connected or connectable to a power source;
wherein at least two of said ultrasound transducers are angled ultrasound transducers having respective ultrasound beam axes that are directed at an acute angle relative to a primary axis of said sonar device, such that each angled transducer is configured to interrogate a different spatial region; and
wherein said sonar device is configured to float in a stable orientation such that said primary axis is vertically oriented in still water.
2 .- 41 . (canceled)