Sonar steering systems and associated methods
Sonar steering systems offering improved functionality and ease of use for an operator (e.g., an angler) are provided. A sonar steering system is configured to automatically adjust the directional coverage volume of the sonar system in a hands-free manner to allow the operator to focus on other tasks. Some such sonar steering systems are configured to adjust the directional coverage volume of the sonar transducers to maintain a target such as an area of interest (AOI) within the sonar display despite movement of the watercraft relative to the target. Accordingly, the coverage volume may be automatically adjusted to maintain the aim of the sonar transducers at a target that is moving through the water, such as a school of fish.
1. A sonar system for providing sonar imagery of an underwater environment, the sonar system comprising:
a sonar assembly configured to attach to a watercraft having a trolling motor assembly configured to propel the watercraft to travel along a direction of travel in a body of water, the sonar assembly comprising:
an elongated shaft defining a first end and a second end, wherein, when attached to the watercraft and in a deployed position, the second end of the shaft is positioned within the underwater environment;
one or more sonar transducer elements attached to the second end of the shaft such that, when the shaft is in the deployed position, the one or more sonar transducer elements are positioned within the underwater environment, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements are configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment based on a facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements; and
a sonar steering system comprising one or more motors, wherein the sonar steering system is configured to:
adjust, via at least one of the one or more motors rotating the shaft or the one or more motors tilting the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements toward or away from a water surface of the underwater environment, an orientation of the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment to a plurality of directions independent of the trolling motor assembly, and
adjust, via the one or more motors raising or lower at least a portion of the shaft within the underwater environment, a vertical position within the underwater environment of the one or more sonar transducer elements such that the one or more sonar transducer elements are vertically movable within the underwater environment to different deployed vertical positions within the underwater environment without adjusting the facing direction, where the one or more sonar transducer elements are still usable within the underwater environment at the different deployed vertical positions;
a display;
one or more processors; and
a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
cause the one or more sonar transducer elements to emit one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment;
receive sonar return data from a coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein the coverage volume corresponds to the orientation of the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements and the vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements;
generate a sonar image of the coverage volume of the underwater environment based on the sonar return data;
determine trolling motor assembly instructions to provide to the trolling motor assembly for steering a motor direction of a trolling motor of the watercraft and operating the trolling motor to propel the watercraft;
determine sonar steering system instructions to provide to the sonar steering system for adjusting the coverage volume based on the trolling motor assembly instructions to enable the trolling motor assembly and the sonar steering system to work together to track a target, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements and the trolling motor are independently steerable;
provide the trolling motor assembly instructions to the trolling motor assembly to cause the trolling motor to steer to the motor direction and operate to propel the watercraft; and
provide the sonar steering system instructions to the sonar steering system to cause the sonar steering system to adjust the coverage volume by at least one of (i) rotating the one or more sonar transducer elements about a longitudinal axis of the shaft, (ii) tilting the one or more sonar transducer elements, or (iii) adjusting the vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment, wherein the coverage volume is adjusted to maintain the target within the coverage volume during movement of the watercraft and the target relative to one another.
2. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises an area of interest.
3. The sonar system of claim 2 , wherein the area of interest is identified by at least one of a geo-positional location and a compass heading.
4. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises an object moving within the underwater environment.
5. The sonar system of claim 4 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
operate the trolling motor assembly to propel the watercraft relative to the moving object.
6. The sonar system of claim 4 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
identify the target among a plurality of objects moving within the underwater environment.
7. The sonar system of claim 6 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
receive input by a user selecting the target from the plurality of objects moving within the underwater environment.
8. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
cause the sonar steering system to adjust the coverage volume based on an upcoming or a current direction and speed of the watercraft.
9. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
cause the sonar steering system to adjust the vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements in response to detection of a depth of an object in the underwater environment.
10. The sonar system of claim 1 , wherein the computer program code is further configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
receive a command from a user to cause the sonar steering system to rotate the one or more sonar transducer elements about the longitudinal axis.
11. The sonar system of claim 10 , wherein the command from the user is input via at least one of the display and a remote control.
12. The sonar system of claim 10 , wherein the command from the user is based on at least one of a body gesture detection, an orientation sensor associated with the user, and a voice command.
13. A method for operating a sonar system for providing sonar imagery of an underwater environment, the method comprising:
causing one or more sonar transducer elements attached to an elongated shaft of a sonar assembly to emit one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment, wherein the shaft and the sonar assembly are attached to a watercraft having a trolling motor assembly configured to propel the watercraft to travel along a direction of travel in a body of water independently of a facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein, when the shaft is attached to the watercraft and in a deployed position, the one or more sonar transducer elements are positioned within the underwater environment;
receiving sonar return data from a coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein the coverage volume corresponds to an orientation of the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements and the vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements;
displaying, on a display, a sonar image of the coverage volume based on the sonar return data;
determining trolling motor assembly instructions to provide to the trolling motor assembly for steering a motor direction of a trolling motor of the watercraft and operating the trolling motor to propel the watercraft;
determining sonar steering system instructions to provide to the sonar steering system for adjusting the coverage volume based on the trolling motor assembly instructions to enable the trolling motor assembly and the sonar steering system to work together to track a target, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements and the trolling motor are independently steerable;
providing the trolling motor assembly instructions to the trolling motor assembly to cause the trolling motor to steer to the motor direction and operate to propel the watercraft; and
providing the sonar steering system instructions to the sonar steering system to cause, by one or more processors in operable communication with a sonar steering system, the sonar steering system to adjust the coverage volume by at least one of (i) rotating the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment about a longitudinal axis of the shaft, (ii) tilting the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment, or (iii) adjusting a vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment, wherein the coverage volume is adjusted to maintain the target within the coverage volume during movement of the watercraft and the target relative to one another,
wherein the sonar steering system comprises one or more motors, wherein the sonar steering system is configured to:
adjust, via at least one of the one or more motors rotating the shaft or the one or more motors tilting the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements toward or away from a water surface of the underwater environment, the orientation of the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment to a plurality of directions independent of the trolling motor assembly, and
adjust, via the one or more motors raising or lower at least a portion of the shaft within the underwater environment, the vertical position within the underwater environment of the one or more sonar transducer elements such that the one or more sonar transducer elements are vertically movable within the underwater environment to different deployed vertical positions within the underwater environment without adjusting the facing direction, where the one or more sonar transducer elements are still usable within the underwater environment at the different deployed vertical positions.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements is adjusted in response to detection of a depth of an object in the underwater environment.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving a command from a user to cause the sonar steering system to rotate the one or more sonar transducer elements about the longitudinal axis.
16. A sonar assembly for providing sonar imagery of an underwater environment, the sonar assembly being configured to attach to a watercraft having a trolling motor assembly configured to propel the watercraft to travel along a direction of travel in a body of water, the sonar assembly comprising:
an elongated shaft defining a first end and a second end, wherein, when attached to the watercraft and in a deployed position, the second end of the shaft is positioned within the underwater environment;
one or more sonar transducer elements attached to the second end of the shaft such that, when the shaft is in the deployed position, the one or more sonar transducer elements are positioned within the underwater environment, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements are configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment based on a facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements; and
a sonar steering system comprising one or more motors, wherein the sonar steering system is configured to:
adjust, via at least one of the one or more motors rotating the shaft or the one or more motors tilting the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements toward or away from a water surface of the underwater environment, an orientation of the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment to a plurality of directions independent of the trolling motor assembly, and
adjust, via the one or more motors raising or lower at least a portion of the shaft within the underwater environment, a vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment such that the one or more sonar transducer elements are vertically movable within the underwater environment to different deployed vertical positions within the underwater environment without adjusting the facing direction, where the one or more sonar transducer elements are still usable within the underwater environment at the different deployed vertical positions;
one or more processors; and
a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:
cause the one or more sonar transducer elements to emit one or more sonar beams into the underwater environment;
receive sonar return data from a coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements, wherein the coverage volume corresponds to the orientation of the facing direction of the one or more sonar transducer elements and the vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements;
generate a sonar image of the coverage volume of the underwater environment based on the sonar return data;
determine trolling motor assembly instructions to provide to the trolling motor assembly for steering a motor direction of a trolling motor of the watercraft and operating the trolling motor to propel the watercraft;
determine sonar steering system instructions to provide to the sonar steering system for adjusting the coverage volume based on the trolling motor assembly instructions to enable the trolling motor assembly and the sonar steering system to work together to track a target, wherein the one or more sonar transducer elements and the trolling motor are independently steerable;
provide the trolling motor assembly instructions to the trolling motor assembly to cause the trolling motor to steer to the motor direction and operate to propel the watercraft; and
provide the sonar steering system instructions to the sonar steering system to cause the sonar steering system to adjust the orientation of the coverage volume by at least one of (i) rotating the one or more sonar transducer elements about a longitudinal axis of the shaft, (ii) tilting the one or more sonar transducer elements, or (iii) adjusting the vertical position of the one or more sonar transducer elements within the underwater environment, wherein the coverage volume of the one or more sonar transducer elements is adjusted to maintain the target within the coverage volume during movement of the watercraft and the target relative to one another.