Side scan sonar imaging system

Abstract

A system for use with a boat to provide underwater sonar images includes a GPS receiver for providing GPS position data, a left side scan sonar transducer for transmitting left side scan sonar pulses and for receiving left side scan sonar return signals, and a right side scan sonar transducer for transmitting right side scan sonar pulses and for receiving right side scan sonar return signals. The system further includes signal processing circuitry for processing the left and right side scan sonar return signals to produce side scan image data and a digital processor for causing a display to display an underwater image based upon the side scan image data, wherein the digital processor associates GPS position and side scan image data.

1 . A sonar system mounted to a boat to provide detailed images of underwater articles located at the left and ride sides of the boat, the sonar system comprising:
 left and right side scan elements for transmitting sonar beams directed downward from the boat and, respectively, outward to the left and right sides of the boat, the sonar beams having a narrow horizontal beam width and a wide vertical beam width, and for receiving detailed sonar returns reflected from and providing details of the underwater articles;   signal processing circuitry for processing the detailed sonar returns to produce digital data;   data processing circuitry for processing the digital data to produce signals corresponding to the detailed images of the underwater articles; and   a display for receiving the signals and displaying the detailed images of the underwater articles located at least one of the left and right sides of the boat.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display displays left and right side detailed images of underwater articles respectively located at the left and right sides of the boat. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the detailed sonar returns further provide shadows from the underwater articles, and the detailed images of the underwater articles include these shadows. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the detailed sonar returns further provide underwater dark areas, and the detailed images of the underwater articles include the underwater dark areas. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display further displays a water depth. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display further displays a speed of the boat. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the detailed images further show the bottom of a body of water. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the detailed images are shown in grey-scale or color. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the display is part of a user interface configured to allow for user inputs through a display menu. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right side scan elements are orientated downward from the surface of the water at an angle between about 20 degrees and about 40 degrees. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the left and right side scan elements operate at resonant frequencies of between about 260 KHz and about 462 KHz. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of each of the left and right side scan elements is a rectangle having a length of up to about 7 inches and a width of up to about 0.50 inch. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , where the left and right side scan elements are made from a piezoelectric ceramic. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an acoustic shield which substantially surrounds each of the left and right side scan elements. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a downward scan element for transmitting a sonar beam directed straight down from the boat. 
   
   
       16 . A sonar system to provide detailed images of underwater articles located at the left and right sides of a boat, the sonar system comprising:
 a transducer assembly comprising:
 a housing having a mounting member that is mounted to the boat; and 
 left and right side scan elements positioned within the housing for transmitting sonar beams directed downward from the boat and, respectively, outward to the left and right sides of the boat, the sonar beams having a narrow horizontal beam width and a wide vertical beam width, and for receiving detailed sonar returns reflected from and providing details of the underwater articles; 
   signal processing circuitry for processing the detailed sonar returns to produce digital data;   data processing circuitry for processing the digital data to produce signals corresponding to the detailed images of the underwater articles; and   a display for receiving the signals and displaying the detailed images of the underwater articles located at least one of the left and right sides of the boat.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the display displays left and right detailed images of underwater articles located at the left and right sides of the boat. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the left and right side scan elements are respectively positioned within the housing at a depression angle of between about 20 degrees and about 40 degrees. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the left and right side scan elements are respectively positioned at their depression angles via a cradle. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the signal processing circuitry, data processing circuitry and display are assembled within an electronic control head unit. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the electronic control head unit and the left and right side scan elements of the transducer assembly are operatively coupled by a cable. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the housing comprises a top housing portion and a bottom housing portion. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the mounting member extends from the top housing portion. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the left and right side scan elements operate at resonant frequencies of between about 260 KHz and about 462 KHz. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein a cross-section of each of the left and right side scan elements is a rectangle having a length of up to about 7 inches and a width of up to about 0.50 inch. 
   
   
       26 . A method of providing detailed images of underwater articles located at the left and right sides of a boat using a sonar system mounted to the boat, the method comprising the steps of:
 transmitting sonar beams directed downward from the boat and outward to the left and right sides of the boat, the sonar beams having a narrow horizontal beam width and a wide vertical beam width;   receiving detailed sonar returns reflected from and providing details of the underwater articles;   processing the detailed sonar returns to produce digital data;   processing the digital data to produce signals corresponding to the detailed images of the underwater articles; and   processing the signals to display the detailed images of the underwater articles located at least one of the left and right sides of the boat.   
   
   
       27 . A sonar system mounted to a boat to provide detailed images of underwater articles located at the left and right sides of the boat, the system comprising:
 a left side scan sonar transducer for transmitting a left side scan sonar beam of pulses directed downward and laterally to the left side of the boat, the left side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal beam width and a wide vertical beam, and for receiving left side scan sonar return signals from the underwater articles;   a right side scan sonar transducer for transmitting a right side scan sonar beam of pulses directed downward and laterally to the right side of the boat, the right side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal beam width and a wide vertical beam width, and for receiving right side scan sonar return signals from the underwater articles;   signal processing circuitry for processing the left and right side scan sonar return signals to produce side scan image data;   a display; and   a digital processor for providing signals to the display based upon the side scan image data to produce on the display a detailed image showing details and shadows of one or more underwater articles located at least one of the left and right sides of the boat, wherein the detailed image is shown in grey-scale or color.   
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein in response to a user input via a touch screen or keypad, the digital processor causes the display to zoom into a particular area of the detailed image. 
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the display displays left and right side detailed images of underwater articles respectively located at the left and right sides of the boat. 
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein a water column between the boat and the bottom of the body of water is displayed between the left and right side detailed images. 
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 27 , and further comprising:
 a down beam sonar transducer for producing a sonar beam of pulses directed downward of the boat, and for receiving down sonar return signals from the underwater articles or the bottom of the body of water.   
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the digital processor provides signals to cause the display to show a numerical representation of the depth of the bottom of the body of water based upon the down sonar return signals. 
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the signal processing circuitry produces down sonar data based upon the down sonar return signals, and wherein the digital processor provides signals to the display based upon the down sonar data. 
   
   
       34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein a view based upon the down sonar data is displayed on the display. 
   
   
       35 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein each of the left and right side scan sonar transducers is operable at a first frequency and a second frequency to provide detailed images of varying resolution. 
   
   
       36 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein a cross-section of each of the left and right side scan elements is a rectangle having a length of up to about 7 inches and a width of up to about 0.50 inch. 
   
   
       37 . A sonar system comprising:
 a GPS receiver for providing GPS position data;   a sonar transducer assembly mounted to a boat, the sonar transducer assembly including a left side scan sonar transducer, a right side scan sonar transducer, and a down beam sonar transducer;   signal processing circuitry for processing sonar return signals from the left side scan sonar transducer, the right side scan sonar transducer, and the down beam sonar transducer;   a user interface including a touch screen display or keypad for receiving a first user input; and   a digital processor for controlling the display based upon the processed sonar return signals and the GPS position data, to display information in a mode selected by the first user input from a group consisting of one or more modes:
 a mode in which the digital processor causes the display to display a grey-scale or color image that provides details and shadows of one or more underwater articles based upon sonar return signals received by one of the left and right side scan sonar transducers; 
 a mode in which the digital processor causes the display to simultaneously show a grey-scale or color image that provides details and shadows of one or more underwater articles based upon sonar return signals received by both of the left side scan sonar transducer and the right side scan sonar transducer; 
 a mode in which the digital processor causes the display to show information based upon the GPS position data; and 
 a mode in which the digital processor causes the display to simultaneously show a grey-scale or color image that provides details and shadows of one or more underwater articles based upon sonar return signals received by one or both of the left side scan transducer and the right side scan transducer, and information based upon GPS position data. 
   
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the digital processor causes the display to zoom into a particular area of the grey-scale or color image in response to a second user input. 
   
   
       39 . A method of providing detailed images of underwater articles located at the left and right sides of a boat using a sonar system mounted to the boat, the method comprising the steps of:
 transmitting left and right side scan sonar beams of pulses with left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively, wherein the left and right side scan sonar transducers and the down beam sonar transducer are mounted to the boat, and wherein the left side scan sonar beam is directed downward and laterally to the left side of the boat, the left side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal beam width from the front to the back of the boat and a wide vertical beam width in a plane perpendicular thereto, and wherein the right side scan sonar beam is directed downward and laterally to the right side of the boat, the right side scan sonar beam having a narrow horizontal beam width from the front to the back of the boat and a wide vertical beam width in the plane perpendicular thereto;   receiving left and right side scan sonar return signals with the left and right side scan sonar transducers, respectively;   generating side scan image data from the left and right side scan sonar return signals;   displaying a detailed image that, based upon the side scan image data, provides details and shadows of one or more underwater articles located at least one of the left and right sides of the boat, wherein the detailed image is shown in grey-scale or color.   
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , and further comprising:
 transmitting a sonar beam of pulses with a down beam sonar transducer;   receiving down sonar return signals with the down beam sonar transducer; and   generating and displaying a numerical representation of the depth of the bottom of the body of water based upon down sonar return signals.