Sonar transducer having a gyroscope

Abstract

A sonar assembly is provided including at least one transducer configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment, a gyroscope configured to measure angular velocity associated with the at least one transducer, a processor, and a memory. The memory including computer program code configured to, when executed on the processor, cause the processor to determine orientation data associated with the at least one transducer based on the angular velocity measured by the gyroscope, determine if the orientation data corresponds to the at least one transducer being in a desired orientation, and cause an alert in response to the at least one transducer not being in the desired orientation.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A marine electronics system comprising:
 at least one position sensor configured to receive position data;   a gyroscope configured to measure angular velocity;   an accelerometer configured to measure acceleration;   a processor; and   a memory including computer program code configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:   determine an initial location of the marine electronic device based on the position data;   set an inertial reference frame based on orientation data received from the gyroscope;   receive acceleration data from the accelerometer and angular velocity data from the gyroscope;   determine a current inertial position based on the acceleration data, the angular velocity data, and the initial location;   determine if current position data is available; and   cause the current inertial position to be displayed on a navigational chart in an instance in which the current position data is unavailable.   
     
     
         22 . The marine electronics system of  claim 21 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the processor to:
 cause an autopilot to navigate based on the current inertial position.   
     
     
         23 . The marine electronics system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 at least one transducer configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment, wherein the at least one transducer is positioned and oriented within a transducer housing such that the at least one transducer is configured to transmit the one or more sonar beams into a portion of the underwater environment when the transducer housing is at least partially submerged,   wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the processor to:   receive sonar data from the at least one transducer.   
     
     
         24 . The marine electronics system of  claim 23 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the marine electronics system to:
 associate the sonar data with the current position data; and   associate sonar data with the current inertial position in an instance in which the current position data is unavailable.   
     
     
         25 . The marine electronics system of  claim 24 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the marine electronics system to:
 cause an indication of a location where the sonar data is associated with the current inertial position to be displayed on a navigational chart.   
     
     
         26 . The marine electronics system of  claim 21 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the processor to:
 determine orientation data based on the angular velocity measured by gyroscope.   
     
     
         27 . The marine electronics system of  claim 21 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the processor to:
 determine one or more linear accelerations in the inertial reference frame based on the acceleration data and the angular velocity data.   
     
     
         28 . The marine electronics system of  claim 27 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the processor to:
 determine inertial velocities based on the one or more linear accelerations in the inertial reference frame,   wherein determining the current inertial position is further based on the inertial velocities.   
     
     
         29 . The marine electronics system of  claim 21  further comprising:
 a magnetometer configured to measure magnetic field strength. 
 
     
     
         30 . The marine electronics system of  claim 29 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to cause the processor to:
 receive magnetic field strength data from the magnetometer; and   determine a heading angle based on the magnetic field strength data,   wherein determining the current inertial position is further based on the heading angle.   
     
     
         31 . The marine electronics system of  claim 21 , wherein the accelerometer and the gyroscope comprise portions of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS). 
     
     
         32 . A method comprising:
 determining an initial location of the marine electronic device based on the position data received from at least one position sensor;   setting, by a processor, an inertial reference frame based on orientation data received from a gyroscope configured to measure angular velocity;   receiving acceleration data from an accelerometer and angular velocity data from the gyroscope;   determining, by the processor, a current inertial position based on the acceleration data, the angular velocity data, and the initial location   determining if current position data is available; and   causing the current inertial position to be displayed on a navigational chart, via a user interface, in an instance in which the current position data is unavailable.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising:
 causing an autopilot to navigate based on the current inertial position. 
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 receiving sonar data from at least one transducer, wherein the at least one transducer is configured to transmit one or more sonar beams into an underwater environment, wherein the at least one transducer is positioned and oriented within a transducer housing such that the at least one transducer is configured to transmit the one or more sonar beams into a portion of the underwater environment when the transducer housing is at least partially submerged.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising
 associating the sonar data with current position data; and 
 associating sonar data with the current inertial position in an instance in which the current position data is unavailable. 
 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising:
 determining orientation data based on the angular velocity measured by the gyroscope. 
 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising:
 determining one or more linear accelerations in the inertial reference frame based on the acceleration data and the angular velocity data. 
 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising:
 determining inertial velocities based on the one or more linear accelerations in the inertial reference frame, 
 wherein determining the current inertial position is further based on the inertial velocities. 
 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising:
 receiving magnetic field strength data from a magnetometer; and 
 determining a heading angle based on the magnetic field strength data, 
 wherein determining the current inertial position is further based on the heading angle. 
 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the accelerometer and the gyroscope comprise portions of a microelectromechanical system (MEMS).