Example sonar transducer assemblies configured for reduced interference are provided herein. An example sonar transducer assembly includes a housing, a first transducer, and a second transducer. The first transducer is positioned within the housing such that a length is configured to extend in a first mounting plane and a produced first beam defining a fan-shape extends in a first plane. The second transducer is positioned at a tilted angle within the housing such that a length is configured to extend in a second mounting plane and a produced second beam defining a fan-shape is in a second plane. The second mounting plane is non-parallel to the first mounting plane and is offset from the first mounting plane by at least 1 degree such that the second plane is not parallel to the first plane so as to reduce interference between the first transducer and the second transducer.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide three dimensional target selection for use when operating mobile structures. A three dimensional target selection system includes a logic device configured to communicate with a user interface and receive volume data from a volume data source. The logic device is configured to render a first perspective of a three dimensional representation of the volume data on a display of the user interface, determine a first viewpoint vector within the 3D representation based, at least in part, on a first user input received by the user interface; and identify an object or position within the volume data based, at least in part, on the first viewpoint vector and the first user input.

Disclosed is a method for determining a difference in depth or a lateral distance in relation to the vertical between two points of an underwater environment, in particular by measuring a propagation time of a sound wave. The determination is based on a single-layer model of the environment in which the wave is supposed to propagate in a straight line along an effective propagation direction, at a mean velocity that is independent of the propagation direction. Also disclosed is a method for determining the profile of the mean velocity based on the measurements of differences in depths per se, a determination of the local velocity profile over the variation interval of the sounded depths, and a related sonar system.

An underwater detection apparatus is provided. The underwater detection apparatus includes a transmission and reception circuit, and processing circuitry. The transmission and reception circuit drives a transmission transducer to transmit a transmission wave and generates a reception signal based on a reflection wave including a reflection of the transmission wave on an underwater target. The processing circuitry acquires a water bottom depth, sets a boundary passing at a point having a depth equal to the water bottom depth, the boundary making a given angle with a horizontal direction, and generates an image data that represents a location of the underwater target based at least in part on the reception signal, the image data including a color information, the color information being set based at least in part on the location of the underwater target relative to the boundary.

Systems and methods for enhanced blazed array and/or phased array sonar systems are described herein. In one aspect, a sonar system includes a blazed sonar array and/or phased sonar array having: at least one transducer connected to a housing of a vehicle; a transmitter, in electrical communication with the at least one transducer, causing the transducer to emit at least one sonar signal, the sonar signal having a Doppler sharpening pulse length and the vehicle having a Doppler sharpening velocity; a receiver, in electrical communication with the at least one transducer, for receiving signals from at least one transducer, the received signals corresponding to acoustic signals captured by the at least one transducer; and a processor, in electrical communication with the transmitter and receiver, arranged to control the Doppler sharpening pulse length and generate a 3D image based on the received signals, Doppler sharpening pulse length, and Doppler sharpening velocity.

Aspects of the subject technology relate to a method of correcting sensor position. The method comprises transmitting one or more first pulses of a first frequency range towards a first portion of a seabed and one or more second pulses of a second frequency range towards a second portion of the seabed, and receiving a first set and second set of backscattered data. The method further includes processing the first and second set of backscattered data to form a first and second set of image data and comparing the first set and second set of image data. The method further includes creating one or more error vectors between the first set and second set of image data, and updating the first set of backscattered data based on the one or more error vectors to produce an updated set of image data.

The present invention a sparse optimization method based on cross-shaped three-dimensional imaging sonar array, comprising the following steps: first, constructing a beam pattern simultaneously applicable to a near field and a far field based on a cross-shaped array; then, constructing an energy function required by sparse optimization according to the beam pattern; then, introducing an array element position disturbance into a simulated annealing algorithm to increase the degree of freedom of the sparse process and increase the sparse rate of the sparse array, and using the simulated annealing algorithm to sparse optimization of the energy function; finally, after optimization, a sparse optimization cross-shaped array is obtained. The present invention ensures that the three-dimensional imaging sonar system has the desired performance at any distance, and greatly reduces the hardware complexity of the system. It provides an effective method to achieve high performance and ultra-low complexity 3D imaging sonar system.

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide accurate and compact three dimensional (3D) capable multichannel sonar systems for mobile structures. A 3D capable multichannel sonar system includes a multichannel transducer and associated processing and control electronics and optionally orientation and/or position sensors disposed substantially within the housing of a sonar transducer assembly. The multichannel transducer includes multiple transmission and/or receive channels/transducer elements. The transducer assembly is configured to support and protect the multichannel transducer and associated electronics and sensors, to physically and/or adjustably couple to a mobile structure, and/or to provide a simplified interface to other systems coupled to the mobile structure. Resulting sonar data and/or imagery may be displayed to a user and/or used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.

A wading staff is provided herein that is configured to provide stability for an angler that is standing in a body of water. The wading staff includes a staff portion defining a first end and a second end, a handle disposed proximate the first end of the staff portion, and a sonar transducer disposed at least partially within the staff portion. The sonar transducer is configured to transmit a sonar beam into an underwater environment. The sonar transducer is positioned and oriented within the staff portion such that the sonar transducer is configured to transmit the sonar beam into a portion of the underwater environment when the staff is at least partially submerged. A display may be mounted to the wading staff or located remotely to display corresponding sonar images.

An apparatus for providing marine information is provided including a user interface, a processor, and a memory including computer program code. The memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to generate a sonar image based on sonar return data received from an underwater environment, determine a location associated with the sonar return data based on location data received from one or more position sensors, and render a nautical chart on a display. The computer program code is further configured to cause the apparatus to receive a user input on the user interface directed to a portion of the display in which the nautical chart is presented, and modify presentation of the nautical chart such that the portion of the display presents the sonar image in response to receiving the user input.