A marine sonar display device comprises a display, a memory element, and a processing element. The processing element is configured to transmit a transmit electronic signal to a frequency steered sonar element that transmits an array of sonar beams into a body of water in a first direction towards the front of the marine vessel forming a first sonar wedge and a second array of sonar beams into a body of water in a second direction directly below the marine vessel forming a second sonar wedge, receive a receive electronic signal from the frequency steered sonar element, generate an array of sonar image slices, identify a gap in an underwater area between the first sonar wedge and the second sonar wedge, and control the display to visually present the array of sonar image slices in near real time and a sonar image slice in the gap.

Systems and methods for conveniently providing anchoring assistance onboard a watercraft are provided herein. An example system includes a display and a processor in communication with a marine system. The processor is configured to receive marine data from the marine system and/or one or more user inputs and cause the display to show one or more anchoring locations with visual indications of the anchorage quality index based on at least the marine data and/or user inputs. The one or more anchoring locations may be shown as a heat map overlaid on a map. The system may use real-time marine data, environmental data, weather data, tide data, etc. to dynamically adjust the anchoring locations and anchorage quality index. The system may enable convenient and helpful suggestions and notifications to the user when anchoring a watercraft. Some examples provide automatic deployment of an anchoring system and monitoring of a current anchoring.

An apparatus configured to generate a first sonar image from first sonar returns corresponding to a first depth range and generate a second sonar image from the first sonar returns and second sonar returns, the second sonar returns corresponding to a second depth range greater than the first depth range of the first sonar returns such that a portion of the second sonar image does not include sonar return data. The portion without sonar return data corresponds to a period of the first sonar returns and depths greater than the maximum depth of the first depth range. The apparatus is configured to generate and display a fill image for the portion of the second sonar image based on at least one set of side facing sonar return data corresponding to the time period associated with the first sonar returns.

A marine multibeam sonar device comprises a processing element and a transmitter. The processing element generates a plurality of transmit transducer electronic signals and inverts a polarity of a first portion of the transmit transducer electronic signals. The transmitter is in communication with the processing element and includes a plurality of transmit electronic circuits and a plurality of transmit transducers. Each transmit electronic circuit receives and processes one of the transmit transducer electronic signals, wherein a first portion of the circuits re-inverts the polarity of the first portion of the transmit transducer electronic signals. The transmit transducers receive the processed transmit transducer electronic signals from the transmit electronic circuits and generate a sonar beam.

A marine sonar display device comprises a display, a sonar element, a memory element, and a processing element. The display presents sonar images. The sonar element generates a sonar beam and presents transducer signals. The processing element is in communication with the display, the sonar element, and the memory element and receives the transducer signals, calculates sonar data from the transducer signals and generates a three-dimensional view of a portion of the body of water, wherein the view includes a plurality of sonar images. Each sonar image is generated from sonar data derived from a previously-generated sonar beam and includes representations of underwater objects and a water bed. The processing element also generates a cursor plane and a cursor positioned thereon, both of which appear on the three-dimensional view. The processing element further controls the display to present the three-dimensional view, the sonar images, the cursor plane, and the cursor.

Overlaying a sonar image over a chart at a corresponding location can provide a beneficial and easy to understand view of the underwater environment for a user. However, in some cases, the watercraft may be close to a boundary of the body of water when the sonar data is gathered. In such a scenario, inaccurate sonar returns or preset display distances of the sonar image can cause the resulting sonar image to be displayed over the boundary and covering land. This can be confusing and can be difficult to decipher. Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for cropping the sonar image for presentation over the chart such that no portion of the image extends beyond the boundary line of the body of water. This creates a smooth and easy to read sonar image/chart display.

A system is provided for imaging an underwater environment. The system includes one or more arrays of transducer elements. Each array is operated at a fixed phase shift and varies in frequency so as to beamform multiple sonar return beams of a first range of angles and a second range of angles. The arrays can be oriented to cover the gap in sonar coverage for other arrays to create a continuous arc of sonar coverage. Accordingly, a 2D live sonar image can be formed. One or more of the multiple sonar return beams facing downwardly can be selected and used to form downward sonar images that anglers are used to, without requiring separate transducer elements. Fish arches formed using multiple sonar return beams can be positioned appropriately within a high resolution downward sonar image to form a desirable combined sonar image.

A method for providing enhanced sonar images includes ensonifying a target column of water with sonar beams corresponding to pulses of continuous wave (CW) and pulse compression (FM) signals. Received acoustic returns are processed to generate sonar image data corresponding to the CW signals and the FM signals. The CW and FM sonar image data are then displayed contemporaneously such that one sonar image data set overlays another. Techniques are also disclosed to provide situational imagery. A pilot display system includes a user interface, a logic device, and a speed sensor mounted to a mobile structure. The user interface is configured to receive user input and provide user feedback, and the logic device is configured to receive a speed of the mobile structure from the speed sensor, generate corresponding situational image data, and render the situational image data via at least one display of the user interface.

Systems and methods for determining a location of an object within a sonar beam zone are detailed herein. A system for presenting marine data includes at least one sonar transducer associated with a watercraft, a display, processor(s), and a memory including a computer program code. The sonar transducer emits sonar beams into an underwater environment defining a beam shape. The program code, when executed, causes, on the display, presentation of a chart and a representation of the watercraft; and determines, based on the beam shape corresponding to the sonar transducer, a sonar beam zone corresponding to a sonar coverage of the underwater environment of the body of water. The program code further receives sonar return data and determines a position of an object within the sonar beam zone, and causes, on the display, presentation of the sonar beam zone and an indication of the object within the sonar beam zone.

Systems and methods for conveniently providing anchoring assistance onboard a watercraft are provided herein. An example system includes a display and a processor in communication with a marine system. The processor is configured to receive marine data from the marine system and/or one or more user inputs and cause the display to show one or more anchoring locations with visual indications of the anchorage quality index based on at least the marine data and/or user inputs. The one or more anchoring locations may be shown as a heat map overlaid on a map. The system may use real-time marine data, environmental data, weather data, tide data, etc. to dynamically adjust the anchoring locations and anchorage quality index. The system may enable convenient and helpful suggestions and notifications to the user when anchoring a watercraft. Some examples provide automatic deployment of an anchoring system and monitoring of a current anchoring.