JP2003294833A - Fish finder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that it has been impossible for a user to instantly grasp the inclining condition of a sea bottom from a screen of a fish finder. <P>SOLUTION: A transmission/receiver 16 projects ultrasonic waves into the water and receives their reflected waves. A receiving part 14 amplifies their reflection signals. An A/D converter 26 converts the reflection signals into digital signals and stores them as detection information in a buffer memory 24. A sea bottom detector 36 detects a sea bottom on the basis of the detection information and outputs a depth value to an inclination detecting part 42. The inclination detecting part 42 determines the inclining condition of the sea bottom on the basis of both the present depth value and a previous depth value. An auxiliary image generating part 40 generates a screen of the fish finder in such a way that the user can intuitively recognize the inclining condition. By this, it is possible for the user to instantly grasp the inclining condition of the sea bottom. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fish finder technology, and more particularly to a fish finder using sound waves.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a fish finder emits ultrasonic waves as a detection wave into water and visualizes the condition of the fish school and the sea bottom based on the reflected waves. A typical fish finder has a transducer that emits a detection wave into the water and receives a reflected wave from the water, a transmitter that drives the transducer, a receiver that amplifies and detects a signal from the transducer, and a transducer. And a visualization unit that visualizes the detection result of the undersea condition based on the received reflected wave. The processing unit converts the reflected wave into a digital value according to the intensity of the reflected wave, for example, and measures the distance to the object based on the elapsed time from the transmission of the detection wave to the reception of the reflected wave. The visualization unit draws on the display device so that the user can recognize the intensity of the reflected wave, the size and the distance of the object, for example.

The transmitting unit drives a transducer that converts an electric signal into a sound wave, and the receiving unit amplifies and detects a reflected wave from the transducer. A transducer is an acoustoelectric converter for transmitting and receiving this wave, and is usually attached to the bottom of a ship. A transducer such as an electrostrictive oscillator or a magnetostrictive oscillator is used as the transducer.

The frequency of the detection wave depends on the detection purpose. When the frequency is increased, the sound is easily attenuated and the sound wave reaching distance is shortened, but the object identification resolution is increased. When the frequency is lowered, the identification resolution is lowered, but the reach distance becomes longer and it is possible to detect even deep water. Therefore, the frequency of the detection wave is determined according to the fish species to be detected and the water depth of the operating water area. high frequency,
In order to make the best use of the characteristics of both low frequencies, detection waves of multiple frequencies may be used. In that case, a transducer, a transmitter and a receiver corresponding to each frequency are provided.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a display example of a fish finder screen. When the detection wave is transmitted, a plurality of reflection waves such as a reflection wave generated when the detection wave collides with the bottom of the water and a reflection wave generated when the detection wave collides with a school of fish occur. A processing unit (not shown) calculates the positions where reflection occurs from a reflected wave with respect to a certain detection wave, and marks those positions on one line, for example, in the vertical direction (hereinafter,
Called the detection line). The fish finder screen is constructed by arranging the detection lines in time series. The detection lines are sequentially added to and displayed at the right end of the screen, and the detection lines are arranged from the right end toward the left end to form a single fish detection screen.

FIG. 1 (a) shows a state in which the water bottom gradually becomes shallow. FIG.1 (b) has shown the state where the water bottom is gradually deepening. FIG.1 (c) has shown the state which the inclination of the water bottom is changing rapidly from the rising at the point P to the falling. FIG. 1D shows a state where the water bottom is gentle.

[0007]

The user uses the fish finder screen to judge the slope of the water bottom and grasp the fishing ground. In particular, ups and downs of the seabed and their changes are important information for fishing. The user needs to make a judgment by looking at the shape of the water bottom shown on the detection line and the change in the water depth value displayed on the screen over a certain period of time. However, in any case, it is not possible to grasp what the shape of the water bottom was on the next detection line until some time passed. In particular, when there is a sudden change as shown in FIG. 1 (c), the inclination state cannot be grasped until a considerable time has elapsed,
It interferes with timely operation.

The present inventor has made the present invention paying attention to such points, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for detecting the inclination of the water bottom. Moreover, it is providing the apparatus which implement | achieves it. Another object is to provide a user interface that allows the user to easily recognize the tilted state of the water bottom detected by such a technique.

[0009]

One aspect of the present invention is a fish finder. This device transmits a detection signal, a transmission / reception unit that receives a reflection signal, a water bottom detection unit that detects the depth of the water bottom based on the reflection signal, and a slope of the water bottom based on a change in the depth of the water bottom. And a tilt detector for detecting.

The apparatus may further include a display processing unit for displaying the symbol indicating the elevation of the water bottom on the fish finder screen at a predetermined timing. The “predetermined timing” may be, for example, once to several times the detection line is displayed.

The inclination detecting section may perform processing based on a difference in depth detected by the water bottom detecting section based on a current reflection signal and a previous reflection signal.

It should be noted that any combination of the above constituent elements, and the expression of the present invention converted between an apparatus, a method, a system and a computer program are also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

[0013]

2 is a block diagram of a fish finder 100 according to an embodiment. The timing generation unit 34
The transmission unit 12 is instructed to transmit the detection wave, and the sampling start timing and the sampling end timing are output to the sampling clock generation unit 22. The transmitter 12 outputs an electric signal for driving the wave transceiver 16 to the wave transceiver 16. The wave transmitter / receiver 16 is, for example, a transducer, and emits a detection wave into the water based on the electric signal supplied from the transmitter 12. The detection wave is
It collides with the school of fish 18 and the seabed 20 and becomes reflected waves. The wave transmitter / receiver 16 receives the reflected waves, converts them into an electric signal (hereinafter, referred to as a reflected signal), and outputs the electric signal to the reception unit 14.

The receiver 14 is a wide dynamic range amplifier circuit such as a logarithmic amplifier circuit. The receiving unit 14
The reflected signal supplied from the transceiver 16 is amplified and detected. Sound waves are attenuated as they propagate in water. The amount of attenuation increases as the propagation distance increases. As a result, even for an object having the same reflectance, the intensity of the reflected wave becomes weaker as the distance from the sound source increases. Therefore, STC (Sensitivity Time Control) is performed to suppress the influence of attenuation by changing the amplification factor according to the arrival time of the reflected wave.

To perform the STC, the timing generator 34 outputs the STC start timing to the STC signal generator 44. The STC signal generation unit 44 uses the S of the operation unit 28.
The STC characteristic instruction value is acquired from the TC adjustment unit 32, and the STC
The signal is output to the receiving unit 14 at the STC timing. Based on the STC signal, the receiving unit 14 decreases the amplification factor as the detection distance is shorter, and increases the amplification factor as the detection distance is longer.

The A / D converter 26 converts the amplified reflection signal into a digital value (hereinafter referred to as detection information) at the sampling timing supplied from the sampling clock generator 22 and stores it in the buffer memory 24. Further, the A / D conversion unit 26 sends the detection information to the detection image generation unit 3
Output to 8.

The detected image generating section 38 calculates the intensity and distance of the reflected wave from the detected information and generates a detected line.
The detected image generation unit 38 stores the generated detected line in the video memory 50 via the drawing processor 48. The detection image generation unit 38 determines the display position on the detection line based on the distance, and determines the display color according to the intensity. The detected image generation unit 38 determines the display color according to the intensity of the reflected wave based on the sensitivity designated by the user. The sensitivity adjustment unit 30 of the operation unit 28 receives the sensitivity from the user and outputs it to the detected image generation unit 38. The final display is performed on the display unit 46.

The seabed detector 36 detects the water bottom based on the detection information held in the buffer memory 24, that is, the intensity of the reflected wave, and calculates the water depth from the arrival time of the reflected wave. The seabed detection unit 36 outputs the calculated water depth value to the auxiliary image generation unit 40 and the inclination detection unit 42.

The inclination detecting section 42 detects the inclination of the seabed based on the water depth value supplied from the seabed detecting section 36. The inclination detection unit 42 determines whether the water bottom surface is elevated or lowered based on the current water depth value and the previous water depth value. The inclination detection unit 42 outputs the determination result to the auxiliary image generation unit 40. In another example, the inclination detection unit 42 may calculate an average inclination of the water bottom surface from the water depth values in a plurality of detection sequences,
In consideration of hysteresis, the polarity of the inclination may not be frequently switched. In addition, the slope state may be determined by functionally capturing the bottom surface of the water based on the plurality of water depth values, for example, using the least squares method or the spline function.

The auxiliary image generation unit 40 displays auxiliary image data such as a scale, a water depth value, and a symbol indicating the up-and-down state of the water bottom, which is displayed together with the detection line on the fish finder screen so that the user can intuitively understand the underwater condition. Is generated and output to the drawing processor 48.

A timing generator 34, a seabed detector 36,
The detection image generation unit 38, the auxiliary image generation unit 40, the inclination detection unit 42, and the STC signal generation unit 44 are functional blocks configured by causing the CPU 56 to execute a program. The program memory 54 stores programs for configuring those functional blocks. The main memory 52 is used by the CPU 56 when executing the program. In other examples, these functional blocks may be implemented by hardware.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a process for detecting the tilted state of the seabed. First, the seabed detection unit 36 detects the seabed based on the detection information (S10), and calculates the current water depth (S12). The inclination detecting unit 42 calculates the difference Δ by subtracting the previous water depth value from the current water depth value (S1).
4). After that, the slope detection unit 42 records the current water depth value as the previous water depth value for the next detection sequence (S1).
6). For example, the inclination detection unit 42 temporarily stores the previous water depth value in the main memory 52 of FIG.

When the absolute value of the difference Δ is within a predetermined value α (S
18, Y), the inclination detection unit 42 determines that the amount of change in the water depth of the water bottom is minute (S26). The predetermined value α may be set in advance or may be arbitrarily set by the user. In S18, when the absolute value of the difference Δ is larger than the predetermined value α (N in S18), whether the difference Δ is positive or negative is determined (S2
0). When the difference Δ is a positive value (Y in S20), the inclination detecting unit 42 determines that the water depth of the water bottom has increased, that is, has become shallow (S22). When the difference Δ is a negative value (N in S20), the inclination detecting unit 42 determines that the water depth of the water bottom has decreased, that is, has become deep (S24). In this way, each time new detection information is acquired, whether the water bottom is going up or down is determined, so that the user can grasp the state of the water bottom in real time.

4 (a) and 4 (b) show the fish finder 1
It is a figure which shows an example of the fish finder screen of 00. This fish finder screen has a water depth display area 7 that displays the water depth along with the detection line.
0, an elevation display area 72 for displaying a symbol indicating the elevation of the water bottom. The water depth value is displayed in the water depth display area 70, and the display color changes according to the elevation of the water bottom. For example, the water depth value may be displayed in blue when the water depth becomes shallow, and the water depth value may be displayed in red when the water depth becomes deep.

In the lift display area 72, a symbol that briefly expresses the lifted state is displayed. In this figure, the up arrow,
There are square and downward arrow symbols, which are associated with rising, slight change, and falling of the water bottom, respectively. Then, the auxiliary image generation unit 40 highlights the symbol corresponding to the determination result of the water bottom state from the inclination detection unit 42.

FIG. 4A shows that the latest detected water bottom is deep, the water depth value is displayed in red, and the downward arrow is highlighted. FIG. 4B shows that the water depth is shallow, the water depth value is displayed in blue, and the upward arrow is highlighted. As another example, the display color of the water depth value may be changed according to the state of the water bottom, and the elevation display area 72 may not be provided. Further, the symbols in the ascending / descending display area may be highlighted without changing the display color of the water depth value. In short, the auxiliary image generation unit 40 may generate the fish finder screen so that the user can easily recognize the inclination state of the water bottom supplied from the inclination detection unit 42.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are diagrams showing an example of symbols displayed in the elevating / lowering display area 72 described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 (a) is a symbol showing an ascending / descending state using an arrow, and FIG. 5 (b) is a symbol showing an ascending / descending state using a triangle. Each of the symbols has an upper symbol 74 indicating a rise in the water bottom, a minute change symbol 76 indicating a minute change, and a descending symbol 78 indicating a descent, and a display corresponding to the determination result of the inclination detection unit 42 can be performed. In this way, by displaying the ascending / descending state of the bottom of the water, the user can intuitively recognize the current state of the bottom of the water.

The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments are exemplifications, that various modifications can be made to combinations of respective constituent elements and respective processing processes, and that such modifications are within the scope of the present invention. .

[0029]

According to the present invention, the user can intuitively recognize the tilted state of the water bottom. Also, the convenience of the fish finder,
Operability can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional fish finder screen.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a fish finder according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process for detecting a tilted state of a water bottom in the fish finder of FIG.

4 is a diagram showing an example of a fish finder screen of the fish finder of FIG.

5 is a diagram showing an example of a symbol indicating a tilted state of the water bottom displayed on the fish finder screen of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 transmitter, 14 receiver, 16 transceiver, 22
Sampling clock generator, 34 Timing generator, 36 Seabed detector, 38 Detection image generator, 40
Auxiliary image generation unit, 42 inclination detection unit, 46 display unit.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Hachinohe             3443-2 Uenohara, Uenohara Town, Kitatsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture             Higashiyama Building Room 203 (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Seki             2-12-12-204 Sennin-cho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo (72) Inventor Wataru Nakamura             778-25 Aoyama, Tsukui Town, Tsukui District, Kanagawa Prefecture (72) Inventor Takashi Ueno             3-10-12 Suita-cho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo Tota             Scorpo No. 302 (72) Inventor Koichi Kimura             187-9 Kanamori, Machida, Tokyo (72) Inventor Takemi Gomi             2196-296 Hirai, Hinode-cho, Nishitama-gun, Tokyo F term (reference) 5J083 AA02 AB01 AB06 AC29 AD06                       AD13 AE04 AE06 AF16 BA01                       CA01 EA36

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A transmission / reception unit that transmits a detection signal and receives a reflection signal, a water bottom detection unit that detects the depth of the water bottom based on the reflection signal, and a slope of the water bottom based on a change in the depth of the water bottom. A fish finder, comprising: an inclination detection unit for detecting the. 2. The fish finder according to claim 1, further comprising a display processing unit that displays a symbol indicating the elevation of the water bottom on a fish finder screen at a predetermined timing. 3. The tilt detecting section performs processing based on a difference between respective depths detected by the water bottom detecting section based on a current reflection signal and a previous reflection signal. Alternatively, the fish finder described in 2.