LT7130B - DISTRIBUTION OF BAIT FOR FISHING - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method, a fishing sonar, a computer program carrier, and a vessel for scanning a body of water and delivering bait. The method includes receiving a first set of instructions comprising data of a first location, and receiving sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the first location and transmitting a signal to a bait-distributing fishing sonar module based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be delivered at the first location.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to bait distribution for attracting fish. In particular, embodiments of the invention are provided herein relating to a method and a fishing sonar, as well as to a vessel comprising such a fishing sonar and a computer program carrier.

STATE OF THE ART

The recent growth in the development of sonar devices for fishing demonstrates the popularity and practicality of such devices in order to catch more fish and increase the success rate of fishing expeditions. For this purpose, sonar scanners are installed on boats or ships, which can scan underwater areas and draw a map of the underwater world in various resolutions. In addition, cast fishing sonar devices have been developed. Sonar devices work by using ultrasonic signals, usually generated by a transducer, and measuring the ultrasonic signals reflected from obstacles in the water.

The exemplary prior art intellectual property document US20200363798 uses unmanned vehicles that are remotely controlled to perform various tasks such as navigation, sonar, radar, etc. tasks in a marine environment. These unmanned vehicles can collect sonar data about a location and then transmit the collected sonar data to a device so that the sonar data is displayed on the device's screen. However, the disadvantage of these systems is that the user does not have the flexibility and control over the process of acquiring sonar data, nor does it have the ability to make more accurate decisions based on various real-life or predicted scenarios. Therefore, the chances of fishing success are not significantly increased using the prior art intellectual property systems.

Thus, sonar systems for fishing are needed to develop more flexible, economical, versatile, and accurate sonar systems and techniques, thereby improving the overall user experience and increasing the accuracy of detection and fish attraction.

ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a fishing sonar for scanning a water body, detecting fish and feeding bait to fish, and a vessel comprising a fishing sonar, a method and a computer program carrier, which would eliminate all or at least some of the disadvantages of known solutions. These and other objects are achieved by various aspects of the present invention, which are defined in the attached separate claims of the invention. The term "exemplary" or "example" in this context is understood as an example or illustration.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for a fishing sonar to deliver a bait to a fish. The method comprises a first set of instructions that includes obtaining a first location and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the first location. The method further includes transmitting a signal to a fishing sonar module that delivers a bait based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be delivered at the first location.

In some embodiments, the first set of instructions may further include data from one or more secondary locations, which are primarily comprised by the first location, and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at one or more secondary locations. Accordingly, the method may include transmitting a signal to a bait-delivering fishing sonar module based on the set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be delivered at one or more secondary locations.

In some embodiments, the method may include a secondary set of instructions comprising one or more predetermined criteria. The method may further include transmitting a signal to the bait-delivering fishing sonar module, based on the first set of instructions and the second set of instructions, indicating a first type of bait to be delivered at one or more secondary locations if sonar data associated with the one or more secondary locations, including at least one characteristic of the one or more secondary locations to be compared with the one or more criteria, meets the one or more predetermined criteria.

In some exemplary embodiments, one or more predetermined criteria may include a set of characteristics consisting of: a predetermined shape, a predetermined size, a predetermined water depth, a predetermined water depth change profile, a predetermined seabed profile, a predetermined fish species, a water temperature parameter, a water salinity parameter, or a water thermocline depth parameter.

The inventors have understood that by obtaining sonar data of a scanned location, i.e. a first location, and by taking at least one feature of the first location from the obtained sonar data that can be compared with predetermined features that are encompassed by predetermined criteria, one or more secondary locations can be determined. The one or more secondary locations in this context can be described as an optimal or desired target location suitable for fishing, for example, for baiting and/or catching fish. In this context, “determine” means to determine, locate and mark, e.g. on a map for subsequent fishing activities, one or more secondary locations whose features match the predetermined features. By determining these best fishing locations based on sonar data and one or more predetermined criteria, the user can determine the best fishing locations in that area and avoid randomly selecting fishing locations based solely on scan results and showing fish or objects in general, thereby saving time and resources in finding the desired fish types. Furthermore, the inventors have realized that upon receiving sonar data associated with a first location and/or one or more secondary locations, a user and/or a fishing sonar control device, e.g., in this case, an independent vessel, can make decisions for effective bait delivery and distribution at the first location and/or one or more secondary locations to attract fish, including target fish species, thereby catching more fish and favorably improving the economics of fishing.

In some exemplary embodiments, the method may further include selecting a second bait type that is different from the first bait type based on the first and second sets of instructions. The method may include transmitting a signal to the bait-delivering fishing sonar module based on the first and second sets of instructions indicating a first bait type to be delivered at one selected location from one or more secondary locations and a second bait type to be delivered at another location from one or more secondary locations.

In some embodiments, obtaining the first and second sets of instructions may include obtaining the first and second sets of instructions from a memory of the fishing sonar and/or receiving a wireless signal comprising the first and second sets of instructions from a wireless device.

In some exemplary embodiments, the method may include receiving a signal from a wireless device, the signal comprising instructions from the wireless device to select one of the secondary locations from one or more determined secondary locations and/or one other secondary location from one or more determined secondary locations. The method may include selecting one of the secondary locations from one or more secondary locations and/or one other secondary location from one or more secondary locations based on the instructions received from the wireless device to deliver bait at the selected locations.

In some exemplary embodiments of the invention, the method may include receiving instructions, included in the signal, from a wireless device, where the instructions may also include instructions to select a first and/or second bait type and/or an amount of the first and second bait to be delivered at one selected secondary location from one or more determined secondary locations and/or at one other selected secondary location from one or more determined secondary locations.

The invention provides a computer program carrier in which one or more computer programs are implemented, which are executed by one or more processors of processing systems located in a control device, where the one or more programs comprise instructions for performing a method according to one of the embodiments of the method invention provided herein. The computer program carrier is an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal or a (long-term) computer-readable medium.

The term “long-term” is used herein to describe a computer-readable medium (or “memory”) without the transmission of electromagnetic signals, but is not intended to otherwise limit the type of physical computer-readable medium that falls within the scope of the term “computer-readable medium or memory.” For example, the terms “long-term computer-readable medium” or “durable medium” are intended to encompass types of media that do not necessarily store information permanently, including, for example, random access memory (RAM). Program instructions and data stored on a durable computer-accessible medium in a permanent form may also be transmitted by a transmission medium or by signals, such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals, which may be transmitted over a communication medium such as a network and/or a wireless interface. Therefore, the term "long-term" used here is a limitation of the medium itself (i.e., persistent, not the signal), not a limitation of the durability of data storage (e.g., RAM and ROM).

The invention provides a computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a processing system located in a control device, cause the processing system to perform a method according to one of the embodiments of the method invention provided herein.

A fishing sonar for bait delivery is provided. The fishing sonar apparatus includes a control device and a bait delivery module, wherein the control device is configured to receive a first set of instructions comprising a first location and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the first location. Furthermore, the control device is configured to transmit a signal to the bait delivery fishing sonar module based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be delivered at the first location.

The invention provides a vessel for scanning a body of water and feeding bait to fish. The vessel comprises a recognition system for monitoring the surrounding environment of the vessel, such as a body of water, a localization system configured to monitor the direction and geographical position of the vessel and the fishing sonar according to the fourth aspect, and various embodiments of the invention of the fourth aspect.

Other embodiments of the invention in various aspects are defined in the related claims.

The features and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail in the description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Drawings are not to scale.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a body of water and a vessel configured to scan the body of water in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention;

Figures 2a-2c show block diagrams illustrating a method according to several embodiments of the invention;

Fig. shows a schematic illustration of a side view of a vessel including a control device according to various embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth some embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that features of various embodiments of the invention may be varied in different embodiments of the invention and combined in various ways, unless specifically indicated otherwise. The basic principles and conventional techniques related to electronics, sensor systems, signal processing, data communication systems, telecommunications systems, and other components necessary to implement the invention are considered available to a person skilled in the art. The terms "first," "second," and others used herein do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are used to distinguish one element from another.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the steps, services, and functions described herein may be implemented using custom hardware circuitry, software functions in conjunction with a programmed microprocessor or a general purpose computer, using one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and/or one or more digital signal processors (DSPs). It will also be appreciated that when described as a method, it may also be embodied in one or more processors or in one or more memories associated with one or more processors, where one or more memories store one or more programs performing the steps, services, or functions described herein when executed by one or more processors.

In the following exemplary embodiments of the invention, the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar components.

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vessel (1) according to various embodiments and aspects of the invention. The vessel (1) includes a fishing sonar (2) that includes a control device (4) configured to implement several embodiments of the method described herein. The vessel (1) in the context of the present invention is understood to mean any type of vessel suitable and used for catching fish, such as a boat, fishing boat, sailboat, yacht, canoe, kayak, any inflatable boat, inflatable fishing chair, non-motorized or low-power boat, etc. The vessel according to several embodiments may be a vessel remotely controlled by a user (91) using a wireless device (9) and wireless communication signals (10). The vessel (1) may in some embodiments additionally or otherwise be semi- or fully autonomous.

In some aspects and variations, a fishing sonar (2) of a vessel (1) is configured to scan a body of water (5). The fishing sonar is configured to detect fish (25a, 25b, 25c) in the body of water. The fishing sonar is configured to deliver fish bait, i.e. food for fish, to the body of water to attract fish or certain species of fish. “Water” refers to fresh water or any aquatic environment, such as seawater, ocean water, lake water, river water, etc., that can be a habitat for aquatic animals. “Fish” in the context of the present invention refers to various cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates, including bony fish.

According to several embodiments and aspects, a vessel (1) (e.g., a vessel's fishing sonar or the vessel itself) may include a fishing sonar module (3), as shown in FIG. 3 , configured to perform at least one sonar scan of a body of water (5). The vessel also includes a bait delivery module (16) for delivering bait to fish in a body of water. The vessel also includes one or more bait containers or compartments (not shown) containing different types of bait for fish, i.e., a first type of bait for fish (21a) and/or a second type of bait for fish (21b). Each type of bait has a designated bait container. The bait containers may be assembled and installed as part of a bait delivery module or may be additionally or otherwise installed separately on the vessel. The bait containers may communicate with the bait delivery module, i.e., The bait delivery module can send command signals to the tanks to deliver bait into the water in several ways.

The control device (4) is configured to receive a first set of instructions comprising a first location (6) and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the first location. In some embodiments, the first set of instructions may include data from one or more secondary locations (61,62) that are primarily covered by the first location (6) and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at one or more secondary locations. In some embodiments, the control device may be configured to receive a second set of instructions comprising one or more predefined (predetermined) criteria. In some embodiments, the first and/or second set of instructions may include instructions to deliver bait to fish at the first and/or one or more secondary locations.

The control device is configured to access sonar data associated with the first location and/or one or more secondary locations from the memory (12) of the fishing sonar device and/or from the wireless device (9). The sonar data may be obtained by processing at least one sonar scan at the first location and/or one or more secondary locations. The sonar scans may have been previously performed by the same vessel (1) or by another vessel. In some embodiments, the control device (4) is configured to receive sonar data associated with the first location and/or one or more secondary locations (61, 62) from an external network (20), such as a wireless network or a cloud network in communication with the wireless device. The sonar data associated with the first location and/or one or more secondary locations may include at least one property of the first location and/or one or more secondary locations to be compared to one or more predetermined criteria.

The control unit (4) may be configured to perform at least one sonar scan at a first location (6) using a sonar module (3) of the vessel (1). The sonar may scan locations prior to the bait delivery mechanism to determine suitable locations for delivering fish bait to attract fish. The sonar module (3) is configured to generate a pulse signal (101) to be radiated into the body of water. The signal is then radiated into the body of water by an emitter transducer (31) of the fishing sonar module (3). The transducer (31) of the sonar module (3) is configured to receive a reflected phase modulated pulse sonar signal (103) from the body of water. In this example, the received reflected sonar signal comprises a reflection of the radiated sonar signal incident on at least one object surrounded by the body of water. For example, the reflected sonar signal received by the sonar module (3) must be reflected by at least one fish (25a, 25b, 25c). In the context of the present invention, objects may include fish (25a, 25b, 25c), the sea or lake bottom (26) (e.g., different parts of the water bottom (26a, 26b) or underwater plants (27) and 1.1.

The control unit (4) of the vessel (1) may be configured to receive sonar scans made by the sonar module (3) directly or via a dedicated sensor interface (13) on board from the fishing sonar module (3). The at least one sonar scan received at the first location may comprise a set of sonar scans at the first location (6) at multiple angles of incidence of the transmitted sonar signal (101) into the water body (5) at different times, at different time intervals, by changing the location of the vessel or sonar module and by scanning the area (6) or additional areas (61, 62) covered by the first area (6). Depending on the conditions, various sonar scan path planning techniques may be used, such as known bathymetry - Bayesian, unknown bathymetry - grid or fractal scanning. In other words, area sonar scanning can be performed by scanning the area using multiple scan paths (i.e. planned vessel movement routes in the area to be scanned) in order to obtain as much information as possible. Thus, route planning for area scanning may in some cases involve a grid search, such as a variable resolution grid or a quadratic tree-based curve or a fractal curve. In some cases, random scanning may be used (suitable for initial scanning where Bayesian scanning is required). In some cases, Bayesian searching may be used (requires initial scanning or at least basic bathymetry knowledge).

While performing at least one sonar scan at the first location, the sonar module may also obtain at least one sonar scan at additional locations (additional areas) covered by the first location, e.g., at one or more secondary locations (61, 62) covered primarily by the first location (6).

It is important to note that the scanning resolution and the accuracy of the feature may depend on the area of the base of the scanning cone, e.g. the cross-section of the scanning cone. The area of the base of the cone depends on the sonar scanning angle and the depth of the seabed. In short, the deeper the seabed, the more ambiguous the features of the scanned area that should be determined from sonar scans are, as the sonar signal is reflected from a larger area compared to, for example, scans made in shallow water. Narrower scan angles are more beneficial for accurate scanning and feature acquisition, i.e. for detecting depth changes (e.g. small pits or depressions). For optimal scanning, the shortest route can be used to cover the entire area of observation. In addition, the resolution of scan routes can be increased by detecting an increase in the level of detail of the features, as explained below.

Scanning can be performed using either linear or zigzag scanning. However, the inventors have found that scanning areas with variable transitions perpendicular to obtain spatial resolution features along at least two axes, i.e. the lateral "x" and longitudinal "y" axes (not shown), is more advantageous. If the area is scanned in zigzags with long parallel path segments, the spatial resolution along the path direction may be much greater than along the longitudinal direction of the scanning path, so that changes in the details of some features may not be observed. Additionally or alternatively, the sonar scan path may be based on a fractal, e.g., a Hilbert curve. A Hilbert curve has a relatively equal number of path segments along both the "x" and "y" axes (not shown). The use of fractal curves has another advantage - that the resolution of the scan path can be changed in real time. The variable resolution of the Hilbert curve can be, for example, obtained using a subdivision of a square tree.

More details about the quadratic tree structure and the Hilbert curve or any of the aforementioned route planning algorithms are considered to be within the skill of the art and are therefore not presented here for the sake of brevity.

The fishing sonar (2) may cause the sonar module (3) to perform at least one sonar scan by sending command signals to the sonar module (3). The command signals may be sent wirelessly or additionally or otherwise using a wired communication bus between the fishing sonar (2) and the sonar module (3). The control unit (4) is further configured to receive sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at a first location (6). The received sonar data includes at least one property of the first location to be compared with one or more predefined criteria.

The sonar signals may be generated and received based on any sonar technology, such as high intensity radar pulse (CHIRP) sonar signals. Alternatively, as contemplated by the present inventor and explained in more detail elsewhere, modulated phase sonar signals may be generated and radiated into the body of water. Subsequently, correlated phase signal processing techniques, and more specifically, phase correlation (POC) signal processing, may be applied to the received reflected modulated phase pulse sonar signal from the body of water, wherein the reflected signal comprises a reflection of the radiated sonar signal from at least one underwater object (25a, 25b, 25c, 26, 27) surrounded by the body of water (5). The inventors have realized that the use of POC in modulated phase sonar signals reflected from fish or other underwater objects provides the advantage of being able to identify the main narrow-band peaks of the correlated phase signals individually and separately.

Furthermore, with the use of POC, the range resolution, object separation and SNR are significantly improved. Accordingly, detailed object-related information can be obtained, which provides significantly greater possibilities for detecting fish. The distances between the sonar module and other fish or fish schools (250) can be determined with greater accuracy. Furthermore, individual fish can be identified, and the exact difference between individual fish can also be determined, e.g. between the first fish (25a) and the second fish (25b) in a fish school (250). Accordingly, valuable insights can be achieved for planning and decision-making related to fishing activities and fish detection by a fishing vessel.

In this context, "a location is considered to be a specific location or position, e.g. a body of water such as a lake or sea, etc. A location may include a geographic position or an approximate location of a vessel relative to a set of coordinates, e.g. in the form of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) such as Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates. A location may also be interpreted as an area within a body of water to be scanned by a vessel. Therefore, the first set of instructions comprising the data of the first location (6) may include GNSS coordinates for a geographic position within the lake and a perimeter of an area corresponding to or surrounding the geographic position having the specific GNSS location data. In some embodiments, the control unit (4) may receive such instructions via the memory of the fishing sonar (2), i.e. from the memory (12) of the control unit (4).

The vessel (1) may access a digital map (e.g., an HD map) either in the form of a locally stored digital map memory (12) or via a remote data storage accessible via an external communication network (20) that communicates with a wireless device (9) controlled by a user (91). The location data and area-related information, as well as instructions for selecting a first location (6), i.e., a first scan area (6), may be marked and indicated on the digital map. In some embodiments of the invention, the first set of instructions, consisting of location data and area selection information, may be obtained from the wireless device (9) and decisions may be made by the user (91). In this context, the terms “location” and “area” may be used synonymously.

The first set of instructions may, for example, include two or four edges of the scan area, a random number of points defining the polygon of the scan area, the center and radius of a circle defining the scan area, a starting point and a direction of travel, e.g., the direction of the vessel (e.g., starting on shore and moving away from shore), possibly a predetermined zigzag course, etc. The zigzag course for locating and scanning the area may allow for scanning fishing grounds that are closest to the user (91). The user (91) may draw a line across the shore and another line indicating the direction of the scan on a digital map, e.g., via a user interface such as the display of the wireless device (9). In some embodiments of the invention, the user may launch the vessel on the shore and allow the vessel to find the shoreline independently, e.g., based on area map data, minimum water depth, or submerged/above-water vegetation. In addition, the first set of instructions may include the type and/or amount of bait to be provided at a location, e.g., at a first location or at one or more secondary locations. The bait for the fish may include different types of bait (21 a, 21 b) suitable for different fish. The types and/or amounts of bait may be included in a specific set of instructions other than the first set of instructions in some embodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments and aspects of the invention, one or more predetermined criteria used to identify one or more secondary locations and to bait fish may include a set of predetermined characteristics associated with the location, such as a first location and secondary locations. The predetermined criteria in various embodiments of the invention may include a predetermined shape (hole/ditch), a predetermined size, a predetermined water depth, a predetermined water depth change profile (shallow or deep water or transition), a predetermined seabed profile (hardness characteristic, such as hard bottom or soft bottom), a predetermined fish species, a water temperature parameter, a water salinity parameter, or a water thermocline depth parameter. The predetermined criteria (parameters or parameter ranges) for each potential fishing location feature or characteristic may include a predetermined target value, as well as a deviation from that target value. For example, a predefined water depth could be defined as 10 m (±1 m tolerance), the number of plants on the bottom (1), e.g. on a special scale from 0 to 10 (±1 tolerance), etc. In certain examples, the range of values for each property could be defined, e.g. water depth 9-11 m, vegetation 0-2 and 1.1.

The inventors have understood that by obtaining sonar data of a scanned location, i.e. a first location, and by taking at least one feature of the first location from the sonar data obtained, which can be compared with predetermined features that are encompassed by predetermined criteria, one or more secondary locations (61, 62) can be identified. The one or more secondary locations in this context can be described as an optimal or desired target location suitable for fishing, for example, baiting and/or catching fish. In this context, “identifying” means determining, locating and marking, e.g. on a map for subsequent fishing activities, one or more secondary locations (61, 62) whose features correspond to the predetermined features. By determining these best fishing locations based on sonar data and one or more predetermined criteria, the user can determine the best fishing locations in that area and avoid randomly selecting fishing locations based solely on scan results and showing fish or objects in general, thereby saving time and resources in finding the desired fish types. Furthermore, the inventors have realized that by receiving sonar data associated with the first location and/or one or more secondary locations, the user (91) and/or the control device (4), e.g., in this case, an independent vessel, can make decisions for effective bait feeding and distribution at the first location and/or one or more secondary locations to attract fish, including target fish species, thereby catching more fish and favorably improving the economics of the fishery. The control unit (4) is configured to transmit a signal to a bait delivery vessel module (16) based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be deployed at the first location and/or one or more secondary locations (21a). In some embodiments of the invention, the control unit (4) may provide command signals to propulsion mechanisms of the vessel, such as a vessel engine, to direct the vessel to target locations, such as the first location and/or one or more secondary locations, where bait is to be deployed. The bait delivery module may be configured to deploy and deploy the first type of bait (21a) and the second type of bait (21b) based on location data, such as GNSS coordinates of the first location and/or one or more secondary locations. In other words, the control device can be configured to compare the current GNSS coordinates of the vessel and the GNSS coordinates of the first location (6) and/or one or more secondary locations (61,62) and transmit a signal to deliver the bait only when the current GNSS coordinates correspond to the GNSS coordinates of the target location, i.e. the first location and/or one or more secondary locations. The control device (4) can in some embodiments of the invention transmit a signal to the bait delivery module (16) in advance, regardless of the current GNSS coordinates of the vessel. In such circumstances, the signal transmitted from the control device (4) can include instructions to the bait delivery module to deliver the bait at the target location according to a predetermined schedule, at a certain point in time along the planned vessel route, or when the current GNSS location of the vessel corresponds to the GNSS coordinates of the target locations (6, 61,62).

2a-2c are diagrams of a method (200) for delivering bait to fish (25a, 25b, 25c) from a vessel (1) comprising a fishing sonar (2) having a control device (4) according to several aspects and embodiments of the invention. The method (200) shown in FIG. 2a comprises obtaining (202) a first set of instructions comprising location data of a first location (6) and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan of the first location. The method further comprises transmitting a signal (204) to a bait-delivering vessel module (16) based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be delivered to the first location (21a).

The acquisition of sonar data may include determining the characteristics of the scanned locations, i.e., the first location and one or more secondary locations and/or locations along the scanning path. The first set of instructions may include the sonar data that has been previously processed and the corresponding characteristics obtained, and may be used by the control device (4) and/or the user (91) to select locations and to deliver bait at the selected locations.

The received sonar scans at the first location, i.e. reflected sonar signals (103) received from underwater objects, may be analyzed and/or processed by processing circuitry of the control unit (4) and/or the wireless device (9) to generate sonar data associated with the first location. The received sonar data associated with the first location may also include received sonar data associated with one or more secondary locations (61, 62) that are substantially encompassed by the first location (6). The received sonar data associated with the one or more secondary locations (61, 62) may include at least one characteristic of the one or more secondary locations to be compared with one or more predetermined criteria. Sonar data obtained as a result of such processing can be used for purposes such as mapping the area, identifying the characteristics of the area, the fish species whose habitats are in that area, creating a map of the waterbed and geological features and their variations in the water body used, i.e. in order to identify and improve the detection capabilities of certain fish species.

Sometimes feature extraction from sonar data can be performed by supervised learning algorithms. For example, a machine learning (ML) model can be trained on a large dataset, such as a training, testing, validation dataset, synthetic and/or real dataset, which may be under-accurate (in the case of synthetic datasets) or not easily obtained/labeled (in the case of real data). Properly trained ML models can provide accurate predictions of primary and/or secondary site features. In some embodiments, feature extraction from sonar data can involve unsupervised learning algorithms (principle component analysis (PCA), isometric mapping (ISOMAP), etc.). In such cases, unlabeled sonar datasets need to be collected. The process may include pre-processing steps, such as clipping the area around the seabed in sonar scans for bottom hardness classification. In some embodiments of the invention, existing vegetation and bottom hardness estimation algorithms may be used to obtain these characteristics from sonar data.

Sometimes the resolution of sonar scans can be assessed and it can be determined whether the resolution should be increased or decreased, depending on the scanning method described above. For example, the features obtained from the current sonar scan can be compared with the features from one or more previous scans (e.g., the last 1-10 scan sets), and it can be determined whether the features have changed or at what rate these changes may have occurred. The rate of change of the features can be determined by calculating the spatial gradient of the feature values. In its simplest form, the difference between the current measured feature value and the previous feature values can be considered, while for more advanced calculations, several previous values can be used. It is important to note that the derived value may need to be calculated based on the location where the features were acquired. In some scenarios, when features are found to be changing slowly over the relevant areas (i.e., feature detail levels are low), the resolution of the sonar scan may be reduced. However, in certain scenarios, where at least one feature is found to be changing rapidly at the respective scan locations, the scan resolution may be increased accordingly. In some examples, a ship area scan path may be created using a Hilbert curve, where the resolution of the ship's movement, i.e. the scan path resolution, may be increased as a higher level of detail of the features in the sonar data is detected, i.e. as the feature values change rapidly. The sonar scan angle "0" (not shown) may also be changed (e.g., selected from certain possible alternatives) by the sonar scan algorithm, depending on the level of detail of the features obtained from the sonar data, namely, e.g., the rate of change of the features, the depth of the water bottom, and the resolution of the scan path curve. With higher scan path resolution, wide-angle scan cones with wider cross-sections (32) may overlap at a certain depth (this depth can be found geometrically by knowing the scan cone angle "0"), which may result in information duplication without directly increasing the accuracy of the features.

Accordingly, with a narrower sonar scan angle (which can be obtained by increasing the frequency of the emitted sonar signals), features can be obtained with greater accuracy, i.e. obtained from a smaller area of the water bottom, and therefore form smaller scan cone cross-sections (32).

In still other scenarios, a space-filling fractal curve may be used that can fill a non-rectangular area (e.g., a circle, triangle, or unusual shape). For example, the area division of a square tree may not be optimal, or additional steps may be required to ensure that the scan path remains within the defined area.

In some embodiments of the invention, Bayesian optimization can be designed to reduce the number of steps required to find a combination of parameters that is close to the optimal combination of predetermined characteristics. The optimized parameters include the coordinates of the vessel, i.e. the locations where the sonar scans are performed. In this context, the optimal parameters (coordinates) are those for which the obtained seabed features are closer to the predetermined properties (the predetermined feature values that define the desired fishing location). Here, the “number of steps” is understood as the number of locations to which the vessel is maneuvered, and the “parameter combination” is understood as the coordinates of the locations where the location-dependent loss function returns a minimum value, i.e. the appropriate location. Thus, Bayesian optimization seeks to optimize the location-dependent loss function by evaluating the function as few times as possible. The evaluation of this loss function includes maneuvering the vessel to the location, performing the sonar scan, and obtaining the seabed features.

For this purpose, the process can use a proxy optimization problem (finding the maximum value of the acquisition function), which, despite its complexity, can be a less expensive approach, especially in terms of computation, since conventional computational tools can be used. Therefore, Bayesian optimization can be the most suitable scanning approach for situations where testing the function to be optimized (e.g., ship maneuvering) is very expensive. In scenarios where preliminary bathymetric data is available, a Bayesian optimization strategy can also be useful instead of using a grid or multi-scan fractal function scan path. In some examples, an initial coarse grid scan can be performed, and then Bayesian optimization can be applied to the sonar scan data. Thus, the total cumulative distance traveled during the initial coarse scans and subsequent Bayesian optimization can be less than the Hilbert curve path length. In both bathymetry and coarse scan scenarios, the use of a set of data points at known locations allows the use of Bayesian optimization to determine how the objective function (location-dependent loss function) should be evaluated further, i.e., which locations should be maneuvered to and which further scans should be performed.

In certain examples, by selecting a new set of possible loss function minimum locations (i.e., suitable fishing locations where the loss function output is less than a predetermined threshold value), all identified locations can be visited by the vessel along the shortest route, which is a solution to the traveling salesman problem (TSP). There are many TSP solutions, both exact and heuristic. If further refinement is required, another iteration of Bayesian optimization can be performed. In some scenarios, random movement (initial scan or local scans) can be used as the scanning method. Random movement can, for example, be used for the initial scan for Bayesian optimization when bathymetry data is not available. Furthermore, when features in the acquired sonar data cannot be accurately assessed (e.g., a certain feature quality assessment metric/decision is required), multiple scans can be performed at random locations near the vessel’s current location to obtain more data and in turn increase the reliability of the feature assessment at these locations. In this way, unintended effects of equipment or absorption losses in the water body or similar errors can be reduced.

In some embodiments of the invention, the first set of instructions may include data for one or more secondary locations, typically including the first location and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the one or more secondary locations. The method may further include transmitting a signal (204) to a bait delivery vessel module (16) based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type (21a) of bait to be deployed at the one or more secondary locations (61, 62).

Accordingly, the control device (4) and/or the wireless communication device (9) may select one or more secondary locations (61, 62) as target locations for bait delivery. The control device and/or the wireless communication device (9) may obtain GNSS location data for one or more locations (61, 62), as well as sonar data associated with one or more secondary locations, either from a previously stored database or from sonar scans performed by the vessel. The previous data may be stored locally in the fishing sonar memory (2) and/or may be partially retrieved from the cloud (20) or remote data storage locations by the wireless communication device (9). The retrieved data, as mentioned above, may be previously acquired and processed sonar data based on sonar scans performed by the same or another vessel. In some embodiments of the invention, the sonar data included in the first set of instructions may be based on sonar scans performed by the vessel during its bait delivery mission.

In some embodiments of the invention, the selection of one or more secondary locations may be additional to or otherwise based on user selection. For example, based on the user's (91) knowledge of the area where the bait will be placed.

In some embodiments, the method (200) may include a method further comprising obtaining (206) a secondary set of instructions comprising one or more predetermined criteria (205). The method may further comprise transmitting (204) a signal to a bait delivery module of the vessel, based on the first set of instructions and the second set of instructions, indicating a first bait type (21a) to be delivered at one or more secondary locations if sonar data associated with the one or more secondary locations, including at least one characteristic of the one or more secondary locations compared to the one or more criteria, meets the one or more predetermined criteria.

In some embodiments of the invention, one or more secondary locations (61, 62) are identified as optimal locations suitable for fishing. The identification of one or more secondary locations (61, 62) is based on the sonar data received from those locations and a comparison of at least one of the characteristics of those locations with predetermined criteria.

In various aspects and embodiments of the invention, it is necessary to determine whether the sonar data of one or more secondary locations (61, 62) meets one or more predetermined criteria by calculating a loss function comprising one or more similarity parameters indicating a correspondence between at least one feature of the one or more secondary locations and one or more predetermined criteria. In other words, the features of the sonar data of one or more locations obtained from sonar scans at one or more secondary locations are compared with the predetermined features to identify suitable fishing locations. The comparison is performed by calculating a loss function, and if the output of the calculated loss function does not reach a predetermined threshold value, the method may further comprise identifying one or more secondary locations (61, 62), i.e. as suitable fishing locations.

For example, the loss function can be defined as follows:

L = Σ{ί e I} a |/i-ti|, where "I" is a set of features, "ai" is the weight coefficient of feature i, "/i" is the measured value of feature i, and "ti" is the target value of feature i. (Where f and t can be multidimensional vectors).

If the output of the loss function "L" is below a predetermined threshold (evaluating the output of the loss function against a predetermined threshold), the surveyed site can be identified and marked as a suitable site for fishing. Additionally or alternatively, a similarity function can be determined for each feature of one or more secondary sites in comparison with the features covered by the predetermined criteria, i.e. by calculating the Euclidean distance between the feature vectors. In this way, a threshold value can be defined for the differences between each measured feature and the target values separately.

Additionally, the loss function can include a fitness criterion for each identified location, which can be obtained using ML solutions, such as a convolutional neural network, operating directly on the features of the sonar data (i.e. frames from multiple sonar scans), without any explicit feature extraction steps. The same approach can be used to determine whether the scan resolution should be increased or decreased at that location.

When one or more secondary locations (61, 62) are identified as suitable fishing locations, they may be marked on a map of that area with the corresponding GNSS coordinates, the invention, the assigned suitability scores provided by the calculated loss function, and/or name definitions. The control device (4) may be configured to record these locations in the memory of the fishing sonar and/or to transmit the information to the user in real time. Information about the identified locations may also be transmitted to an external network, such as a cloud network (20), and accessed by the user at a later time. In some embodiments of the invention, the identification of one or more secondary locations may include a continuous or sequential process of identifying the aforementioned locations. For example, in some scenarios, one secondary location (61, 62) may be identified first, then forwarded to the wireless communication device (9) and/or to the control device (4). Accordingly, the user (91) or the control device (4) (e.g., in the case of an autonomous ship) may evaluate and reject this identified location as not being the most suitable.

Therefore, the identification process continues with a search for another or more suitable secondary location, which is presented to the user or the control device. The user and/or the control device can then evaluate and accept one or more of the identified locations. In various embodiments of the invention, all suitable secondary locations can be identified and presented to the user or the control device. For example, the first “n” suitable locations can be identified initially. The entire area, e.g., the entire first location (6), can be scanned, and then the “n” candidate locations that best meet the predetermined criteria can be identified. The user and/or the control device can then select one or more of the identified suitable locations as the best selected suitable locations. This would provide the most comprehensive results, but would take the most time to scan. However, it will be apparent to the skilled user that various scenarios different from the above examples can be created and executed for the identification and selection of one or more secondary locations (61, 62) suitable for fishing, using the proposed method and fishing sonar. Once suitable fishing locations have been identified, activities such as baiting can be performed, including selecting the type of bait to be fed at each identified location based on the characteristics of the identified location and/or fishing.

In some embodiments of the invention, the method may further include selecting (208) a secondary bait type (21b) that is different from the first bait type (21a) based on the first set of instructions and the second set of instructions. The method may further include transmitting a signal (204) to the bait delivery module of the vessel, based on the first set of instructions and the second set of instructions, indicating the first bait type (21a) to be delivered at one selected secondary location from among the one or more secondary locations (61, 62) and the second bait type (21b) to be delivered at another secondary location (61, 62) from among the one or more secondary locations to the bait delivery module of the vessel.

In a preferred manner (200) and by recognizing the characteristics of the scanned areas that correspond to the predetermined characteristics, it is possible to identify certain fish species whose habitats are located in the scanned areas. This information can be used to determine and select the types of bait suitable for each species. By providing the preferred food of each fish species in their determined habitat, the possibility of attracting and catching certain fish species is significantly increased. Thus, the user (91) and/or the control device (4) can select one identified location from one or more identified locations (61,62) to provide a first type of bait (21 a), and another suitable location, which is the habitat of a different fish species, to provide a second type of bait (21 b).

In some embodiments of the invention, obtaining the first and second sets of instructions (202, 206) may include obtaining (210) the first and second sets of instructions from the memory (12) of the fishing sonar (2). In some embodiments of the invention, obtaining the first and second sets of instructions may include receiving (212) from the wireless device (9) when the wireless signal (10) includes the first and second sets of instructions.

In some embodiments, the method may include receiving a signal (214) from a wireless device, the signal comprising instructions from the wireless device for selecting one or more identified secondary locations and/or one other secondary location from among the one or more identified secondary locations. The signal, in some embodiments, may comprise instructions comprising a primary and/or secondary set of instructions. However, in some embodiments, the instructions for selecting a location may be transmitted in a separate signal from the wireless device. In some aspects and embodiments, at least one of at least one sonar scan at the first location and/or one or more secondary locations, sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the first location and/or one or more secondary locations, the identified one or more secondary locations, and/or at least one characteristic of the identified one or more secondary locations may be transmitted to the wireless device. This information is transmitted directly to the wireless device (9), for example, via a short-range network such as WiFi or other telecommunications network, or it can be transmitted to an external network (20), such as a cloud, which can be accessed by the wireless device (9). By reviewing the transmitted data at various stages of scanning and identifying suitable bait locations, the user (91) can decide to intervene in the process manually at any time. The user (91) also gains greater control over the data processing, ranging from the acquisition of raw sonar scans to the processed sonar data, and can make informed decisions and choices accordingly.

An additional advantage of this step is that the user has full control over which location is most suitable for baiting from the identified candidate locations. In other words, the user can select one or more suitable locations (61, 62) that have been identified based on the characteristics that match the predetermined characteristics, the most preferred location for baiting. The user's command determines which of the candidate locations to distribute bait to. The method may include selecting (216) one of the one or more secondary locations and/or one other secondary location from the one or more secondary locations based on instructions received from the wireless communication device such that the first or second bait type is distributed at the selected locations. In some embodiments, the instructions may include instructions for selecting (218) the first and/or second bait type and/or the amount of the first and/or second bait type to be distributed at the selected secondary location from the one or more secondary locations. FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a vessel (1) comprising a fishing sonar (2) for scanning a body of water with a fishing sonar module (3) located on the vessel (1). The fishing sonar (2) comprises a control device (4).

The fishing sonar (2) is configured to perform at least one sonar scan in a body of water (5) using a sonar module (3) of a vessel (1). The fishing sonar (2) may cause the sonar module (3) to perform at least one sonar scan by sending command signals to the sonar module (3). The sonar module (3) may be an integrated sonar module (3), i.e. integrated as part of the vessel's fishing sonar (2) or, in some embodiments of the invention, a separate module to be connected to the fishing sonar (2). Accordingly, the sonar module (3) may be a portable device of different dimensions, adaptable to various types of vessels incorporating the fishing sonar (2). The integration of the sonar module (3) into the fishing sonar (2) may be performed at any stage of ship construction or by adapting the sonar module (3) to existing vessels (1).

The sonar module (3) may include at least one sonar transducer element (31) for generating and receiving sonar signals. The sonar module (3) is configured to generate ultrasonic signals (101) to be transmitted into a body of water and to receive ultrasonic signals (103) reflected from obstacles, the base of the body of water, such as the sea or lake bottom (26a, 26b), objects such as fish (25a, 25b, 25c) or plants (27), and 1.1.

Sonar transducers may be adapted for side scanning in a fishing sonar, i.e. the water surface (51). There may also be, for example, rectangular side transducers and/or annular bottom transducers adapted for 2D water depth scanning. The transducers may be made of piezoelectric ceramics. Rectangular ultrasonic transducers for side scanning may be adapted to emit fan-shaped ultrasonic beams. The annular 2D scanning transducer or transducers may be adapted to emit conical ultrasonic beams towards the substrate, i.e. the water body bottom, at least when scanning in a conventional 2D format.

The command signals may be transmitted wirelessly or additionally or otherwise using a wired communication bus between the control unit (4) of the fishing sonar (2) and the sonar module (3). In some embodiments of the invention, the command signals are transmitted by the control unit (4) to the sonar module (3), which may be a ship's control unit. The control unit (4) may additionally or otherwise be a distributed control unit, such as a control unit implemented in a cloud network (20). The commands may be transmitted to the sonar module (3) by the user (91) of the fishing sonar (2) via a wireless communication device (9) using wireless communication interfaces (10) or alternatively or additionally, partly by the ship's control unit (4) and partly by the wireless communication device (9) or a combination thereof.

The vessel (1) comprises a recognition system (8) and a localization system (7). The recognition system (8) is understood in this context as a system responsible for receiving raw sensor data from sensors (8a, 8b), such as cameras, radars, temperature sensors, water sensors, pH sensors, etc., and converting this raw data to recognize the environment. In this way, the control unit (4) can obtain additional information about the temperature, salinity, pH or other characteristics of the water body, thereby providing a broader understanding of underwater conditions. The recognition system (8) can be configured to receive raw sonar scan data directly or via a dedicated sensor control circuit (13) in the sonar module (3) of the vessel (1).

The localization system (7) is configured to monitor the geographical position and heading (compass orientation) of the vessel and may be in the form of a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) such as GPS. However, the localization system may alternatively be implemented as a Real-Time Kinematics (RTK) GPS to improve accuracy. Furthermore, in this context, it is assumed that the vessel (1) has access to a digital map (e.g., an HD map) in the form of a locally stored digital map or via a remote data repository accessible via an external communication network (20) (e.g., as a data stream or from a cloud network). In some embodiments of the invention, access to the digital map may, for example, be provided by the localization system (7). The localization system may include inertial measurement units (IMU). An IMU may be understood as a device configured to detect linear acceleration using one or more accelerometers or rotational velocity using one or more gyroscopes. Thus, in some embodiments of the invention, the localization of the vessel's position or orientation may be based on motion sensor data, i.e. data from accelerometers and gyroscopes, only from the IMU or in combination with GNSS data. The control unit (4) of the fishing sonar (2) includes one or more processors (11), a memory (12), a sensor interface (13) and a communication interface (14), as well as antenna elements (15). The processor(s) (11) may also be referred to as a control circuit (11) or a control scheme (11). The control circuit (11) is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory (12) or provided by a user (91) of the fishing sonar (2), e.g. via a wireless communication device (9), in order to perform a method (300) according to one of the embodiments of the invention provided herein. In more detail, the control scheme (11) is configured to perform the steps of the method illustrated in FIG. 3. In some embodiments of the invention, the processing circuit (11) includes analog or digital signal processing units, such as DSP units, MCUs, MCUs with embedded DSPs, and 1.1. The memory (12) of the control unit (4) may include one or more (non-volatile) computer-readable storage media for storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors (11), may, for example, cause the computer processors (11) to perform the techniques described herein. The memory (12) optionally includes fast random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM, or other random access hard disk storage devices; and optionally includes non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash drives, or other non-volatile hard disk storage devices.

Furthermore, the vessel (1) may be connected to an external network(s) (20) via, for example, (14) a wireless communication interface (10) (e.g., for obtaining map data). The same or some other wireless communication interfaces (10) may be used to communicate with an external wireless communication device (9). Cellular communication technologies may be used for long-range communication, e.g., with external networks. Examples of cellular radio technologies include GSM, GPRS, EDGE, LTE, 5G, 5G NR, etc., also including future cellular solutions. However, some solutions use medium and short-range communication technologies, such as wireless local area networks (LANs), e.g., IEEE 802.11-based solutions. Local communication on board may also be of the wireless type with protocols such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or similar medium/short-range technologies.

The vessel (1) may be a semi- or fully autonomous vessel, the memory (12) of which stores coordinates and location data of the areas in which sonar scans are to be performed, or which may receive this information from a localization system (7) and from a wireless communication device (9). The vessel (1) may carry passengers or may not be steerable. The vessel may be remotely controlled, where steering and vessel propulsion instructions, as well as sonar scanning instructions, are received via wireless communication between the vessel and a wireless communication device, such as a user equipment (UE) (9). The wireless device (9) may be remotely controlled and steer the vessel, respectively configured to transmit and receive wireless signals to and from the vessel. The UE 9 may be a mobile phone or tablet having a wireless communication function, i.e. having WiFi transceivers and/or mobile communications such as 4G, LTE, 5G, 6G communication protocols, and display methods to provide sonar image information to a user. Accordingly, various objects such as the bottom of a water body (26), plants (27) or fish (25a, 25b, 25c) can be identified and presented to a user of the fishing sonar. The sonar data can be presented to the user in the form of sonar images (510) transmitted to a display of a fishing sonar (2) of a vessel (1) or to a display of a wireless communication device (9) capable of performing graphical output, where the user (91) can see the location and/or physical characteristics of the fish, the bottom or bottom of the water body, plants, etc. The provision of such high-precision information about underwater objects on a display device allows the user (91) to make informed decisions in planning and executing fishing operations, making the process more economical and less labor-intensive. The vessel may transmit its current location, as well as sonar data about its current position, to the wireless communication device, either continuously or at predetermined periods or time intervals.

In various embodiments of the invention, U E 9 can be configured to receive information about the water body (5) and sonar data about at least one scan of the ship's sonar device (3). Such information may be raw information received from the sonar or the control device (4). The information may also include analyzed and processed data, such as reflected sonar scans processed by the control device (4).

The vessel (1) typically includes a drive source, such as an engine (not shown). The engine may, for example, be electrically driven or may be an internal combustion engine. The electric motor may be powered by direct current (DC) generated by a battery module and power management system (not shown) included in the vessel. The control unit (4) and/or the wireless communication unit (9) may be configured to control the motor according to certain specific requirements of fishing and vessel scanning trips. As previously mentioned, the motor may be controlled by the control unit in a fully autonomous mode and in accordance with instructions stored in the memory (12) of the control unit (4). The motor may also be controlled by the wireless communication unit (9) by remotely receiving control instructions from the wireless communication unit (9) either in real time or via a cloud network (20) or by a user (91) activating certain operations or route plans stored in the memory (12) of the vessel. The engine can also be controlled partly autonomously and partly by receiving instructions from a wireless communication device. An example of this would be a scenario where the user can override the autonomous control function of the vessel and take control of the vessel by sending control instructions to the control device via a wireless communication device. Alternatively or additionally, the engine can also be controlled and the vessel steered by a user or a passenger on board the vessel. In such embodiments of the invention, the control device can be connected to a user interface on the vessel, such as a display, as well as to a means for entering instructions into the control device. The user can execute commands and interact with information via the user interface (not shown). A battery module located on the vessel can be used as a power source to provide electrical power to various modules and components on the vessel. The battery module can be recharged.

The control unit in various embodiments and aspects of the invention may be configured to control various operations of the vessel. The operations may, in various embodiments of the invention, include, but are not limited to, steering and free steering of the vessel or steering to a specific location based on GNSS coordinates. The operations may also include providing instructions to the vessel's sonar module to perform sonar scans at various locations. The vessel and/or wireless communication device may select the best route to scan an area based on the current battery level and configuration. For example, the user may be advised that the vessel will not complete the entire mission and/or the vessel may not automatically return to the user, thereby terminating the scan. When a low battery level is reached or communication is lost, the fishing sonar may be configured to steer and return the vessel to a starting point, e.g., the nearest shoreline (if known) or the last point before communication was lost. The fishing sonar may enter a low power mode to return to the starting point. By replacing the battery modules (rechargeable or replaceable) with new ones, the vessel can continue an interrupted scan or start a new scan session.

The vessel may additionally or alternatively include a solar panel (photovoltaic module) which allows the user to charge the vessel's battery modules and electronics with solar energy, e.g. while scanning or fishing without using external power sources. The vessel may also be coated with solar paint instead of or in addition to the solar panels.

The fishing sonar may collect and store data regarding battery level or charge status, wireless connection strength to a wireless device and/or external networks, connection strength associated with geospatial data. The fishing sonar may be configured to collect and store data regarding the starting point of a trip, as well as the starting point of a sonar scan. Upon defined events (low battery, controller disconnection, etc.), the fishing sonar may be configured to return the vessel to a predetermined location that is preset in the event of such events occurring.

The control unit (4) may be implemented as a software-controlled processor. However, the control unit may alternatively be implemented in whole or in part in hardware. The control unit may be implemented as a plurality of computer processing units (11) which together form the control unit, i.e.

i.e. multiple computers (11) may be connected to each other to form a control unit and perform the functions as provided herein. The control unit according to various embodiments of the invention may be at least partially implemented on board the ship or alternatively or additionally partially implemented remotely, e.g. in a remote data center, wirelessly connected to the ship via external networks (20), e.g. at the edge of a telecommunications network such as a 5G network (20), or alternatively or additionally in a cloud network (20), e.g. in a cloud computing system, which may include distributed cloud computing resources. In various embodiments, the control unit includes a processing circuit (11), e.g., at least one processor (11), configured to perform various processing tasks, such as processing received sonar scans, generating processed sonar data and POC signals from at least one sonar scan, determining information from the processed sonar scans, e.g., sonar data at various locations, determining the time-of-flight of a correlated phase reflected sonar signal, calculating distances between the sonar module and various underwater objects or distances between various underwater objects, obtaining a contour of a correlated phase reflected sonar signal, multiplying the signal contour from the correlated phase signal, etc. The control unit may be configured to compare the processed sonar data with at least one predetermined criterion. The control unit is adapted to connect via cable and/or wireless connection to the ship's communication interface (14), and may also be connected to the ship's GNSS or GPS, thereby recognizing and storing past, current or future positions and the ship's direction in the control unit's memory.

This description of the invention is given above with reference to various embodiments of the invention. However, other embodiments of the invention than those described above are possible and fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The method for scanning the area and the fishing sonar for scanning a body of water have been explained with reference to a fishing sonar on a ship. However, the method and the fishing sonar for scanning a body of water and determining suitable fishing locations and baiting may be implemented in other devices, such as a separate fishing sonar device and/or portable and/or cast fishing sonar devices that are configured to scan a body of water and locate fish and underwater objects. For example, the fishing sonar may be in a cast case.

Thus, a fishing sonar for scanning a body of water may be implemented in a throwable case, which may include a housing with buoy components. The throwable fishing sonar device may also include suitable wireless communication interfaces, recognition systems, localization systems, processing circuitry, etc., similarly as explained above for these systems in embodiments of the invention, including a vessel, located in the fishing sonar or installed as separate devices in the throwable fishing sonar devices. The throwable sonar device may be thrown into a body of water. The fishing sonar in the throwable case may include a control device configured to receive a first set of instructions comprising data of a first location and a second set of instructions comprising one or more predetermined criteria. The control device may be configured to perform at least one sonar scan at a first location using a vessel sonar module in the fishing sonar and to receive sonar data associated with the at least one sonar scan at the first location. The received sonar data includes at least one property of the first location to be compared with one or more criteria. The control device may be configured to identify, based on the sonar data and one or more predetermined criteria, one or more secondary locations that are substantially included in the first location, where the sonar data may include sonar data associated with one or more secondary locations. The fishing sonar control device may include one or more processors or control circuitry, memory, a sensor interface, and a communication interface, as well as antenna elements. The control circuitry may be configured to execute instructions stored in the memory or that are provided by a user of the fishing sonar, e.g., via a wireless communication device, to perform methods of scanning a body of water.

The scope of the invention may include method steps other than those described above, and the implementation of the method by hardware or software. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, there is provided a durable computer-readable medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a control device, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for carrying out a method according to one of the embodiments described above. Alternatively, according to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a cloud computing system may be configured to carry out any of the methods presented herein. A cloud computing system may include distributed cloud computing resources that collectively carry out the methods presented herein under the control of one or more computer program products.

Generally, computer-accessible or computer-readable media may include any tangible or non-volatile storage or medium, such as electronic, magnetic, or optical media, such as a disk or CD/DVD-ROM, connected to a computer system via a bus. The terms “tangible” and “non-volatile” are used herein to describe computer-readable media (or “memory”) other than the transmission of electromagnetic signals, but are not intended to otherwise limit the type of physical computer-readable media that falls within the scope of the term “computer-readable media or memory.” For example, the terms “non-volatile computer-readable media” or “non-volatile media” are intended to include types of media that do not necessarily store information permanently, including, for example, random access memory (RAM). Program instructions and data stored on a durable, computer-accessible medium in a permanent form may also be transmitted over a transmission medium or signals, such as electrical, electromagnetic, or digital signals, which may be transmitted over a communication medium, such as a network and/or a wireless interface.

The processor(s) (associated with the control unit) may be or include any number of hardware components for processing data or signals or executing computer code stored in memory. The control unit may include an associated memory, and the memory may be one or more devices for storing data and/or computer code to perform and facilitate the various methods described in this invention. The memory may include short-term memory or long-term memory. The memory may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure to support the various activities of this invention. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, any distributed or local memory device may be used with the fishing sonar and the methods of this invention. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the memory is connected to the processor (11) by communication (e.g., by a circuit or any other wired, wireless, or network connection) and includes computer code for performing one or more of the processes described herein.

The term “if” as used herein may be interpreted as “when” or “as soon as” or “as soon as” or “in response to detection” or “in response to detection”, depending on the context. Similarly, the phrase “if determined” or “if a place or event is detected or identified” may be interpreted as “upon determination” or “in response to detection” or “upon detection and identification of a place or event” or “upon detection of a place or event” depending on the context. The term “obtaining” is interpreted broadly herein and includes obtaining, retrieving, collecting, acquiring, etc.

It should be noted that the word "comprises" does not mean that other elements or steps than those listed are not included, and the singular of an element may also mean the plural. It should also be noted that any reference signs do not limit the scope of the definitions of the invention, that the invention may be implemented, at least in part, in both hardware and software, and that multiple "means" or "units" may be represented by the same hardware element.

Claims (17)

DEFINITION OF THE INVENTION 1. A fishing sonar (2) for feeding bait (21a, 21b) to fish (25a, 25b, 25c), characterized in that the fishing sonar comprises a control device (4) and a bait feeding module (16); wherein the control device is configured to: receive a first set of instructions comprising a first location (6) and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the first location, and transmit a signal to the fishing sonar bait feeding module (16) based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be fed at the first location (21a). 2. The fishing sonar of claim 1, wherein the first set of instructions includes location data from one or more secondary locations (61, 62) that are primarily comprised by the first location and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the one or more secondary locations, and wherein the control device is configured to transmit a signal to a bait delivery module of the fishing sonar based on the set of instructions and indicating a first bait type to be delivered at the one or more secondary locations. 3. The fishing sonar of claim 2, wherein the control device is configured to: receive a second set of instructions comprising one or more predetermined criteria; transmit a signal to the bait-delivering fishing sonar module based on the first and second sets of instructions, indicating a first bait type (21a) to be delivered at one or more secondary locations when the sonar data associated with the one or more secondary locations, comprising at least one characteristic of the one or more secondary locations compared to the one or more criteria, meets the one or more predetermined criteria. 4. Fishing sonar according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the control device is configured to: select a second bait type (21 b) based on the first and second sets of instructions, which would be different from the first bait type (21 a), and transmit a signal to the bait feeding module of the fishing sonar vessel based on the first and second sets of instructions and indicating the first bait type (21 a) to be fed at one selected secondary location (61, 62) from one or more secondary locations, and the second bait type (21 b) to be fed at one other secondary location (61, 62) from one or more secondary locations. 5. Fishing sonar according to one of claims 1-4, characterized in that the control device is configured to receive the first and second sets of instructions from the memory of the fishing sonar and/or from the wireless communication device (9), where the wireless signal (10) includes the first and second sets of instructions. 6. The fishing sonar according to claim 5, characterized in that the control device is configured to: receive a signal (10) from the wireless communication device, where the signal includes instructions from the wireless communication device for selecting one selected secondary location from one or more secondary locations and/or one other selected secondary location from one or more secondary locations, and where the control device is configured to select one selected secondary location from one or more secondary locations and/or one other selected secondary location from one or more secondary locations based on the instructions received from the wireless communication device. 7. A method for using a fishing sonar to deliver bait to fish, characterized in that the method comprises receiving a first set of instructions comprising a first location and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the first location, and transmitting a signal to a fishing sonar module delivering bait based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first type of bait to be delivered at the first location. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of instructions includes data for one or more secondary locations, the first location being the primary location, and sonar data associated with at least one sonar scan at the one or more secondary locations, the method comprising transmitting a signal to a bait-delivering fishing sonar module based on the first set of instructions and indicating a first bait type to be delivered at the one or more secondary locations. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving a second set of instructions comprising one or more predetermined criteria; transmitting a signal to a bait-delivering fishing sonar module, based on the first and second sets of instructions, indicating a first type of bait to be delivered at one or more secondary locations if the sonar data associated with the one or more secondary locations, comprising at least one characteristic of the one or more secondary locations compared to the one or more criteria, meets the one or more predetermined criteria. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria comprises a set of properties comprising the following: a predetermined shape, a predetermined size, a predetermined water depth, a predetermined water depth change profile, a predetermined seabed profile, a predetermined fish species, a water temperature parameter, a water salinity parameter, or a water thermocline depth parameter. 11. The method according to one of claims 7-10, characterized in that it allows selecting a second bait type that is different from the first bait type, based on the first and second sets of instructions, transmitting a signal to the bait-delivering fishing sonar module, based on the first and second sets of instructions, indicating a first bait type to be delivered at one selected secondary location from one or more secondary locations, and a second bait type to be delivered at one other secondary location from one or more secondary locations. 12. The method according to one of claims 7-11, characterized in that the obtaining of the first and second sets of instructions comprises: obtaining said first and said second sets of instructions from the memory of the fishing sonar and/or from a wireless communication device, where the wireless signal includes the first and second sets of instructions. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving a signal from a wireless communication device, the signal comprising instructions from the wireless communication device to select one of the secondary locations from one or more identified secondary locations and/or one other secondary location from one or more identified secondary locations; selecting one of the secondary locations from one or more secondary locations and/or selecting one other secondary location from one or more secondary locations based on the instructions received from the wireless communication device, such that bait is delivered at the selected locations. 14. The method of claim 13, characterized in that the method is for receiving instructions, which are included in the signal, from a wireless communication device, where the instructions include instructions for selecting a first and/or second bait type and/or a first and second bait amount to be delivered at one selected secondary location from one or more identified secondary locations and/or at one other selected secondary location from one or more identified secondary locations. 15. A computer program carrier, characterized in that it has one or more computer programs configured to be executed by one or more processing systems comprising a control device, a processor, where the one or more programs comprise instructions for carrying out the method according to one of claims 7 to 14 and where the computer program carrier is an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal or a computer-readable medium. 16. A computer program product, characterized in that it comprises instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a processing system comprising a control device, cause the processing system to carry out the method according to one of claims 7 to 14. 17. A vessel for scanning a body of water and feeding bait (21a, 21b) to fish (25a, 25b, 25c), characterized in that the vessel comprises: a recognition system for monitoring the vessel's environment, e.g., a body of water; a localization system configured to monitor the geographical position and direction of the vessel; and a fishing sonar according to one of claims 1-6.