Sonar transducer assembly

Abstract

A sonar transducer assembly configured for imaging of an underwater environment is provided herein. The sonar transducer assembly includes at least one transmit-only transducer element positioned within a housing and aimed outwardly and downwardly. The at least one transmit-only transducer element is configured to transmit sonar pulses to insonify a first volume. The sonar transducer assembly further includes at least one receive-only transducer element positioned within the housing and aimed outwardly and downwardly. The at least one receive-only transducer element is configured to receive sonar returns from the sonar pulses within a second volume. The second volume is smaller than the first volume and aimed so as to be wholly contained within the first volume. The housing is mountable to the water craft so as to enable rotation of the transducer elements with respect to the water craft. Corresponding systems and methods are also provided.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A sonar system for a water craft, the sonar system comprising:
 a sonar transducer assembly comprising:
 a housing mountable to a water craft; and 
 at least one transducer element positioned within the housing, wherein the transducer element is configured to receive sonar returns from one or more sonar pulses transmitted within the underwater environment and convert sound energy from the sonar returns into sonar return data, wherein the housing is mountable to the water craft so as to enable rotation of the at least one transducer element with respect to the water craft; and 
   a sonar signal processor configured to process the sonar return data to produce sonar image data associated with a 3D image of the underwater environment.   
     
     
         29 . The sonar system according to  claim 28 , wherein the housing is mountable to the water craft to enable approximately 360 degree rotation of the at least one transducer element with respect to the water craft. 
     
     
         30 . The sonar system according to  claim 28 , wherein the housing is configured to mount to a trolling motor. 
     
     
         31 . The sonar system according to  claim 28 , wherein the at least one transducer element is positioned within the housing to be forward looking. 
     
     
         32 . The sonar system according to  claim 28  further comprising a display configured to present the 3D image of the underwater environment. 
     
     
         33 . The sonar system according to  claim 28 , wherein the at least one transducer element comprises a plurality of transducer elements, wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements are configured to receive respective sonar returns from the one or more sonar pulses transmitted within the underwater environment and convert sound energy from the respective sonar returns into respective sonar return data, and wherein the sonar signal processor is configured to process the respective sonar return data from each of the plurality of transducer elements to produce sonar image data associated with a 3D image of the underwater environment. 
     
     
         34 . The sonar system according to  claim 33 , wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements is aimed toward a different direction. 
     
     
         35 . The sonar system according to  claim 33 , wherein the plurality of transducer elements form a phased array. 
     
     
         36 . The sonar system according to  claim 35 , wherein the phased array of transducer elements is configured to beam form multiple beam patterns to receive the sonar returns. 
     
     
         37 . The sonar system according to  claim 36  further comprising a plurality of receive channels that electrically connect the phased array to the sonar signal processor to enable transmission of the sonar return data to the sonar signal processor. 
     
     
         38 . The sonar system according to  claim 36  further comprising a single receive channel that electrically connects the phased array to the sonar signal processor to enable transmission of the sonar return data to the sonar signal processor, wherein the phased array is a frequency scanned phased array. 
     
     
         39 . The sonar system according to  claim 28 , wherein the at least one transducer element is configured to scan the underwater environment to receive the sonar returns. 
     
     
         40 . The sonar system according to  claim 28  further comprising a heading sensor configured to detect the heading of the at least one transducer element, wherein the detected heading of the at least one transducer element is associated with the received sonar returns. 
     
     
         41 . The sonar system according to  claim 28 , wherein the at least one transducer element is configured to transmit the one or more sonar pulses into the underwater environment. 
     
     
         42 . The sonar system according to  claim 28  further comprising at least one transmit transducer element configured to transmit the one or more sonar pulses into the underwater environment. 
     
     
         43 . A method for imaging an underwater environment beneath a water craft, the method comprising:
 transmitting one or more sonar pulses into the underwater environment;   receiving sonar returns from the one or more sonar pulses with at least one transducer element positioned within a housing, wherein the housing is mountable to the water craft so as to enable rotation of the at least one transducer element with respect to the water craft, wherein the at least one transducer element is further configured to convert sound energy of the sonar returns into sonar return data; and   processing, by a sonar signal processor, the sonar return data received from the at least one transducer element to produce sonar image data associated with a 3D image of the underwater environment.   
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43  further comprising presenting the 3D image of the underwater environment with a display. 
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein receiving sonar returns from the one or more sonar pulses with the at least one transducer element comprises scanning the underwater environment with the at least one transducer element. 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the at least one transducer element comprises a plurality of transducer elements, wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements are configured to receive respective sonar returns from the one or more sonar pulses transmitted within the underwater environment and convert sound energy from the respective sonar returns into respective sonar return data, and wherein the sonar signal processor is configured to process the respective sonar return data from each of the plurality of transducer elements to produce sonar image data associated with a 3D image of the underwater environment. 
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 46 , wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements is aimed toward a different direction. 
     
     
         48 . A sonar system for a water craft, the sonar system comprising:
 a sonar transducer assembly comprising:
 at least one transducer element positioned within a housing, wherein the transducer element is configured to receive sonar returns from one or more sonar pulses transmitted within the underwater environment and convert sound energy from the sonar returns into sonar return data, wherein the at least one transducer element is mounted to enable steering of the at least one transducer element with respect to the water craft; and 
   a sonar signal processor configured to process the sonar return data to produce sonar image data associated with a 3D image of the underwater environment.   
     
     
         49 . The sonar system according to  claim 48  further comprising a display configured to present the 3D image of the underwater environment. 
     
     
         50 . The sonar system according to  claim 48 , wherein the at least one transducer element is configured to scan the underwater environment to receive the sonar returns. 
     
     
         51 . The sonar system according to  claim 48 , wherein the at least one transducer element comprises a plurality of transducer elements, wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements are configured to receive respective sonar returns from the one or more sonar pulses transmitted within the underwater environment and convert sound energy from the respective sonar returns into respective sonar return data, and wherein the sonar signal processor is configured to process the respective sonar return data from each of the plurality of transducer elements to produce sonar image data associated with a 3D image of the underwater environment.