Patents by Inventor Neal S. Combs

Neal S. Combs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Steering assemblies and associated methods
    Patent number: 11971478
    Abstract: A sonar system is provided including a sonar assembly configured to attach to a motor assembly of a watercraft or a watercraft. The sonar assembly includes sonar transducer element(s) that transmit sonar beam(s). The sonar system includes a display, processor(s), and a steering assembly configured to cause rotation of the sonar assembly or the motor assembly. The sonar system includes a memory including computer program code that causes the processor(s) to cause the sonar transducer element(s) to emit sonar beam(s), receive sonar return data from a coverage volume of the sonar transducer element(s), generate a sonar image of the coverage volume based on the sonar return data, receive an input from a user, determine a target in the underwater environment based on the input, and cause the steering assembly to adjust the coverage volume to maintain the target within the coverage volume as the watercraft moves relative to the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Navico, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal S. Combs, Jeremiah D. Clark, Christopher D. Crawford, Jayme Caspall
  • STEERING ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20220381906
    Abstract: A sonar system is provided including a sonar assembly configured to attach to a motor assembly of a watercraft or a watercraft. The sonar assembly includes sonar transducer element(s) that transmit sonar beam(s). The sonar system includes a display, processor(s), and a steering assembly configured to cause rotation of the sonar assembly or the motor assembly. The sonar system includes a memory including computer program code that causes the processor(s) to cause the sonar transducer element(s) to emit sonar beam(s), receive sonar return data from a coverage volume of the sonar transducer element(s), generate a sonar image of the coverage volume based on the sonar return data, receive an input from a user, determine a target in the underwater environment based on the input, and cause the steering assembly to adjust the coverage volume to maintain the target within the coverage volume as the watercraft moves relative to the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Neal S. Combs, Jeremiah D. Clark, Christopher D. Crawford, Jayme Caspall
  • STEERING ASSEMBLIES AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
    Publication number: 20220373678
    Abstract: A sonar system is provided including a sonar assembly configured to attach to a motor assembly of a watercraft or a watercraft. The sonar assembly includes sonar transducer element(s) that transmit sonar beam(s). The sonar system includes a display, processor(s), and a steering assembly configured to cause rotation of the sonar assembly or the motor assembly. The sonar system includes a memory including computer program code that causes the processor(s) to cause the sonar transducer element(s) to emit sonar beam(s), receive sonar return data from a coverage volume of the sonar transducer element(s), generate a sonar image of the coverage volume based on the sonar return data, receive an input from a user, determine a target in the underwater environment based on the input, and cause the steering assembly to adjust the coverage volume to maintain the target within the coverage volume as the watercraft moves relative to the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Neal S. Combs, Jeremiah D. Clark, Christopher D. Crawford, Jayme Caspall