Patents by Inventor William Mark Gibson

William Mark Gibson 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).

  • Publication number: 20240241213
    Abstract: Multiplexed phased array sonar systems and methods for consumer fishfinders are described herein. A transducer unit for such a system includes a transmit (TX) element that generates a sonar ping, a receive (RX) array configured to receive sonar echoes resulting from the sonar ping contacting targets, a digital signal processor (DSP) that processes the sonar echoes into sonar display information, and multiplexers (MUXs) coupled between the RX array and the DSP. The MUXs are configured to couple a portion of the RX array to the DSP during a first time and a second portion of the RX array during a second time such that the of MUXs couple an entirety of the RX array to the DSP during each transmit-receive cycle. A method of preventing distortions in the sonar display information selects the elements of the RX array to be sampled in accordance with a predetermined multiplexing pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Applicant: Johnson Outdoors Inc.
    Inventors: Jesus Carmona-Valdes, Gavin William Slay, William Mark Gibson, Per Oskar Pelin
  • Patent number: 11914066
    Abstract: Multiplexed phased array sonar systems and methods for consumer fishfinders are described herein. In one embodiment a single curved transmit transducer and an array of receive transducers are provided, and in an embodiment the signals from the receive transducers are multiplexed, which greatly reduces the data load, allowing for the achievement of the near real time, high resolution imagery in a size and price point that enables this technology to be employed in a consumer fish finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Johnson Outdoors Inc.
    Inventors: Jesus Carmona-Valdes, Gavin William Slay, William Mark Gibson, Per Oskar Pelin
  • Publication number: 20230359782
    Abstract: A method of making and a computer readable media having data readable by a fish finder are provided. The data includes a topographical fishing map usable by the fish finder to display bathymetric information regarding a body of water, and a number of water current flow simulations. Any of the number of simulations is selectable via the user input and usable by the fish finder to display water current flow as a layer on the bathymetric information regarding a body of water. Freshwater currents or saltwater tides may be provided in certain embodiments. The method includes inputting the bathymetric information from the topographical fishing map and current flow conditions to the processor, processing a hydrodynamic or tidal modeling program and storing the water current flow simulation as a user selectable layer on the media on which the topographical fishing map is stored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: Johnson Outdoors Inc.
    Inventors: William Mark Gibson, Taylor Clark, Thomas Joseph Schultz, Kevin Maxime Maingault
  • Patent number: 10408933
    Abstract: A sonar imaging system, that includes a control head with a user interface and a display unit for displaying a sonar-generated image, is provided. A sonar transducer assembly is coupled to the control head and configured to transmit sonar data to the control head. The sonar data is used to generate the sonar-generated image. The sonar transducer assembly includes a first side scan acoustic sonar element that transmits a sonar beam. The sonar transducer assembly further includes a plurality of sonar beam receiving elements. Each receiving element is arranged to receive a portion of the return beam from the first side scan acoustic sonar element. Each of the plurality of sonar beam receiving elements is configured to identify both a depth and a lateral distance of an underwater object relative to the position of the sonar transducer assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Johnson Outdoors Inc.
    Inventors: Sean M. DeHart, David A. Betts, Zachary Thomas Jordan, Jesus Carmona-Valdes, Brian Lee Chase, William Mark Gibson