Echo sounding device with cathode ray tube display

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I claim: 1.
In an echo sounding device having means for transmitting sounding pulses, means for receiving signal returns from the transmitted sounding pulses and for converting the signal returns into a series of electrical signals, and a cathode ray tube having vertical and horizontal sweeps and a display face, the improvement comprising: N stage binary register means coupled to said receiving means for forming the signal returns from each transmitted pulse into a series of N segments, each stage which represents a corresponding segment being set to a binary "0" state in the absence of a received echo signal and being set to a binary "1" state upon the presence of a received echo signal; static memory means coupled to said receiving means for storing the binary-valued segmented electrical signal representations of the received signal returns from each transmitted sounding pulse; and means for feeding the stored electrical signal representations of the received signal returns from the memory means to the cathode ray tube for visually displaying a plurality of said signal returns vertically side by side concurrently on the cathode ray tube face.
2.
The invention as described in claim 1 further including means for synchronizing the horizontal and vertical sweeps of the CRT with the feeding of the stored electrical representations of the received signal returns from the memory to the CRT for displaying said signal returns in a series of vertical lines arranged side by side across the face of the CRT.




Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed for use in underwater searching or exploring.
The device is used principally for locating and viewing the bottom of a body of water and for searching for objects, usually fish, in the body of water.
However, for simplicity the device will usually hereinafter be referred to as a depth finder but with the understanding that it can serve other functions as well.
In one known type of depth finder the display is in the form of a bar-graph on a strip chart produced by a stylus inking or burning in markings, which represent echoes or returns, on a paper strip