Marine Navigation Contour Line Density Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional marine navigation devices clutter the display with high-density contour lines in areas of significant underwater terrain slopes, obstructing underlying map content and reducing visibility of other important information.
Innovation Solution
A marine navigation device that selectively reduces the density of contour lines by removing segments of contour lines with a line-to-line distance below a threshold, using a processing element to calculate and update contour line data based on digital elevation model and sonar data, thereby improving the visibility of other information on the map.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If high-density contour lines are displayed to show detailed underwater terrain, then terrain representation accuracy is improved, but display clarity and visibility of other map information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating contour line display density across different geographic regions. Areas with significant terrain slopes maintain high contour line density to accurately represent complex underwater topography, while flat regions use lower density. This spatially variable approach ensures terrain accuracy is preserved where needed without unnecessarily cluttering the display in simpler areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the display area into multiple geographic zones based on terrain characteristics. Each segment is independently evaluated and rendered with appropriate contour line density. This segmentation allows the system to selectively apply high-density contour lines only to regions requiring detailed terrain representation, while other regions use reduced density to maintain overall display clarity.
2Quantity of substance
If contour line density is increased to improve terrain detail, then terrain information completeness is improved, but display clutter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic contour line density adjustment based on real-time evaluation of terrain slope characteristics. The system continuously adapts the contour line density to match the local terrain complexity, increasing density only where significant slopes require detailed representation. This dynamic approach ensures complete terrain information is conveyed without generating unnecessary display clutter in low-complexity areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the density parameter of contour lines based on terrain slope calculations. By dynamically adjusting this visual parameter according to the underlying terrain data, the system optimizes the balance between providing complete terrain information and maintaining display clarity. The density parameter is increased in high-slope regions and decreased in flat regions.
Data Source
AI summary
A marine navigation device comprises a location determining element, a display, a memory element, and a processing element. The location determining element determines a current geolocation of a marine vessel on a first body of water. The display displays a map representation. The memory element stores digital elevation model data and sonar data for a plurality of bodies of water. The processing element is in communication with the memory element and is configured to select the digital elevation model data or the sonar data from the memory element corresponding to the first body of water, calculate contour line data, the contour line data determining a plurality of contour lines, update the contour line data by selectively removing at least a portion of the contour lines, and generate a map representation including contour lines derived from the updated contour line data, and control the display to visually present the map representation.