CSD Solutions LLC.

Innovative Ideas

This page is a medium for my innovative mind to release it developing thoughts. For now it is only a one way street but soon I will have a blog available to discuss these topics in greater detail.

Real Time Auto Updating Marine GPS Depth Sounder and Navigational Charts

     We are getting to the point where it will soon be possible to create a real time evolving navigational chart. What this means is that you would have a chart that changes based on actual readings that you get from your depth finder/sounder. So if you passed over an area that your original chart showed as 5 ft. but your depth finder showed 3 ft. it would automatically correct your chart. This device would also calculate the exact tide height for your location so the tidal variances would not be a factor. To take this one step further we’ll bring the internet into the picture. With the collaborative ability of the internet we can not only get the depth readings from our vessel but from vast number of vessels that travel those water ways. This would open the door for navigational charts to be more accurate and detail then ever thought possible.
    Now that I have exposed the concept lets discuss the implementation details. First of all the tide calculation would need to be very accurate even in the areas that tides seems to be insignificant. The calculations could be derived from preexisting NOAA data and real time observation. Also additional tide measuring station would be useful. Next important factor would be accurate depth readings. I have tossed around an idea of being certified by a marina before your data is pushed back into the database. This would increase the quality of the data that you send and receive. If you vessel is not certified you could still update your local charts but your data would not get sent back. This would maintain high quality charts for all of the users. Next question I came a crossed was how to get the data from your vessel back to the database and I had a few options. First was having internet connection directly to the unit via an air card satellite connection. This would be idea because it would allow real time updating of the charts. Theoretically if you were traveling though a channel that is not regularly used and found that the depths had changed a vessel that might travel through that same channel minutes later would have updated depths of that region. The next option would be a data dump once you return home. A wireless or wired connection to the device would transfer the data both ways, updating the database and your charts. The Last peace of this puzzle would be GPS this system would need a very accurate GPS device so that the depth readings are correctly placed on the charts.
    In the end we would have a self updating navigational chart that would be more accurate and up to date then we have ever seen.
    Soon I will create a blog to discuss this idea and others. Until then please email any comments to me at CSD32129@HOTMAIL.COM

This idea originated on 08/01/2007.

Next Idea Coming Soon...