BACKGROUND

Cartographers that practice in the field of underwater mapping have taken advantage of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Sound Navigation and Ranging (SONAR) technologies, as well as those technologies' integration with cloud-based computing environments. Maps and charts depicting bodies of water and their surrounding land masses have become increasingly accurate because of the widespread use and technological advances in those fields. Modern day GPS and SONAR technology provides cartographers with the capability to determine the depth or altitude of a body of water in almost real time to an accuracy of up to or less than a foot. This data is useful to maritime navigators, recreational boaters, and anglers, amongst others.

The depth and altitude data that can be collected and processed by GPS and SONAR computing devices is particularly useful in creating underwater contour maps, which may be utilized by the aforementioned maritime navigators, recreational boaters, and anglers. Maritime navigators and recreational boaters frequently find it useful to consult such maps when determining whether certain sections of a body of water are safe for their vessel to traverse. Anglers may utilize these maps for the same reasons, but are also often times interested in knowing the current depth of a specific location on a body of water, or a future depth for a specific location on a body of water, because fish or other game they are targeting may be known or expected to gather at certain depths and/or at specific underwater structures and locations within that body of water at specific times.

SUMMARY

In general terms, this disclosure is directed to contour mapping. In one possible configuration and by non-limiting example, the disclosure describes a system and method for updating contour maps for bodies of water. Various aspects are described in this disclosure, which include, but are not limited to, the following aspects.

One aspect is a method for dynamically updating contour maps comprising: using at least one processing device: determining a first water level for a body of water; identifying a location within the body of water; determining a second water level relating to the identified location within the body of water; comparing the second water level and the first water level; and automatically updating a contour map for the body of water based on the comparison.

Another aspect is a system comprising: at least one processor; and a memory operatively connected with the at least one processor, the memory comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method comprising: determining a baseline water level for a body of water; identifying a location within the body of water; determining a baseline water level relating to the identified location within the body of water; identifying a current water level relating to the identified location within the body of water; comparing the current water level for the identified location and the baseline water level for the identified location; and automatically updating a contour map for the body of water.

A further aspect is a system for updating contour maps, comprising: a display; a processing device; and a computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processing device cause the processing device to display an updated contour map determined by comparing a second water level and a first water level, wherein the first water level is a baseline water level for a body of water determined from a preloaded contour map, and wherein the second water level is a water level determined from one or more received signals from one or more computing devices, the one or more received signals being one of: a GPS altitude signal, a signal originating from an online database that provides periodic updates regarding the body of water's height, and a signal obtained via a cellular data connection.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description section. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

