Patent ID: 8059486

Claim:
A method of statistically analyzing sonar data returned from a large plurality of points in a three dimensional volume of space, comprising: a) insonifying the three dimensional volume of space with at least one sonar pulse; b) partitioning the volume of space into a plurality of adjacent three dimensional slabs, the three dimensional slabs having adjacent sides substantially parallel with each other, wherein the thickness of each of the three dimensional slabs is equal to a defined resolution at the position of each three dimensional slab; then c) defining a two dimensional surface associated with each three dimensional slab; d) assigning a data point volume to each of the large plurality of points, the data point volume determined according to a first criterion; then e) defining a two dimensional mathematical object in each two dimensional surface for each data point volume, the area of the two dimensional mathematical object determined by a second criterion, f) assigning an intensity function to each of the two dimensional mathematical objects according to a third criterion; g) constructing an image from the two dimensional mathematical objects.