Laurence Trevor Bates

Title: Laurence Trevor Bates and Watercraft Control Innovation

Introduction

Laurence Trevor Bates is an inventor associated with Auckland, New Zealand, and Navico, Inc. His work includes an invention that connects fishing-line activity with automated watercraft control. The available information lists 1 patent associated with him.

Latest Patents

Bates’s listed patent is titled “Systems and Methods for Controlling a Watercraft in Response to a Fish Bite.” It describes a system that uses a processor and memory to determine, through user input or sensor data, whether a fish has bitten a fishing line. When a bite is detected, the system can initiate a fish-on operation to assist the user.

The operation may adjust the watercraft’s speed or direction, change its rate of acceleration or deceleration, alter the direction of a trolling motor, notify nearby watercraft, or engage an autopilot to follow a preset route. These features are designed to help the user manage the boat while responding to a fish bite.

Career Highlights

Bates’s listed invention applies sensing and control technology to recreational fishing. By coordinating a detected bite with changes in a watercraft’s operation, the system aims to support the fishing experience through automated assistance.

Collaborations

Bates is associated with Navico, Inc. The listed coworkers include Caleb John VanSomeren and Christopher D. Crawford. The available information identifies these professional associations but does not specify their individual contributions to the patent.

Conclusion

Laurence Trevor Bates’s listed patent presents a practical approach to responding to fish bites by coordinating detection with watercraft controls. It illustrates how automation can support anglers while they manage a boat and fishing activity.