Wireless Seismic, Inc.

Inova Gmbh

Ion Geophysical Corporation

Input/output, Inc.

Keith Elder

Steven Kooper

Douglas B Crice

Richard Eperjesi

Henry Thomas Polk

Andras A Feszthammer

Calvin Day

Kevin Rose

David Elam

Donald E Clayton

Roy Kligfield

John K Chester

Lawrence Philip Behn

Garrick Wager

John C Downey

Leo M Dekkers

Jerry Edward Stair

Joshua Dice

Kip Ingram

Andrew T Prokop

Jerry Iseli

Dale J Lambert

Peter Maxwell

Scott T Hoenmans

Andrew Bull

Dennis R Pavel

Eugene D Bednar

Martin Carroll Williams

Gregg S Hofland

Mihai Beffa

David M Wilson

Michael Arthur Corrigan

Glen Ragan

Alan Faichney

Wilfred Bertrand

Byron Cain

Steven L Roche

Michael George McMahon

John C Downey Jr

Phil Behn

Jeffery C Gannon

John Chester

Lawrence P Behn

A cableless seismic acquisition system that is configured to resolve the locations of a plurality of cableless seismic acquisition units (e.g., up to 1,000,000 or more) of the system at sub-meter levels of accuracy (e.g., less than 10 cm, less than 5 cm, etc.) free of many of the limitations of existing manners of determining cableless unit locations in seismic acquisition systems. While accurately determining cableless unit locations for use in mapping underground structures of interest, the disclosed cableless seismic acquisition system also limits power demands of and ultimately power consumption by the cableless units to extend serviceable deployment time of the cableless acquisition system.

Cableless seismic acquisition with hierarchical communication protocol

Systems and methods are provided for acquiring seismic data using a wireless network and a number of individual data acquisition modules that are configured to collect seismic data and forward data to a central recording and control system. In one implementation, a number of remote modules are arranged in lines. Base station modules receive information from the lines and relay the information to a central control and recording system. Radio links operating on multiple frequencies are used by the modules. Dynamic multiplexing technique may include advancing one or more modules in a seismic array through a multiplexing signature sequence in successive transmission periods. The multiplexing signature sequence may be random or pseudo-random. A shared multiplexing signature sequence may be used at all the modules in the seismic array. Modules belonging to a common collision domain may operate out of phase with respect to the shared multiplexing signature sequence.

Wireless exploration seismic system

A multimode seismic survey system is disclosed where seismic information for a given seismic survey is read out by different seismic units using different modes. Such multimode systems encompass hybrid arrays where information is read out via different output modes for a single seismic event, and other multimode arrays where seismic information is read out via different modes for different seismic events. The modes utilized in such arrays may include wireless, nodal and/or cable modes. The multimode arrays can be implemented using multimode seismic units or single mode seismic units. In any event, the multimode arrays can be utilized to achieve a combination of advantages associated with the different readout modes or to address any of various multimode mode contexts in relation to seismic surveys.

Multimode seismic survey system

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for use of directionalized antennas at a seismic module in a seismic survey array. The directionalized antenna may be selectively controlled such that the control of the transmission functionality and reception functionality are independently controlled to transmit data in and receive data from different directions. In turn, bandwidth utilization may be improved in the survey. Additionally, the directionalized antennas may allow for simultaneous transmission and reception of data in a serial data transfer line.

Wireless seismic system with phased antenna array

A multimode seismic unit can selectively operate in any one or more of multimode readout modes. In one embodiment, a multimode seismic unit () includes a physical mode selector switch (). The mode selector switch () allows for manual selection of output modes including wireless, nodal, dual mode or automatic mode selection. The unit () further includes an antenna () for RF transmissions and a data port () for uploading data in a nodal mode. The multimode unit can be used to implement a variety of single mode and multimode seismic arrays.

Multimode seismic unit and associated methodology

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for use of directionalized antennas at a seismic module in a seismic survey array to allow for simultaneous transmission and reception of data in a serial data transfer line. The directionalized antenna may be selectively controlled such that the control of the transmission functionality and reception functionality are independently controlled to transmit data in and receive data from different directions. In turn, bandwidth utilization may be improved in the survey.

Seismic data relay with simultaneous transmit and receive using beamforming radio

Systems and methods for utilization of a smart antenna in facilitating wireless communication between adjacent seismic data acquisition modules. The smart antenna may target an adjacent module with a radiation pattern directed toward the adjacent module. As such, the modules may employ space division multiplexing techniques to avoid interference between modules in the array. The modules may scan throughout a continuum of positions to locate adjacent modules. Once located, a spatial signal signature may be identified for the adjacent module and beamforming vectors may be calculated for targeting the radiation pattern toward the located module.

Presented are systems and methods for deploying wireless data acquisition modules that facilitate autonomous initialization. The wireless data acquisition modules may initiate a initialization process in response to a stimulus associated with being deployed. The wireless data acquisition module may further conduct a neighbor discovery process and in turn establish a data transfer path among one or more other wireless data acquisition modules. Further, information obtained during a series of autonomous tests may be communicated during the neighbor discovery process and the establishment of the data transfer path may at least in part be based on the information obtained in the autonomous tests.

Wireless data acquisition system and method using self-initializing wireless modules

A method of acquiring seismic data. The method includes receiving seismic signals at one or more sensors; sampling the received seismic signals into a plurality of samples, compressing at least some of the samples in selected packets before arranging the compressed samples into packets; arranging the samples into a plurality of packets; computing packet efficiency for a packet of the plurality of packets; transmitting the plurality of packets by varying time intervals between transmissions of the packets.

Apparatus and method for reducing noise in seismic data

Systems and methods for seismic data acquisition employing a dynamic multiplexing technique. The dynamic multiplexing technique may include advancing one or more modules in a seismic array through a multiplexing signature sequence in successive transmission periods. The multiplexing signature sequence may be random or pseudo-random. A shared multiplexing signature sequence may be used at all the modules in the seismic array. As such, modules belonging to a common collision domain may operate out of phase with respect to the shared multiplexing signature sequence.

A system and methods for acquiring seismic data is provided. In one aspect, the system and methods utilize a plurality of field service units placed over a region of interest, a repeater unit that wirelessly communicates with the field service units and a remote unit for controlling and processing the seismic data acquired by the field service units. In one aspect, the system and methods determine a condition associated with each of a plurality of attributes relating to acquisition of the seismic data at each field service unit, generate messages at each field service unit when the condition of a particular attribute meets a selected criterion, transmit the generated messages, receive the messages transmitted by at least a group of field service units at a repeater unit placed in the region of interest, analyze the messages received from the group of field service units at the repeater unit and then transmit information relating to the received messages to the remote unit for further processing. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Seismic data acquisition systems and method utilizing a wireline repeater unit

Presented are systems and methods for wireless data acquisition. The wireless data acquisition may involve synchronizing modules within a data acquisition array. The synchronized data acquisition array may be used to facilitate a seismic survey. Synchronization may be facilitated by receipt of a reference time event such that a clock is synchronized based on the reference time event.

Synchronization of modules in a wireless array

Growing community of inventors

Richmond, TX, United States of America

Keith Elder