The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 25, 2000
Filed:
May. 13, 1997
James R Birchak, Spring, TX (US);
Batakrishna Mandal, Missouri City, TX (US);
James E Masino, Houston, TX (US);
John W Minear, Hudson, TX (US);
Thomas E Ritter, Katy, TX (US);
Gas Research Institute, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
A transducer configuration for use in acoustically imaging a target region behind an acoustically reflective layer includes a sonde having a geometrical center and constructed and arranged to support a plurality of transducers. The system includes a first transducer disposed within the sonde at a first distance from the geometrical center for generating a first acoustic pulse and for receiving a first acoustic signal. The acoustic signal comprises a first reflection from the reflective surface, a first set of fluid multiples arising from reflections between the reflective layer and a surface of the first transducer, and a first signal associated with the target area. The system also includes a second transducer disposed within the sonde at a second distance from the geometrical center for generating a second acoustic pulse and for receiving a second acoustic signal. The second acoustic comprises a second reflection from the reflective surface, a second set of fluid multiples arising from reflections between the reflective layer and a surface of the second transducer and a second signal associated with the target area. A mechanism for receiving and processing signals received by the first and second transducers at time intervals which occur between receipt of the first and second sets of fluid multiples, respectively, wherein signal values at time intervals between receipt of fluid multiples provide acoustic waveforms associated with the target region. Each target region, therefore, has a time interval on at least one of the two waveforms which is free of fluid multiples.