Patents Examined by Krystine E Breier
  • Patent number: 10761227
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Wireless Seismic, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Elder, Steven Kooper, David Elam, Douglas B. Crice
  • Patent number: 10761240
    Abstract: A notional source signature of a bubble may be determined. For example, a method for determining a notional source signature of a bubble can include estimating a position of a bubble created by actuation of an impulsive source. A notional source signature of the bubble can be determined based on the estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Daniel Martin Lewis Barker
  • Patent number: 10746887
    Abstract: A seismic receiver array has a plurality of seismic receiver channels, each coupled to a local surrounding in an earth formation. A formation-material-dependent response of each seismic receiver channel is determined, and associated with an assumed depth for the corresponding seismic receiver channel. The formation-material-dependent responses as function of the assumed depth are compared to an independent depth log of at least one petrophysical parameter of the earth formation as a function of depth along the borehole. Based on the comparison, a set of lags between said assumed depth and depth in the independent depth log is determined, that provides the best correlation between the formation-material-dependent response and the independent depth log of the at least one petrophysical parameter of the earth formation. The assumed depth of each seismic receiver channel can thus be aligned with corresponding depths in the independent depth log.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Johan Cornelis Hornman, Albena Alexandrova Mateeva, Paul Maarten Zwartjes
  • Patent number: 10732310
    Abstract: A method to model a subterranean formation of a field. The method includes obtaining a seismic volume comprising a plurality of seismic traces of the subterranean formation of the field, computing, based on the seismic volume, a seismically-derived value of a structural attribute representing a structural characteristic of the subterranean formation, computing, based on a structural model, a structurally-derived value of the structural attribute, the structural model comprising a plurality of structural layers of the of the subterranean formation, comparing the seismically-derived value and the structurally-derived value to generate a difference value representing a discrepancy of modeling the structural attribute at a corresponding location in the subterranean formation, and generating a seismic interpretation result based on the difference value and the corresponding location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Laurent Arnaud Souche
  • Patent number: 10705210
    Abstract: An ultrasound imaging system includes a probe and a console. The probe includes a row-column addressed transducer array, first beamformer configured to beamform echo signals received by the row-column addressed transducer array and produce a set of image planes for each emission with a single focus in both transmit and receive, and a first communication interface. The console includes a second complementary communication interface and a second beamformer configured to beamform the focused set of image planes and produce a three-dimensional volume of ultrasound data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: B-K Medical ApS
    Inventors: Jorgen Arendt Jensen, Hamed Bouzari, Matthias Bo Stuart
  • Patent number: 10690790
    Abstract: A first stationary seismic receiver array is provided in a first non-vertically directed first borehole section of a first array of non-vertically directed first borehole sections, and a second stationary seismic receiver array is provided in a second non-vertically directed first borehole section of the first array of non-vertically directed first borehole sections. A seismic source assembly is moved axially through a first non-vertically directed second borehole section from at least a first position to a second position of a plurality of first borehole positions along a length of the first non-vertically directed second borehole section. The seismic source assembly contains a repeatable seismic source, which is activated when the seismic source assembly is in the first position and when the seismic source assembly is in the second position. First and second shots of seismic signals are recorded with at least each of the first and second stationary seismic receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Johan Cornelis Hornman, Albena Alexandrova Mateeva, Jorge Luis Lopez
  • Patent number: 10670754
    Abstract: A system (400) for processing microseismic data comprises an array (330) of seismic sensors (331, 332) at known locations, means (331, 332; 410) for enhancing SNR in a seismic signal output from a seismic sensor, means (331, 332; 410) for detecting a microseismic event in the seismic signal and inverting means (410) for adapting a rock physical model (255) to microseismic data that are acquired at least partially from the seismic signal representing a microseismic event. The rock physical model comprises a set of spatial volume elements mapping a set of physical volume elements (320) within a volume (300) to be monitored, wherein each spatial volume element comprises attributes for the position and extension of the physical volume element (320), a velocity and an attenuation. Data of various kinds, e.g. pore geometry, and from numerous sources, e.g. laboratory measurements, can be incorporated in the rock physical model (255).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: OCTIO AS
    Inventors: John Even Lindgaard, Remy Agersborg, Tatiana Matveeva
  • Patent number: 10663611
    Abstract: Methods and systems of measuring acoustic signals via a borehole wall are disclosed. One or more non-contact magneto-dynamic sensors are configured or designed for deployment at at least one depth in a borehole. The magneto-dynamic sensor comprises a coil excited by an electric current and a circuitry for outputting a signal corresponding to a time-varying impedance of the coil. A processor is configured to perform signal processing for deriving at least one of a magnitude or a frequency of vibration of the borehole wall based on the output signal from the circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Auchere, Henri-Pierre Valero, Remi Ounadjela, Hiroshi Nakajima, Alexis Pibrac
  • Patent number: 10656254
    Abstract: A sampled analog beamformer for ultrasound beamforming includes an array of transducers for transmitting analog signals and receiving reflected analog signals, and a sampled analog filter for filtering the received reflected analog. The sampled analog filter includes a delay line for adding a delay to each of the received reflected analog signals. Using a sampled analog filter in an ultrasound beamforming system reduces the power usage of the system and decreases the number of components in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Eric G. Nestler
  • Patent number: 10649107
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to methods, systems, and machine-readable media for interference attenuation of a residual portion of seismic data, such as may be recorded in a marine seismic survey. Recorded seismic data can be separated into a portion attributed to a source and a residual portion. Seismic interference attenuation can be performed on the residual portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Rolf H. Baardman, Roald G. van Borselen, Steven Fishburn, Alan Ryder
  • Patent number: 10627534
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for conducting reconnaissance marine seismic surveys. In one example method of acquiring a marine seismic survey, a plurality of streamers are towed behind an acquisition vessel, the plurality of streamers defining a swath. A source is towed behind the acquisition vessel, and at least one other source is towed outside of the swath of streamers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: ION Geophysical Corporation
    Inventor: Nikolaos Bernitsas
  • Patent number: 10627510
    Abstract: An ultrasound beamformer architecture performs the task of signal beamforming using a matrix of analog random access memory cells to capture, store and process instantaneous samples of analog signals from ultrasound array elements and this architecture provides significant reduction in power consumption and the size of the diagnostic ultrasound imaging system such that the hardware build upon this ultrasound beamformer architecture can be placed in one or few application specific integrated chips (ASIC) positioned next to the ultrasound array and the whole diagnostic ultrasound imaging system could fit in the handle of the ultrasonic probe while preserving most of the functionality of a cart-based system. The ultrasound beamformer architecture manipulate analog samples in the memory in the same fashion as digital memory operates that can be described as an analog store—digital read (ASDR) beamformer. The ASDR architecture provides improved signal-to-noise ratio and is scalable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Inventor: Sergei V. Koptenko
  • Patent number: 10620313
    Abstract: In order to acquire echo sound information about a long-distance target, an active sonar comprises a fan beam transmitter, a fan beam receiver, a propagation path calculator, a path time calculator, and a horizontal distance calculator. The active sonar transmits a plurality of transmitted fan beams horizontally wide and vertically narrow, and the elevation angles of them are mutually deferent, and receives received fan beams vertically wide and horizontally narrow. The propagation path calculator calculates a propagation path of each of the transmitted fan beams based on the profile of medium and the elevation angle of the transmission. The path time calculator calculates a path time which is the time period from the transmission to the reception. The horizontal distance calculator calculates a horizontal distance from the active sonar to a generation source point of each echo sounds based on the propagation path and the path time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Minoru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10602289
    Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus that includes an acoustic transducer, and a backing coupled to the transducer, wherein the backing includes solid grains with fluid between the grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventors: Rocco DiFoggio, Roger R. Steinsiek
  • Patent number: 10594409
    Abstract: Ultrasonic through metal communication systems are an effective solution for transmitting data across a metal barrier when the structural integrity of the barrier cannot be compromised by physically penetrating it. Substantial improvements in through metal communication systems have been made in recent years, enabling high speed communications of up to 15 Mbps, as well as power transmission up to 30 W across flat walls. A system is described that allows for ultrasonic through metal communication across the wall of a steel tube. Primary challenges of 1) transducer contact, 2) curvature effect on echoes, and 3) alignment are analyzed and addressed through the use of radial mode piezoelectric transducers, transducer “horns”, and Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMATs). The resulting system shows no significant loss due to changes in alignment, allows for the use of either piezoelectric transducers or EMATs externally, and achieves max data rates of approximately 600 kbps without echo equalization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Richard Anthony Primerano, Moshe Kam, Kapil R. Dandekar, Cole Gindhart
  • Patent number: 10578759
    Abstract: Various implementations directed to quality control and preconditioning of seismic data are provided. In one implementation, a method may include receiving particle motion data from particle motion sensors disposed on seismic streamers. The method may also include performing quality control (QC) processing on the particle motion data. The method may further include performing preconditioning processing on the QC-processed particle motion data. The method may additionally include attenuating noise in the preconditioning-processed particle motion data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ahmet Kemal Ozdemir, Bent Andreas Kjellesvig
  • Patent number: 10571554
    Abstract: Coherent combination of ultrasound data for collinear receive beams adapts to the ultrasound data. Beam-to-beam coherence metrics, such as correlation coefficient and/or phase change or functions of these parameters, are used to adapt weighting of the ultrasound data for the receive beams prior to combination or to adapt the results of the combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Zhai, Rickard C. Loftman
  • Patent number: 10573292
    Abstract: A passive beamformer for ultrasound imaging. An ultrasound probe includes a plurality of ultrasound transducers and beamforming circuitry. Each of the ultrasound transducers is configured to convert ultrasonic signal into electrical signal. The beamforming circuitry is coupled to the plurality of ultrasound transducers. The beamforming circuitry includes a plurality of passive delay circuits and a passive hold circuit. One of the passive delay circuits is coupled to each of the ultrasound transducers. The passive hold circuit is coupled to the passive delay circuits to store a sum of the charges received from the delay circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ravikumar Pattipaka, Vajeed Nimran, Sandeep Oswal
  • Patent number: 10545253
    Abstract: An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for guiding other AUVs during a marine seismic survey. The guiding AUV includes a housing; a propulsion system located inside the housing; and an acoustic positioning system attached to an outside the housing. The acoustic positioning system emits at least three chirps from three different locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: CGG SERVICES SAS
    Inventor: Thierry Brizard
  • Patent number: 10520624
    Abstract: A method for steering a marine seismic acquisition system by determining a steering point associated with towed seismic equipment is described. Coverage boundaries for a current line in a seismic survey and for an already acquired adjacent line in the seismic survey are computed. Cross-line distances between the coverage boundary for the current line and the coverage boundary for the adjacent line are computed based on a set of specifications for the seismic survey. A steering point associated with towed seismic equipment is determined based on the computed cross-line distances. A least one steering command for a steering element in the marine seismic acquisition system is generated based on the determined steering point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: CGG SERVICES SAS
    Inventors: Timothee Moulinier, Thomas Mensch