Patents by Inventor Bruce Alan Hobbs

Bruce Alan Hobbs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8928324
    Abstract: Methods for geophysical surveying include disposing an electromagnetic source and first and second receiver electrodes in water; actuating the source; and detecting a responsive electromagnetic field by measuring a potential difference between the first and second receiver electrodes, wherein: the electromagnetic source defines a source dipole axis; the first and second receiver electrodes define a receiver dipole axis; and the source dipole axis is not substantially parallel to the receiver dipole axis. Systems for geophysical surveying include a first source electrode on a first source cable; a second source electrode on a different second source cable, the first and second source electrodes forming an electromagnetic source and defining a source dipole axis; a first receiver electrode on a first receiver cable; a second receiver electrode on a different second receiver cable, the first and second receiver electrodes defining a receiver dipole axis not substantially parallel to the source dipole axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Bruce Alan Hobbs
  • Publication number: 20130162256
    Abstract: Methods for geophysical surveying include disposing an electromagnetic source and first and second receiver electrodes in water; actuating the source; and detecting a responsive electromagnetic field by measuring a potential difference between the first and second receiver electrodes, wherein: the electromagnetic source defines a source dipole axis; the first and second receiver electrodes define a receiver dipole axis; and the source dipole axis is not substantially parallel to the receiver dipole axis. Systems for geophysical surveying include a first source electrode on a first source cable; a second source electrode on a different second source cable, the first and second source electrodes forming an electromagnetic source and defining a source dipole axis; a first receiver electrode on a first receiver cable; a second receiver electrode on a different second receiver cable, the first and second receiver electrodes defining a receiver dipole axis not substantially parallel to the source dipole axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Inventor: Bruce Alan Hobbs
  • Patent number: 8274288
    Abstract: A method for measuring resistivity variations in the earth comprising passing a transient current between two source electrodes; measuring the transient current at the source electrodes; measuring the resultant transient voltage between at least one pair of receiver electrodes; estimating one or more processing functions for applying to the measured input current to provide a step current profile, and applying the same one or more processing functions to the measured voltage to provide an estimate of the step response voltage between the receivers, using both the step current and the estimated step response voltage to determine the resulting apparent earth resistance, and using the apparent earth resistance to determine the resistivity of the earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: MTEM Ltd
    Inventors: Antoni Marjan Ziolkowski, Bruce Alan Hobbs
  • Publication number: 20110012601
    Abstract: A method for determining resistivity anisotropy of subsurface rock formations includes imparting a transient electromagnetic field into the subsurface rock formations. Electromagnetic response of the formations is measured at a plurality of offsets from a position of the imparting. For each offset, an arrival time from the imparting is determined of a peak of an impulse response such that the response is related to subsurface horizontal and vertical resistivities. For each offset, a step response of the formations is determined at a time from the imparting selected such that the step response is related substantially only to mean resistivity. The arrival time of the peak of the impulse response and the late time value of the step response are used to determine the resistivity anisotropy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Hobbs, Dieter Werthmuller
  • Publication number: 20100315088
    Abstract: A method for measuring resistivity variations in the earth comprising passing a transient current between two source electrodes; measuring the transient current at the source electrodes; measuring the resultant transient voltage between at least one pair of receiver electrodes; estimating one or more processing functions for applying to the measured input current to provide a step current profile, and applying the same one or more processing functions to the measured voltage to provide an estimate of the step response voltage between the receivers, using both the step current and the estimated step response voltage between voltage to determine the resulting apparent earth resistance, and using the apparent earth resistance to determine the resistivity of the earth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Antoni Marjan Ziolkowski, Bruce Alan Hobbs
  • Publication number: 20100235100
    Abstract: A method for determining resistivity anisotropy of subsurface rock formations from measurements of response to a transient electromagnetic field imparted into the subsurface and measured at a plurality of distances from a position of the imparting includes that for each offset, a step response of the formations is determined at a time from the imparting selected such that the step response is related substantially only to horizontal resistivity and at a time from the imparting selected such that the step response is related substantially only to mean resistivity. The horizontal resistivity step response and the mean resistivity step response are used to determine the resistivity anisotropy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Bruce Alan Hobbs, Dieter Werthmuller
  • Publication number: 20100109671
    Abstract: A method for acquiring transient electromagnetic survey signals includes applying a transient electric current to an electromagnetic transmitter disposed above a portion of the Earth's subsurface to be surveyed. Electromagnetic signals are detected at spaced apart locations above the portion of the subsurface in response to an electromagnetic field induced in the Earth's subsurface by the applying transient current. Electromagnetic signals are detected at least one position proximate a position of the electromagnetic transmitter such that the subsurface transient response is substantially always identifiable therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Bruce Alan Hobbs