Patents by Inventor Donald M. Paul

Donald M. Paul 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: 4610007
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for surveying positions of mooring lines extending between a moored structure and anchors in the water bottom comprising a rotatable submarine transducer assembly including acoustic pulse transmitting means and an array of acoustic receivers, a support for locating the transducer assembly at a predetermined level above the water bottom and actuator means for rotating the assembly about a vertical axis relative to the support. During operation the transmitting means produces a beam of acoustic pulses. Pulse reflections originating from mooring line sections that are successively scanned by the beam are received by the acoustic receivers, and the position of each scanned mooring line section is calculated by a processor unit on the basis of the time interval at which the pulses are received after transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: John L. K. Bannell, Donald M. Paul