Patents by Inventor Robert A. P. Fernihough

Robert A. P. Fernihough 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: 10175437
    Abstract: In at least some embodiments, a disclosed subsea cable includes one or more floodable optical fiber conduits each having at least one tight buffered optical fiber for transporting optical signals. Each tight buffered optical fiber may have a relatively limited length. The subsea cable may further include multiple strength members contra-helically wound around or together with the one or more floodable optical fiber conduits. There may also or alternatively be included at least one hermetically sealed optical fiber conduit having at least one protected optical fiber spliced to one of the tight buffered optical fibers. At least some implementations splice each of the tight buffered optical fibers to corresponding protected fibers for the long-haul communications. Flooding of the floodable conduits may be provided via connectors at the subsea cable ends, via breakout locations where sensors are attached, and/or via vents in the conduit wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Jeremy Crane Smith, Robert A. P. Fernihough
  • Publication number: 20150234143
    Abstract: In at least some embodiments, a disclosed subsea cable includes one or more floodable optical fiber conduits each having at least one tight buffered optical fiber for transporting optical signals. Each tight buffered optical fiber may have a relatively limited length. The subsea cable may further include multiple strength members contra-helically wound around or together with the one or more floodable optical fiber conduits. There may also or alternatively be included at least one hermetically sealed optical fiber conduit having at least one protected optical fiber spliced to one of the tight buffered optical fibers. At least some implementations splice each of the tight buffered optical fibers to corresponding protected fibers for the long-haul communications. Flooding of the floodable conduits may be provided via connectors at the subsea cable ends, via breakout locations where sensors are attached, and/or via vents in the conduit wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Jeremy Crane Smith, Robert A.P. Fernihough
  • Patent number: 8990022
    Abstract: A disclosed direct velocity seismic sensor includes a housing, a proof mass suspended in the housing by a resilient component, and a motion dampener that damps oscillation of the proof mass to a degree that displacement of the proof mass relative to the housing is substantially linearly proportional to a rate of change of seismic displacements of the housing over a frequency range of interest. A described method for constructing a seismic sensor includes using a calculated resonant frequency to determine a damping factor that causes the displacement of the proof mass to be substantially proportional to the rate of change of seismic displacement of the housing. One illustrative disclosed system includes an optical velocity sensor and a detector where a light beam produced by the velocity sensor and a reference beam interfere at the detector, and the detector produces a signal indicative of a velocity experienced by the velocity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Robert A. P. Fernihough
  • Patent number: 8816690
    Abstract: A marine electromagnetic sensor cable system includes a first sensor cable subsystem including at least a first sensor cable segment. The first sensor cable segment includes a plurality of spaced apart electrodes which electrically contact a body of water when the first sensor cable segment is immersed therein, and an electrical conductor coupled to each electrode, each electrical conductor extending from one longitudinal end of the sensor cable segment to the other. The system includes a first signal processing module electrically coupled to a longitudinal end of the first sensor cable segment, and including a voltage measuring circuit electrically connected between two or more electrodes from the first plurality of electrodes. Marine electromagnetic surveys are conducted using the marine electromagnetic sensor cable system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Gustav Göran Mattias Südow, Ulf Peter Lindqvist, Andras Robert Juhasz, Robert A. P. Fernihough
  • Publication number: 20140112094
    Abstract: A disclosed direct velocity seismic sensor includes a housing, a proof mass suspended in the housing by a resilient component, and a motion dampener that damps oscillation of the proof mass to a degree that displacement of the proof mass relative to the housing is substantially linearly proportional to a rate of change of seismic displacements of the housing over a frequency range of interest. A described method for constructing a seismic sensor includes using a calculated resonant frequency to determine a damping factor that causes the displacement of the proof mass to be substantially proportional to the rate of change of seismic displacement of the housing. One illustrative disclosed system includes an optical velocity sensor and a detector where a light beam produced by the velocity sensor and a reference beam interfere at the detector, and the detector produces a signal indicative of a velocity experienced by the velocity sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Robert A.P. FERNIHOUGH
  • Patent number: 8645071
    Abstract: A disclosed direct velocity seismic sensor includes a housing, a proof mass suspended in the housing by a resilient component, and a motion dampener that damps oscillation of the proof mass to a degree that displacement of the proof mass relative to the housing is substantially linearly proportional to a rate of change of seismic displacements of the housing over a frequency range of interest. A described method for constructing a seismic sensor includes using a calculated resonant frequency to determine a damping factor that causes the displacement of the proof mass to be substantially proportional to the rate of change of seismic displacement of the housing. One illustrative disclosed system includes an optical velocity sensor and a detector where a light beam produced by the velocity sensor and a reference beam interfere at the detector, and the detector produces a signal indicative of a velocity experienced by the velocity sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventor: Robert A. P. Fernihough
  • Publication number: 20130286774
    Abstract: The present invention relates to streamer cables. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for preparing a streamer cable. The method may comprise retrofitting the streamer cable with a solid void-filler material, where the streamer cable was configured as a liquid-filled streamer cable. The retrofitting may comprise introducing a void-filler material into the streamer cable when the void-filler material is in a liquid state and curing or otherwise solidifying the void-filler material to a solid state. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a streamer cable comprising an outer skin and-at least one sensor positioned within the outer skin. The streamer cable may also comprise a solid void-filler material positioned between the outer skin and the at least one sensor, wherein the solid void-filler material is coupled to the at least one sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Robert A. P. Fernihough, William G. Kikendall, Phillip R. Goines, Stephen M. Gribble, Philip M. Manrique
  • Patent number: 8493815
    Abstract: The present invention relates to streamer cables. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for preparing a streamer cable. The method may comprise retrofitting the streamer cable with a solid void-filler material, where the streamer cable was configured as a liquid-filled streamer cable. The retrofitting may comprise introducing a void-filler material into the streamer cable when the void-filler material is in a liquid state and curing or otherwise solidifying the void-filler material to a solid state. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a streamer cable comprising an outer skin and-at least one sensor positioned within the outer skin. The streamer cable may also comprise a solid void-filler material positioned between the outer skin and the at least one sensor, wherein the solid void-filler material is coupled to the at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Teledyne Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. P. Fernihough, William G. Kikendall, Phillip R. Goines, Stephen M. Gribble, Philip M. Manrique
  • Publication number: 20130127471
    Abstract: A marine electromagnetic sensor cable system includes a first sensor cable subsystem including at least a first sensor cable segment. The first sensor cable segment includes a plurality of spaced apart electrodes which electrically contact a body of water when the first sensor cable segment is immersed therein, and an electrical conductor coupled to each electrode, each electrical conductor extending from one longitudinal end of the sensor cable segment to the other. The system includes a first signal processing module electrically coupled to a longitudinal end of the first sensor cable segment, and including a voltage measuring circuit electrically connected between two or more electrodes from the first plurality of electrodes. Marine electromagnetic surveys are conducted using the marine electromagnetic sensor cable system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Gustav Göran Mattias Südow, Ulf Peter Lindqvist, Andras Robert Juhasz, Robert A.P. Fernihough
  • Publication number: 20110300308
    Abstract: The present invention relates to streamer cables. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for preparing a streamer cable. The method may comprise retrofitting the streamer cable with a solid void-filler material, where the streamer cable was configured as a liquid-filled streamer cable. The retrofitting may comprise introducing a void-filler material into the streamer cable when the void-filler material is in a liquid state and curing or otherwise solidifying the void-filler material to a solid state. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a streamer cable comprising an outer skin and-at least one sensor positioned within the outer skin. The streamer cable may also comprise a solid void-filler material positioned between the outer skin and the at least one sensor, wherein the solid void-filler material is coupled to the at least one sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: Teledyne Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. P. Fernihough, William G. Kikendall, Phillip R. Goines, Stephen M. Gribble, Philip M. Manrique
  • Patent number: 8000167
    Abstract: The present invention relates to streamer cables. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for preparing a streamer cable. The method may comprise retrofitting the streamer cable with a solid void-filler material, where the streamer cable was configured as a liquid-filled streamer cable. The retrofitting may comprise introducing a void-filler material into the streamer cable when the void-filler material is in a liquid state and curing or otherwise solidifying the void-filler material to a solid state. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a streamer cable comprising an outer skin and-at least one sensor positioned within the outer skin. The streamer cable may also comprise a solid void-filler material positioned between the outer skin and the at least one sensor, wherein the solid void-filler material is coupled to the at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Teledyne Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. P. Fernihough, William G. Kikendall, Phillip R. Goines, Stephen M. Gribble, Philip M. Manrique
  • Publication number: 20110153219
    Abstract: A disclosed direct velocity seismic sensor includes a housing, a proof mass suspended in the housing by a resilient component, and a motion dampener that damps oscillation of the proof mass to a degree that displacement of the proof mass relative to the housing is substantially linearly proportional to a rate of change of seismic displacements of the housing over a frequency range of interest. A described method for constructing a seismic sensor includes using a calculated resonant frequency to determine a damping factor that causes the displacement of the proof mass to be substantially proportional to the rate of change of seismic displacement of the housing. One illustrative disclosed system includes an optical velocity sensor and a detector where a light beam produced by the velocity sensor and a reference beam interfere at the detector, and the detector produces a signal indicative of a velocity experienced by the velocity sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Robert A.P. Fernihough
  • Publication number: 20100165787
    Abstract: The present invention relates to streamer cables. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for preparing a streamer cable. The method may comprise retrofitting the streamer cable with a solid void-filler material, where the streamer cable was configured as a liquid-filled streamer cable. The retrofitting may comprise introducing a void-filler material into the streamer cable when the void-filler material is in a liquid state and curing or otherwise solidifying the void-filler material to a solid state. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a streamer cable comprising an outer skin and-at least one sensor positioned within the outer skin. The streamer cable may also comprise a solid void-filler material positioned between the outer skin and the at least one sensor, wherein the solid void-filler material is coupled to the at least one sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Robert A. P. Fernihough, William G. Kikendall, Phillip R. Goines, Stephen M. Gribbie, Philip M. Manrique
  • Patent number: 7710819
    Abstract: The present invention relates to streamer cables. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for preparing a streamer cable. The method may comprise retrofitting the streamer cable with a solid void-filler material, where the streamer cable was configured as a liquid-filled streamer cable. The retrofitting may comprise introducing a void-filler material into the streamer cable when the void-filler material is in a liquid state and curing or otherwise solidifying the void-filler material to a solid state. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a streamer cable comprising an outer skin and at least one sensor positioned within the outer skin. The streamer cable may also comprise a solid void-filler material positioned between the outer skin and the at least one sensor, wherein the solid void-filler material is coupled to the at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Teledyne Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. P. Fernihough, William G. Kikendall, Phillip R. Goines, Stephen M. Gribble, Philip M. Manrique
  • Patent number: 7573781
    Abstract: The present invention relates to streamer cables. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for preparing a streamer cable. The method may comprise retrofitting the streamer cable with a solid void-filler material, where the streamer cable was configured as a liquid-filled streamer cable. The retrofitting may comprise introducing a void-filler material into the streamer cable when the void-filler material is in a liquid state and curing or otherwise solidifying the void-filler material to a solid state. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a streamer cable comprising an outer skin and at least one sensor positioned within the outer skin. The streamer cable may also comprise a solid void-filler material positioned between the outer skin and the at least one sensor, wherein the solid void-filler material is coupled to the at least one sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Teledyne Technologies Incorporation
    Inventors: Robert A. P. Fernihough, William G. Kikendall, Phillip R. Goines, Stephen M. Gribble, Philip M. Manrique