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US3631384A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Seismic holography

Assignee: Shell USA Inc
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Filing: 1969-04-04
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Granted: 1971-12-28
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Expires: 1989-04-04
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Abstract

Abstract A method for processing seismic data wherein seismic arrival time-distance sections are produced from seismic data traces received at points located along lines through an areal array of receivers, at least one signal corresponding to a reference wave being combined with each section, visible strips of onedimensional Fourier transforms relating to a selected frequency of each seismic section being optically produced from each section and the visible strips arranged as the sections were arranged in the original array with the so-arranged strips being illuminated with coherent light to produce a three-dimensional visible display of the acoustic images resulting from the reflection and diffraction of seismic energy from subterranean structures.

Inventors

  • 👤 Noyes D Smith Jr

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 11:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/24

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 214 words
A method of forming a holographic record of wave energy which comprises the steps of: visibly depicting along one coordinate of a display (a) the amplitude with time of appearances of waves that are reflected and diffracted from an object and propagate toward a line of receiving stations and (b) the amplitudes and phases of appearances of a reference wave at the same receiving stations; visibly depicting along an orthogonal coordinate of the same display the order and spacing of said receiving stations with distance along said line of receiving stations; one of said displays of depicted wave appearances and receiving station spacings being produced for each of a plurality of laterally spaced lines of receiving stations; diffracting parallel, coherent light from said display and through a focusing means that is arranged to produce a onedimensional Fourier transform along the time dimension; visibly recording the intensity of said Fourier transform with respect to both a selected frequency and distance along the line of the receiving stations from which the Fourier transform was produced; said intensities of the Fourier transforms of each of said displays being visibly recorded along one coordinate of a display in which the order and spacing of said laterally spaced lines of receiving stations are visibly recorded along an orthogonal coordinate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 214 words
A method of forming a holographic record of wave energy which comprises the steps of: visibly depicting along one coordinate of a display (a) the amplitude with time of appearances of waves that are reflected and diffracted from an object and propagate toward a line of receiving stations and (b) the amplitudes and phases of appearances of a reference wave at the same receiving stations; visibly depicting along an orthogonal coordinate of the same display the order and spacing of said receiving stations with distance along said line of receiving stations; one of said displays of depicted wave appearances and receiving station spacings being produced for each of a plurality of laterally spaced lines of receiving stations; diffracting parallel, coherent light from said display and through a focusing means that is arranged to produce a onedimensional Fourier transform along the time dimension; visibly recording the intensity of said Fourier transform with respect to both a selected frequency and distance along the line of the receiving stations from which the Fourier transform was produced; said intensities of the Fourier transforms of each of said displays being visibly recorded along one coordinate of a display in which the order and spacing of said laterally spaced lines of receiving stations are visibly recorded along an orthogonal coordinate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process of claim 1 in which said wave energy is seismic wave energy.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The process of claim 1 in which said depictions of wave appearances are corrected for variations in the location and environment of the individual receiving stations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
The process of claim 1 in which said depictions of appearances of reflected and diffracted waves are displaced along the time coordinate from said depictions of appearances of the reference wave.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 51 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the same pattern of receiving station spacing is maintained with respect to the receiving stations in each of said lines of receiving stations; and said depictions of appearances of a reference wave are preprepared for duplication on each of said displays of depicted wave appearances.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
The process of claim 5 in which said depictions of appearances of said reference wave are inclusive of the appearances of a plurality of reference waves.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
The process of claim 5 wherein: said preprepared depictions of said reference wave include those of differently directed reference waves; and said Fourier transforms are produced with respect to each of said differently directed reference waves.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 135 words
A process of forming and reconstructing a holographic image which comprises the steps of: diffracting parallel coherent light from a display that contains visible depictions of appearances of both waves that are reflected and diffracted toward at least one line of receiving stations and appearances of at least one reference wave at said receiving stations along one coordinate and visible depictions of the order and spacing of said line of receiving stations along an orthogonal coordinate, with said diffracted light being passed through a focusing means arranged to produce a one-dimensional Fourier transform along a time domain; visibly recording the intensity of said Fourier transform with respect to both a selected frequency and distance along said line of receiving stations; and diffracting parallel coherent light from said recorded Fourier transform to reconstruct a holographic image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 135 words
A process of forming and reconstructing a holographic image which comprises the steps of: diffracting parallel coherent light from a display that contains visible depictions of appearances of both waves that are reflected and diffracted toward at least one line of receiving stations and appearances of at least one reference wave at said receiving stations along one coordinate and visible depictions of the order and spacing of said line of receiving stations along an orthogonal coordinate, with said diffracted light being passed through a focusing means arranged to produce a one-dimensional Fourier transform along a time domain; visibly recording the intensity of said Fourier transform with respect to both a selected frequency and distance along said line of receiving stations; and diffracting parallel coherent light from said recorded Fourier transform to reconstruct a holographic image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
The process of claim 8 in which said recording of a Fourier transform and said reconstruction of a holographic image are conducted with respect to at least two frequencies.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1974-12-27 1975-06-28 1975-12-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1978-12-27 1979-06-28 1979-12-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1982-12-27 1983-06-28 1983-12-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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