US3676841A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Seismic prospecting with a continuous seismic source
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-09-11
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Granted: 1972-07-11
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Expires: 1989-09-11
Abstract
Abstract A method of seismic prospecting involves making seismic records utilizing a seismic source in substantially continuous operation and motion, and in which a first signal representative of the time-variant and space-variant waveform radiated from the moving seismic source is derived directly therefrom, while a second signal is derived indirectly therefrom via a detector array, and after filtering these signals if necessary the first signal is divided into segments which are each cross-correlated and matched with their counterpart(s) in a segment of the second signal having the same starting time as the first-signal segment but a duration extended beyond that of the first-signal segment by a period representing the maximum seismic travel time of interest, the time-shift between the first-signal segment and its counterpart(s) in the second-signal segment being detected and recorded. Apparatus for performing this method of seismic prospecting is also provided, which consists essentially of a continuous seismic source, a transducer responsive directly to that source, a detector array, communication linkages and a recording station.
Inventors
- 👤 Nigel Allister Anstey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:26
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/28; G01V1/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of making seismic records utilizing a seismic source radiating impulses in a randomly-timed sequence, in substantially continuous operation and in substantially continuous motion in contact with ground or water, which comprises the following steps: a. deriving a first signal directly from said moving seismic source, which first signal represents the time-variant and space-variant waveform radiated from said moving seismic sourcE; b. deriving a second signal indirectly from said moving seismic source via the output of at least one seismic detector array; c. applying any requisite filtering to said first and second signals; d. dividing said first signal into first-signal segments each having a duration representing a desired horizontal resolution at the speed of movement of said moving source; e. cross-correlating each such first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having the same starting time as the related first-signal segment but a duration exceeding that of the related first-signal segment by a period representing the maximum seismic travel-time of interest, and thus matching each such first-signal segment with its counterpart(s) in said second-signal segment and detecting the relative time shaft therebetween representative of the seismic travel time; and f. preserving the results of said cross-correlating step.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of making seismic records utilizing a seismic source radiating impulses in a randomly-timed sequence, in substantially continuous operation and in substantially continuous motion in contact with ground or water, which comprises the following steps: a. deriving a first signal directly from said moving seismic source, which first signal represents the time-variant and space-variant waveform radiated from said moving seismic sourcE; b. deriving a second signal indirectly from said moving seismic source via the output of at least one seismic detector array; c. applying any requisite filtering to said first and second signals; d. dividing said first signal into first-signal segments each having a duration representing a desired horizontal resolution at the speed of movement of said moving source; e. cross-correlating each such first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having the same starting time as the related first-signal segment but a duration exceeding that of the related first-signal segment by a period representing the maximum seismic travel-time of interest, and thus matching each such first-signal segment with its counterpart(s) in said second-signal segment and detecting the relative time shaft therebetween representative of the seismic travel time; and f. preserving the results of said cross-correlating step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of preserving the results of said cross-correlating step includes recording and display thereof as a function of the detected time-shift in the form of a seismic record.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
330 words
A method of making seismic records utilizing a seismic source radiating impulses in a randomly-timed sequence, in substantially continuous operation and in substantially continuous motion in contact with ground or water, which comprises the following steps: a. deriving a first signal directly from said moving seismic source, which first signal represents the time-variant and space-variant waveform radiated from said moving seismic source; b. deriving a second signal indirectly from said moving seismic source via the output of at least one seismic detector array; c. applying any requisite filtering to said first and second signals; d. selecting from said first signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a first desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving seismic source; e. cross-correlating each such first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having the same starting time as the related first-signal segment but a duration exceeding that of the related first-signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said first source array dimension is desired, and thus matching each such first-signal segment with its counterpart(s) in said second-signal segment and detecting the relative time shift there-between representative of the seismic travel time; f. selecting from said first signal modified first-signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a second desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving source; g. cross-correlating each such modified first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having a starting time later than the starting time of said first-signal segment by the travel time over which said first source array dimension is desired and a duration exceeding that of the modified first-signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said second desired source array dimension is desired; h. continuing the sequence represented by steps (f) and (g) to provide further time-variant source array dimensions as desired; and i. preserving the results of said cross-correlating step.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
330 words
A method of making seismic records utilizing a seismic source radiating impulses in a randomly-timed sequence, in substantially continuous operation and in substantially continuous motion in contact with ground or water, which comprises the following steps: a. deriving a first signal directly from said moving seismic source, which first signal represents the time-variant and space-variant waveform radiated from said moving seismic source; b. deriving a second signal indirectly from said moving seismic source via the output of at least one seismic detector array; c. applying any requisite filtering to said first and second signals; d. selecting from said first signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a first desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving seismic source; e. cross-correlating each such first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having the same starting time as the related first-signal segment but a duration exceeding that of the related first-signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said first source array dimension is desired, and thus matching each such first-signal segment with its counterpart(s) in said second-signal segment and detecting the relative time shift there-between representative of the seismic travel time; f. selecting from said first signal modified first-signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a second desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving source; g. cross-correlating each such modified first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having a starting time later than the starting time of said first-signal segment by the travel time over which said first source array dimension is desired and a duration exceeding that of the modified first-signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said second desired source array dimension is desired; h. continuing the sequence represented by steps (f) and (g) to provide further time-variant source array dimensions as desired; and i. preserving the results of said cross-correlating step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the step of preserving the results of said cross-correlating step includes recording and display thereof as a function of the detected time-shift in the form of a seismic record.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
324 words
A method of making seismic records utilizing a seismic source in substantially continuous operation and in substantially continuous motion in contact with ground or water, which comprises the following steps: a. deriving a first signal directly from said moving seismic source, which first signal represents the time-variant and space-variant waveform radiated from said moving seismic Source; b. deriving a second signal indirectly from said moving seismic source via the output of at least one seismic detector array; c. applying any requisite filtering to said first and second signals; d. selecting from said first signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a first desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving seismic source; e. cross-correlating each such first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having the same starting time as the related first-signal segment but a duration exceeding that of the related first-signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said first source array dimension is desired, and thus matching each such first-signal segment with its counterpart(s) in said second-signal segment and detecting the relative time shift therebetween representative of the seismic travel time; f. selecting from said first signal modified first-signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a second desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving source; g. cross-correlating each such modified first-signal against a segment of said second signal having a starting time later than the starting time of said first-signal segment by the travel time over which said first source array dimension is desired and a duration exceeding that of the modified first signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said second desired source array dimension is desired; h. continuing the sequence represented by steps (f) and (g) to provide further time-variant source array dimensions as desired; and i. preserving the results of said cross-correlating step.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
324 words
A method of making seismic records utilizing a seismic source in substantially continuous operation and in substantially continuous motion in contact with ground or water, which comprises the following steps: a. deriving a first signal directly from said moving seismic source, which first signal represents the time-variant and space-variant waveform radiated from said moving seismic Source; b. deriving a second signal indirectly from said moving seismic source via the output of at least one seismic detector array; c. applying any requisite filtering to said first and second signals; d. selecting from said first signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a first desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving seismic source; e. cross-correlating each such first-signal segment against a segment of said second signal having the same starting time as the related first-signal segment but a duration exceeding that of the related first-signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said first source array dimension is desired, and thus matching each such first-signal segment with its counterpart(s) in said second-signal segment and detecting the relative time shift therebetween representative of the seismic travel time; f. selecting from said first signal modified first-signal segments each having a duration representing or related to a second desired source array dimension at the speed of movement of said moving source; g. cross-correlating each such modified first-signal against a segment of said second signal having a starting time later than the starting time of said first-signal segment by the travel time over which said first source array dimension is desired and a duration exceeding that of the modified first signal segment by a period representing the seismic travel-time over which the said second desired source array dimension is desired; h. continuing the sequence represented by steps (f) and (g) to provide further time-variant source array dimensions as desired; and i. preserving the results of said cross-correlating step.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the step of preserving the results of said cross-correlating step includes recording and display thereof as a function of the detected time-shift in the form of a seismic record.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for making seismic records, which consists essentially of the following operatively-interconnected integers in combination: a. At least one seismic source adapted to the continuous generation of seismic impulses in a randomly-timed sequence while in substantially continuous motion horizontally in contact with ground or water; b. At least one transducer responsive directly to said seismic source and transmitting when in operation a first signal representative of the seismic output of said source; c. At least one seismic detector array responsive indirectly to said seismic source and transmitting when in operation a second signal representative of the output of said array; d. communications linkages interconnecting said transducer(s) and said detector array(s) with a receiving station; and e. means for segmenting and correlating said first and second signals to provide seismic traces having selectable horizontal resolution and/or selectable time-variant source array dimensions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for making seismic records, which consists essentially of the following operatively-interconnected integers in combination: a. At least one seismic source adapted to the continuous generation of seismic impulses in a randomly-timed sequence while in substantially continuous motion horizontally in contact with ground or water; b. At least one transducer responsive directly to said seismic source and transmitting when in operation a first signal representative of the seismic output of said source; c. At least one seismic detector array responsive indirectly to said seismic source and transmitting when in operation a second signal representative of the output of said array; d. communications linkages interconnecting said transducer(s) and said detector array(s) with a receiving station; and e. means for segmenting and correlating said first and second signals to provide seismic traces having selectable horizontal resolution and/or selectable time-variant source array dimensions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 which also includes recording means for said first and second signals at said receiving station.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said correlating means is of polarity-coincidence type.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said communication linkages include a radio link.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, in which said communication linkages operate in digital mode.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |