Method and apparatus associated with a microcomputer system for indicating next-in-time parameters, and for controllably generating a positional code for a rollalong switch associated with a seismic source-detector array of an exploration system

Claim 1

Method of controllably providing a next-in-time positional code for a rollalong switch of a digital field system of an exploration system that includes a source-detector array positioned along a line of survey for generating and collecting seismic data associated with earth formation underlying said array, said rollalong switch being employed to efficiently connect (and disconnect) different but contiguous sets of detectors of said array from amid a plurality of detectors, along said line of survey, said next-in-time positional code being simultaneously generated along with additional next-in-time array parameters associated with said exploration system, by a microcomputer system that includes an MPU memory units and display and switch means interconnected to each other and to said digital field system via a system bus, comprising: (a) on being commanded by a roll switch update signal, establishing in digital format said next-in-time positional code for said rollalong switch; (b) transmitting said code to said rollalong switch while simultaneously indicating to a human operator via at least one of audio and visual signals, that transmission of said next-in-time code is occurring; (c) terminating transmission of said code when a correct rollalong switch position is attained.

Claim 6

A method of generating a next-in-time positional code simultaneously with generating next-in-time array and source parameters related to an exploration system during generation and collection of seismic data by a source-detector array positioned at known locations along a line of survey, said next-in-time positional code controlling a roll-along switch in operation contact with said array by selective change in switch matrix position, said positional code being generated as bits of digital data using a microcomputer system that includes a microprocessor unit (MPU), memory units and display, switching and alarm means interconnected to each other and to a digital field system (DFS) via a system bus, comprising: (a) after a roll switch updating signal has been received, establishing via said microcomputer system, said next-in-time positional code for said rollalong switch; (b) determining up or down roll direction of switch matrix advance with reference to at least one of said known locations along said line of survey; (c) generating and transmitting a step pulse code in association with said position code; (d) indicating at said display, switching and alarm means of said microcomputer systems via at least one of audio and visual signals, the occurrence of (c); (e) terminating (c) when the final position of the roll switch matches that associated with the generated next-in-time positional code of said microcomputer system.

Claim 7

A method of generating a next-in-time positional code simultaneously with generating next-in-time array and source parameters related to an exploration system during generation and collection of seismic data by a source-detector array positioned at known locations along a line of survey, said next-in-time positional code controlling a roll-along switch in operation contact with said array by selective change in switch matrix position, said positional code being generated as bits of digital data using a microcomputer system that includes a microprocessor unit (MPU), memory units and display, switching and alarm means interconnected to each other and to a digital field system (DFS) via a system bus, comprising: (a) after a roll switch updating signal has been received, establishing via said microcomputer system, said next-in-time positional code for said rollalong switch; (b) determining up or down roll direction of switch matrix advance with reference to at least one of said known locations along said line of survey; (c) generating and transmitting a step pulse code in association with said position code; (d) indicating at said display, switching and alarm means of said microcomputer systems via at least one of audio and visual signals, the occurrence of (c); (e) terminating (c) when the final position of the roll switch matches that associated with the generated next-in-time positional code of said microcomputer system.