US4497045A — Seismic system with signal multiplexers

Claim 1

Independent Claim 275 words

In a seismic recording system in which a seismic cable, having a plurality of conductor pairs, constructed in the form of a plurality of separate cable segments connected in series, and in which both ends of each cable section are connected to identical connector plugs, and in which a selected plurality of take-outs are molded into each of said cable segments at selected spaced intervals between its ends, the improved cable system, comprising; (a) a first selected number P of conductor pairs in each cable segment dedicated to a selected number P of take-outs in said cable segments; a second selected number N-1 of conductor pairs in said cable segment connected to a corresponding N-1 connector pin pairs in said connector plugs, where N is at least equal to the number of cable segments connected in series, and in use; (b) said P conductor pairs is each cable segment connected, at least at one end, to a corresponding P pin pairs on the input of a P/1 signal multiplexer (MUX) said multiplexer having P input connector pairs and one output connector pair, which is connected by a conductor pair, to a corresponding single pair of connector pins in at least one of the connector plugs; said single pair, and said N-1 pairs of connector pins forming a total of at least N pairs of connector pins in each plug; (c) each pair of said N pairs of conductor pairs and connector pins in each connector plug, dedicated throughout the length of the assembled cable segments to the multiplexed groups of P seismic sensor signals of each of said N cable segments in said assembled cable.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 275 words

In a seismic recording system in which a seismic cable, having a plurality of conductor pairs, constructed in the form of a plurality of separate cable segments connected in series, and in which both ends of each cable section are connected to identical connector plugs, and in which a selected plurality of take-outs are molded into each of said cable segments at selected spaced intervals between its ends, the improved cable system, comprising; (a) a first selected number P of conductor pairs in each cable segment dedicated to a selected number P of take-outs in said cable segments; a second selected number N-1 of conductor pairs in said cable segment connected to a corresponding N-1 connector pin pairs in said connector plugs, where N is at least equal to the number of cable segments connected in series, and in use; (b) said P conductor pairs is each cable segment connected, at least at one end, to a corresponding P pin pairs on the input of a P/1 signal multiplexer (MUX) said multiplexer having P input connector pairs and one output connector pair, which is connected by a conductor pair, to a corresponding single pair of connector pins in at least one of the connector plugs; said single pair, and said N-1 pairs of connector pins forming a total of at least N pairs of connector pins in each plug; (c) each pair of said N pairs of conductor pairs and connector pins in each connector plug, dedicated throughout the length of the assembled cable segments to the multiplexed groups of P seismic sensor signals of each of said N cable segments in said assembled cable.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 225 words

A cable system for carrying out seismic operations, comprising: (a) at least a first segment of a plurality of segments of a multi-conductor cable, terminated by a first connector plug means at a first end and a second connector plug means at a second end of said segment; (b) at least two of a selected total number of N conductor pairs in each segment of said cable; of which a selected number P conductor pairs are each connected to one of P spaced takeout means along said segment; (c) the remaining N-1 conductor pairs in said cable segment, each connected respectively to one pair of connector pairs in each terminating connector plug at each end of said said N-1 conductor pairs; (d) At least a first multi-signal multiplex means (MUX) having P pairs of input terminals, to which one end of each of said P conductor pairs are connected; one conductor pair to each input pair, of a first MUX at a first connector plug means at one end of each of said P conductor pairs; the single conductor pair output of said first MUX connected to one pair of connector pins in said first terminating connector plug at a first end of said cable segment making a total of N multiplex means each transmitting a multiplexed signal over one of said N conductor pairs.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 225 words

A cable system for carrying out seismic operations, comprising: (a) at least a first segment of a plurality of segments of a multi-conductor cable, terminated by a first connector plug means at a first end and a second connector plug means at a second end of said segment; (b) at least two of a selected total number of N conductor pairs in each segment of said cable; of which a selected number P conductor pairs are each connected to one of P spaced takeout means along said segment; (c) the remaining N-1 conductor pairs in said cable segment, each connected respectively to one pair of connector pairs in each terminating connector plug at each end of said said N-1 conductor pairs; (d) At least a first multi-signal multiplex means (MUX) having P pairs of input terminals, to which one end of each of said P conductor pairs are connected; one conductor pair to each input pair, of a first MUX at a first connector plug means at one end of each of said P conductor pairs; the single conductor pair output of said first MUX connected to one pair of connector pins in said first terminating connector plug at a first end of said cable segment making a total of N multiplex means each transmitting a multiplexed signal over one of said N conductor pairs.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

The cable system as in claim 2 including at least a second multiplexer in said cable segment at said second end.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The cable system as in claim 2 in which said at least one multiplexer is built into said connector plug.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

The cable system as in claim 2 in which said at least one multiplexer is housed in a separate container inserted into said cable segment between said connector plug and said first take-out.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 43 words

The cable system as in claim 2 and including a plurality of N demultiplexer means at the first end of said cable at the recording truck each demultiplexer means connected to one of said multiplex means through one of said N conductor pairs.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

The cable system as in claim 6 and including sync signal means at said first end of said cable for synchronization of all said multiplexer and demultiplexer means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cable system as in claim 2 in which said multiplexer means comprises time division multiplexer means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

The cable system as in claim 2 in which said multiplexers means comprises frequency division multiplexer means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 32 words

The cable system as in claim 8 in which said multiplexing means includes a sync signal processor means for processing the sync signal into a rectangular timing pulse to time the multiplexers.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 37 words

The cable system as in claim 8 in which in a cable segment, said P take-out signals are sequentially sampled in a direction from the farthest from the recording truck, toward the nearest to the recording truck.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 15 words

The cable system as in claim 8 in which said multiplexers are analog signal multiplexers.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 189 words

In a seismic data acquisition system having a multi-conductor cable having at least N cable segments, where N is greater than 1, and P takeouts in each segment, for a total of at least NP different seismic signals and including in each cable segment at least one multiplexer for sequentially multiplexing said P takeout signals and transmitting them over a single independent conductor pair to a recording truck, the method of operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a synchronizing signal from the recording truck to each of said N multiplexers; one in each segment; (b) at a first of said N multiplexers in a first cable segment sequentially sampling each of the P takeout signals in said first segment and transmitting them along a single conductor pair in said cable to said recording truck; and (c) at the recording truck demultiplexing said multiplexed signals from said first segment; while simultaneously (d) sequentially sampling each of the other P takeouts in each of the other N-1 segments through each of the other N-1 conductor pairs; and simultaneously (e) at the recording truck demultiplexing each of said N multiplexed signals.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 189 words

In a seismic data acquisition system having a multi-conductor cable having at least N cable segments, where N is greater than 1, and P takeouts in each segment, for a total of at least NP different seismic signals and including in each cable segment at least one multiplexer for sequentially multiplexing said P takeout signals and transmitting them over a single independent conductor pair to a recording truck, the method of operation, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a synchronizing signal from the recording truck to each of said N multiplexers; one in each segment; (b) at a first of said N multiplexers in a first cable segment sequentially sampling each of the P takeout signals in said first segment and transmitting them along a single conductor pair in said cable to said recording truck; and (c) at the recording truck demultiplexing said multiplexed signals from said first segment; while simultaneously (d) sequentially sampling each of the other P takeouts in each of the other N-1 segments through each of the other N-1 conductor pairs; and simultaneously (e) at the recording truck demultiplexing each of said N multiplexed signals.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-01-29	1988-07-30	1989-01-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-01-29	1992-07-30	1993-01-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-01-29	1996-07-30	1997-01-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Seismic system with signal multiplexers

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