US4752881A — Electrical resistivity geological surveying appar…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 163 words

A resistivity surveying apparatus including a plurality of ground electrodes and resistance meter, terminals, said apparatus comprising: a base station which includes (a) a computer for controlling the apparatus through a measurement sequence in which a predetermined sequence of electrical connections is successively effected between different subsets of ground electrodes and resistance meter terminals and (b) a resistivity meter having four terminals for measuring resistivity, a multi-line cable which includes four resistivity measuring lines for connection to respective ones of the resistivity measuring terminals, and a set of substations located at spaced intervals along the cable, each substation comprising an electrode which may be driven into the ground, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the measuring lines, and a circuit for operating the switching means, the computer being arranged to drive the apparatus through a measurement sequence in which, in each individual resistivity measurement, four electrodes are selected and connected to respective ones of the resistivity measuring lines.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 163 words

A resistivity surveying apparatus including a plurality of ground electrodes and resistance meter, terminals, said apparatus comprising: a base station which includes (a) a computer for controlling the apparatus through a measurement sequence in which a predetermined sequence of electrical connections is successively effected between different subsets of ground electrodes and resistance meter terminals and (b) a resistivity meter having four terminals for measuring resistivity, a multi-line cable which includes four resistivity measuring lines for connection to respective ones of the resistivity measuring terminals, and a set of substations located at spaced intervals along the cable, each substation comprising an electrode which may be driven into the ground, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the measuring lines, and a circuit for operating the switching means, the computer being arranged to drive the apparatus through a measurement sequence in which, in each individual resistivity measurement, four electrodes are selected and connected to respective ones of the resistivity measuring lines.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the the cable is divided into sections, each section being mounted on a reel.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 36 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which, in each substation, the electrode is mounted on its associated reel and the switching means and operating circuit are mounted in the hub of the associated reel.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the computer is arranged to record the individual resistivity measurements.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 75 words

A reel assembly for use with resistivity surveying apparatus, said reel assembly comprising: a reel, a cable section mounted on the reel and including four lines for measuring resistivity, an electrode, which may be driven into the ground, mounted on the reel, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the resistivity measuring lines, and a circuit for operating the switching means in response to control signals received over said cable section.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 75 words

A reel assembly for use with resistivity surveying apparatus, said reel assembly comprising: a reel, a cable section mounted on the reel and including four lines for measuring resistivity, an electrode, which may be driven into the ground, mounted on the reel, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the resistivity measuring lines, and a circuit for operating the switching means in response to control signals received over said cable section.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 182 words

A resistivity surveying apparatus comprising: a base station which includes a computer having a transmitting terminal and a resistivity meter having four terminals for measuring resistivity, a multi-line cable which includes four resistivity measuring lines for connection to respective ones of the resistivity measuring terminals, and a control data line for connection to the transmitting terminal of the computer; and a set of sub-stations located at spaced intervals along the cable, each substation comprising an electrode which may be driven into the ground, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the measuring lines, and a circuit connected to the control data line for operating the switching means; the computer being arranged to drive the apparatus through a sequence of resistivity measurements, in each individual resistivity measurement the computer selecting four of the substations to make the measurement, computing the electrode setting for each of the four selected substations, and transmitting the four computed settings along the control data line so that the electrodes in the four selected substations are connected to appropriate ones of the resistivity measuring lines.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 182 words

A resistivity surveying apparatus comprising: a base station which includes a computer having a transmitting terminal and a resistivity meter having four terminals for measuring resistivity, a multi-line cable which includes four resistivity measuring lines for connection to respective ones of the resistivity measuring terminals, and a control data line for connection to the transmitting terminal of the computer; and a set of sub-stations located at spaced intervals along the cable, each substation comprising an electrode which may be driven into the ground, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the measuring lines, and a circuit connected to the control data line for operating the switching means; the computer being arranged to drive the apparatus through a sequence of resistivity measurements, in each individual resistivity measurement the computer selecting four of the substations to make the measurement, computing the electrode setting for each of the four selected substations, and transmitting the four computed settings along the control data line so that the electrodes in the four selected substations are connected to appropriate ones of the resistivity measuring lines.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 22 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which in each substation the circuit for operating the switching means comprises a microcomputer.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 50 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the cable is divided into sections, each section being mounted on a reel, and in each substation the electrode being mounted on an associated reel and the switching means and operating circuit being mounted in the hub of the associated reel.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the computer is arranged to record the individual resistivity measurements.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 73 words

A reel assembly for use with resistivity surveying apparatus comprising: a reel, a cable section mounted on the reel and including four lines for measuring resistivity and a control data line, an electrode which may be driven into the ground mounted on the reel, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the resistivity measuring lines, and a circuit connected to the control data line for operating the switching means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 73 words

A reel assembly for use with resistivity surveying apparatus comprising: a reel, a cable section mounted on the reel and including four lines for measuring resistivity and a control data line, an electrode which may be driven into the ground mounted on the reel, switching means for connecting the electrode to a selected one of the resistivity measuring lines, and a circuit connected to the control data line for operating the switching means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 168 words

Resistivity geological surveying apparatus comprising: a base station having a resistivity meter with plural resistivity measuring terminals; a plurality of sub-stations displaced from one another over a portion of the earth's surface in a predetermined spatial array, each sub-station including a ground-contacting electrode; said base station and each of said sub-stations being connected by a multi-conductor cable having a respective conductor thereof connected with each of said resistivity measuring terminals and also having at least one control communication signalling conductor; each of said sub-stations including a controllable switch means for locally connecting its ground-contacting electrode to a selected cable conductor in response to control signals received via said control communication signalling conductor; and control means located at said base station and connected to said control communication signalling conductor for generating said control signals thereonto and causing a predetermined sequence of subsets of said electrodes to be individually connected with respective ones of said resistivity measuring terminals so as to effect a predetermined sequence of resistivity geological survey measurements.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 168 words

Resistivity geological surveying apparatus comprising: a base station having a resistivity meter with plural resistivity measuring terminals; a plurality of sub-stations displaced from one another over a portion of the earth's surface in a predetermined spatial array, each sub-station including a ground-contacting electrode; said base station and each of said sub-stations being connected by a multi-conductor cable having a respective conductor thereof connected with each of said resistivity measuring terminals and also having at least one control communication signalling conductor; each of said sub-stations including a controllable switch means for locally connecting its ground-contacting electrode to a selected cable conductor in response to control signals received via said control communication signalling conductor; and control means located at said base station and connected to said control communication signalling conductor for generating said control signals thereonto and causing a predetermined sequence of subsets of said electrodes to be individually connected with respective ones of said resistivity measuring terminals so as to effect a predetermined sequence of resistivity geological survey measurements.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 118 words

A method for effecting a predetermined sequence of resistivity geological survey measurements using a resistivity meter having N terminals, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a plurality of ground-contacting electrodes in a predetermined spatial array of electrode sites over a portion of the earth's surface; arranging N conductors between a base station site and each of said electrode sites; arranging at least one further control conductor between said base station site and each of said electrode sites; generating control signals at said base station site onto said control conductor and, in response thereto, effecting locally switched contact, at each of a selected subset of electrode sites, between the ground-contacting electrode thereat and one of said N conductors.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 118 words

A method for effecting a predetermined sequence of resistivity geological survey measurements using a resistivity meter having N terminals, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a plurality of ground-contacting electrodes in a predetermined spatial array of electrode sites over a portion of the earth's surface; arranging N conductors between a base station site and each of said electrode sites; arranging at least one further control conductor between said base station site and each of said electrode sites; generating control signals at said base station site onto said control conductor and, in response thereto, effecting locally switched contact, at each of a selected subset of electrode sites, between the ground-contacting electrode thereat and one of said N conductors.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-06-21	1991-12-21	1992-06-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-06-21	1995-12-21	1996-06-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-06-21	1999-12-21	2000-06-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrical resistivity geological surveying apparatus and method utilizing plural cable sections with controlled distributed electrode/cable conductor switching

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