US5038378A — Method and apparatus for smoothing measurements a…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 97 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising the steps of: defining for said measurements a plurality of successively-placed sub-arrays of measurements made at successive borehole depths and related to successive lateral positions; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the measurements in respective sub-arrays as a function of a direction within a range of directions; selecting from the semblance values the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and smoothing measurements within sub-arrays along respective directions of best resemblance.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 97 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising the steps of: defining for said measurements a plurality of successively-placed sub-arrays of measurements made at successive borehole depths and related to successive lateral positions; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the measurements in respective sub-arrays as a function of a direction within a range of directions; selecting from the semblance values the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and smoothing measurements within sub-arrays along respective directions of best resemblance.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 173 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing resistivity measurements made with an array of electrodes mounted on a pad that is pressed against the wall of a borehole wherein the array is formed of a plurality of electrodes from which discrete current measurements along a contiguous circumferential zone of the borehole wall are derived to provide pixel values indicative of the resistivity of discrete areas in the zone to determine features such as fine beds, layers and fractures of the zone; comprising the steps of: defining for said resistivity measurements a plurality of successively placed sub-arrays of pixel values related to successive borehole depths and to circumferentially successive electrode positions in the zone; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the pixel values in respective sub-arrays as a function of directions along the borehole and circumferentially along the zone; selecting from the semblance values the directions by which the pixel values within sub-arrays best resemble each other; smoothing the pixel values that lie along said selected directions; and recording said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 173 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing resistivity measurements made with an array of electrodes mounted on a pad that is pressed against the wall of a borehole wherein the array is formed of a plurality of electrodes from which discrete current measurements along a contiguous circumferential zone of the borehole wall are derived to provide pixel values indicative of the resistivity of discrete areas in the zone to determine features such as fine beds, layers and fractures of the zone; comprising the steps of: defining for said resistivity measurements a plurality of successively placed sub-arrays of pixel values related to successive borehole depths and to circumferentially successive electrode positions in the zone; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the pixel values in respective sub-arrays as a function of directions along the borehole and circumferentially along the zone; selecting from the semblance values the directions by which the pixel values within sub-arrays best resemble each other; smoothing the pixel values that lie along said selected directions; and recording said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method for smoothing resistivity measurements as claimed in claim 2 and further including the step of detecting boundaries between adjacent regions of said smoothed pixel values of different resistivity and recording said detected boundaries.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 66 words

The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the boundaries detecting step comprises the steps of: determining lateral pixels; defining for each lateral pixel a line indicative of the highest gradient of pixel values within the sub-array of pixels associated with the lateral pixel; determining profile values associated with the line of highest gradient; and determining the occurrence of an inflection along the latter profile values.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising the step of: producing a visual display of smoothed measurements with a visually emphasized recording of said inflection placed on the display.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the recording step comprises the step of forming a visual display on which the pixel values are recorded with a grey scale that is effectively proportional to the measured resistivity.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 174 words

The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the defining step comprises the step of: selecting sub-arrays of pixels representative of windows of pixels positioned in columns and rows with predetermined spacing therebetween, wherein said semblance values determining step includes defining a set of parallel lines of predetermined slope passing through the window sub-arrays of pixels and determining profile values at predetermined column intersections of the parallel lines in the array; deriving semblance values for the profile values lying along parallel lines; repeating said defining, profile determining and semblance values deriving steps for different sets of parallel lines of respectively different predetermined slopes within a range of slope values; selecting the optimal slope associated with the highest semblance value as the slope which yields the best similarity between the profile values to determine the direction along which the pixel values best resemble each other for the selected sub-array of pixels; and selecting successive sub-arrays of pixels with circumferential overlap along the zone and with overlap as a function of depth, and repeating said steps.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 64 words

The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the smoothing step comprises the steps of: smoothing the profile values located along each line in the set of lines having said optimal slope; and determining smoothed pixel values, at the intersection of columns and rows, from the smoothed profile values; and replacing pixel values indicative of the resistivity values with correspondingly positioned smoothed pixel values.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the profile smoothing step comprises the steps of: combining profile values along each line in the set of lines having said optimal slope to determine smoothed profile values respectively for said lines of optimal slope; and replacing the profile values associated with said lines of optimal slope with said respective latter smoothed profile values.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of determining an average of the profile values along respective lines of said optimal slope.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method as claimed in claim 7 and including the step of sensitizing the profile values prior to said semblance value deriving step.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the sensitizing step comprises the step of demeaning the profile values prior to said semblance value deriving step.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the demeaning step comprises the steps of determining a common value for the profile values over an extended depth interval and removing the common value from the profile values determined for the sub-arrays.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 104 words

The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the defining step includes the step of: selecting sub-arrays of pixel values which are representative of resistivity values at intersections of electrode determined columns and rows of the zone of the borehole wall, with adjacent sub-arrays overlapping each other by a predetermined amount; and wherein the smoothing step includes the steps of: generating smoothed pixel values for the pixel values in the sub-arrays; and combining smoothed pixel values associated with the same location in the array of pixel values and generated as a result of the overlap of said sub-arrays to produce final smoothed pixel values.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein adjacent sub-arrays have centers which are spaced from each other by either a column or a row or a column and a row.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the combining step comprises the step of averaging the smoothed pixel values associated with the same location but determined by the processing of pixel values within a region of said overlap between sub-arrays.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein adjacent sub-arrays overlap each other by at least about 50%.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 82 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction within a range of angular directions defined by at least one set of lines of predetermined slopes; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions for which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and means for smoothing said measurements along said latter directions.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 82 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction within a range of angular directions defined by at least one set of lines of predetermined slopes; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions for which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and means for smoothing said measurements along said latter directions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 159 words

A borehole apparatus for smoothing resistivity measurements made with an array of electrodes mounted on a pad that is pressed against the wall of a borehole penetrating an earth formation wherein the array is formed of a plurality of electrodes from which discrete current measurements along a contiguous circumferential zone of the borehole are derived to provide pixel values indicative of the resistivity of discrete areas in the zone for display in a visually continuous pattern to reveal features such as fine beds, layers and fractures of the zone comprising: means for determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the pixel values in sub-arrays as a function of direction along the borehole and circumferentially along the zone; means for determining from the semblance values the directions by which the pixel values best resemble each other; and means for smoothing the pixel values that lie along said determined directions to form a display log with said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 159 words

A borehole apparatus for smoothing resistivity measurements made with an array of electrodes mounted on a pad that is pressed against the wall of a borehole penetrating an earth formation wherein the array is formed of a plurality of electrodes from which discrete current measurements along a contiguous circumferential zone of the borehole are derived to provide pixel values indicative of the resistivity of discrete areas in the zone for display in a visually continuous pattern to reveal features such as fine beds, layers and fractures of the zone comprising: means for determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the pixel values in sub-arrays as a function of direction along the borehole and circumferentially along the zone; means for determining from the semblance values the directions by which the pixel values best resemble each other; and means for smoothing the pixel values that lie along said determined directions to form a display log with said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 and further including: means for detecting boundaries between adjacent regions of smoothed pixel values of different resistivity.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 94 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said semblance values determining means comprises: means for sequentially selecting sub-arrays of pixel values wherein the sub-arrays overlap each other; means for determining profile values at predetermined intersections of columns of sub-arrays and of lines of predetermined slope passing through the sub-arrays; and wherein the means for determining directions of best resemblance includes means for determining the degree of similarity between the profile values for each sub-array and slope; and means for selecting for each sub-array the optimal slope yielding the best similarity between profile values.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the smoothing means smooths the profile values lying along the optimal slope and includes: means for determining, from the smoothed profile values, smoothed pixel values for predetermined locations in each sub-array.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 187 words

A method for forming a display of an investigation of a borehole penetrating an earth formation with a tool moved along the borehole and having at least one pad that is pressed against the wall of the borehole and employs an array of electrodes on the pad wherein the array is formed of a plurality of electrodes from which discrete current measurements along a contiguous circumferential zone of the borehole wall are derived to provide an array of pixel values indicative of the resistivity of discrete areas in the zone comprising the steps of: defining for said resistivity measurements a plurality of successively placed sub-arrays of pixel values related to successive borehole depths and to circumferentially successive electrode positions in the zone; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the pixel values in respective sub-arrays as a function of directions along the borehole and circumferentially along the zone; determining, from the semblance values, the directions by which the pixel values within sub-arrays best resemble each other; smoothing the pixel values that lie along said determined directions; and forming a display log with said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 187 words

A method for forming a display of an investigation of a borehole penetrating an earth formation with a tool moved along the borehole and having at least one pad that is pressed against the wall of the borehole and employs an array of electrodes on the pad wherein the array is formed of a plurality of electrodes from which discrete current measurements along a contiguous circumferential zone of the borehole wall are derived to provide an array of pixel values indicative of the resistivity of discrete areas in the zone comprising the steps of: defining for said resistivity measurements a plurality of successively placed sub-arrays of pixel values related to successive borehole depths and to circumferentially successive electrode positions in the zone; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the pixel values in respective sub-arrays as a function of directions along the borehole and circumferentially along the zone; determining, from the semblance values, the directions by which the pixel values within sub-arrays best resemble each other; smoothing the pixel values that lie along said determined directions; and forming a display log with said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 144 words

The method of forming a display as claimed in claim 23 wherein the step of determining directions of best resemblance includes the steps of: selecting sub-arrays of pixel values which are representative of resistivity values at intersections of columns and rows for the display, with adjacent sub-arrays overlapping each other along borehole depths and along the zone by a predetermined amount; determining for each sub-array a direction of best similarity of the pixel values; and wherein the smoothing step includes the steps of: generating smoothed pixel values for the pixel values in the sub-arrays; combining smoothed pixel values associated with the same location in the array of pixel values and generated as a result of the overlap of said sub-arrays to produce final smoothed pixel values; and wherein the display log forming step includes the step of visually recording said final smoothed pixel values.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 68 words

A method for smoothing measurements comprising the steps of: determining semblance values representative of the degree by which the measurements resemble each other along different directions within a range of directions defined by at least one set of lines of predetermined slopes, selecting directions for which semblance values are indicative of the best resemblance of the measurements; and smoothing said measurements that lie along directions of best resemblance.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 68 words

A method for smoothing measurements comprising the steps of: determining semblance values representative of the degree by which the measurements resemble each other along different directions within a range of directions defined by at least one set of lines of predetermined slopes, selecting directions for which semblance values are indicative of the best resemblance of the measurements; and smoothing said measurements that lie along directions of best resemblance.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said determining step determines the semblance values along directions which are a function of spatial dimensions.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method as claimed in claim 26 wherein the measurements characterize features of a medium and wherein said direction selecting step selects the orientations of said features.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said semblance values determining step determines semblance values over a range of orientations of said features within an angle of about seventy-five degrees from a predetermined plane.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said determining step determines semblance values as a function of time and space.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 138 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with an array of transducers from which discrete measurements along a contiguous zone are derived to provide pixel values indicative of measurements of a characteristic of discrete areas on the zone to determine features, comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of successively placed sub-arrays of pixel values wherein the sub-arrays extend in a borehole-depth direction and along the zone in correspondence with said transducers; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of pixel values in respective sub-arrays as a function of directions along the borehole and along the zone; determining, from the semblance values, the directions by which the pixel values in the sub-arrays best resemble each other; smoothing the pixel values that lie along said direction of best resemblance within respective sub-arrays; and recording said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 138 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with an array of transducers from which discrete measurements along a contiguous zone are derived to provide pixel values indicative of measurements of a characteristic of discrete areas on the zone to determine features, comprising the steps of: defining a plurality of successively placed sub-arrays of pixel values wherein the sub-arrays extend in a borehole-depth direction and along the zone in correspondence with said transducers; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of pixel values in respective sub-arrays as a function of directions along the borehole and along the zone; determining, from the semblance values, the directions by which the pixel values in the sub-arrays best resemble each other; smoothing the pixel values that lie along said direction of best resemblance within respective sub-arrays; and recording said smoothed pixel values.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method for smoothing measurements as claimed in claim 30 and further including the step of detecting boundaries between adjacent regions of pixel values of different values of the characteristic and recording said detected edges.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the recording step comprises the step of forming a visual display on which the pixel values are recorded with a grey scale that is effectively proportional to measured resistivity.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 170 words

The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the defining step comprises the step of: selecting sub-arrays of pixels representative of windows of pixels positioned in columns and rows with predetermined spacings therebetween, and wherein said semblance values determining step includes defining a set of parallel lines of predetermined slope passing through the window sub-arrays of pixels and determining profile values at predetermined column intersections of the parallel lines in the array; deriving semblance values for the profile values; repeating said defining, profile determining and semblance values deriving steps for different sets of parallel lines of respectively different predetermined slopes within a range of slope values; selecting the optimal slope associated with the highest semblance values as the slope which yields the best similarity between the profile values as the direction along which the pixel values best resemble each other for the selected sub-arrays of pixels; and selecting successive sub-arrays of pixels with circumferential overlap along the zone and with overlap as a function of depth and repeating said steps.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 63 words

The method as claimed in claim 33 wherein the smoothing step comprises the step of: smoothing the profile values located along each line in the set of lines having said optimal slope; and determining smoothed pixel values at the column and row array positions from the smoothed profile values; and replacing pixel values indicative of the characteristic with correspondingly positioned smoothed pixel values.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method as claimed in claim 34 wherein the profile smoothing step comprises the steps of: combining profile values along each line in the set of lines having said optimal slope to determine smoothed profile values respectively for said lines of optimal slope; and replacing the profile values associated with said lines of optimal slope with said respective latter smoothed profile values.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method as claimed in claim 34 including the step of determining an average of the profile values along respective lines of said optimal slope.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method as claimed in claim 33 and including the step of sensitizing the profile values prior to said semblance value deriving step.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method as claimed in claim 37 wherein the sensitizing step comprises the step of demeaning the profile values prior to said semblance value deriving step.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method as claimed in claim 38 wherein the demeaning step comprises the step of demeaning the profile values over an extended spatial interval that includes the zone.

Claim 47

Independent Claim 70 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction with a range of angular directions defined by at least one set of lines of predetermined slopes; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and means for smoothing said measurements along said latter directions.

Claim 48

Independent Claim 70 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction with a range of angular directions defined by at least one set of lines of predetermined slopes; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and means for smoothing said measurements along said latter directions.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 112 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising the steps of: defining for said measurements a plurality of successively-placed sub-arrays of measurements made at successive borehole depths and related to successive lateral positions; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the measurements in respective sub-arrays as a function of a direction within a range of directions along spatial dimensions that are a function of borehole depth and a direction transverse thereto; selecting from the semblance values the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and smoothing measurements within sub-arrays along respective directions of best resemblance.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 112 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising the steps of: defining for said measurements a plurality of successively-placed sub-arrays of measurements made at successive borehole depths and related to successive lateral positions; determining semblance values indicative of the resemblance of the measurements in respective sub-arrays as a function of a direction within a range of directions along spatial dimensions that are a function of borehole depth and a direction transverse thereto; selecting from the semblance values the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and smoothing measurements within sub-arrays along respective directions of best resemblance.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method as claimed in claim 41 wherein the measurements are characterized by features of the borehole wall as a function of depth and lateral spatial positions along the borehole wall and wherein said selecting step determines the orientations of said features.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method as claimed in claim 42 wherein said determining step determines semblance values of features whose orientations lie within an angle of about seventy-five degrees from a plane that is substantially transverse to the borehole axis.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 108 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising the steps of: defining for said measurements a plurality of successively-placed sub-arrays of measurements made at successive borehole depths and successive times and related to successive lateral positions; determining semblance values indicative of resemblance of the measurements in respective sub-arrays as a function of a direction within a range of directions that are a function of borehole depth and time; selecting from the semblance values the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and smoothing measurements within sub-arrays along respective directions of best resemblance.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 108 words

A borehole investigation method for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation, comprising the steps of: defining for said measurements a plurality of successively-placed sub-arrays of measurements made at successive borehole depths and successive times and related to successive lateral positions; determining semblance values indicative of resemblance of the measurements in respective sub-arrays as a function of a direction within a range of directions that are a function of borehole depth and time; selecting from the semblance values the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; and smoothing measurements within sub-arrays along respective directions of best resemblance.

Claim 55

Independent Claim 84 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction within a range of angular directions; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions for which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; means for smoothing said measurements along lateral directions; and means for determining the boundaries of features characterized by said directions of best resemblance.

Claim 56

Independent Claim 84 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements made with a tool from inside a borehole penetrating an earth formation comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction within a range of angular directions; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions for which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; means for smoothing said measurements along lateral directions; and means for determining the boundaries of features characterized by said directions of best resemblance.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 44 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 45 and further including: means for limiting a determination of best resemblance within a predetermined angular range relative to a plane that is substantially transverse to the borehole axis, with said angular range selected to exclude directional noise.

Claim 58

Independent Claim 73 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction within a range of angular directions; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; means for smoothing said measurements along said latter directions; and means for determining the boundaries of features characterized by said directions of best resemblance.

Claim 59

Independent Claim 73 words

An apparatus for smoothing measurements comprising: means for generating semblance values indicative of the resemblance of measurements in sub-arrays as a function of direction within a range of angular directions; means for deriving, from the semblance values, the directions in which the measurements within sub-arrays best resemble each other; means for smoothing said measurements along said latter directions; and means for determining the boundaries of features characterized by said directions of best resemblance.

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus as claimed in claim 47 and further including: means for limiting the determination of best resemblance within a predetermined angular range relative to a predetermined plane, with said angular range selected to exclude directional noise.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-08-05	1995-02-04	1995-08-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-08-05	1999-02-04	1999-08-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-08-05	2003-02-04	2003-08-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for smoothing measurements and detecting boundaries of features

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