Inductive power for seismic sensor node

• US 10,135,290 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PXGEO UK Ltd. (PXGEO Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Seabed Geosolutions BV (PXGEO Ltd.)
• Inventors: Isfeldt, Bjarne
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US15/410,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20170133875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/162 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/186 Hydrophones
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/38 specially adapted for water-covered areas G01V1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4278 Systems for data transfer from batteries, e.g. transfer of battery parameters to a controller, data transferred between battery controller and main controller
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods for inductively powering seismic sensor nodes are presented. An embodiment of an inductive battery includes a battery cell configured to store charge for use by an external device. The inductive battery may also include a first inductive element coupled to the battery cell, the first inductive element configured to receive current from the battery cell and emit a responsive magnetic field for powering an external device through inductance. In an embodiment the external device is a seismic sensor node.

Claims

1. A seismic node, comprising:

one or more electronic components;

an on-board inductive element coupled to the one or more electronic components; and

at least one inductive battery, wherein the inductive battery comprises one or more battery cells; and

a first inductive element coupled to the one or more battery cells and the on-board inductive element,

wherein the seismic node comprises a receptacle configured to receive the at least one inductive battery.

2. The node of claim 1, wherein the inductive battery comprises a charge circuit.

3. The node of claim 2, wherein the charge circuit comprises a second inductive element.

4. The node of claim 1, wherein the inductive battery is detachable from the seismic node.

5. The node of claim 1, wherein the at least one inductive battery comprises a plurality of inductive batteries, wherein the seismic node comprises a plurality of receptacles each configured to receive one of the plurality of inductive batteries.

6. The node of claim 1, wherein the inductive battery is configured to transmit data with the node over the first inductive element.

7. The node of claim 1, wherein the first inductive element is configured to provide power and data to the one or more electronic components.

8. The node of claim 1, wherein the inductive battery comprises a data storage device.

9. The node of claim 1, wherein the inductive battery comprises a second inductive element configured to exchange power and data with an external device.

10. The node of claim 1, wherein the inductive battery is contained within a sealed housing that is removable from the node.

11. The node of claim 1, wherein the inductive battery is configured to be charged subsea.

12. The node of claim 11, wherein the charging is conducted by an ROV or AUV.

13. A seismic node, comprising

a first housing comprising one or more electronic components, wherein the first housing comprises an on-board inductive element coupled to the one or more electronic components;

a second housing comprising at least one inductive battery, wherein the second housing is detachable from the first housing.

14. The node of claim 13, wherein the inductive battery comprises one or more battery cells and a first inductive element coupled to the one or more battery cells.

15. The node of claim 13, wherein the first housing comprises a receptacle configured to receive the second housing.

16. The node of claim 13, wherein the second housing is coupled to the first housing by a locking mechanism.

17. A method for powering a seismic node, comprising:

positioning an inductive battery with a first inductive element proximate to a seismic node;

generating a current through the first inductive element; and

powering the seismic node through the current generated through the first inductive element.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the positioning step comprises placing the inductive battery within a receptacle of the seismic node.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising replacing the inductive battery with a charged inductive battery at a subsea position.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising charging the inductive battery at a subsea position by an ROV or AUV.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting data between the inductive battery and the seismic node through the first inductive element.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising generating a current in an on-board inductive element coupled to one or more electronic components of the seismic node by the current generated through the first inductive element.