Ocean bottom seismometer package
First Claim
1. An ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit to record seismic data while on an ocean bottom, comprising:
- at least one geophone disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit to continuously monitor for seismic signals while on the ocean bottom, wherein the at least one geophone is not mechanically gimballed;
at least one clock disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit;
at least one power source disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit;
at least one memory disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit to store the seismic data while on the ocean bottom;
at least one tilt meter disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit; and
the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit having negative buoyancy and the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit configured for retrieval from the ocean bottom;
wherein the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit does not receive or transmit an external communication while on the ocean bottom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit to record seismic data while on an ocean bottom, comprising:
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at least one geophone disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit to continuously monitor for seismic signals while on the ocean bottom, wherein the at least one geophone is not mechanically gimballed; at least one clock disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit; at least one power source disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit; at least one memory disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit to store the seismic data while on the ocean bottom; at least one tilt meter disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit; and the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit having negative buoyancy and the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit configured for retrieval from the ocean bottom; wherein the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit does not receive or transmit an external communication while on the ocean bottom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of acquiring seismic data using an ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit while on an ocean bottom, comprising:
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continuously monitoring for seismic signals via at least one geophone disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit on the ocean bottom, wherein the at least one geophone is not mechanically gimballed; recording seismic data on at least one memory disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit on the ocean bottom; providing at least one tilt meter disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit; continuously monitoring for seismic signals without receiving or transmitting an external communication; the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit having negative buoyancy and the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit configured for retrieval from the ocean bottom; and the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit having at least one power source disposed within the ocean bottom seismic data acquisition unit. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification