ACOUSTIC COMMUNICATION AND CONTROL FOR SEISMIC SENSORS

• US 20090092002A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Prado, Edward R., Guyette, Andrew W., Souders, Keith A., Haque, Jamal, Soares, Richard Pereira JR.
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/22 Transmitting seismic signals to recording or processing apparatus

Abstract

A method for wireless communication in a seismic sensor network is disclosed. The method comprises providing a first acoustic device having at least one seismic sensor with communication and control data to communicate over an acoustic energy wave on a first communications channel. The first acoustic device generates the acoustic energy wave with a first wave intensity. The first acoustic device is configured to receive a reflection of the generated wave at a prescribed signal sensitivity level based on a network configuration. If the first wave intensity is below the prescribed signal sensitivity level, the first wave intensity of the acoustic energy wave is tuned to the prescribed signal sensitivity level to interpret the communication and control data provided by the first communications channel.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication in a seismic sensor network, the method comprising:

providing a first acoustic device having at least one seismic sensor with communication and control data to communicate over an acoustic energy wave on a first communications channel;

generating the acoustic energy wave with a first wave intensity at the first acoustic device;

configuring the first acoustic device to receive a reflection of the generated wave at a prescribed signal sensitivity level based on a network configuration; and

if the first wave intensity is below the prescribed signal sensitivity level, tuning the first wave intensity of the acoustic energy wave to the prescribed signal sensitivity level to interpret the communication and control data provided by the first communications channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one seismic sensor with communication and control data further comprises implementing an acoustic communications protocol to transfer the communication and control data between the first acoustic device and a central data unit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the acoustic energy wave with the first wave intensity further comprises transmitting the communications and control data over the acoustic energy wave at a first frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the first acoustic device comprises providing substantially simultaneous communications between the first acoustic device and a plurality of additional acoustic devices each having at least one seismic sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the first acoustic device comprises providing sequential communications at a fixed frequency value between the first acoustic device and a plurality of additional acoustic devices each having at least one seismic sensor.

6. A computer-readable medium having executable instructions for a method for wireless communication in a seismic sensor network according to claim 1.

7. A method for providing acoustic communications with a seismic sensor network, the method comprising:

configuring at least a first and a second acoustic device each having at least one seismic sensor as a first sensor pair; and

operating the first sensor pair in a communication monitoring process, the process comprising;

generating an acoustic energy wave at the first acoustic device with a first wave intensity to transmit communications and control data using a first communications channel;

configuring the second acoustic device for a prescribed signal sensitivity level, the second acoustic device operable to receive the communications and control data on the first communications channel at the first wave intensity; and

based on an acoustic communications protocol, providing the communications and control data on the first communications channel to at least a third acoustic device configured to interpret the acoustic energy wave at the first wave intensity.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating the acoustic energy wave at the second acoustic device with the first wave intensity.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein configuring the first and second acoustic devices as the first sensor pair further comprises concealing the first sensor pair for at least one monitoring configuration.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein configuring the first and second acoustic devices comprises using the first wave intensity to provide a unique identifier for each of the acoustic devices in the seismic sensor network.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the acoustic energy wave further comprises transmitting the communications and control data at a first frequency.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the communications data to at least the third acoustic device further comprises providing substantially simultaneous communications between each of the acoustic devices in the seismic sensor network at the prescribed signal sensitivity level.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein providing the communications data to at least the third acoustic device further comprises providing at least one form of serial communications between each of the acoustic devices in the seismic sensor network at the prescribed signal sensitivity level.

14. A seismic sensor network, comprising:

a plurality of acoustic devices, each of the acoustic devices comprising;

at least one seismic sensor; and

a processing unit in communication with the at least one seismic sensor, wherein the at least one seismic sensor is operable to generate and receive an acoustic energy wave with a first wave intensity; and

a central data unit operable to provide communication and control data for the plurality of acoustic devices to transmit using the seismic sensors;

wherein each of the acoustic devices is operable to;

configure each of the seismic sensors to communicate on the acoustic energy wave over a first communications channel; and

tune the first wave intensity of the acoustic energy wave at each of the acoustic devices to interpret the communication and control data provided by the first communications channel based on a prescribed signal sensitivity level.

15. The seismic sensor network of claim 14, wherein each of the acoustic devices is further operable to receive a reflection of the generated wave at the prescribed signal sensitivity level in a concealed monitoring environment.

16. The seismic sensor network of claim 14, wherein the central data unit is configured to process the communication and control data provided by a data interface responsive to the first communications channel.

17. The seismic sensor network of claim 14, wherein the first communications channel is operable to provide substantially simultaneous communications between the plurality of acoustic devices in the seismic sensor network.

18. The seismic sensor network of claim 14, wherein the first communications channel is operable to provide serial communications between the plurality of acoustic devices in the seismic sensor network.

19. The seismic sensor network of claim 14, wherein the acoustic energy wave comprises a first seismic frequency operable to transmit the communications and control data over the first communications channel using an acoustic communications protocol.

20. The seismic sensor network of claim 14, wherein the acoustic energy wave further comprises a unique identifier for each of the acoustic devices.