GEOPHYSICAL DATA ACQUISITION AND POWER TRANSFER METHOD APPARATUS AND SYSTEM

• US 20140310433A1
• Filed: 10/08/2013
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sercel SAS (CGG)
• Original Assignee: Cgg Services Sa (CGG)
• Inventors: PREUSSER, Thomas, MAXWELL, Peter, JUROK, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,301,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

System, apparatus and method for collecting data from, and providing power to, a geophysical data acquisition device are described herein. The method may include charging a data transfer device comprising a data transfer port, a power transfer port and a battery module, coupling the data transfer device to a geophysical data acquisition device, deploying the geophysical data acquisition device and collecting data therewith, collecting data from the geophysical data acquisition device via the data transfer port and providing power to the geophysical data acquisition device via the power transfer port, replacing the data transfer device with a charged device, coupling the data transfer device to a charging station, transferring data from the data transfer device, and transferring power to the data transfer device via the charging station.

Claims

1. A method for collecting data from, and providing power to, a geophysical data acquisition device, the method comprising:

coupling a data transfer device to a geophysical data acquisition device;

collecting data from the geophysical data acquisition device to the data transfer device via a data transfer port and providing power from the data transfer device to the geophysical data acquisition device via a power transfer port; and

wherein collecting data and providing power occurs wirelessly while the data transfer device is coupled to the geophysical data acquisition device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transfer port and the power transfer port are inductively coupled ports.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transfer port and the power transfer port are the same port.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the power transfer port is configured to inductively couple to a power input port of the geophysical data acquisition device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replacing the data transfer device with a newly charged data transfer device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

coupling the data transfer device to a charging station.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transferring data from the data transfer device and transferring power to the data transfer device via the charging station.

8. An apparatus for collecting data from, and providing power to, a geophysical data acquisition device, the apparatus comprising:

a data transfer port configured to wirelessly receive data from a data output port of a geophysical data acquisition device when the data transfer port is proximate to the data output port, and wirelessly transmit the data to a data input port of a charging station when the data transfer port is proximate to the data input port;

a data transfer memory configured to store the data received by the data transfer port and retrieve the data for transmission by the data transfer port;

a power transfer port configured to provide power to a power input port of the geophysical data acquisition device when the power transfer port is proximate to the power input port, and wirelessly receive power from a power output port of the charging station when the power transfer port is proximate to the power output port; and

a battery module operably connected to the power transfer port.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data transfer port and the power transfer port are the same port.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the power transfer port is configured to inductively couple to the power output port of a charging station and the power input port of a geophysical data acquisition device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data transfer device comprises:

one or more mating elements that facilitate coupling the data transfer device to the geophysical data acquisition device or the charging station.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mating elements comprise a latch.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mating elements comprise at least one magnetic element that is attracted to a corresponding element on the geophysical data acquisition device or the charging station.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data transfer device comprises a coupling detector configured to detect when the data transfer device is proximate to the geophysical data acquisition device or the charging station.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the power transfer port comprises a power input portion and a power output portion that are spatially distinct and the data transfer device may be simultaneously coupled to a geophysical data acquisition device and a charging station.

16. A system for collecting data from, and providing power to, a geophysical data acquisition device, the system comprising:

the geophysical data acquisition device configured to interface with one or more sensors and acquire data therefrom, the geophysical data acquisition device including a power input port and a data output port; and

a data transfer device having;

a data transfer port configured to wirelessly receive data from the data output port when the data transfer port is proximate to the data output port, and wirelessly transmit data to a data input port when the data transfer port is proximate to a data input port,

a data transfer memory configured to store data received by the data transfer port and retrieve data for transmission by the data transfer port,

a power transfer port configured to provide power to the power input port when the power transfer port is proximate to the power input port, and wirelessly receive power from a power output port when the power transfer port is proximate to a power output port, and

a battery module operably connected to the power transfer port.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a charging station comprising a data input port, a data collection memory configured to receive data from the data input port, a power output port and a power supply module configured to provide power to the power output port.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

robotic equipment for deploying or maintaining the geophysical data acquisition device.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

data processing equipment for processing data acquired by the geophysical data acquisition device.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

one or more data analysis workstations for analyzing data acquired by the geophysical data acquisition device.