DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DOWNHOLE ACOUSTIC IMAGING
First Claim
1. A method of performing acoustic imaging comprising:
- disposing a carrier in a borehole in an earth formation, the carrier including an acoustic imaging device, the acoustic imaging device including a plurality of acoustic transducers, each transducer having an associated orientation;
selecting a target location, and selecting a group of transducers from the plurality to transmit an acoustic beam to be electronically directed to the target location;
selecting at least one transducer as a transmitter, the transmitter having an orientation toward a location proximate to the target location, and transmitting an acoustic signal only by the transmitter;
detecting an acoustic return signal by the transmitter and by a plurality of other transducers in the group;
estimating a travel time for each of the group of transducers, the travel time corresponding to the amount of time between transmitting the acoustic signal to the location and detecting the acoustic return signal, the estimating including measuring a travel time for each of the other transducers, and estimating a travel time for the transmitter based on the travel time for each of the other transducers;
calculating a beamforming delay associated with the transmitter and the other transducers based on the travel time, the beamforming delay configured to cause the group of transducers to generate an acoustic beam that is directed to the target location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of performing acoustic imaging includes: selecting a target location, and selecting a group of transducers from a plurality of transducers to transmit an acoustic beam to be electronically directed to the target location; selecting a transmitter having an orientation toward a location proximate to the target location, and transmitting an acoustic signal only by the transmitter; detecting an acoustic return signal by the transmitter and by a plurality of other transducers in the group; estimating a travel time for each of the group of transducers, the estimating including measuring a travel time for each of the other transducers, and estimating a travel time for the transmitter based on the travel time for each of the other transducers; and calculating beamforming delays based on the travel time, the beamforming delay configured to cause the group of transducers to direct an acoustic beam to the target location.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of performing acoustic imaging comprising:
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disposing a carrier in a borehole in an earth formation, the carrier including an acoustic imaging device, the acoustic imaging device including a plurality of acoustic transducers, each transducer having an associated orientation; selecting a target location, and selecting a group of transducers from the plurality to transmit an acoustic beam to be electronically directed to the target location; selecting at least one transducer as a transmitter, the transmitter having an orientation toward a location proximate to the target location, and transmitting an acoustic signal only by the transmitter; detecting an acoustic return signal by the transmitter and by a plurality of other transducers in the group; estimating a travel time for each of the group of transducers, the travel time corresponding to the amount of time between transmitting the acoustic signal to the location and detecting the acoustic return signal, the estimating including measuring a travel time for each of the other transducers, and estimating a travel time for the transmitter based on the travel time for each of the other transducers; calculating a beamforming delay associated with the transmitter and the other transducers based on the travel time, the beamforming delay configured to cause the group of transducers to generate an acoustic beam that is directed to the target location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for performing acoustic imaging comprising:
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a carrier configured to be disposed in a borehole in an earth formation, the carrier including an acoustic imaging device, the acoustic imaging device including a plurality of acoustic transducers, each transducer having an associated orientation; and a processor configured to perform; selecting a target location, and selecting a group of transducers from the plurality to transmit an acoustic beam to be electronically directed to the target location; selecting at least one transducer as a transmitter, the transmitter having an orientation toward a location proximate to the target location; sending a control signal to the transmitter, the control signal causing only the transmitter to transmit acoustic signal; receiving an acoustic return signal detected by the transmitter and by a plurality of other transducers in the group; estimating a travel time for each of the group of transducers, the travel time corresponding to the amount of time between transmitting the acoustic signal to the location and detecting the acoustic return signal, the estimating including measuring a travel time for each of the other transducers, and estimating a travel time for the transmitter based on the travel time for each of the other transducers; and calculating a beamforming delay associated with the transmitter and the other transducers based on the travel time, the beamforming delay configured to cause the group of transducers to generate an acoustic beam that is directed to the target location; and a delay circuit configured to apply the beamforming delay to a control signal sent by the processor to each of the group of transducers. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification