Computerized truck instrumentation system
First Claim
1. A well exploration system for acquiring, processing and storing well data representative of measurements obtained by a well tool adapted for investigating at least one selected characteristic of earth formations around a well bore comprising;
- a surface unit;
a cable operatively connected at one end thereof to said surface unit;
a well tool adapted for movement through a well bore and suspended in the well bore at the other end of said cable;
first measuring means, supported by said well tool, for acquiring well data relating to said characteristic in response to control signals from said surface unit, said measuring means further providing output signals representative of said acquired well data;
second measuring means for providing an output including an indication of the position of said tool in said well; and
processing means, supported by said surface unit and in communication with said measuring means via said cable, for processing well data according to selected first sequences of operating steps and for providing said control signals to said first measuring means, said control signals being generated in response to the output of said second measuring means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a representative embodiment of the invention described herein, a well logging system for investigating subsurface formations is controlled by a general purpose computer programmed for real-time operation. The system is cooperatively arranged to provide for all aspects of a well logging operation, such as data acquisition and processing, tool control, information or data storage, and data presentation as a well logging tool is moved through a wellbore. The computer controlling the system is programmed to provide for data acquisition and tool control commands in direct response to asynchronous real-time external events. Such real-time external events may occur, for example, as a result of movement of the logging tool over a selected depth interval, or in response to requests or commands directed to the system by the well logging engineer by means of keyboard input.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A well exploration system for acquiring, processing and storing well data representative of measurements obtained by a well tool adapted for investigating at least one selected characteristic of earth formations around a well bore comprising;
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a surface unit; a cable operatively connected at one end thereof to said surface unit; a well tool adapted for movement through a well bore and suspended in the well bore at the other end of said cable; first measuring means, supported by said well tool, for acquiring well data relating to said characteristic in response to control signals from said surface unit, said measuring means further providing output signals representative of said acquired well data; second measuring means for providing an output including an indication of the position of said tool in said well; and processing means, supported by said surface unit and in communication with said measuring means via said cable, for processing well data according to selected first sequences of operating steps and for providing said control signals to said first measuring means, said control signals being generated in response to the output of said second measuring means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A well exploration system comprising:
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a well exploration tool including at least one transducer means for the acquisition of indications of characteristics of subsurface geological formations surrounding a borehole; a surface instrumentation unit including a digital computer for receiving and processing the output of said transducer means; means, connecting said computer to said well tool, for establishing communication therebetween; means for effecting movement of said well tool through said borehole; means for providing an indication of the depth of said tool in said borehole to said computer; and means responsive to an output of said computer for effecting control over the operation of said transducer;
said computer output being generated in response to the indicated position of said tool in said well. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A well logging system for acquiring and processing well logging data which are representative of measurements provided by a well logging tool adapted for investigating characteristics of earth formations around a well bore comprising:
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a well logging tool adapted for movement through a well bore; measuring means supported by said well logging tool for acquiring well logging data relating to a selection of well bore characteristics, and for providing selected electrical outputs representative of said acquired well logging data; processing means in communication with said measuring means for processing said acquired well logging data according to a selected sequence of processing steps for each of said selected well bore characteristics; and means for controlling said processing means in response to said selected electrical output such that said selected sequence of processing steps used in processing said acquired well logging data conforms to the data processing required for the well bore characteristics represented by said well logging data. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of acquiring and processing well logging data which are representative of measurements provided by a well logging tool adapted for investigating characteristics of earth formations around a well bore comprising the steps of:
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moving a well logging tool through a well bore; supporting a measuring means by said well logging tool; acquiring well logging data relating to a selection of well bore characteristics with said measuring means; providing selected electrical outputs from said measuring means representative of said acquired data; receiving and processing said acquired well logging data according to a selected sequence of processing steps for each of said selected well bore characteristics; and controlling said processing means in response to said selected electrical output such that said selected sequence of processing steps used in processing said acquired well logging data conforms to the data processing required for the well bore characteristics represented by said well logging data. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method for controlling a well logging system to obtain data representative of physical measurements of subsurface earth formations from signals derived from a well logging tool, comprising:
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providing a programmed digital computer interfaced to said well logging tool; providing control circuitry for said programmed digital computer to allow said computer to receive signals corresponding to events which are external to said computer and occur asynchronously to the operation of said computer; operating said well logging tool in a well under the control of said computer to obtain samples of a measurement of an earth formation from said subsurface well logging tool; processinf under the control of said computer said subsurface measurement samples, to produce data representative of a physical measurement of said subsurface earth formation and to produce signals for controlling said well logging tool; and stopping said processing under control of said computer to allow said computer to automatically respond to signals corresponding to events which are external and asynchronous to said processing. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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Specification