Method and system for transmission of seismic data

• US 9,470,809 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magseis FF, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fairfield Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Ray, Clifford H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J
• Application Number:
  US14/218,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 367/77
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/22 Transmitting seismic signals to recording or processing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/223 Radioseismic systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

The transmission system combines a self-contained, wireless seismic acquisition unit and a wireless, line of site, communications unit to form a plurality of individual short-range transmission networks and also a mid-range, line of sight transmission network.

Claims

1. A method of performing seismic exploration, comprising:

providing a self-contained wireless seismic acquisition unit at a first location, the self-contained wireless seismic acquisition unit including a first transceiver and a geophone;

providing a wireless communications unit at a second location, the wireless communications unit configured to communicate with the self-contained wireless seismic acquisition unit and including a support structure, a power source, a second transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the first transceiver, and a third transceiver;

wirelessly coupling the seismic acquisition unit with the wireless communications unit to create a first transmission path between the seismic acquisition unit and the wireless communications unit;

receiving, by the third transceiver, a radio transmission comprising a control signal;

adjusting, by the wireless communications unit, the radio transmission comprising the control signal to provide an adjusted radio transmission for transmission between the wireless communication unit and the seismic acquisition unit; and

transmitting, via the first transmission path, the adjusted radio transmission from the second transceiver to the first transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

the second transceiver including short-range transmission capabilities; and

the third transceiver including mid-range transmission capabilities.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second transceiver and the third transceiver are a same transceiver, comprising:

toggling the same transceiver between mid-range transmission capability and short-range transmission capability.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

at least partially burying the self-contained wireless seismic acquisition unit below a surface of a ground.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

deploying a plurality of seismic acquisition units and a plurality of wireless communications units to form an array.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

deploying a plurality of seismic acquisition units and a plurality of wireless communications units to form an array, each of the plurality of seismic acquisition units capable of wirelessly coupling to at least one of the plurality of wireless communications units.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

deploying a transmission station to communicate with the wireless communications unit; and

wirelessly coupling the transmission station with the wireless communications unit via a second transmission path comprising mid-range transmission capabilities.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

deploying a plurality of seismic acquisition units and a plurality of wireless communications units to form an array, each of the plurality of seismic acquisition units configured to wirelessly couple with at least one of the plurality of wireless communications units; and

deploying a transmission station configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of wireless communications units.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

identifying a plurality of transmission paths between the transmission station and at least one of the plurality of wireless communications units.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver and the geophone are housed within a case of the wireless seismic acquisition unit.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising:

deploying the wireless communications unit at the second location within 50 feet of the first location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the support structure is an elongated support structure, comprising:

at least one of the second transceiver and the third transceiver mounted on the elongated support structure.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, by the third transceiver, the control signal via a wireless network with mid-range transmission capabilities.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission path comprises short-range transmission capabilities.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a timing signal.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal comprises a timing signal, comprising:

disciplining a local clock of the seismic acquisition unit based on the timing signal.

17. The method of claim 1, comprising:

adjusting, by the wireless communications unit, a strength of the radio transmission to provide the adjusted radio transmission for transmission between the wireless communication unit and the seismic acquisition unit.

18. A system to perform seismic exploration, comprising:

a self contained wireless seismic acquisition unit, the self-contained wireless seismic acquisition unit comprising a first transceiver and a geophone;

a wireless communications unit configured to communicate with the self-contained wireless seismic acquisition unit, the wireless communications unit including a power source, a second transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the first transceiver via a first transmission path between the seismic acquisition unit and the wireless communications unit, and the wireless communications unit including a third transceiver configured to receive a radio transmission comprising a control signal; and

the wireless communications unit configured to adjust the radio transmission comprising the control signal to provide an adjusted radio transmission for transmission between the wireless communication unit and the seismic acquisition unit, and to transmit the adjusted radio transmission from the second transceiver to the first transceiver.

19. The system of claim 18, comprising:

the wireless communications unit is configured to toggle between a mid-range transmission capability and a short-range transmission capability.

20. The system of claim 18, comprising:

the seismic acquisition unit having a local clock; and

the wireless communications unit configured to discipline the local clock using a timing signal.