System and method for visualizing multiple-sensor subsurface imaging data

• US 20080079723A1
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Underground Imaging Technologies, Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Underground Imaging Technologies, Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jones, Ross, Kellly, Peter, Sjostrom, Keith, Hanson, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,646,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/427
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/40 Software arrangements specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. user interfaces or toolboxes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/945 User interactive design; Environments; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images

Abstract

A user interface includes a display for displaying of a plurality of sensor data sets representative of signals associated with a plurality of sensors configured for sensing of a subsurface. At least some of the sensors are configured for subsurface sensing in a manner differing from other sensors of the plurality of sensors. Each of the sensor data sets comprises sensor data samples each associated with geographic position data. The sensor data sets are shown overlaid within a volume depicted on the display. The graphical representations of the sensor data sets are individually viewable within the volume and displayed in geographical alignment relative to one another within the volume in accordance with the geographic position data of the sensor data samples of each of the sensor data sets.

Claims

1. A method for use with a user interface comprising a display, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of sensor data sets representative of signals associated with a plurality of sensors configured for sensing of a subsurface, at least some of the sensors configured for subsurface sensing in a manner differing from other sensors of the plurality of sensors, each of the sensor data sets comprising sensor data samples each associated with geographic position data; and

displaying a graphical representation of each of the sensor data sets overlaid within a volume depicted on the display, the graphical representations of the sensor data sets individually viewable within the volume and displayed in geographical alignment relative to one another within the volume in accordance with the geographic position data of the sensor data samples of each of the sensor data sets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic position data of the sensor data samples comprises x and y geographic locations for each of the sensor data samples.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein geographic position data of the sensor data samples for at least one of the sensor data sets further comprises a depth value for each of the sensor data samples.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representations are displayed within the volume relative to a fixed geographic reference.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic position data is associated with x and y locations of a global reference frame, a local reference frame, or a predefined reference frame.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the graphical representations comprises aligning sensor data samples of each of the sensor data sets by their respective x and y geographic locations.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving position sensor data comprising the geographic position data for a plurality of discrete geographic locations subject to subsurface sensing; and

assigning the geographic position data to the sensor data samples of each of the sensor data sets.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

performing a data fusion function on one or more features in the geographically aligned sensor data sets; and

producing a graphical indication of the one or more features based on the data fusion function performed on the geographically aligned sensor data sets.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more features on which the data fusion function is performed are identified manually.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more features on which the data fusion function is performed are identified algorithmically.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein algorithmically identifying the one or more features comprises comparing the one or more features to a library of feature templates, the feature templates comprising response characteristics for a plurality of known features.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing field note data representative of one or more known or manually observed features within the subsurface; and

displaying a graphical or textual representation of the field note data within the volume.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the field note data comprises associated x and y geographic location data, and the graphical or textual representation of the field note data are displayed within the volume at one or more locations corresponding to the associated x and y geographic location data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing feature data representative of one or more features within the subsurface; and

displaying a graphical or textual representation of the feature data within the volume.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing point marker data representative of one or more points manually picked from images of data developed using one or more of the subsurface sensors; and

displaying a graphical or textual representation of the point marker data within the volume.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume depicted on the display is defined by a length, a width, and a depth, the length and width respectively representative of a length and a width of each of a plurality of scan regions of earth subjected to sensing by use of the plurality of sensor.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting one or more of the graphical representations for viewing or hiding within the volume depicted on the display.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one of the graphical representations; and

altering the selected graphical representation in a manner that enhances visual perception of the selected graphical representation relative to non-selected graphical representations within the volume.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein altering the selected graphical representation comprises adding or altering one or more of a color, grey scale, line style, shading, hatching, or marker of the selected graphical representation.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing user developed indicia data, the indicia data comprising one or more of annotations, axis labels, legends, and textual information, and

adding the indicia data to the display comprising the graphical representations.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a volume location; and

generating a two-dimensional view of the graphical representations at the selected volume location.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the volume has a longitudinal axis, and the two-dimensional view is generated along a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising selecting one or more of the graphical representations to generate the two-dimensional view

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor data sets comprises one or more ground penetrating radar data sets and one or more electromagnetic sensor data sets.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor data sets comprises one or more ground penetrating radar data sets and one or more seismic sensor data sets.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the plurality of sensor data sets comprises one or more electromagnetic sensor data sets.

27. An apparatus, comprising:

an input for receiving signals representative of a plurality of sensor data sets associated with a plurality of sensors configured for sensing of a subsurface, at least some of the sensors configured for subsurface sensing in a manner differing from other sensors of the plurality of sensors, each of the sensor data sets comprising sensor data samples each associated with geographic position data;

a display; and

a processor coupled to the input and the display, the processor configured to cooperate with the display to present a graphical representation of each of the sensor data sets overlaid within a volume depicted on the display, the graphical representations of the sensor data sets individually viewable within the volume and displayed in geographical alignment relative to one another within the volume in accordance with the geographic position data of the sensor data samples of each of the sensor data sets.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured to align sensor data samples of each of the sensor data sets by their respective x and y geographic locations.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured to receive position sensor data comprising the geographic position data for a plurality of discrete geographic locations subject to subsurface sensing, and to assign the geographic position data to the sensor data samples of each of the sensor data sets.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured to perform a data fusion function on one or more features in the geographically aligned sensor data sets, and to generate a graphical indication for presentation on the display of the one or more features based on the data fusion function performed on the geographically aligned sensor data sets.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the processor is configured to algorithmically identify the one or more features on which the data fusion function is performed.

32. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the input receives field note data representative of one or more known or manually observed features within the subsurface, and the processor cooperates with the display to present a graphical or textual representation of the field note data within the volume.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the field note data comprises associated x and y geographic location data, and the graphical or textual representation of the field note data are displayed within the volume at one or more locations corresponding to the associated x and y geographic location data.

34. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the input receives one or both of feature data representative of one or more features within the subsurface and point marker data representative of one or more points manually picked from images of data developed using one or more of the subsurface sensors, and the processor cooperates with the display to present one or both of a graphical or textual representation of the feature data within the volume and a graphical or textual representation of the point marker data within the volume.

35. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the plurality of sensor data sets comprises at least two of ground penetrating radar data sets, electromagnetic sensor data sets, and seismic sensor data sets.