Seismic Telemetry and Communications System
First Claim
1. A communications system for transmitting telemetry data between an underground structure and a remote location above the underground structure, comprising:
- a network of receiving devices located within an underground structure which gathers telemetry data from at least one data transmitter located within the underground structure;
at least one underground broadcasting station in communication with the network of receiving devices, comprising;
an underground processing device configured to convert the telemetry data into an encoded impactor signal; and
a seismic generator in contact with the underground structure and being driven by the encoded impactor signal to broadcast an encoded seismic signal through an adjacent earthen formation; and
a receiving station comprising;
at least one seismic sensor in contact with the earthen formation at a remote location substantially above the underground structure; and
a processing device in communication with the at least one seismic sensor and operable to convert the at least one received encoded seismic signal into telemetry data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for transmitting telemetry data between an underground structure and a location above the underground structure includes a network of receiving devices within the underground structure which gathers telemetry data from a data transmitter located within the underground structure. An underground broadcasting station in communication with the network of receiving devices includes an underground processing device for converting the telemetry data into an encoded impactor signal and a seismic generator in contact with the underground structure and driven by the encoded impactor signal to broadcast an encoded seismic signal through an adjacent earthen formation. The system includes a receiving station having a seismic sensor and a processing device. The seismic sensor is in contact with the earthen formation at a remote location substantially above the underground structure. The processing device is in communication with seismic sensor and can convert the received encoded seismic signal into telemetry data.
22 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A communications system for transmitting telemetry data between an underground structure and a remote location above the underground structure, comprising:
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a network of receiving devices located within an underground structure which gathers telemetry data from at least one data transmitter located within the underground structure; at least one underground broadcasting station in communication with the network of receiving devices, comprising; an underground processing device configured to convert the telemetry data into an encoded impactor signal; and a seismic generator in contact with the underground structure and being driven by the encoded impactor signal to broadcast an encoded seismic signal through an adjacent earthen formation; and a receiving station comprising; at least one seismic sensor in contact with the earthen formation at a remote location substantially above the underground structure; and a processing device in communication with the at least one seismic sensor and operable to convert the at least one received encoded seismic signal into telemetry data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for broadcasting and receiving telemetry data between an underground structure and a remote location above the underground structure, comprising:
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receiving telemetry data from at least one mobile data transmitter located within an underground structure; converting the telemetry data into an encoded impactor signal; driving a seismic signal generator in contact with the underground structure at an underground broadcasting station in accordance with the encoded impactor signal to broadcast an encoded seismic signal which travels through an adjacent earthen formation; receiving the encoded seismic signal with at least one seismic sensor in contact with the earthen formation in a remote location substantially above the underground structure; and converting at least one received seismic signal into telemetry data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of modeling geological structures located adjacent an underground mine, comprising:
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sequentially broadcasting at least one seismic signal from each of a plurality of underground broadcasting stations located within an underground structure through an adjacent earthen formation; receiving each of the at least one seismic signals with an array of seismic sensors in contact with the adjacent earthen formation at spaced-apart locations substantially above the underground structure; and processing the plurality of received seismic signals to form a model of the three-dimensional velocity distribution of the adjacent earthen formation.
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Specification