Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8181057 | Time synchronization in units at different locations To synchronize units of a formation evaluation/drilling operation evaluation system, a time delay associated with a communications link between a master unit and a slave unit of the formation evaluation/drilling operation evaluation system is determined. The master ... | 05/15/2012 |
| 8173953 | Gain stabilization of gamma-ray scintillation detector Systems and methods for stabilizing the gain of a gamma-ray spectroscopy system are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of stabilizing the gain of a gamma-ray spectroscopy system may include generating light corresponding to gamma-rays detected fro... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8162076 | System and method for reducing the borehole gap for downhole formation testing sensors A system and method for downhole measurement for use with drill strings to reduce the borehole gap with respect to sensors carried by the drill string. In one embodiment, the sensors are mounted on a surface of the directional drilling hinged pad that comes in conta... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8154950 | Method for displaying geologic stress information and its application to geologic interpretation A method for displaying geologic stress includes determining magnitudes and directions of principal stresses at at least one a selected location. An analog symbol is generated for each magnitude and direction of the principal stresses. The analog symbols include a m... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8129994 | Microresistivity imaging in conductive and nonconductive drilling fluid A microresistivity logging tool includes a shield electrode deployed between a guard electrode and a return electrode. A measuring electrode is deployed in and electrically isolated from the guard electrode and first and second potential electrodes are deployed in a... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8129993 | Determining formation parameters using electromagnetic coupling components A method to determine one or more parameters of a formation traversed by a borehole, at least a portion of the formation having substantially parallel boundaries, the method comprising disposing a tool in the borehole, wherein the tool includes a transmitter having ... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8129673 | Methods for calibration of pulsed neutron logging A method for logging a subsurface formation includes acquiring neutron capture data using a pulsed neutron tool at a plurality of locations along a borehole penetrating the subsurface formation, wherein the plurality of locations include a formation zone that contai... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8121788 | Method and system to automatically correct LWD depth measurements A method for correcting errors in LWD depths includes performing torque and drag model analysis using drillstring weight, downhole friction, weight on bit, thermal expansion, rig heave and tide to produce a corrected time-depth file, wherein the torque and drag mode... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8118114 | Closed-loop control of rotary steerable blades A steering tool has a controller configured to provide closed-loop control of blade pressure and position. In one embodiment, the controller is configured to execute a directional control methodology in which the drilling direction is controlled via control of the b... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8102276 | Non-contact capacitive datalink for a downhole assembly Aspects of this invention include a downhole assembly having a non-contact, capacitive coupling including first and second transceivers deployed in corresponding first and second downhole tool members. The capacitive coupling is disposed to transfer electrical signa... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8095318 | Method for estimating formation dip using combined multiaxial induction and formation image measurements A method for determining dip of rock formations penetrated by a wellbore using multiaxial induction measurements and imaging measurements made from within the wellbore includes estimating dip from the multiaxial induction measurements. Dip is also estimated from the... | 01/10/2012 |
| 7978804 | Low power neutron generators A neutron generator and method of constructing the same. The generator includes a grid configured to produce an ionizable gas when heated by electrons impinging thereon. A cathode emits electrons to heat the grid and to collide with produced ionizable gas atoms to g... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7728306 | Neutron logging tool having source and target with deuterium-tritium gas admixture An accelerator-based neutron tool is provided. The tool includes a deuterium-tritium gas mixture such that the tool outputs a desired ratio of 2.45 MeV and 14 MeV neutrons. ... | 06/01/2010 |
| 7711772 | Web-based system and method for electronic data delivery A method for transmitting a plurality of data streams between a client and a server when the number of said data streams exceeds a number of accessible physical connections between the client and the server. The method includes steps for associating each of the data... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7689362 | Determining the impedance of material behind a casing in a borehole A method for estimating an impedance of a material behind a casing wall in a borehole, the method comprises exciting the casing wall with an acoustic pulse, and measuring by means of a transducer an experimental acoustic waveform (W) reflected from the casing wall. ... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7683613 | High pressure/high temperature magnetic resonance tool The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for conducting magnetic resonance measurements on fluids at high pressures and/or high temperatures. The apparatus can be used in conjunction with or as part of a downhole fluid sampling tool to perform NMR m... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7679366 | Selectable tap induction coil An electromagnetic logging tool includes a support configured for disposal in a well; at least one antenna mounted on the support; and a plurality of coils mounted on the support proximate the at least one antenna, wherein the plurality of the coils are configured f... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7678286 | Small droplets recovery system A system for separating an emulsion fluid into a recovered fluid and a purified fluid. The emulsion fluid comprises a continuous phase and a dispersed phase. The purified fluid is essentially constituted of the continuous phase. The system comprises a vessel at an i... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7676344 | Apparatus and method for determining a characteristic ratio and a parameter affecting the characterisitic ratio of a multiphase fluid mixture An apparatus and method is presented for controlling the quality of a mass density measurement of a multiphase fluid mixture including a plurality of fluid fractions and a plurality of constituting elements. The method includes the steps of: submitting a measuring p... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7675287 | Method for estimating formation skin damage from nuclear magnetic resonance measurements A method for determining skin factor of a subsurface rock formation from within a wellbore drilled therethrough includes measuring a nuclear magnetic resonance property of the formation at a plurality of lateral depths therein. The measured nuclear magnetic resonanc... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7673690 | Method and apparatus for dynamic application management in sub-sea well installations A method for updating a software of a sub-sea controller (31) located under the sea level. The sub-sea controller manages a plurality of tools in a sub-sea well. An application module (35) is downloaded into the sub-sea controller. The application modu... | 03/09/2010 |
| 7671597 | Composite encased tool for subsurface measurements A composite encased tool for making subsurface measurements in a borehole traversing a subsurface formation includes a conductive mandrel, a first composite layer wrapped around the conductive mandrel, the first composite layer having one or more slots, a source or ... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7667192 | Thermal neutron porosity from neutron slowing-down length, formation thermal neutron capture cross section, and bulk density A method for determining at least one formation property calculated from neutron measurements acquired with a downhole tool includes emitting neutrons from a source in the tool into the formation, detecting neutrons with at least one detector in the downhole tool, c... | 02/23/2010 |
| 7646480 | Borehole imaging Apparatus for imaging the wall of a borehole drilled through an underground formation, comprising: a light source; an optical detector device such as a CCD camera; a sensor head including a window for application against the wall of the borehole, the light source be... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7644967 | Handling tool for radioactive sources of logging while drilling devices A handling tool (100) for securely handling a radioactive source (204) comprises a first securing device and a second securing device. The first securing device comprises a chamber (103), and an opening mechanism (105, 106) for opening th... | 01/12/2010 |
| 7634059 | Downhole imaging tool utilizing x-ray generator An X-ray downhole imaging tool is provided and includes an X-ray tube capable of operating at least at 50 KeV and emitting at least one hundred micro-amperes of continuous electron current and a radiation detector axially displaced from the X-ray tube, at least part... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7633058 | Hermetically sealed packaging and neutron shielding for scintillation-type radiation detectors A well logging instrument includes a source of high energy neutrons arranged to bombard a formation surrounding the instrument. A scintillator sensitive to gamma radiation resulting from interaction of the high energy neutrons with the formation is disposed in the i... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7619540 | Apparatus and methods for determining isotropic and anisotropic formation resistivity in the presence of invasion A logging tool includes a tool body; a simple transmitter comprising a single antenna disposed on the tool body; four simple receivers, each comprising a single antenna, disposed on the tool body and spaced apart from the simple transmitter to form four arrays; and ... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7617050 | Method for quantifying resistivity and hydrocarbon saturation in thin bed formations A method for estimating hydrocarbon volume in a layered subsurface formation includes determining a vertical resistivity and a horizontal resistivity in the formation. A bound water saturation and a total porosity of individual layers of the formation are determined... | 11/10/2009 |
| 7610961 | Downhole separation of oil and water A well for producing oil from an underground formation, comprises a vertical section extending from the surface to a depth below the oil-producing formation; a sidetrack or perforated interval (production zone) extending from the vertical section into the oil-produc... | 11/03/2009 |
| 7603237 | Method for analyzing data having shared and distinct properties A method to determine formation properties using two or more data sets in which the solutions corresponding to the data sets represent shared and distinct formation properties. The method analyzes the data sets and computes distributions for the shared and distinct ... | 10/13/2009 |
| 7586087 | Methods and apparatus to characterize stock-tank oil during fluid composition analysis Methods and apparatus to characterize stock-tank oil during fluid composition analysis are disclosed. A disclosed example method to characterize a fluid associated with an underground geological formation comprises obtaining a sample of the fluid associated with the... | 09/08/2009 |
| 7581440 | Apparatus and methods to perform downhole measurements associated with subterranean formation evaluation A system for testing a subterranean formation penetrated by a well includes a downhole tool configured to be coupled to a work string that includes a tool body having a longitudinal bore for circulating a fluid and at least one aperture configured to receive at leas... | 09/01/2009 |
| 7578342 | Inflatable packer assembly Conventional formation evaluation with dual inflatable packers includes the steps of pressurizing the packers so as to isolate an annular portion of the borehole wall, collecting one or more samples of formation fluid via the isolated portion of the borehole wall, a... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7566868 | Shielded pads for detecting subsurface radiation phenomena Apparatus and method for detecting subsurface radiation phenomena. An elongated support member, adapted for disposal within a wellbore traversing a subsurface formation, includes a recess along its longitudinal axis. A pad is linked to the support member. The pad is... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7564240 | Method and apparatus for measuring free induction decay signal and its application to composition analysis A method to obtain a free induction decay signal using includes inducing a static magnetic field in a sample volume. A radio frequency (RF) magnetic field is then induced in the sample volume. The RF magnetic field has parameters selected to minimize the contributio... | 07/21/2009 |
| 7546885 | Apparatus and method for obtaining downhole samples A downhole drilling tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation is provided. The tool includes a formation evaluation tool having fixed and retrievable portions. The fixed portion is operatively connected to a drill collar of the downhole to... | 06/16/2009 |
| 7546879 | Flow control device The invention relates to a device for control of the flow through a production tube placed in an oil well. The device comprising a portion of the production tube provided with through orifices and protection equipment for providing resistance to wear by erosion. The... | 06/16/2009 |
| 7538547 | Method and apparatus for integrating NMR data and conventional log data A method to determine one or more properties of a substance in a downhole region of investigation is disclosed. The method includes obtaining NMR measurements from the region of investigation, obtaining at least one additional well log measurement from the region of... | 05/26/2009 |
| 7532983 | Method and apparatus for measuring the wettability of geological formations The invention discloses a method for determining the wettability of an underground formation traversed by a borehole, the method comprising: determining the critical water fraction of the underground formation; determining the critical water fraction of the undergro... | 05/12/2009 |
