Did You Know...
...that the Slinky toy was the result of a failed attempt by engineer Richard James to produce an antivibration device for ship instruments? His goal was to develop a spring that would instantaneously counterbalance the wave motion that rocks a ship at sea. Instead, he developed the Slinky.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8154956 | Marine acoustic source operation Data is collected from the integral timing sensor of a marine acoustic source such as an airgun, typically used for seismic measurements. Artefacts in the firing data are used to monitor the firing pressure and optionally the correct functioning of the marine acoust... | 04/10/2012 |
| 7518953 | Method for detecting air gun faults in a marine seismic source array A method for determining a fault in a seismic air gun includes comparing a near field seismic signal measured during operation of the air gun to a reference near field signal and determining the existence of a fault in the air gun when a difference between the measu... | 04/14/2009 |
| 7466630 | Method for monitoring performance of marine seismic air gun arrays A method for characterizing function of an air gun includes measuring, with respect to time, a parameter related to pressure in a charge chamber portion of the air gun. The measurements with respect to time are used to characterize the function of the air gun. ... | 12/16/2008 |
| 7414920 | Acoustic generator for distance sounding with microphone designed for efficient echo detection In the oil industry, the acoustic sounding method is a well-known technique for taking the depth measurements of particular attributes of an oil well or borehole. The method involves sending a short, sharp, clear, loud bang sound down a borehole, normally between th... | 08/19/2008 |
| 7397729 | Acoustic generator for distance sounding with a new and novel portal structure for the efficient firing of the pressure chamber In the oil industry, the acoustic sounding method is a well-known technique for taking the depth measurements of particular attributes of an oil well or borehole. The method involves sending a short, sharp, clear, loud bang sound down a borehole and recording the ec... | 07/08/2008 |
| 7379391 | Marine seismic air gun timing A method for controlling timing error in the firing of an idle seismic air gun comprises the steps of identifying an acceptable range of seismic air gun timing error, and identifying a relationship between seismic air gun timing error and an idle period preceding a ... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7359282 | Methods and apparatus of source control for borehole seismic A method and apparatus for controlling seismic sources. The method and apparatus enable firing of a seismic sources at either a precise time or a precise position of the seismic source. Controlling the firing of the seismic source facilitates more accurate seismic d... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7349292 | Increased effective aperture for receive arrays A sonar dome having an acoustic array housed therein. A plurality of bubbles are generated within the fluid inside the sonar dome. The generated bubbles are of an amount and size to reduce the speed of sound within the sonar dome fluid. Reduction of the speed of sou... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7339852 | Seismic acquisition system A seismic acquisition system comprising a remote-controlled buoy for conducting seismic acquisition operations. The buoy comprises an operating system for operating a seismic wave production device on the buoy, a placement system, a communications system, and dynami... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7321527 | Method and apparatus for controlling the acoustic output of an airgun A device including a housing defining a first chamber and a port formed through the housing. A shuttle flange moveably positioned within the first chamber. The shuttle flange moves during a gas-release cycle between i) a closed position blocking the port, and ii) an... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7317662 | Gas projection device sometimes with a burst disk, producing loud sonic report and smoke plume Gas Projection Device that can take many external forms that simulate military munitions being exploded and that contain features that enhance the sound of the explosion and the appearance of smoke and attendant percussion. Such device can be controlled by many diff... | 01/08/2008 |
| 7301852 | Methods of generating directional low frequency acoustic signals and reflected signal detection enhancements for seismic while drilling applications The present invention provides a method and apparatus for using an acoustic logging tool conveyed in a borehole in an earth formation for determining a characteristic of the formation. The method comprises using a first acoustic source for generating an acoustic sig... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7295491 | High impact communication and control system A system and method in accordance with the invention communicator remotely with remotely controllable down hole tools in a well bore at a drilling installation. At the surface, high energy pressure impulses directed into the tubing or the annulus, or both, being at ... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7269099 | Air gun A seismic air gun includes an operating chamber, a firing chamber, a port, and a longitudinally disposed cavity sized and shaped to accept a plurality of wires. A moveable shuttle includes a shuttle flange within the operating chamber at one end and a firing shuttle... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7228934 | Acoustic generator for distance sounding with a firing mechanism independent of the pressure equilibration force In the oil industry, the acoustic sounding method is a well-known technique for taking the depth measurements of particular attributes of an oil well or borehole. The method involves sending a short, sharp, clear, loud bang sound down a borehole, normally between th... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7216738 | Acoustic stimulation method with axial driver actuating moment arms on tines A method for generating acoustic waves, the method having the steps of: extending a tine from a support structure so that a proximal end of the tine is attached to the support structure and a distal end of the tine is uninhibited; positioning an oscillator so as to ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7218572 | Method of seismic source monitoring using modeled source signatures with calibration functions Physical parameters are measured for an array of seismic sources, preferably for each activation of the seismic sources. Calibration functions are obtained and the measured physical parameters and calibration functions are applied to a model, which generates a calib... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7213681 | Acoustic stimulation tool with axial driver actuating moment arms on tines An apparatus for generating acoustic waves, the apparatus having: a support structure; two tines extending from the support structure so that proximal ends of the two tines are attached to the support structure so that distal ends of the two tines are positioned wit... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7178626 | Method of seismic evaluation of subterranean strata A method of conducting seismic evaluation of a subterranean formation wherein a rigid, elongate member having a first end and a second end is positioned such that the first end of the elongate member is at a point on the earth's surface, imparting an impulsive force... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7069922 | Paintball marker internal reset system An internal reset system for paint ball markers. A hammer body as modified rearwardly to include an axial opening to receivably retain the forward head of a reset rod. The forward portion of the reset rod is thus free to reciprocate within the axial opening, but res... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7042803 | Marine seismic source towing apparatus and method A marine acoustic source system has relativley densely packed energy sources arrayed in a tandem-like fashion along a horizontal plane. Preferably, a longitudinal axis of each source lies orthogonal to a pre-determined towing direction. The system includes protectiv... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7017432 | Hydraulic and electric umbilical connection for an inspection vehicle for inspecting a liquid-filled tank An umbilical connection for use in a hazardous environment like a floating roof storage tank has one or more hydraulic hoses, one or more electrical cables or a combination thereof. Each hydraulic hose has a static dissipative and abrasion resistant covering. Each e... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7016261 | Deep penetrating focused array Disclosed herein is a single point seismic system comprising an array of air guns disposed within a frame. The array includes a cluster of air guns on one of its ends and a reduction in chamber size of the air guns along the length of the array. On the end of the ar... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6961284 | Source array for use in marine seismic exploration A staggered vertical marine seismic source contains upper and lower arrays (10, 11) of emitters of seismic energy (S11, S12; S21, S22). The upper array (10) is horizontally displaced relative to the lower array (11). The source is used in a mari... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6873571 | Digital air gun source controller apparatus and control method An in-water distributed control system for use in marine seismic survey. The system includes a shipboard interface and power supply coupled to an in-water subsystem via a high bandwidth communication link. The in-water subsystem includes a remote control module for ... | 03/29/2005 |
| 6870795 | Acoustic source array system module for underwater operation which can be installed on a motorized boat A small boat or launch such as a motorized reinforced hull inflatable boat provides a platform for an acoustic source array of airguns. The array is made up as a ladder structure in which the airguns are disposed horizontally between vertical support and umbilical l... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6788618 | Method and apparatus for marine source diagnostics A graphical user interface (GUI) and control system for controlling and testing an acoustic source. The control system includes real-time data processing of individual source near-field measured signatures and synthesis of array far-field signatures. The control sys... | 09/07/2004 |
| 6639873 | Marine seismic source A marine seismic source consists of one or more airguns (1) suspended from a float (2). A supply harness (5) is provided to supply compressed air and electrical control signals to the airguns. The airgun is mounted such that the harness (5) is below the p... | 10/28/2003 |
| 6571906 | Underwater sound mitigation system for explosive testing A sound mitigation system and method reduce the transmission of acoustic output from explosions underwater. The system is submerged to bottom terrain of a body of water and has at a series of gas-generating devices providing volumes of gas that are fed to... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6570820 | Pressure balanced inertia solenoid valve The present invention provides a pressure-balanced inertial valve assembly for use in marine seismic energy sources such as air guns. The valve includes a poppet having a first seal and a second seal. A pressure chamber containing a fluid under pressure c... | 05/27/2003 |
| 6470997 | Apparatus and method for eliminating electrical noise in the fire detect timing signal of an air gun The invention describes an air gun for use in a marine seismic system. The air gun includes a gun body and shuttle that define a chamber containing a compressed supply of gas. The air gun is further designed to release the compressed gas so that the relea... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6376767 | Air gun cable In a cable with a pneumatic hose, a sheath (9) encloses the hose and conductor elements (6) which are disposed between the sheath (9) and the hose. A layer of compressible material (5) is disposed between the conductor elements (6) and the hose.... | 04/23/2002 |
| 6286612 | Shutoff valve for marine acoustic generator A valving system is disclosed which generally comprises a body including an inlet and an outlet where the inlet is disposed in fluid communication with a fluid flow passage and the outlet is disposed in fluid communication with a pressurized fluid member,... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6185156 | Underwater acoustic impulse source An acoustic transmission in an underwater environment having a spectrum (amplitude/frequency signature) of interest is generated by cyclically releasing energy which forms impulses which individually have spectral amplitudes principally near one end of th... | 02/06/2001 |
| 6089345 | Elastic wave exploration tool for wells A well tool in accordance with the invention comprises an attenuation device which attenuates tube waves associated with an elastic wave emission and/or reception set (1, 12). The attenuation device comprises a bubble generator (2) which releases into the... | 07/18/2000 |
| 6072750 | Method for producing seismic pulses The method involves using an acoustic wave generating apparatus, such as an "air gun", which employs only a single gas or single gas mixture and which has a gas pressurizable chamber with an inlet for permitting pressurized gas to be introduced into the c... | 06/06/2000 |
| 6044038 | Marine seismic cable system A marine seismic cable system for marine surveying comprises an electrical conductor within a tubing for conveying compressed air and electricity between a seismic vessel and equipment such as air guns. The tubing resists elongation caused by water drag f... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6026056 | Method and apparatus for reducing the effect of rough sea surface conditions on marine seismic sources A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a multiple-element marine seismic pulse generating source in rough sea surface conditions. The method first determines the shape of the path along which the elements are traveling at the point in tim... | 02/15/2000 |
| 5999491 | Low frequency underwater sound source An acoustic generating system is described incorporating a bubble generator (1) for forming pressurised gas bubbles and directing the bubbles in a plume from an outlet (7), and a low frequency sound source (2) to apply a varying pressure to the base of th... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5995452 | System for generating and transmitting acoustic signals underwater An array system, which provides a unipolar acoustic impulse with a broad spectral response underwater, utilizes a vertical array of airgun or electrical spark sources whose individual peak source strengths are essentially constant over the array length, b... | 11/30/1999 |
