# US 10,479,455 B2 · Performing geophysical surveys using unmanned tow vessels > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,479,455 B2 - Document ID: US10479455B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/612,131 - Filed: 2017-06-02 - Published: 2018-01-04 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-29 - Assignees: PGS Geophysical AS - Applicants: PGS Geophysical AS - Inventors: Rune Toennessen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479455B2 ## CPC - B63B 35/68: for towing - B63B 21/66: Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables ({paravanes for dragging fishing nets A01K73/02; } salvaging underwater vessels or objects B63C7/00; towed underwater vessels B63G8/42) - G01V 1/201: {Constructional details of seismic cables, e.g. streamers (integrated optoseismic systems G01V1/226; line connectors in general H01R, transducer mountings in general G10K11/004)} - G01V 1/3808: {Seismic data acquisition, e.g. survey design} - G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) - G05D 1/0027: {involving a plurality of vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling (fleet control of land vehicles from a control room G05D1/0297; traffic control systems for road vehicles G08G1/00; for marine craft G08G3/00; for aircraft G08G5/00)} - G05D 1/0206: {specially adapted to water vehicles} - G01V 2001/207: {Buoyancy} - B63B: SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06) - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract Techniques are disclosed relating to towing source elements and geophysical sensors through a body of water using one or more unmanned tow vessel. In some embodiments, a plurality of unmanned tow vessels are configured to tow one or more signal sources and/or one or more streamers. The plurality of unmanned tow vessels may, in some embodiments, traverse various sail paths along a surface of a body of water in order to acquire geophysical data relating to formations disposed below the bottom of the body of water. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a plurality of unmanned tow vessels, including: a first unmanned tow vessel that is configured to tow one or more vibratory source elements but not any streamers; and a second unmanned tow vessel that is configured to tow one or more vibratory source elements and one or more streamers; wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels are configured to: traverse a first sail path in a first formation, wherein the first formation includes a first ordering of the plurality of unmanned tow vessels; while traversing the first sail path in the first formation, actuate at least one vibratory source element within the system and collect first data via at least one streamer within the system; turn toward a subsequent sail path, wherein both the first and second unmanned tow vessels turn toward the subsequent sail path using substantially similar turning radii; traverse the subsequent sail path in a second formation, wherein the second formation includes a second, different ordering of the plurality of unmanned tow vessels; and while traversing the subsequent sail path in the second formation, actuate at least one vibratory source element within the system and collect second data via at least one streamer within the system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels are further configured to: while turning toward the subsequent sail path, actuate at least one vibratory source element within the system and collect third data via the one or more streamers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels are further configured to turn toward the subsequent sail path without actuating at least one vibratory source element within the system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first formation further includes the plurality of unmanned tow vessels arranged in the first ordering in a crossline direction relative to the first sail path, and wherein the second formation further includes the plurality of unmanned tow vessels arranged in the second, different ordering in a crossline direction relative to the subsequent sail path. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the second, different ordering is a mirror image of the first formation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a survey vessel including a communication system, wherein the communication system is configured to remotely control the plurality of unmanned tow vessels to turn toward the subsequent sail path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels are configured to turn toward the subsequent sail path autonomously. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a first subset of the plurality of unmanned tow vessels is configured to tow one or more high-frequency vibratory source elements, wherein a second subset of the plurality of unmanned tow vessels is configured to tow one or more mid-frequency vibratory source elements, and wherein a third subset of the plurality of unmanned tow vessels is configured to tow one or more low-frequency vibratory source elements. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein at least one unmanned tow vessel is an element of both the first subset and the second subset. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein at least one unmanned tow vessel is an element of the first subset, the second subset, and the third subset. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels further includes: a third unmanned tow vessel that is configured to tow at least one streamer but not any vibratory source elements. ### Claim 12 A method, comprising: a plurality of unmanned tow vessels traversing a first sail path in a first formation, wherein the first formation includes a first ordering of the plurality of unmanned tow vessels in a direction perpendicular to the first sail path, and wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels includes: a first unmanned tow vessel that is configured to tow one or more vibratory source elements but not any streamers; and a second unmanned tow vessel that is configured to tow one or more vibratory source elements and one or more streamers; while traversing the first sail path, actuating at least one vibratory source element and collecting first data via at least one streamer; the plurality of unmanned tow vessels turning from the first sail path to a subsequent sail path, wherein both the first and second unmanned tow vessels turn toward the subsequent sail path using substantially similar turning radii; traversing, by the plurality of unmanned tow vessels, the subsequent sail path in a second, different formation, wherein the second, different formation includes a second, different ordering of the plurality of unmanned tow vessels in a direction perpendicular to the subsequent sail path; and while traversing the subsequent sail path, actuating at least one vibratory source element and collecting second data via at least one streamer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the subsequent sail path is a second sail path immediately after the first sail path. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first sail path and the subsequent sail path include a first route and a second route, respectively, in a substantially straight direction along a surface of a body of water. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels are remotely controlled. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: generating geophysical survey data based on the first data and the second data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: storing the geophysical survey data on a geophysical data product. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: importing the geophysical data product into the United States. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of unmanned tow vessels further includes: a third unmanned tow vessel that is configured to tow at least one streamer but not any vibratory source elements.