# US 2014/0153362 A1 · Method and system of geophysical surveys in marine environments

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2014/0153362 A1
- Document ID: US20140153362A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/691,946
- Filed: 2012-12-03
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03
- Assignees: PGS Geophysical AS
- Applicants: Pgs Geophysical AS
- Inventors: Stig Rune Lennart TENGHAMN
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153362A1

## CPC

- G01V 1/3852: {to the seabed}
- 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 1/202: {Connectors, e.g. for force, signal or power}
- G01V 1/3808: {Seismic data acquisition, e.g. survey design}
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

Geophysical surveys in marine environments. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: attaching a first sensor module to a sensor cable having an outer jacket, the first sensor module electrically isolated from an electrical conductor disposed within the outer jacket of the sensor cable; attaching a second sensor module to the sensor cable, the second sensor module electrically isolated from an electrical conductor disposed within the outer jacket of the sensor cable; placing the sensor cable and the sensor modules onto a sea floor; communicating with the sensor modules by way of the electrical conductor disposed within the outer jacket; collecting geophysical data by the first and second sensor modules while the sensor cable is on the sea floor; and downloading to a computer system geophysical data from the first and second sensor modules.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
attaching a first sensor module to a sensor cable having an outer jacket, the first sensor module electrically isolated from an electrical conductor disposed within the outer jacket of the sensor cable;
attaching a second sensor module to the sensor cable, the second sensor module electrically isolated from an electrical conductor disposed within the outer jacket of the sensor cable;
placing the sensor cable and the sensor modules onto a sea floor;
communicating with the sensor modules by way of the electrical conductor disposed within the outer jacket;
collecting geophysical data by the first and second sensor modules while the sensor cable is on the sea floor; and
downloading to a computer system geophysical data from the first and second sensor modules.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein attaching the first sensor module further comprises connecting the first sensor module such that at least a portion of the first sensor module abuts and circumscribes the outer jacket.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein downloading further comprises communicating at least a portion of the geophysical data to the computer system by way of the electrical conductor while the sensor cable is disposed on the sea floor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3 wherein downloading further comprises:
retrieving the sensor cable from the sea floor; and
downloading at least a portion of the geophysical data from the first sensor module through a communication port of the first sensor module; and
downloading at least a portion of the geophysical data from the second sensor module through a communication port of the second sensor module.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein downloading further comprises:
retrieving the sensor cable from the sea floor; and
downloading geophysical data from the first sensor module through a communication port of the first sensor module; and
downloading geophysical data from the second sensor module through a communication port of the second sensor module.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein attaching the first sensor module further comprises attaching the first sensor module at a location on the sensor cable where the outside diameter of the outer jacket is uniform.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 where attaching the first sensor module further comprises attaching the first sensor module at a location on the sensor cable where the outer jacket is continuous along an axial length of the sensor cable.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein communicating further comprising sending a command to begin recording geophysical data, the sending at least in part over the electrical conductor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein communicating further comprises sending a time reference over the electrical conductor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the geophysical data comprises at least one data type selected from the group consisting of: seismic data, electromagnetic data, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 11

A system comprising:
a sensor cable comprising:
an outer jacket, the outer jacket defining an interior volume; and
a first electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume;
a first sensor module comprising:
a coupling member configured to be releasably coupled to the outer jacket of the sensor cable;
a sensor coupled to the coupling member; and
a control circuit communicatively coupled to the sensor, the control circuit configured to be electrically isolated from the first electrical conductor, and the control circuit configured to be communicatively coupled to the first electrical conductor when the coupling member is coupled to the outer jacket.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the coupling member further comprises:
a base portion;
a lid portion;
a latch member configured to couple the lid portion to the base portion;
a passage through the first sensor module defined by the base portion and lid portion, the passage defining an inside diameter configured to mate with an outside diameter of the outer jacket;
wherein the coupling member configured to abut the outer jacket of the sensor cable.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 wherein the coupling member is configured to circumscribe the outer jacket of the sensor cable.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 wherein the coupling member further comprises a hinge coupled between the base portion and the lid portion, the hinge disposed opposite the latch member.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the first sensor module further comprises:
an interior volume defined by the first sensor module;
a second electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume of the first sensor module;
a magnetic material disposed around the second electrical conductor within the interior volume of the first sensor module, the magnetic material configured to direct magnetic flux created around the second electrical conductor toward first electrical conductor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the first sensor module further comprises:
an interior volume;
a second electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume of the first sensor module;
a magnetic material disposed around the second electrical conductor within the interior volume of the first sensor module, the magnetic material configured to direct magnetic field created around the first electrical conductor toward the second electrical conductor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11:
wherein the sensor cable further comprises a second electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume;
wherein the first sensor module further comprises:
an interior volume;
a third electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume of the first sensor module;
a first magnetic material disposed around the third electrical conductor within the interior volume of the first sensor module, the first magnetic material configured to direct magnetic flux created around the second electrical conductor toward first electrical conductor;
a fourth electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume of the first sensor module; and
a second magnetic material disposed around the third electrical conductor within the interior volume of the first sensor module, the magnetic material configured to direct magnetic flux created around the second electrical conductor toward second electrical conductor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuit further comprises:
a communication module configured to exchange data communication with the first electrical conductor;
a processor coupled to the communication module;
a memory coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
begin collecting and storing data from the sensor upon a first command communicated along the first electrical conductor and received from the communication module; and
cease collecting data from the sensor upon a second command communicated along the first electrical conductor and received from the communication module.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuit further comprises:
a communication module configured to exchange data communication with the first electrical conductor;
a processor coupled to the communication module;
a memory coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
receive a time reference, the time reference communicated along the first electrical conductor and received from the communication module; and
update a time reference maintained by the control circuit.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuit further comprises:
a communication module configured to exchange data communication with the first electrical conductor;
a processor coupled to the communication module;
a memory coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to send portions of data collected from the sensor through the communication module, the sending along the first electrical conductor.

### Claim 21 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 further comprising a communication port coupled to the control circuit, the first sensor module configured to enable access to the communication port when the sensor module is in a non-submerged state.

### Claim 22 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: geophones, hydrophones, accelerometers, electrodes, magnetometers, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 23

A sensor module comprising:
a base portion configured to be releasably coupled to an outer jacket of a sensor cable, the base portion defining an interior volume;
a sensor disposed within the interior volume;
a passage defined, at least in part, by the base portion, the passage defining an inside diameter configured to mate with an outside diameter of the outer jacket; and
a control circuit communicatively coupled to the sensor, the control circuit configured to be electrically isolated from electrical conductors of the sensor cable, and the control circuit configured to be communicatively coupled to at least one electrical conductor within the sensor cable when the base portion is coupled to the outer jacket.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 further comprising:
a lid portion; and
a latch member configured to couple the lid portion to the base portion;
wherein the base portion and lid portion are configured to circumscribe the outer jacket of the sensor cable.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein the sensor module further comprising:
a first electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume;
a magnetic material disposed around the first electrical conductor within the interior volume, the magnetic material configured to direct magnetic flux created around the first electrical conductor toward an electrical conductor within the sensor cable.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein further comprising:
a first electrical conductor disposed within the interior volume;
a magnetic material disposed around the first electrical conductor within the interior volume, the magnetic material configured to direct magnetic field created around the first electrical conductor toward an electrical conductor within the sensor cable.

### Claim 27 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein the control circuit further comprises:
a communication module configured to exchange data communications with an electrical conductor within the sensor cable;
a processor coupled to the communication module;
a memory coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
begin collecting and storing data from the sensor upon a first command communicated along the electrical conductor of the sensor cable and received from the communication module; and
cease collecting data from the sensor upon a second command communicated along the electrical conductor of the sensor cable and received from the communication module.

### Claim 28 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein the control circuit further comprises:
a communication module configured to exchange data communication with an electrical conductor within the sensor cable;
a processor coupled to the communication module;
a memory coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
receive a time reference, the time reference communicated along the electrical conductor of the sensor cable and received from the communication module; and
update a time reference maintained by the control circuit.

### Claim 29 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein the control circuit further comprises:
a communication module configured to exchange data communication with an electrical conductor of the sensor cable;
a processor coupled to the communication module;
a memory coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory storing a program that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to send portions of data collected from the sensor through the communication module, the sending along the electrical conductor of the sensor cable.

### Claim 30 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 further comprising a communication port coupled to the control circuit, the base portion configured to enable access to the communication port when the sensor module is in a non-submerged state.

### Claim 31 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein the sensor comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of: geophones, hydrophones, accelerometers, electrodes, magnetometers, and any combination thereof.