Multi-channel acoustic receiver for acoustic communication network
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsYann DUFOUR, Fernando GARCIA-OSUNA, Arnaud CROUX, Arnaud JARROT, Benoit DEVILLE, Gloria CHOI
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Abstract
A wireless communications system includes a network of acoustic modems for communicating messages between downhole equipment and a surface control and telemetry system. The acoustic modems include multi-channel acoustic receivers that are uniquely deployed along an acoustic transmission medium to provide spatial diversity. Acoustic signals received on the multiple receiver channels are combined and filtered using a Bayesian-type filter to reduce noise.
Claims20
A method of communicating in an acoustic communication system that comprises a plurality of acoustic modems that exchange messages on an acoustic communications medium deployed in a borehole, comprising:
- transmitting, by a first acoustic modem, an acoustic signal to transmit a message on the acoustic communication medium deployed in the borehole;
- receiving, by a second acoustic modem, the acoustic signal on a plurality of receiver channels, wherein each receiver channel comprises an acoustic sensor, and wherein the plurality of receiver channels are deployed along the acoustic communications medium in a manner to provide spatial diversity;
- and
- combining the acoustic signal received on the plurality of receiver channels to reconstruct the message, wherein combining comprises filtering noise from the acoustic signal.
A system for performing a downhole operation in a wellbore, the system comprising:
- a control and telemetry system to control and monitor a downhole operation;
- downhole equipment located in the wellbore to observe a parameter of interest associated with the downhole operation;
- and
- first and second acoustic modems coupled to an acoustic transmission medium at respective locations extending between the control and telemetry system and the downhole equipment,
- wherein the first acoustic modem transmits an acoustic signal carrying telemetry information from the downhole equipment, and wherein the second acoustic modem receives the acoustic signal on a plurality of receiver channels, wherein each receiver channel comprises an acoustic sensor deployed at a unique location and/or with a unique orientation along the acoustic transmission medium in order to provide spatial diversity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.