Computerized truck instrumentation system

A method for controlling a well logging system to process well logging data which are representative of measurements derived from a well logging tool adapted for use in a well bore transversing earth formations, comprising the steps of:

• moving a well logging tool through a well bore for investigating and measuring selected earth formation characteristics surrounding a well bore and for acquiring data and providing an output representative of said characteristics;
• processing well logging data provided by a well logging tool according to preselected sequences of steps;
• simultaneously receiving first and second signals corresponding to the occurance of first and second events, said first and second events indicative of required processing of said well logging data according to first and second preselected sequences of steps respectively, at least one of said first and second events occurring in response to said output received from said acquiring means;
• stopping said processing of said well logging data according to a third preselected sequence of steps in response to the occurance of either one of said first and second signals;
• determining, according to a preselected priority, the preferred order for processing said well logging data according to said first, second, and third preselected sequence of steps;
• and
• resuming said processing of well logging data according to said first, second, and third preselected sequence of steps in said preferred order.

A method of acquiring and recording, well logging signals which are representative of measurements derived from a well logging tool at a measure point on said tool which is different from a reference point in a well bore traversing earth formations comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a well logging measurement as a data sample representative of a measure point on a well logging tool when said measure point was at a known measurement position in a well bore which is different from a reference point:
• storing said data sample in a storage facility at a storage location indicated by an input location pointer referenced to said known measurement position;
• advancing said input location pointer to a different storage location and repeating said acquiring and storing steps for different known measurement positions of said measure point as said well logging tool moves through said borehole;
• and
• retrieving at a subsequent time one of said stored data samples from the storage location in which it was stored and whose known measurement position then corresponds to the position of said reference point in said well bore, said storing and retrieving occurring independent of said storing such that during any selected time period the number of data samples stored may be different from the number of data samples retrieved.

Apparatus for acquiring well logging data which are representative of measurements derived from a well logging tool at a measure point on said tool which is different from a reference point in a well bore traversing earth formations comprising:

• means for acquiring a well logging measurement as a data sample representative of a measure point on a well logging tool when said measure point was at a known measurement position in a well bore which is different from a reference point;
• means for pointing to an input location in a storage facility referenced to said known measurement position;
• means for storing said data sample in said storage facility at a storage location indicated by said input location pointer;
• means for advancing said input location pointer and causing said acquiring and storage steps to be repeated for different known measurement positions of said measure point in said well bore and corresponding different storage locations in said storage facility;
• and
• means for retrieving at a subsequent time one of said stored data samples whose known measurement position then corresponds to the position of said reference point in said bore hole from the storage location in which it was stored, said means for retrieving operating independent of said means for acquiring, pointing and storing such that during any selected time interval the number of data samples acquired and stored may be different from the number of samples retrieved.

A well logging system for acquiring and processing well logging data which are representative of measurements derived from a well logging tool adapted for use in a well bore traversing earth formations, comprising;

• a well logging tool adapted for movement through a well bore and for investigating and measuring selected earth formation characteristics surrounding a well bore and for acquiring data and providing an output representative of said characteristics;
• means for processing well logging data provided by said well logging tool according to preselected sequences of processing steps;
• means for simultaneously receiving first and second signals corresponding to the occurance of first and second events, said first and second signals indicative of requiring processing of said well logging data according to first and second preselected sequences of steps respectively at least one of said first and second events occurring in response to said output received from said acquiring means;
• means for stopping said processing of well logging data according to a third preselected sequence of steps in response to the occurance of one of said first and second signals;
• means for determining, according to a preselected priority, a preferred order for processing said well logging data according to said first, second, and third preselected sequence of steps;
• and
• means for resuming processing of well logging data according to said first, second, and third preselected sequence of steps in said preferred order.