# US 4,398,272 A · Computerized truck instrumentation system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,398,272 A - Document ID: US4398272A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/158,258 - Filed: 1980-06-10 - Granted: 1983-08-09 - Earliest claimed: 1972-05-04 - Assignees: Schlumberger Technology Corporation - Inventors: Elbert E. Sibert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398272A ## CPC - G01V 1/44: using generators and receivers in the same well (G01V1/52 takes precedence) - G01V 3/38: Processing data, e.g. for analysis, for interpretation, for correction - G01V 11/00: Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V1/00 - G01V9/00 - 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 In a representative embodiment of the invention described herein, a well logging system for investigating subsurface formations is controlled by a general purpose computer programmed for real-time operation. The system is cooperatively arranged to provide for all aspects of a well logging operation, such as data acquisition and processing, tool control, information or data storage, and data presentation as a well logging tool is moved through a wellbore. The computer controlling the system is programmed to provide for data acquisition and tool control commands in direct response to asynchronous real-time external events. Such real-time external events may occur, for example, as a result of movement of the logging tool over a selected depth interval, or in response to requests or commands directed to the system by the well logging engineer by means of keyboard input. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of acquiring and recording well logging signals which are representative of measurements derived from a well logging tool in a well bore traversing earth formations at a measure point on said well logging tool which is different from a preselected recording point, comprising the steps of: acquiring depth data representative of a predetermined distance being traversed by said measure point on said well logging tool which is reference to a known location in a well bore; acquiring data samples of said well logging signals in response to preselected multiples of said depth data having been acquired, said data samples being derived at a measure point which is located on said well logging tool at a preselected distance from said preselected recording point; storing a data sample of said well logging signal at a predetermined location in a storage system, said storage location referenced to said measure point on said well logging tool being at a known location in said well bore; and retrieving said stored data in response to a preselected sequence of steps to provide said stored data from said predetermined storage location at a time subsequent to and independent of the time of said acquiring and storing steps such that said stored data is available for recording on a recording medium at a recording location representative of said preselected recording point being at said known location in said well bore, and such that during any selected time interval the number of data samples acquired and stored may be different from the number of samples retrieved for recording. ### Claim 2 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said processing includes initiating the transmission of data associated with the operation of the well logging tool to said tool in response to one of said first and second events. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said step of processing of data includes the step of storing said well logging data utilizing a storing medium. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said step of processing of data includes the step of displaying said well logging data on a display device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said, first and second events occur in response to well logging depth information. ### Claim 7 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. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein said storage location whose known measurement position corresponds to the position of said reference point is indicated by an output location pointer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 and further including the step of advancing said output location pointer in conjunction with said retrieval. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein said output location pointer may indicate a different storage location in said storage facility than said input location pointer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the difference in the number of storage locations indicated between said input and output location pointers is permitted to vary. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said variation provides for varying the number of stored samples between said known measure point and said reference point. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein said advancing of said input location pointer is substantially independent of said advancing of said output location pointer thereby temporarily providing independent rates of input and output. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein said reference point corresponds to a measure point on said tool for a different measurement than the stored and retrieved measurement wherein said different measurement and said stored and retrieved measurement correspond to the same position in a borehole and therefore may be recorded at substantially the same time. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for retrieving includes a means for indicating the storage location whose known measurement position corresponds to the position of said reference point. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for retrieving includes a means for advancing said means for indicating the storage location corresponding to said reference point in conjunction with said retrieval and operating substantially independent of said means for advancing said input location pointer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the number of stored data samples as indicated by the difference between said input location pointer and the indication of the storage location whose known measurement position corresponds to said reference point is permitted to vary by said independent operation of said means for retrieving and said means for acquiring, pointing ans storing. ### Claim 19 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. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The well logging system of claim 19, and further including a storage medium, and means for writing said well logging data on said storage medium and retrieving said well logging data from said storage medium.