Control and monitoring of devices external to a marine seismic streamer
AssigneeSyntron, Inc.
InventorLoring C. Chien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique and a system provide control and monitoring of devices external to a marine seismic streamer by segmenting the conductor to which the external devices are coupled. The module which connects sections of the seismic data telemetry cable is modified to include a switch. The switch is controlled by a command signal on the seismic data telemetry cable to segment the twisted pair bus into a plurality of dedicated busses, each dedicated to a subset of the external devices, such as one or two such devices. In this way, the external devices can be communicated with in parallel, rather than in series as in conventional systems.
Claims18
A system to control and monitor external devices external to a seismic cable behind a vessel and wherein each of the devices is connected to the cable through an associated magnetic coil coupling, the system comprising:
- a. a plurality of seismic data telemetry conductors, each of the plurality of seismic data telemetry conductors comprising
- i. a command line outbound from the vessel, and
- ii. a data transmission line inbound toward the vessel;
- b. a plurality of modules, with one of the plurality of modules between each of the plurality of data telemetry conductors;
- c. a plurality of control conductors, each control conductor providing control to one of a plurality of devices external to the seismic cable, wherein each of the plurality of control conductors is coupled to an associated module;
- and
- d. a switch in each of the plurality of modules to selectively connect one of the plurality of control conductors to an associated data telemetry conductor.
A method of controlling an external device external to a seismic cable, the external device connected to the cable through an associated magnetic coil coupling, the cable having a seismic data telemetry cable and a control conductor in communication with the seismic data telemetry cable, comprising the steps of:
- a. selectively and reversibly segmenting the control conductor to isolate the external device from all other external devices external to and electrically coupled to the seismic cable;
- and
- b. sending a command signal to the external device through the seismic data telemetry cable.
A system for controlling a device external to a seismic cable having a seismic data telemetry cable and a control conductor in communication with the seismic data telemetry cable, the system comprising:
- a. a segmented control conductor which isolates the device from other devices external to and electrically coupled to the seismic cable;
- and
- b. means for conducting a command signal to the external device from the seismic data telemetry cable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.