Three-dimensional presentation of borehole logging data

Claim 1

A method of recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: producing two functions which are out of phase from each other and are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each cycle, varying, as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed, the tones of a trace pattern produced on a display mediuM of a display system, modifying at least one of said functions, applying said two functions, at least one of which has been modified, to said display system to produce an elliptical trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle, and recording a plurality of said trace patterns on a twodimensional medium at successively displaced positions along a given direction whereby a plurality of elliptical trace patterns are recorded to form a helical representation of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 2

A method of recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: producing two functions which are out of phase from each other and are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each cycle, varying, as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed, the tones of a trace pattern produced on a display mediuM of a display system, modifying at least one of said functions, applying said two functions, at least one of which has been modified, to said display system to produce an elliptical trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle, and recording a plurality of said trace patterns on a twodimensional medium at successively displaced positions along a given direction whereby a plurality of elliptical trace patterns are recorded to form a helical representation of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 3

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning operation, comprising: means for producing, on a display medium, a curved trace pattern for each scanning cycle and having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed during each scanning cycle, each trace pattern produced having the same scale, and means for recording a plurality of said trace patterns on a two-dimensional recording medium in the form of a helix to form a representation of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 4

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning operation, comprising: means for producing, on a display medium, a curved trace pattern for each scanning cycle and having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed during each scanning cycle, each trace pattern produced having the same scale, and means for recording a plurality of said trace patterns on a two-dimensional recording medium in the form of a helix to form a representation of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 5

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising: means for producing two functions which are out of phase from each other and are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying one of said functions to one of said deflection means and the other of said functions to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a rotating beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for varying the intensity of said electron beam as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed during said scanning operations for the production, on said medium, of a trace pattern for each scanning cycle and having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed during each scanning cycle, each trace pattern produced having the same scale, and means for recording a plurality of said trace patterns on a two-dimensional recording medium in the form of a helix to form a representation of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 6

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising: means for producing two functions which are out of phase from each other and are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying one of said functions to one of said deflection means and the other of said functions to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a rotating beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for varying the intensity of said electron beam as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed during said scanning operations for the production, on said medium, of a trace pattern for each scanning cycle and having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed during each scanning cycle, each trace pattern produced having the same scale, and means for recording a plurality of said trace patterns on a two-dimensional recording medium in the form of a helix to form a representation of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 7

A method of recording data employing a display system having a display medium and an electron beam producing means, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out from within a borehole angularly around said borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: producing a rotating electron beam sweep for each scanning cycle for controlling the position of the electron beam when ON with respect to said display medium, each rotational electron beam sweep having the same scale, within a predetermined angular portion of each rotational beam sweep, varying the intensity of the electron beam as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed over a corresponding portion of each scanning cycle to cyclically display data, on said medium, within said angular portion, and on a two-dimensional recording medium, recording said displayed data at successively displaced positions along a given direction.

Claim 8

A method of recording data employing a display system having a display medium and an electron beam producing means, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out from within a borehole angularly around said borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: producing a rotating electron beam sweep for each scanning cycle for controlling the position of the electron beam when ON with respect to said display medium, each rotational electron beam sweep having the same scale, within a predetermined angular portion of each rotational beam sweep, varying the intensity of the electron beam as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed over a corresponding portion of each scanning cycle to cyclically display data, on said medium, within said angular portion, and on a two-dimensional recording medium, recording said displayed data at successively displaced positions along a given direction.

Claim 9

A method of recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: producing, on a display medium, an arcuate trace pattern for each scanning cycle and having tones which are a function of tHe subsurface parameters sensed over a corresponding arcuate portion of each scanning cycle, each arcuate trace pattern produced having the same scale, and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns side by side on a two-dimensional recording medium in the form of a portion of a helix to form a representation of a portion of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 10

A method of recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: producing, on a display medium, an arcuate trace pattern for each scanning cycle and having tones which are a function of tHe subsurface parameters sensed over a corresponding arcuate portion of each scanning cycle, each arcuate trace pattern produced having the same scale, and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns side by side on a two-dimensional recording medium in the form of a portion of a helix to form a representation of a portion of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 11

A method of recording data obtained from cyclical operations carried out from within a borehole angularly around said borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: recording a plurality of l-op-shaped trace patterns on a two-dimensional recording medium at successively displaced positions along a given direction to form a representation of the subsurface parameters sensed during a plurality of said scanning cycles, each trace pattern having tones which are a function of the subsurface parameters sensed during each scanning cycle, and intensifying the tones of a predetermined arc of each loop-shaped trace pattern compared to the tones of the remaining portion of each loop-shaped pattern whereby the portion of said representation formed by said arc of each loop-shaped trace pattern has an intensity greater than the remaining portion of said representation.

Claim 12

A method of recording data obtained from cyclical operations carried out from within a borehole angularly around said borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising the steps of: recording a plurality of l-op-shaped trace patterns on a two-dimensional recording medium at successively displaced positions along a given direction to form a representation of the subsurface parameters sensed during a plurality of said scanning cycles, each trace pattern having tones which are a function of the subsurface parameters sensed during each scanning cycle, and intensifying the tones of a predetermined arc of each loop-shaped trace pattern compared to the tones of the remaining portion of each loop-shaped pattern whereby the portion of said representation formed by said arc of each loop-shaped trace pattern has an intensity greater than the remaining portion of said representation.

Claim 13

A method of recording data employing a display system having a display medium and an electron beam producing means, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising the steps of: varying the intensity of the electron beam as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed, sweeping said electron beam when ON to form an arcuate trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle, each arcuate trace pattern having the same scale, and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns side by side on a two-dimensional recording medium to form a representation of a portion of the wall of the borehole, each arcuate trace pattern having tones which are a function of the borehole parameter sensed during each scanning cycle.

Claim 14

A method of recording data employing a display system having a display medium and an electron beam producing means, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising the steps of: varying the intensity of the electron beam as a function of said subsurface parameters sensed, sweeping said electron beam when ON to form an arcuate trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle, each arcuate trace pattern having the same scale, and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns side by side on a two-dimensional recording medium to form a representation of a portion of the wall of the borehole, each arcuate trace pattern having tones which are a function of the borehole parameter sensed during each scanning cycle.

Claim 15

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising: a recording system including display means, means for cyclically producing a pair of different arcuate trace patterns ta and tb on said display means for each scanning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and t b corresponding to arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, of each scanning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and tb having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed over the corresponding arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, during each scanning cycle, and means for recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns ta in side-by-side relationship and for recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns tb in side-by-side relationship to form two portions of a helix representative of separate portions of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 16

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during each scanning cycle, comprising: a recording system including display means, means for cyclically producing a pair of different arcuate trace patterns ta and tb on said display means for each scanning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and t b corresponding to arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, of each scanning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and tb having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed over the corresponding arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, during each scanning cycle, and means for recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns ta in side-by-side relationship and for recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns tb in side-by-side relationship to form two portions of a helix representative of separate portions of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 17

A method of presenting data on display means of a display system, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein signals are produced which are a function of subsurface parameters sensed during said scanning operations, comprising the steps of: applying said signals to said display system for cyclically producing a pair of different arcuate trace patterns ta and tb on said display means for each scaNning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and tb corresponding to arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, of each scanning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and tb having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed over the corresponding arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, during each scanning cycle, and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns ta in side-by-side relationship and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns tb in side-by-side relationship to form two portions of a helix representative of separate portions of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 18

A method of presenting data on display means of a display system, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein signals are produced which are a function of subsurface parameters sensed during said scanning operations, comprising the steps of: applying said signals to said display system for cyclically producing a pair of different arcuate trace patterns ta and tb on said display means for each scaNning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and tb corresponding to arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, of each scanning cycle, said arcuate trace patterns ta and tb having tones which are a function of the borehole parameters sensed over the corresponding arcuate portions sa and sb, respectively, during each scanning cycle, and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns ta in side-by-side relationship and recording a plurality of said arcuate trace patterns tb in side-by-side relationship to form two portions of a helix representative of separate portions of the wall of the borehole.

Claim 19

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out from within a borehole angularly around said borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producing two functions which are out of phase from each other and are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying one of said functions to one of said deflection means and the other of said functions to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a rotating electron beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for applying to said modulating means, signals which are a function of the subsurface parameters sensed, and means for applying one of said functions to said modulating means to control the level of the intensity of the electron beam during a portion of each rotational beam sweep to cyclically display data on said display medium during said portion of each rotational beam sweep.

Claim 20

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out from within a borehole angularly around said borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producing two functions which are out of phase from each other and are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying one of said functions to one of said deflection means and the other of said functions to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a rotating electron beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for applying to said modulating means, signals which are a function of the subsurface parameters sensed, and means for applying one of said functions to said modulating means to control the level of the intensity of the electron beam during a portion of each rotational beam sweep to cyclically display data on said display medium during said portion of each rotational beam sweep.

Claim 22

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producing sin and cos functions representative of the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying said sin function to one of said deflection means and said cos function to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a loop-shaped beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for applying to said modulating means, signals which are a function of the subsurface parameters sensed, and means for applying one of said functions to said modulating means to control the level of the intensity of the electron beam during a portion of each sweep cycle for the production of an arcuate trace pattern on said medium which is a function of said borehole parameters sensed during a corresponding arcuate portion of each scanning cycle.

Claim 23

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producing sin and cos functions representative of the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying said sin function to one of said deflection means and said cos function to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a loop-shaped beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for applying to said modulating means, signals which are a function of the subsurface parameters sensed, and means for applying one of said functions to said modulating means to control the level of the intensity of the electron beam during a portion of each sweep cycle for the production of an arcuate trace pattern on said medium which is a function of said borehole parameters sensed during a corresponding arcuate portion of each scanning cycle.

Claim 25

A system for recording data obtained form cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wAll of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producing sin and cos functions representative of the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying said sin function to one of said deflection means and said cos function to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a loop-shaped beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for applying to said modulating means, signals which are a function of said subsurface signals sensed, means for forming the inverse of one of said functions, and switching means for applying said one of said functions or said inverse of said one of said functions to said modulating means to control the level of the intensity of the electron beam during a portion of each sweep cycle for the production of an arcuate trace pattern on said medium which is a function of said borehole parameter sensed during a corresponding arcuate portion of each scanning cycle.

Claim 26

A system for recording data obtained form cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wAll of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producing sin and cos functions representative of the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each scanning cycle, a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and electron beam modulating means, means for applying said sin function to one of said deflection means and said cos function to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a loop-shaped beam sweep for each scanning cycle, means for applying to said modulating means, signals which are a function of said subsurface signals sensed, means for forming the inverse of one of said functions, and switching means for applying said one of said functions or said inverse of said one of said functions to said modulating means to control the level of the intensity of the electron beam during a portion of each sweep cycle for the production of an arcuate trace pattern on said medium which is a function of said borehole parameter sensed during a corresponding arcuate portion of each scanning cycle.

Claim 27

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein: an energy transmitting and receiving means is rotated in said borehole and operated periodically during each cycle to transmit energy pulses to the borehole wall and to detect energy reflected from said borehole wall, and reflection signals are produced in response to reflected energy detected, said system comprising: a display device having a display medium and including deflection means to control the movement of an electron beam, modulating means for controlling the intensity of said electron beam, means for producing output pulses for each period of operation of said transmitting and receiving means when reflection signals are absent, said output pulses being applied to said modulating means to intensify said electron beam when reflection signals are absent, and control means for applying a control output to said deflection means to produce a predetermined trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle.

Claim 28

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein: an energy transmitting and receiving means is rotated in said borehole and operated periodically during each cycle to transmit energy pulses to the borehole wall and to detect energy reflected from said borehole wall, and reflection signals are produced in response to reflected energy detected, said system comprising: a display device having a display medium and including deflection means to control the movement of an electron beam, modulating means for controlling the intensity of said electron beam, means for producing output pulses for each period of operation of said transmitting and receiving means when reflection signals are absent, said output pulses being applied to said modulating means to intensify said electron beam when reflection signals are absent, and control means for applying a control output to said deflection means to produce a predetermined trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle.

Claim 32

A method of presenting data on a display medium of a display system having an electron beam deflection means and an electron beam modulating means, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein: an energy transmitting and receiving means is rotated in said borehole and operated periodically during each cycle to transmit energy Pulses to the borehole wall and to detect energy reflected from said borehole wall, and reflection signals are produced in response to reflected energy detected, said method comprising the steps of: intensifying said electron beam when said reflection signals are absent from said data, and producing a predetermined electron beam sweep for each scanning cycle to produce a predetermined trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle and having a high intensity representative of the absence of reflection signals from said data.

Claim 33

A method of presenting data on a display medium of a display system having an electron beam deflection means and an electron beam modulating means, said data being obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein: an energy transmitting and receiving means is rotated in said borehole and operated periodically during each cycle to transmit energy Pulses to the borehole wall and to detect energy reflected from said borehole wall, and reflection signals are produced in response to reflected energy detected, said method comprising the steps of: intensifying said electron beam when said reflection signals are absent from said data, and producing a predetermined electron beam sweep for each scanning cycle to produce a predetermined trace pattern on said display medium for each scanning cycle and having a high intensity representative of the absence of reflection signals from said data.

Claim 36

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of the borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein: an energy transmitting and receiving means is rotated in a borehole and operated periodically during each cycle to transmit energy pulses to the borehole wall and to detect energy reflected from said borehole wall, reflection signals are produced in response to reflected energy detected, and orienting pulses are produced each time said transmitting and receiving means passes a predetermined geographic orientation, said system comprising: a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and an electron beam modulating means, means responsive to each orienting pulse produced for generating two out-of-phase waveforms for each scanning cycle, one waveform having a period less than the period between successive orienting pulses to obtain a quiescent interval between successive waveforms, the period of said interval being sufficient to allow a plurality of said reflection signals to occur, the other waveform function having a period substantially equal to the period between successive orienting pulses, means for applying said reflection signals to said modulating means to intensify said beam with said reflection signals, and means for applying one of said waveforms to one of said deflection means and the other of said waveforms to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a loop-shaped beam sweep for each scanning cycle, said interval resulting in said beam sweep being held at a given position during the period of said interval to enhance the production of an intensified spot at said position during each cycle and representative of geographic orientation.

Claim 37

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of the borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein: an energy transmitting and receiving means is rotated in a borehole and operated periodically during each cycle to transmit energy pulses to the borehole wall and to detect energy reflected from said borehole wall, reflection signals are produced in response to reflected energy detected, and orienting pulses are produced each time said transmitting and receiving means passes a predetermined geographic orientation, said system comprising: a display system including two deflection means for controlling the movement of an electron beam with respect to a display medium and an electron beam modulating means, means responsive to each orienting pulse produced for generating two out-of-phase waveforms for each scanning cycle, one waveform having a period less than the period between successive orienting pulses to obtain a quiescent interval between successive waveforms, the period of said interval being sufficient to allow a plurality of said reflection signals to occur, the other waveform function having a period substantially equal to the period between successive orienting pulses, means for applying said reflection signals to said modulating means to intensify said beam with said reflection signals, and means for applying one of said waveforms to one of said deflection means and the other of said waveforms to the other of said deflection means for cyclically producing a loop-shaped beam sweep for each scanning cycle, said interval resulting in said beam sweep being held at a given position during the period of said interval to enhance the production of an intensified spot at said position during each cycle and representative of geographic orientation.

Claim 40

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producinG two out-of-phase functions which are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each cycle, a display system having a display medium capable of displaying color when irradiated with electrons, said system having means for producing two electron beams and two deflection means for deflecting said two electron beams, means for applying to both of said electron beam producing means, signals which are a function of said subsurface parameters sensed, means for applying one of said functions to one of said deflection means and the other of said functions to the other of said deflection means, means for applying said one function to one of said electron beam producing means and the inverse of said one function to the other of said electron beam producing means for the production of a loop-shaped trace pattern for each scanning cycle wherein one half of said trace pattern is of one color and the other half of said trace pattern is of another color.

Claim 41

A system for recording data obtained from cyclic scanning operations carried out angularly around the wall of a borehole at each of a plurality of different depths wherein subsurface parameters are sensed during said scanning operations, comprising: means for producinG two out-of-phase functions which are dependent upon the angular position at which scanning operations are carried out during each cycle, a display system having a display medium capable of displaying color when irradiated with electrons, said system having means for producing two electron beams and two deflection means for deflecting said two electron beams, means for applying to both of said electron beam producing means, signals which are a function of said subsurface parameters sensed, means for applying one of said functions to one of said deflection means and the other of said functions to the other of said deflection means, means for applying said one function to one of said electron beam producing means and the inverse of said one function to the other of said electron beam producing means for the production of a loop-shaped trace pattern for each scanning cycle wherein one half of said trace pattern is of one color and the other half of said trace pattern is of another color.