An improved endoscopic device which is introduced into the intestinal tract of a living organism and which operates autonomously therein, adapted to obtain and store or transmit one or more types of data such as visual image data, laser autofluorescence data, or ultrasonic waveform data. In another aspect of the invention, an improved endoscopic device useful for implanting the aforementioned endoscopic smart probe is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for delivering agents including nanostructures, radionuclides, medication, and ligands is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for obtaining a biopsy of intestinal tissue is disclosed. In another aspect of the invention, apparatus for detecting the presence of one or more molecular species within the intestine is disclosed. Methods for inspecting and/or treating the interior regions of the intestinal tract using the aforementioned apparatus are also disclosed.

Endoscopic smart probe and method

A work station computer system (54) and its associated method and program storage device (58) stores a novel software package known as "Variance Cube". The computer system is responsive to a plurality of seismic signals (42) propagating through a cubic volume of an earth formation (44) for generating a cube, representing the cubic volume of earth, where the cube includes a plurality of seismic data samples (42) and each seismic data sample has a corresponding variance value (60) assigned thereto. The computer system also generates time slice map (60) representing one or more slices through the cube, each map including a plurality of variance values representing geologic features, and each variance value defined as the degree to which an amplitude of each seismic data sample in the cube at a particular reflection time varies about an average amplitude.

Seismic signal processing method and apparatus for generating a cube of variance values

A signal interpretation engine apparatus and method are disclosed as including a computer programmed to run a feature expansion module, a weight table module, a consolidation module, and a map generation module. The feature expansion module contains feature operators for operating on a signal to expand the signal to form a feature map of feature segments. Each feature segment corresponds to a unique representation of the signal created by a feature operator from the signal across an epoch. An epoch corresponds to an event within a time segment. A consolidation module applies aggregators to consolidate the inner products or superposition segments into a distribution function representing an attribute over a domain reflecting a selected weight table, aggregator, and event type, corresponding to each value of the attribute.

Signal interpretation engine

This invention discloses a method for rapid visual exploration of a volume of seismic data which does not require horizon picking or editing and yet displays all horizons with their stratigraphic features and lithologic variations in 3-D motion on a color graphics workstation. Seismic data is processed to generate multiple attributes at each event, location of a specified phase of the seismic trace, within the 3-D survey volume. Subsets of multiple attributes are interactively selected, thresholded and combined with one out of a suite of mathematical operators into a scalar function which is mapped onto a user selected color spectrum. Three dimensional features, where geological structure and stratigraphic compartments, including those that cannot be detected with conventional techniques, automatically emerge in the 3-D volume as the composition of attributes in the subset, threshold limits of attributes or the mathematical form of operator is interactively varied. By manipulating attribute volume on a graphical workstation, a user visually recognizes bodies of potential hydrocarbon reservoirs, isolates them, identifies their location, and builds a 3-D reservoir model from their structural, stratigraphic and lithologic variations.

Method for multi-attribute identification of structure and stratigraphy in a volume of seismic data

A distributed temperature sensor is deployed in a wellbore and is functionally connected to a processor. The processor receives the data from the distributed temperature sensor and automatically processes the data to highlight valuable information to the user relating to the relevant well, completion, or reservoir. In one embodiment, the distributed temperature sensor and processor are utilized in a well containing a gas-lift system, wherein the processor highlights valuable information to the user pertaining to the gas-lift system. A well model enabled by the processor enables the determination of a produced fluid flow rate in the well having a gas lift system. Temperatures are measured within the well to obtain a temperature profile, and this profile is processed according to the well model. The well model relates thermal characteristics, e.g. thermal decay and/or amplitude of a thermal discontinuity at an injection point, to flow rate. The flow rate determined from the thermal characteristics is used to optimize production from the well.

System and Method to Interpret Distributed Temperature Sensor Data and to Determine a Flow Rate in a Well

A method and associated apparatus for generating time slice maps and/or horizon maps, representative of a time slice or a horizon in an earth formation that is subject to a seismic operation, in response to received seismic data includes the steps of: (a) cross correlating a plurality of seismic traces from the seismic data and a corresponding plurality of quadrature traces associated, respectively, with the plurality of seismic traces to obtain a corresponding plurality of cross correlation functions "Q(τ)", (b) obtaining a plurality of particular values from the plurality of cross correlation functions "Q(τ)", at least one particular value being obtained from each cross correlation function, and (c) assigning the plurality of particular values to a respective plurality of reflection points on a map, each particular value being assigned to a different one of the reflection points, thereby constructing the time slice map and/or the horizon map. The particular value could be either a quadrature correlation coefficient (QCC), or a time lag (TL), or a sum of a normalized quadrature correlation coefficient and a normalized time lag (QCCn +TLn).

Seismic signal processing method and apparatus for generating time slice or horizon maps in response to seismic traces and quadrature traces to determine geologic features

Formation tops correlation is interpreted between sampled log curves by a weighted combination of covariance, the ratio of standard deviation, and the ratio of summed amplitude. This covariance function is computed and evaluated appropriately for the geologic environment over a sliding analysis window. Correlations are determined for any number of wells and any number of events in each well. Geologic rules are used to establish a parameter for the algorithm operation and for the analysis of the resulting function. The geologic rules include bounding guide horizons, sequence rules, and a covariance cutoff parameter. Bounding horizons are picked from pre-existing seismic or geologic interpretations and from map grids. The rule set includes onlap, truncated, conformable, and unstructured sequence definitions. Additional geologic complexity such as crossover, repeat sections, and inverted sections are accommodated by the rule set. Back-correlation for cross-over sections and loop-tying for map interpretation are performed for validation.

Interpreting formation tops

A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing a large plurality of displayed data points of recorded spatial data to determine and display trends created by different sets of the data points within the recorded spatial data. An analysis operator interactively uses an onscreen graphic tool (10-45) called a widget to set trend search parameters after studying the displayed data points, and uses a pop-up menue (17-93) to set other search and display parameters for the trend search. The onscreen graphic tool permits the user to easily see on-screen, and manually set, search parameters indicating the direction of a search (12-67) from a user selected starting point, how far each step of a search will be performed for adjacent data points in a fault line, within what angle the search (16-88) will be performed on either side of the user indicated search direction, and if trend searches being performed are in one or both directions from the user selected starting point in the recorded spatial data.

Apparatus and method for trend analysis in graphical information involving spatial data

A Semi-Variogram is generated by taking the Fourier Transform of ‘spatial data in the space domain’ thereby producing a frequency domain representation of the spatial data having a DC component (equivalent to a mean of the spatial data), removing the DC component to produce the frequency domain representation of the spatial data with zero mean (FFT), computing the complex conjugate of FFT (FFT*), complex multiplying FFT and FFT* to produce a complex product, taking the inverse Fourier Transform of the complex product to produce a space domain representation of the complex product (IFFT), and subtracting IFFT from the zero lag covariance to generate a Semi-Variogram. This Abstract is given for the sole purpose of allowing a patent searcher to easily determine the content of the disclosure in this specification.

Frequency domain variogram computation and mapping

An operator sitting at a workstation (110) views, on a display, a multitude of seismic traces having one or more horizons indicated therein by a plurality of set of events (such as peaks or troughs or zero crossings) (78) on the seismic traces. The operator uses a mouse (120) to draw a line from left to right across a plurality of seismic traces being displayed (110b) on the workstation display screen (110b). At this point, the line does not lie on the events (such as the peaks) (188) of the seismic traces. Therefore, the line does not yet represent a horizon (62) in an earth formation. The operator pressing of this key, the workstation processor executes a (110) snapped software (116) in accordance with the present invention. When the snapped software (116) of the present invention is executed, the line, previously drawn by the operator (110b) across the seismic traces on the workstation (110) display screen, moves from one location (124), not corresponding to the events (such as the peaks) of the seismic traces, to another location, not corresponding to the events (such as the peaks) of the seismic traces.

Bemmel Peter P. Van

Papers

Seismic signal processing method and apparatus for generating time slice or horizon maps in response to seismic traces and quadrature traces to determine geologic features

Interpreting formation tops

Apparatus and method for trend analysis in graphical information involving spatial data

Frequency domain variogram computation and mapping

Apparatus and method for accurately determining the location of events such as peaks in seismic data