U.S. patent number 3,742,443 [Application Number 05/058,378] was granted by the patent office on 1973-06-26 for apparatus for improving signal-to-noise ratio in logging-while-drilling system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Mobil Oil Corporation. Invention is credited to Manus R. Foster, Bobbie J. Patton.
United States Patent |
3,742,443 |
Foster , et al. |
June 26, 1973 |
APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO IN
LOGGING-WHILE-DRILLING SYSTEM
Abstract
The specification discloses a method and apparatus for
substantially reducing the uphole noise in a logging-while-drilling
system wherein a signal representative of a downhole parameter is
generated down a well and is transmitted to the surface in the form
of an acoustical wave in the drilling fluid, e.g., mud. Two spaced
transducers measure the acoustical pressure at two points in the
mudline between the pumps and the well and convert these pressures
to corresponding signals. One of these signals is time shifted an
amount equal to the travel time of sound in the mud between the two
transducers and, after one of these signals has had its polarity
reversed, the two signals are added to reduce the uphole noise
substantially. By filtering one of the pressure measurement signals
with a filter having characteristics related to the distortion of
the flow path between the two spaced transducers, noise is further
reduced. The combined signals are further filtered with a Wiener
type filter which best recovers the signal.
Inventors: |
Foster; Manus R. (Irving,
TX), Patton; Bobbie J. (Dallas, TX) |
Assignee: |
Mobil Oil Corporation (New
York, NY)
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Family
ID: |
22016438 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/058,378 |
Filed: |
July 27, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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884441 |
Dec 12, 1969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
367/83 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B
47/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E21B
47/18 (20060101); E21B 47/12 (20060101); G01v
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/18LD,18P,18NC
;181/.5F,.5R,.5AP |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Borchelt; Benjamin A.
Assistant Examiner: Birmiel; H. A.
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 884,441,
filed Dec. 12, 1969, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of substantially reducing uphole noise from a downhole
signal in a logging-while-drilling system where said downhole
signal is in the form of acoustical waves being transmitted in the
drilling fluid of said system, said method comprising:
measuring the acoustical pressure in the drilling fluid at a first
point and at a second point, respectively, and converting both
pressure measurements to corresponding electrical pressure
measurement signals, said first and second points being spaced from
each other along the drilling fluid path between a source of
drilling fluid and a well in which said downhole signal is
originating;
filtering one of said electrical pressure measurement signals with
a filter A(.omega.) having characteristics related to the
distortion of the flow path between said two spaced points;
time shifting said one of the electrical pressure measurement
signals by an amount corresponding with the travel time of sound in
said drilling fluid from one of said points to the other; and
combining said time-shifted, electrical pressure measurement signal
with the other said electrical pressure measurement signal to
reduce substantially the uphole noise therein.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of combining said
electrical pressure measurement signals to reduce said accoustical
noise substantially includes:
generating an output signal representative of the difference
between said time-shifted, electrical pressure measurement signal
and said other electrical pressure measurement signal.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of combining said
electrical pressure measurement signals to reduce said acoustical
noise substantially includes:
reversing the polarity of said time-shifted, electrical pressure
measurement signal; and
adding said polarity-reversed and time-shifted, electrical pressure
measurement signal and said other electrical pressure measurement
signal.
4. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein:
said first and second points are spaced from each other at a
distance approximately equal to a quarter wavelength of the sound
wave in the drilling fluid.
5. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said time shifting step is
carried out by:
filtering said one electrical pressure measurement signal with a
filter - e.sup..sup.-i.sup..omega..sup..tau. where:
.omega. is the frequency of the desired acoustic signal, and
.tau. is the travel time of sound between said two spaced
points.
6. The method recited in claim 5 further comprising:
filtering the combined pressure measurement signals with a filter
##SPC2## 15/4
7. In a logging-while-drilling system wherein a downhole signal
representative of a downhole parameter is transmitted to the
surface in the form of an acoustical wave in the drilling fluid of
the system, apparatus for substantially reducing the uphole noise
from said downhole signal comprising:
conduit means for conducting drilling fluid from a source to the
well in which the downhole signal is originating;
a first transducer means at a first point on said conduit means for
measuring the acoustical pressure at said first point and for
converting said pressure into a corresponding electrical pressure
measurement signal;
a second transducer means at a second point on said conduit means,
spaced from said first point, for measuring said acoustical
pressure at said second point and for converting said pressure into
a corresponding electrical pressure measurement signal;
means for filtering one of said electrical measurement signals with
a filter A(.omega.) having characteristics related to the
distortion of said conduit means between said two spaced
points;
means for time shifting said filtered electrical pressure
measurement signal by an amount corresponding with the travel time
of sound in said drilling fluid from one of said transducer means
to said other transducer means; and
means for generating an output signal representative of the
difference between said time-shifted, electrical pressure
measurement signal and the other said electrical pressure
measurement signal.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for generating an
output signal representative of the difference between said
electrical pressure measurement signals comprises:
means for reversing the polarity of said time-shifted, pressure
measurement signal; and
adding means for summing said polarity-reversed and time-shifted
electrical pressure measurement signal and said other electrical
pressure measurement signal.
9. The apparatus set forth in claim 7 wherein:
said first and second transducer means are spaced from each other
at a distance equal to a quarter wavelength of the sound wave in
the drilling fluid.
10. In a logging-while-drilling system wherein a downhole signal is
transmitted to the surface in the form of an acoustical wave in the
drilling fluid of the system, apparatus for substantially reducing
uphole noise from said downhole signal comprising:
conduit means for conducting drilling fluid from a source to the
well in which the downhole signal is originating;
a first transducer means at a first point on said conduit means for
measuring the acoustical pressure at said first point and for
converting said pressure into a corresponding electrical pressure
measurement signal;
a second transducer means at a second point on said conduit means,
spaced from said first point, for measuring said acoustical
pressure at said second point and for converting said pressure into
a corresponding electrical pressure measurement signal;
amplifier means having a gain control for matching the outputs of
said first and second transducers when uphole noise but no downhole
signal is present in said conduit means;
means for processing said electrical pressure measurement signals
to time shift one of said electrical pressure measurement signals
relative to the other of said electrical pressure measurement
signals by an amount corresponding with the travel time of sound in
said drilling fluid from one of said transducer means to said other
transducer means so that the uphole noise component in each of said
electrical pressure measurement signals are in phase with each
other;
means for further processing said electrical pressure measurement
signals to shift the uphole noise components of said signals
relative to each other so that said noise components are
180.degree. out of phase with each other; and
means for combining said further processed electrical pressure
measurement signals to generate an output signal from which said
uphole noise components have been effectively cancelled.
11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein:
said first and second transducer means are spaced from each other
at a distance equal to a quarter wavelength of the sound wave in
the drilling fluid.
12. In a logging-while-drilling system wherein a downhole signal is
transmitted to the surface in the form of an acoustical wave in the
drilling fluid of the system, apparatus for substantially reducing
the uphole noise in said drilling fluid which would normally
interfere with said downhole signal comprising:
conduit means for conducting drilling fluid from a source to the
well in which the downhole signal is originating;
a first transducer means at a first point on said conduit means for
measuring the acoustical pressure at said point and for converting
said pressure into a corresponding electrical signal;
a second transducer means at a second point on said conduit means,
spaced from said first point, for measuring said acoustical
pressure at said second point and for converting said pressure into
a corresponding electrical pressure measurement signal;
an amplifier having an input and an output, said input of said
amplifier connected to said first transducer, said amplifier
further having a gain control for matching the outputs of said
first and second transducers when uphole noise but no downhole
signal is present in said conduit means;
means for summing electrical signals having at least two inputs and
an output;
means connecting said output of said amplifier to one of said
inputs of said summing means;
means for time shifting said electrical pressure measurement signal
from said second transducer by an amount corresponding with the
travel time of sound in said drilling fluid from one of said
transducer means to said other transducer means so that the noise
components of each signal are in phase with each other;
means for reversing the polarity of said time-shifted electrical
pressure measurement signal so that the noise component of said
time-shifted signal is 180.degree. out of phase with the noise
component of said other signal; and
means for connecting the output of said polarity reversing means to
another of said inputs of said summing means to cancel said noise
components.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to telemetry of signals in a fluid system
and more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for
reducing certain uphole noise from a downhole signal in a
logging-while-drilling system.
The desirability of a system which is able to measure downhole
drilling parameters and/or formation characteristics and transmit
them to the surface while actual drilling is being carried out has
long been recognized. Several such systems have been proposed and
are commonly referred to as "logging-while-drilling" systems. In
logging-while-drilling systems, one of the major problems exists in
finding a means for telemetering the information concerning the
desired parameter from a downhole location to the surface and have
it arrive in a meaningful condition.
In this regard, it has been proposed to telemeter the desired
information by means of a continuous pressure wave signal generated
in and carried through the mud system normally associated with
rotary drilling operations. The pressure wave signal which is
representative of a particular parameter is generated in the mud
near the bit by a generating means and the wave travels up the hole
through the mud to a signal detector at the surface. One
logging-while-drilling system utilizing this technique of telemetry
is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,656 to John K. Godbey, issued
Mar. 14, 1967.
However, systems utilizing the circulating mud as a medium for
telemetry have obvious difficulties in that any extraneous
vibrations, shocks, etc. of the drilling equipment or the like
normally impart unwanted pressure waves or "noise" to the mud which
may seriously distort the desired signal being transmitted in the
mud at that time. This noise may be generally classified as either
downhole noise, i.e., noise traveling upward from its downhole
source, or uphole noise, i.e., noise traveling downward from its
uphole source. Both "uphole" and "downhole" noises in the mud
affect a signal being transmitted through the mud and both must be
considered in the final processing of the signal. The present
invention involves the treatment of a transmitted signal to remove
or reduce the uphole noise therefrom.
Filtering to separate signals from noise has become a widely used
technique. The Wiener optimum filter theory has been used in the
recovery of seismic signals for example "Design of Suboptimum
Filter Systems for Multitrace Seismic Data Processing," Foster,
Sengbush and Watson, Geophysical Prospecting, Vol. XII, No. 2,
1964, pages 173-191, discusses optimum filtering for seismic
signals in which there is no distortion in the propagation path.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,980 Foster discusses a well logging problem
involving a special form of distortion. The present invention
involves the filtering of logging while drilling signals in a
manner similar to that discussed in these references.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for
eliminating or substantially reducing distortion in a downhole
signal being transmitted in the drilling mud in a
logging-while-drilling system where the distortion is due to noise
generated by uphole equipment, e.g., surges in the mud due to the
mud pumps. In carrying out the present invention, two transducers
are spaced along the line leading from the mud pumps to the swivel
of a normal drilling rig. Each of the transducers measures the
pressure of the mud in the line at that particular point and
converts the pressure to a corresponding signal. One signal is then
time shifted with respect to the other signal by a time equal to
that required for the signal to travel through the mudline from the
one transducer to the other. It should be recognized that the
signal being measured at each transducer is both the desired signal
coming from downhole and the noise generated by the uphole
equipment upstream of the transducers. Normally, there will be
downhole noise in the desired signal but since the present
invention is not directed to the treatment of downhole noise, this
noise will be considered as part of the desired signal.
The time-shifted signal is then inverted to reverse its polarity or
to effectively change its sign and is then added to the other
signal. The summed signal remaining after the addition of the two
signals effectively cancels the noise and leaves two signal
components each representative of the desired signal with one
component time shifted from the other. The summed signal is
recorded for further processing, the latter forming no part of the
present invention. In accordance with one aspect of the present
invention, the spacing of the transducers is such that after the
signals are added, the two remaining signal components are in phase
so the resulting signal is representative of twice the amplitude of
the desired signal.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention compensation is
made for the distortion which is present in the flow path between
the two transducers. In order to do this one of the pressure
measurement signals is filtered with a filter having
characteristics related to this distortion. Then, when the two
signals are added, a better cancellation of noise is obtained
because both signals have been distorted in the same manner. That
is, one is distorted by the distortion present in the system and
the other is artificially distorted by the filter.
In carrying out the invention, individual filters, one related to
the distortion in the flow path between the two transducers and one
producing the required time shift, are applied to the two signals.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the two
individual filters just referred to are especially simple. This is
accomplished by filtering the combined signal with a third filter
which recovers the desired signal.
The actual construction, operation, and apparent advantages of the
invention will be better understood by referring to the drawings in
which like numerals identify like parts and in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a rotary drilling apparatus including
a logging-while-drilling system in which the present invention is
utilized;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged and more detailed view of the present
invention as applied in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3 and 4 depict idealized waveforms helpful in the
understanding of the present invention and
FIG. 5 depicts an improved filtering arrangement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 discloses the
present invention in connection with rotary drilling apparatus
having a logging-while-drilling system incorporated therein. A
derrick 21 is disposed over a well 22 being formed in the earth 23
by rotary drilling. A drill string 24 is suspended within the well
and has a drill bit 27 at its lower end and a kelly 28 at its upper
end. A rotary table 29 cooperates with kelly 28 to rotate string 24
and bit 27. A swivel 33 is attached to the upper end of kelly 28
which in turn is supported by hook 32 from a traveling block (not
shown). This arrangement not only supports the drill string 24 in
an operable position within well 22 but also forms a rotary
connection between the source of circulating drilling fluid, such
as mud, and the drill string 24. It should be understood that "mud"
as used throughout this disclosure is intended to cover those
fluids normally used in rotary drilling operations.
The pump 36 transfers drilling mud from a source such as pit 34
through desurger 37 into mudline 38. Desurger 37 is adapted to
reduce the pulsating effect of pump 36 as is well known in the art.
The mud flows through mudline 38, flexible hose 39, swivel 33,
drill string 24, and exits through openings (not shown) in drill
bit 27 to pass outwardly into well 22. The mud then circulates
upward carrying drill cuttings with it through the annulus between
the well and drill string 24 to the surface of the earth 23. At the
surface, well head 41 is secured to casing 39 which is cemented in
the well 22. Pipe 42 is connected to casing 39 for returning the
mud to pit 34.
As schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, a logging and signal
generating means 46 is located in the lower end of drill string 24
near bit 27. Means 46 is preferably of the type fully disclosed and
described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,656 to John K. Godbey, but it
should be understood that means 46 could be of any type which
senses a downhole condition and generates a signal representative
of that condition, be it analog or digital. Since the details of
means 46 form no part of the present invention, only a brief
description of means 46 will be set forth.
Transducer means, shown schematically at 47, senses a downhole
condition, e.g., differential pressure across bit 27, and converts
it to a corresponding electrical signal. This electrical signal in
turn is applied to control circuitry 48 which allows current from
electric power source 49 to drive variable speed motor 50 at a
speed determined by the value of the electrical signal. Motor 50 is
coupled to rotary valve 52 by shaft 51 so valve 52 will rotate at a
set speed determined by the speed of motor 50. Valve 52 will
interrupt flow of mud therethrough in such a manner that a pressure
wave signal representative of the sensed condition will be
generated in the mud. This signal then travels up through the mud
in drill string 24 and is detected at the surface. For a more
complete description of both the construction and operation of the
described means 46, reference should be made to above-mentioned
U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,656. Again, it is pointed out that the above
description of means 46 is for illustrative purposes only and other
types of sensing and signal generating means could be used in the
present invention without departing therefrom.
In a system such as described above, difficulties in telemetering a
meaningful signal from the downhole generating means to the surface
occur due to "noise" normally present in the circulating fluid.
This noise results from unwanted vibrations imparted to the mud
from both downhole and uphole sources. Since the present invention
is directed to the reduction of uphole noise, any downhole noise
that may be present will be considered as part of the desired
downhole signal in the present description.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, in accordance with the present
invention, two transducers A and B are spaced from each other along
mudline 38 at a distance d. It should be recognized that the length
d of mudline 38 should be as smooth as possible to reduce friction
loss and should be free of right angle turns and obstructions which
may distort the measured signal in the mud as it passes between A
and B. Transducer A, which may be of any commercially available
type, measures the pressure in the mud at that point in mudline 38
and converts this pressure into a corresponding electrical signal
which can be expressed as a function of a reference time t or as
f.sub.A (t). Transducer B which is of the same type as transducer A
also measures the pressure in the mud at B's position and converts
it into a signal that can be expressed as f.sub.B (t) if the
outputs of the two transducers are matched. If they are not
matched, as is most often the case, the signal from transducer B is
fed through an equalizing circuitry means such as an amplifier 60
having a gain control represented by knob 60a. The outputs of the
two transducers may be matched by flowing a known fluid through
mudline 38 and generating a known signal therein and then matching
the signal from one transducer to the signal received from the
other by adjusting the gain control on amplifier 60. After the
outputs of the two transducers are matched, the uphole noise, n(t),
can be substantially reduced as follows.
Using transducer B as a reference point, the signal f.sub.B (t) at
B after it has been equalized through amplifier 60, will be equal
to the uphole noise at time t plus the downhole signal at time t,
the latter being what is wished to be recovered. This relationship
may be expressed as:
f.sub.B (t) = s(t) + n(t) (1)
where:
s(t) = desired downhole signal at time t,
n(t) = uphole noise at time t.
The signal f.sub.A (t) at transducer A, will have the same
components, i.e., downhole signal plus uphole noise, but both
components will vary as a function of time. The downhole signal,
s(t), at A has to travel a distance d from B before it is received
at A while the uphole noise, n(t), is received at A at a time
before it is received at B. The actual time involved may be
expressed as d/V where V is the velocity of sound in the particular
mud present in mudline 38. Therefore, the signal f.sub.A (t),
remembering that B is the reference point, may be expressed as:
f.sub.A (t) = s(t - d/V) +n(t + d/V). (2)
to align f.sub.A (t) and f.sub.B (t), f.sub.A (t) is applied to a
time shift means 61 to shift the signal f.sub.A (t) for a time
-.tau.. Means 61 has been schematically illustrated as a rotating
magnetic recording drum 62 on which the recording head 63 is spaced
from the readout head 63aso that the output may be delayed from the
input by the desired time .tau.. Other means may be used for
delaying or time shifting f.sub.A (t), e.g., electrical delay lines
(if delays are short enough) or digital computers, where f.sub.A
(t) is digitized and the output of the computer lags the input by
the desired time .tau.. The signal, f.sub.A (t), after it has been
time shifted a value of -.tau., will appear as:
f.sub.A (t - .tau.) = s(t - d/V - .tau.) + n(t + d/V - .tau.) .
(3)
this signal is then applied to a polarity reversing network means
63b, e.g., voltage amplifier having a gain of one, to effectively
reverse its sign. This inverted signal is then applied to input 64a
of summing circuitry means 64. Signal f.sub.B (t) is applied to
input 64b of means 64 and the resulting summed signal is taken from
output 65 of means 64. This summed signal may be expressed as:
f.sub.B (t) - f.sub.A (t - .tau.) = s(t) + n(t) - s(t - d/V -
.tau.) - n(t + d/V - .tau.) (4)
by design, the time shift .tau. is chosen to equal the time of
travel for a signal across d or d/V. Various techniques can be used
to find the value of .tau. which is equal to d/V. The travel time
between detectors can be measured for the immediate conditions
giving .tau. directly. Also by knowing d from direct measurement
and either calculating V from mud properties or measuring V, d/V
can be calculated. Substituting .tau. for d/V in equation (4) and
simplifying, the uphole noise signal, n(t), drops out or is
effectively canceled and there remains:
f.sub.B (t) - f.sub.A (t - .tau.) = s(t) - s(t - 2.tau. ). (5)
Two signal components remain, s(t) and a time shifted signal -s(t -
2.tau.), which may be recorded on recording means 66 or directed to
other circuitry (not shown) for further processing. It should be
recognized that there may be several methods of processing these
components to retrieve s(t) but these methods form no part of the
present invention since the present invention is directed to the
reduction of uphole noise which is accomplished when the summed
signal is obtained at output 65 of summing means 64. However, in
accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the required
processing of the summed signal may be simplified.
In logging-while-drilling systems such as described above, the
transmitted signal is a sinusoid which makes the component -s(t -
2.tau.) the same as component s(t) with a phase shift determined by
both the time shift -2.tau. and the minus sign. If the length d of
mudline 38 is selected to equal .lambda./4 where .lambda. is the
wavelength of the signal, the 2.tau. shift is a phase shift of
approximately 180.degree. and the minus sign is another
180.degree., making component -s(t - 2.tau.) approximately in phase
with s(t). Consequently, s(t) - s(t - 2.tau.) .apprxeq. 2s(t) for
the range of frequencies for which d is approximately a quarter
wavelength.
As stated above, the present invention is directed to substantially
reducing the uphole noise which occurs in the drilling fluid on the
pump side of transducer A. This invention is unconcerned with noise
which occurs in the drilling fluid on the downhole side of
transducer B and treats it as part of the signal being transmitted
from a downhole location. FIG. 3 discloses an idealized signal
waveform as it might look at either of the two transducers A or B.
This signal at either A or B would be comprised of both the
downhole signal and the uphole noise. The waveform in FIG. 4
represents an idealized waveform which would theoretically
represent the downhole signal having little or no uphole noise
after the downhole signal was processed in accordance with the
present invention. This signal represented in FIG. 4 may still need
to be processed further to retrieve the actual signal being
transmitted by the downhole logging means. However, it should be
evident by eliminating or substantially reducing the uphole noise,
especially that caused by pump 36, that the present invention
provides a much improved signal for such further processing.
The foregoing was a description of what may be considered a
specialized case. There will now be presented a more generalized
description of the invention. Note that in the foregoing
description both signal and noise were referenced to transducer B.
In the following description it is more convenient to reference the
signal to transducer B and the noise to transducer A.
In what has been previously discussed, it was assumed that there
was no distortion between the transducers A and B. In actual
practice there will be distortion. Because of this distortion, the
cancellation of the noise when the two signals are summed is not as
good as it might otherwise be. In accordance with an important
aspect of this invention, the distortion in the mudline 38 is
compensated by filtering one of the pressure measurement signals
with a filter having characteristics related to the distortion of
the flow path between the transducers A and B. Then, when the one
pressure measurement signal is added to the other pressure
measurement signal a more complete cancellation of noise is
obtained.
Referring to FIG. 5, the output of the transducer A is shown being
applied to the filter 67 and the output of this filter is applied
to the filter 68. The filter 68 performs the time shifting function
previously described with reference to the magnetic drum 62 in FIG.
2. As is well understood by those skilled in the art of digital
filtering, the time shifting is described by the function
-e.sup..sup.-i.sup..omega..sup..tau. where e is the Naperian
logarithm base, i is the imaginary number .sqroot.-1 , .omega. is
the frequency of the desired acoustic signal and .tau. is the
travel time of sound between the transducers A and B.
The signal and noise traveling through the mudline 38 is between
transducers A and B are further distorted by the characteristics of
the mudline. The nature of this distortion is easily determined.
For example, a theoretical calculation of the distortion can be
made from the known diameter and length of the pipe and the known
acoustical transmission properties of the fluid. Alternatively, an
experimental determination of the distortion can be made by
applying a controlled frequency acoustical signal to the pipe and
observing the amplitude shift and phase shift of the signal after
travel through the pipe. The characteristics of this distortion are
denoted A(.omega.). As indicated by the filter 67 in FIG. 5, the
output from the transducer A is filtered to introduce this
distortion into that output. Again, those familiar with the
principles of digital filtering will understand the manner in which
the output from the transducer A is filtered to produce this
result. Since the same distortion A(.omega.) has been introduced
into the output from transducer A by the filter 67 and into the
output from the transducer B by travel through the mudline 38, the
two output when added, as indicated at 69, will produce a better
cancellation of noise.
In accordance with an important aspect of this invention, filters
67 and 58 are extremely simple filters. However, it is apparent
that filtering in this manner introduces a further processing type
of distortion into the combined signal. In order to remove this,
the summation signal is applied to a further filter 70.
The filter 70 has the characteristics ##SPC1## 10/4
Filtering in this manner results in the optimum retrieval of signal
from noise and also allows filtering with relatively simple
filters. That the filter 70 does remove the processing distortion
can be shown by the following mathematical description of the
processes involved.
Consider first the time domain. The output at transducer A is given
by:
F.sub.A (t) = a(t) * s(t - .tau.) + n(t) (1)
In the foregoing, a(t) is the time domain representation of the
distortion introduced by the mudline 38. That is, a(t) is the time
domain transform of A(.OMEGA.). The asterisk sign (*) indicates
convolution or filtering as is conventional. As described by
equation (1) the signal s(t) delayed by an amount .tau. by travel
through the pipe 38 is further distorted by filtering with the
distortion filter a(t).
The output at the transducer B is given by:
F.sub.B (t) = s(t) + a(t) * n(t - .tau.) (2)
In Equation (2) it is the noise n(t) which has been delayed by
.tau. and distorted by filtering with the distortion a(t). When the
output of the transducer A is filtered by the filter 67, the
resultant signal is described by:
F.sub.A (t) * a(t) = a(t) * a(t) * s(t - .tau.) + a(t) * n(t)
(3)
When the signal at transducer A is further filtered with the filter
68, the result is described as:
F.sub.A * a(t) * (-e.sup..sup.-i.sup..omega..sup..tau.) =
-a(t) * a(t) * s(t - 2.tau.) - a(t) * n(t -.tau.) (4)
The summation, that is, the signal produced at the output of summer
69, is given by:
F.sub.B (t) + F.sub.A (t) * a(t) *
(-e.sup..sup.-i.sup..omega..sup..tau.) =
s(t) - a(t) * a(t) * s(t - 2.tau.) (5)
This can be rewritten as:
F.sub.B (t) + F.sub.A (t) * a(t) * (-e.sup..sup.-
i.sup..omega..sup..tau.)
= [1 - a(t) * a(t) * (e.sup..sup.- 2i.sup..omega..sup..tau.)] *
s(t) (6)
In the foregoing [e.sup..sup.- i.sup..omega..sup..tau. * s(t)] is
merely the desired signal with a phase shift .tau.. The expression
1 - a(t) * a(t) * (e.sup.-.sup.2i.sup..omega..sup..tau.) is the
distortion which must be removed by the filter 70. The frequency
domain transform of the distortion filter is
1 -A(.omega. ).sup.2 e.sup. .sup.-2i.sup..omega..sup..tau. (7)
Therefore the filter 70 has the inverse of the characteristics
defined in Equation (7) in order to remove this distortion.
* * * * *