Ocean Bottom Seismic Station Cable Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ocean bottom seismic (OBS) cable arrays face challenges due to the size and weight of sensor stations, which cause stress and limit flexibility during deployment, and require frequent splicing of data transmission cables, increasing costs and reducing reliability.
Innovation Solution
The design of sensor stations with a housing for various sensor components, including a base plate with flexible tapered end portions to manage strength elements and reduce noise, and a biasing member to decouple from the cable during deployment, allowing excess data transmission members to be connected without cutting, thereby minimizing splices and enhancing reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sensor stations are made larger to accommodate more components, then sensor integration capability is improved, but cable flexibility and ease of deployment deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the sensor station components inside a cable that passes through the station housing. The cable is routed through the housing structure, allowing the sensor station to be integrated along the cable length without requiring large external mounting structures, thus maintaining cable flexibility while accommodating sensor components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional side-mounted sensor station configuration to a through-cable configuration where the cable passes through the housing. This dimensional change allows the sensor station to be integrated in the longitudinal dimension of the cable rather than as a lateral attachment, improving cable flexibility and ease of deployment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If data transmission cables are cut and spliced at each sensor station, then sensor integration is improved, but assembly time and cost increase while reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the cable with integrated sensor components during manufacturing. The cable is designed with built-in sensor stations at predetermined locations, eliminating the need for field cutting and splicing operations. This preliminary integration significantly reduces assembly time and improves reliability by avoiding multiple connection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the cable and sensor station into a single integrated structure. Instead of separate cable and sensor components that require connection, the sensor stations are integrated along the cable length, combining multiple functions into a unified system that reduces assembly complexity and improves reliability.
3Strength
If sensor stations are made larger to accommodate strength elements, then cable strength is improved, but device weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by integrating strength elements within the cable structure that passes through the sensor station housing. The strength elements are contained within the cable rather than being external components, which maintains cable strength while minimizing the weight and volume of the sensor station housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating strength elements only at critical locations within the cable structure. The cable is designed with enhanced strength properties at specific segments where sensor stations are located, rather than uniformly increasing the strength of the entire cable system, thus optimizing weight distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for cable termination and sensor integration at a sensor station within an ocean bottom seismic (OBS) cable array are disclosed. The sensor stations include a housing for various sensor components. Additionally, the sensor stations can accommodate an excess length of any data transmission members which may not be cut at the sensor station while enabling connection of one or more cut data transmission members with the sensor components. The sensor stations further manage any strength elements of the cable array.