Speed-Adjustable Model Navigation for Geological Exploration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Navigating large geological models is cumbersome due to the need to manually traverse regions of varying interest, where low-information areas require significant manual navigation, hindering efficient exploration of features and anomalies.
Innovation Solution
A speed-adjustable model navigation system that includes a model engine and a speed tool, allowing users to set speed curves based on pixel or voxel brightness, intensity, or color, enabling faster traversal through less interesting regions and slower exploration of more interesting areas, using a histogram to control cursor movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual navigation is used to traverse the geological model, then the user can explore all regions in detail, but the navigation process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the navigation speed variable rather than constant. The cursor speed dynamically adjusts based on the information content of the regions being traversed - moving faster through low-information areas and slower through high-information areas, thereby resolving the contradiction between exploration accuracy and navigation time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of different regions within the geological model. Instead of uniform navigation speed, the system assigns different speeds to different regions based on their information content, allowing detailed exploration where needed while quickly passing through less important areas
2Reliability
If the user manually navigates through large graphical ranges, then complete coverage is achieved, but the process is inconvenient and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the navigation system to automatically adjust its own behavior based on the model's information distribution. The speed tool autonomously determines appropriate navigation speeds for different regions without requiring continuous manual intervention, improving convenience while maintaining coverage completeness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the navigation speed parameter based on the characteristics of different regions. The system changes the speed parameter dynamically according to information content metrics, making navigation more convenient while ensuring complete coverage through adaptive parameter adjustment
3Device complexity
If uniform speed navigation is used, then the navigation process is simple, but regions of interest cannot be explored more efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing the information content of different regions before navigation begins. This preliminary analysis enables the speed tool to automatically determine appropriate speeds for each region, achieving high exploration efficiency without complicating the actual navigation control interface
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for speed-adjustable model navigation are provided. In aspects, a model platform includes a model engine and a speed tool that operates with the model engine to generate a graphical view of a geological model. Various features of the geological object may be encoded or reflected in the geological model, including the composition, pressure, temperate, structure, fracture lines, and other aspects of a hydrocarbon deposit, cavity, or other geological structure. The user may operate the speed tool to examine the histogram of color or intensity of the pixels or voxels of regions of the model view, and set a speed curve to control how quickly or slowly a cursor or other control may move through or traverse a region, based on the color, intensity, or other value. Regions of interest may be explored more efficiently and accurately.