In a method for synchronizing acoustic asynchronous serial signals while drilling, communication and high-voltage signal isolation between a transmitting terminal and a receiving master control board are realized in an asynchronous serial communication way. The receiving master control board serving as a master control terminal configures parameters for the transmitting terminal in the asynchronous serial communication way and controls the excitation of a sound source. The transmitting terminal is a synchronous sound source excitation signal initiator; signal synchronization is realized under an asynchronous communication condition due to the coordination of the transmitting terminal and the receiving master control board; the transmitting terminal includes a plurality of transmitting boards, and asynchronous serial communication between each of the transmitting boards and the receiving master control board is realized through two data lines R+ and R.

In a method for synchronizing acoustic asynchronous serial signals while drilling, communication and high-voltage signal isolation between a transmitting terminal and a receiving master control board are realized in an asynchronous serial communication way. The receiving master control board serving as a master control terminal configures parameters for the transmitting terminal in the asynchronous serial communication way and controls the excitation of a sound source. The transmitting terminal is a synchronous sound source excitation signal initiator; signal synchronization is realized under an asynchronous communication condition due to the coordination of the transmitting terminal and the receiving master control board; the transmitting terminal includes a plurality of transmitting boards, and asynchronous serial communication between each of the transmitting boards and the receiving master control board is realized through two data lines R+ and R.

A system and method for making time error estimations and time corrections for substantially long deployment times are provided. The system has a low power local oscillator, a power source, a processor, a computer-readable storage medium, a phase meter, a counter circuit, a temperature sensor, and a communication port. Time signal measurements and frequency signal measurements are made at a first time and at a second time, and time-dependent or both time and temperature-dependent time error estimations are generated for interval times between the first time and the second time using a dual-linear estimation technique. A corrected time-tag data set having highly accurate time-tags may then be generated from the time-dependent time error estimation or both the time and the temperature-dependent time error estimation.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a method of correcting recorded seismic data where each receiver clock is potentially inaccurate. Since the seismic wave field is not random, and contains coherent events that are recorded by all receivers in a local area, it is possible to estimate the differences in the time reference by comparing the recordings of different receivers in a local area. With no external time reference, time signal, or pilot trace, an entire seismic data itself can be used to determine how each receiver's clock is drifting from true time.

Systems and methods of optical link communication with seismic data acquisition units are provided. The systems and methods can perform at least portions of seismic data acquisition survey. A plurality of seismic data acquisition units can be deployed on a seabed. An optical communications link can be established between an extraction vehicle and at least one of the seismic data acquisition units. A frequency of the at least one seismic data acquisition unit can be syntonized or synchronized via the optical communications link. The at least one seismic data acquisition unit can be instructed to enter a low power state subsequent to syntonizing the frequency of the at least one seismic data acquisition unit. The seismic data acquisition unit can exit the low power state and acquire seismic data in an operational state.

A method for synchronizing signals among transmitters and receivers of a logging tool positioned in a borehole is provided. Measurement signals generated from operating a transmitter in the borehole are acquired by a receiver. An operating frequency of the receiver is determined by a processing unit. The operating frequency of the receiver is different from an operating frequency of the transmitter. A sampling frequency of the receiver is determined based on the determined operating frequency. A phase delay of the receiver is determined by the processing unit. The acquired measurement signals are adjusted by the processing unit based on the determined sampling frequency and the phase delay of the receiver.

Respective embodiments disclosed herein include methods and apparatuses (1) for surveying a mine bench or other material body using at least seismic data obtained via geophone and measurement module data synchronized via a wireless link; (2) for generating hyperspectral panoramic imaging data of a blast hole or other borehole; or (3) for allowing a neural network to facilitate a differential blast design that targets a first bench part more weakly than the differential blast design targets a second bench part (along the same mine bench) at least partly based on data indicative of a much higher concentration of a valuable material in the second bench part than in the first.

Systems and methods of performing a seismic survey in a marine environment are provided. The system includes a seismic data acquisition unit disposed on a seabed in the marine environment. The seismic data acquisition unit includes a local pressure sensor, an optical transmitter and an optical receiver to determine one or more pressure values. The system includes an extraction vehicle including a reference pressure sensor, an optical transmitter, and an optical receiver to establish an optical communications link with the seismic data acquisition unit, and generate reference pressure data. The system includes at least one of the local pressure sensor and the one or more pressure values calibrated based on the reference pressure data generated by the extraction vehicle.

Methods and systems for minimizing RMS travel time error in a seismic data acquisition. Field measurements of source and receiver coordinates, speed of sound in water as a function of depth and time, receiver timing, and clock drift are first collected. The seismic data is then examined to measure travel time from each source to each receiver. A model travel time is computed based on the field measurements. By iteratively perturbing at least one of the field measured data using a look-up table and calculating the travel time after each perturbation until an acceptable RMS error has been achieved, conditioned seismic data that takes into account the dynamic nature of the water column will provide the basis for creating an accurate seismic map that is unaffected by the changing water conditions.

In some examples, a sensor node comprises a sensor to measure survey data of a target structure. The sensor node receives a wireless synchronization signal, and synchronizes an operation of the sensor node based on the wireless synchronization signal.