1. A method for determining and recording the cementation and the saturation exponent of earth formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of:
implementing measurements in said formations using electromagnetic energy at a plurality of at least three frequencies;
deriving, from said measurements, a respective plurality of formation permittivities and a respective plurality of formation conductivities;
determining, using said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, the cementation and the saturation exponent of said formations and;
recording the determined cementation and saturation exponent of said formations.
2. The method comprising repeating said steps of claim 1 at different depth levels and producing a log of determined and recorded cementation and saturation exponent of said earth formations.
3. The method as defined by claim 1, wherein at least some of said measurements of electromagnetic energy in said formations are taken at different depths of investigation.
4. The method as defined by claim 1, wherein at least some of said measurements of electromagnetic energy in said formations are taken at different depths of investigation, and wherein said step of determining the cementation and the saturation exponent of said formations comprises determining a radial profile of at least one of said cementation and said saturation exponent.
5. The method as defined by claim 1, wherein at least some of said measurements of electromagnetic energy in said formations are taken at different polarizations, and wherein said step of determining the cementation and the saturation exponent of said formations comprises determining a radial profile of at least one of said cementation and said saturation exponent.
6. The method as defined by claim 1, wherein said plurality of frequencies are in the range about 100 MHz to 1 GHz.
7. A method for determining and recording the cementation and the saturation exponent of earth formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of:
implementing measurements in said formations using electromagnetic energy at a plurality of frequencies;
deriving, from said measurements, a respective plurality of formation permittivities and a respective plurality of formation conductivities;
determining, using said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, the formation water saturation and the formation DC resistivity;
selecting a further water saturation and deriving a corresponding further DC resistivity;
determining said cementation and said saturation exponent using said formation water saturation, said further water saturation, said formation DC resistivity, and said further DC resistivity; and
recording the determined cementation and saturation exponent of said formations.
8. The method as defined by claim 7, wherein said plurality of frequencies comprises at least three frequencies.
9. The method as defined by claim 8, further comprising the steps of deriving the permittivities of the formation matrix and hydrocarbons, and the formation water salinity, and using said derived permittivities of the formation matrix and hydrocarbons and said derived water salinity in said steps of determining said formation water saturation and formation DC resistivity and said further DC resistivity.
10. The method as defined by claim 9, further comprising the step of deriving aspect ratios associated with the formation matrix, and using said aspect ratios in determining said formation water saturation and formation DC resistivity and said further DC resistivity.
11. The method as defined by claim 10, wherein said step of determining, using said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, the formation water saturation and the formation DC resistivity, includes the following steps:
inverting, using a dispersion model and said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, to obtain said formation water saturation;
deriving, using said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, and said obtained formation water saturation, a formation conductivity dispersion curve; and
determining, from said formation conductivity dispersion curve, the formation DC resistivity.
12. The method as defined by claim 11, wherein said step of inverting, using a dispersion model and said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, is operative to further obtain rock texture parameters of the formation matrix.
13. The method as defined by claim 7, wherein said step of determining, using said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, the formation water saturation and the formation DC resistivity, includes the following steps:
inverting, using a dispersion model and said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, to obtain said formation water saturation;
deriving, using said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, and said obtained formation water saturation, a formation conductivity dispersion curve; and
determining, from said formation conductivity dispersion curve, the formation DC resistivity.
14. The method as defined by claim 13, wherein said step of inverting, using a dispersion model and said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, is operative to further obtain the salinity of the formation water and the permittivity of the formation matrix.
15. The method as defined by claim 14, wherein said step of inverting, using a dispersion model and said plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities, is operative to further obtain rock texture parameters of the formation matrix.
16. The method as defined by claim 15, wherein said rock texture parameters comprise aspect ratios of rock grains of the formation matrix.
17. The method as defined by claim 15, wherein said rock texture parameters comprise spherical grains and ellipsoidal micropores of the formation matrix.
18. The method as defined by claim 15, wherein said rock texture parameters comprise aspect ratios of macropores, grains, and hydrocarbons.
19. The method as defined by claim 13, wherein at least some of said measurements of electromagnetic energy in said formations are taken at different depths of investigation, and wherein said step of inverting to obtain said formation water saturation comprises inverting to obtain a radial profile of formation water saturation.
20. The method as defined by claim 13, wherein at least some of said measurements of electromagnetic energy in said formations are taken at different depths of investigation, and wherein said step of inverting to obtain said formation water salinity comprises inverting to obtain a radial profile of formation water salinity.
21. The method as defined by claim 13, wherein at least some of said measurements of electromagnetic energy in said formations are taken at different polarizations, and wherein said step of inverting to obtain said formation water saturation comprises inverting to obtain a radial profile of formation water saturation.
22. The method as defined by claim 13, wherein at least some of said measurements of electromagnetic energy in said formations are taken at different polarizations, and wherein said step of inverting to obtain said formation water salinity comprises inverting to obtain a radial profile of formation water salinity.
23. A method for determining and recording a radial profile of permittivity andor conductivity of anisotropic earth formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of:
implementing measurements in said formations of electromagnetic energy, at a plurality of frequencies, and at different depths of investigation;
deriving, from said measurements of electromagnetic energy, at said plurality of frequencies, and at said different depths of investigation, a respective plurality of formation permittivities and a respective plurality of formation conductivities;
determining, using said respective plurality of formation permittivities and said respective plurality of formation conductivities, a radial profile of vertical and horizontal permittivity andor a radial profile of vertical and horizontal conductivity; and
recording said radial profile of vertical and horizontal permittivity andor said radial profile of vertical and horizontal conductivity.
24. A method for determining and recoding a radial profile of permittivity andor conductivity of anisotropic earth formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of:
implementing measurements in said formations of electromagnetic energy, at a plurality of frequencies, and at different polarizations;
deriving, from said measurements of electromagnetic energy, at said plurality of frequencies, and at said different polarizations, a respective plurality of formation permittivities and a respective plurality of formation conductivities;
determining, using said respective plurality of formation permittivities and said respective plurality of formation conductivities, a radial profile of vertical and horizontal permittivity andor a radial profile of vertical and horizontal conductivity; and
recording said radial profile of vertical and horizontal permittivity andor said radial profiIe of vertical and horizontal conductivity.
25. A method for determining and recording effective permittivity of earth formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of:
deriving a mixing law permittivity as volumetric fractions of formation matrix, water, and hydrocarbon permittivities;
deriving an effective permittivity model as a function of mixing law permittivity and rock texture parameters;
implementing measurements in said formations using electromagnetic energy at a plurality of at least three frequencies;
deriving, from said measurements, a respective plurality of formation permittivities and a respective plurality of formation conductivities;
determining effective permittivity of said formations using said model and said derived plurality of formation permittivities and formation conductivities; and
recording said effective permittivity of said formations.
26. The method as defined by claim 25, wherein said rock texture parameters comprise aspect ratios of rock grains of the formation matrix.
27. The method as defined by claim 25, wherein said rock texture parameters comprise spherical grains and ellipsoidal micropores of the formation matrix.
28. The method as defined by claim 25, wherein said rock texture parameters comprise aspect ratios of macropores, grains, and hydrocarbons.
29. A method for determining and recording rock type of earth formations surrounding a borehole, comprising the steps of:
deriving a mixing law permittivity as volumetric fractions of formation matrix, water, and hydrocarbon permittivities;
deriving an effective permittivity model as a function of mixing law permittivity and rock texture parameters;
implementing measurements in said formations using electromagnetic energy at a plurality of at least three frequencies;
deriving, from said measurements, a respective plurality of formation permittivities and a respective plurality of formation conductivities; and
determining rock type of said formations using said model, said derived plurality of formation permittivities and said derived plurality of formation conductivities; and
recording said determined rock type.
30. The method comprising repeating the steps of claim 29 at different depth levels and producing a log of the determined and recorded rock type.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
I claim:
1. An apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal positioned within a target zone, said apparatus comprising:
(a) an animal positioning device for defining the target zone and for positioning the animal therewithin, said animal positioning device comprising first and second sides, a floor and an upper portion;
(b) a first camera disposed on said first side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a first range image of the animal;
(c) a second camera disposed proximate to said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image of the animal; and
(d) data processing means operably associated with said first and second cameras for acquiring said first and second range images produced thereby to produce a plurality of acquired range images and for processing said plurality of acquired range images to form a three-dimensional data set defining at least a portion of the surface of the animal.
2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a third camera disposed proximate said second side of the animal positioning device for obtaining a third range image of the animal.
3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a fourth camera disposed on said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a thermal image of the animal.
4. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said first, second and third cameras comprise single lens reflex digital cameras.
5. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said first, second and third cameras comprise video cameras.
6. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said data processing means comprises a digital signal processing unit.
7. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said data processing means comprises a personal computer
8. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including weighing means carried by the floor of the animal positioning device.
9. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including illumination means carried by said positioning device for illuminating the target area.
10. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which said illumination means comprises an illuminator that includes a flash source, a pattern mask and a lens system for projecting a pattern onto the animal.
11. An apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal positioned within a target zone, said apparatus comprising:
(a) an animal positioning device for defining the target zone and for positioning the animal therewithin, said animal positioning device comprising first and second sides, a floor and an upper portion;
(b) a camera disposed on said first side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a first range image of the animal;
(c) a camera disposed on said second side of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image of the animal;
(d) a camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a second range image of the animal;
(e) data processing means operably associated with said first, second and third cameras for acquiring said first and second range images produced thereby to produce a plurality of acquired range images and for processing said plurality of acquired range images to form a three-dimensional data set defining at least a portion of the surface of the animal.
12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 further including a camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device for obtaining a thermal image of the livestock animal.
13. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 in which said cameras disposed on said first and second sides of said animal and proximate said upper portion of said animal positioning device comprise digital cameras.
14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 in which said data processing means comprises a digital signal processing unit.
15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 further including illumination means carried by said positioning device for illuminating the target area.
16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 in which said illumination means comprises a structured light source.
17. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 further including proximity sensors operable coupled with said cameras to trigger said cameras.
18. A method for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal having first and second sides and a back, said animal being positioned within a target zone having first and second sides, an upper portion and a bottom portion using an apparatus comprising means for defining the target zone, a first camera disposed on said first side of said target zone, a second camera disposed on said second side of target zone, a third camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said target zone and data processing means operably associated with said first, second and third cameras for processing data received from said cameras, said first, second and third cameras, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) positioning the animal within the target zone;
(b) using the first camera, obtaining a range of image of at least a portion of the first side of the animal;
(c) using the third camera, obtaining a range of image of at least a portion of the back of the animal; and
(d) entering into the data processing means, said range images to produce a plurality of entered range images and processing said plurality of entered range images to form a three-dimensional set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal.
19. The method as defined in claim 18, including the step of processing said plurality of entered range images to form a three-dimensional point cloud set which three-dimensional point cloud set is used to form a unified data set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal
20. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step, of using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the volume of the animal.
21. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three dimensional data set, determining the hip height of the animal.
22. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the hip width of the animal.
23. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining a cross-sectional area of the animal at a selected location.
24. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the surface area of the animal.
25. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the length of at least a portion of the animal.
26. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, for determining the frame size of the animal.
27. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the thickness of the animal.
28. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the yield grade of the animal.
29. The method as defined in claim 19, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the quality grade of the animal.
30. The method as defined in claim 19 in which said apparatus further includes an infrared camera disposed proximate said upper portion of said target zone and in which said method comprises the further step of measuring the back fat of the animal.
31. The method as defined in claim 19 in which the apparatus used in accomplishing the method of the invention further includes weighing means for weighing the animal disposed at the bottom of the target zone, and in which said method includes the further steps of:
(a) weighing the livestock animal using the weighing means to determine the weight of the animal; and
(b) using the data processing means acquiring the weight of the animal and then determining the number of remaining days the animal is to be fed.
32. The method as defined in claim 31 including the further step of, using the date processing means, determining a feeding regimen for the animal.
33. A method for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal having first and second sides disposed on either side of a median plane and a back portion, said animal being positioned within a target zone having first and second sides, a top and a bottom using an apparatus comprising an animal positioning device for defining the target zone, a first camera disposed on one of said first and second sides of said target zone, a second camera disposed proximate said top of target zone and data processing means operably associated with said first and second cameras for processing data received from said first and second cameras, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) positioning the animal within the target zone;
(b) using the first camera, obtaining a range image of at least a portion of the first side of the animal;
(c) using the second camera, obtaining an image showing the position of the median plane;
(d) using the data processing means, acquiring said first range image to produce a first acquired range image, acquiring said image showing the position of the median plane to produce an acquired median plane image and processing said first acquired range image and said acquired median plane position image to form a reverse duplicate analog of said first acquired range image to represent an inferred range image of at least a portion of the second side of the animal; and
(e) using the data processing means, the first acquired image and the inferred range image of at least a portion of the second side of the livestock animal to form a three-dimensional data set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal.
34. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the volume of the animal.
35. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the hip height of the animal.
36. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining the hip width of the animal.
37. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the length of the animal.
38. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining a cross-sectional area of the animal at a selected location.
39. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set, determining at least a portion of the surface area of the animal.
40. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the thickness of the animal.
41. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the yield grade of the animal.
42. The method as defined in claim 33, including the further step of, using the data processing device and the three-dimensional data set for determining the quality grade of the animal.
43. The method as defined in claim 33 in which the apparatus includes a thermal camera disposes proximate the top of the target zone and in which the method comprises the additional steps of using the data processing means, determining the back fat of the animal.
44. A method for measuring the physical characteristics of an animal having first and second sides, a rear portion, and a back portion, said animal being positioned within a target zone having first and second sides, an upper portion, a rear portion and a bottom using an apparatus comprising an animal positioning device for defining the target zone, a first camera disposed on a selected one of said first and second sides of said target zone, a second camera disposed proximate a selected one of said upper portion of target zone and said rear portion of said target zone and data processing means operably associated with said cameras for processing data received from said cameras, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) positioning the animal within the target zone;
(b) using the first camera, obtaining a range image of a selected one of the first and second sides of the animal;
(c) using the second camera, obtaining a range image of a selected one of the back portion and the rear portion of the animal; and
(d) entering into the data processing means, said range images to produce a plurality of entered range images and processing said plurality of entered range images to obtain a data set representing at least a portion of the surface of the animal.
45. The method as defined in claim 44, in which the apparatus includes a thermal camera disposed at a selected one of the upper portion of the target zone and the first side of the target zone, and in which the method comprises the additional steps of using the data processing means, determining the back fat of the animal.
46. The method as defined in claim 45, including the further step of using the data processing means to determine areas of localized injury to the animal.
47. The method as defined in claim 45, including the further step of using the data processing means to determine the general wellness of the animal.