1. A method comprising:
obtaining a sparsely sampled monitor data set for a subsurface region; and
processing the obtained sparsely sampled monitor data set with external information to generate a more accurate 3D representation of the subsurface target area than could be obtained from the sparsely sampled monitor data set alone, wherein the external information comprises a plurality of alternative models of the subsurface region that each represent the subsurface region as the subsurface region is predicted to exist at an additional point in time when the sparsely sampled monitor data set is acquired, said alternative models being generated from an earlier, more fully sampled base survey using varying assumptions of how the subsurface region will change over time.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing comprises processing the obtained sparsely sampled monitor data set to determine which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining comprises comparing one or more of the plurality of alternative models to the sparsely sampled monitor data set to determine which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired is determined without generating a 3D image of the subsurface region at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining further comprises:
imaging the sparsely sampled monitor data set to generate a 3D image of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired; and
comparing the 3D image of the subsurface region to a modeled 3D image of the plurality of alternative models of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired to determine which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a set of data acquisition locations within or on the subsurface region that distinguishes the plurality of alternative models within one of a predefined economic constraint, a predefined operational constraint and any combination thereof.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising obtaining seismic data at the determined data acquisition locations, resulting in the sparsely sampled monitor data set.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the sparsely sampled monitor data set comprises seismic data for the subsurface target area.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sparsely sampled monitor data set comprises electromagnetic data for the subsurface target area.
10. A method comprising:
determining a plurality of alternative models of a subsurface region;
obtaining a sparsely sampled monitor data set for the subsurface region; and
processing the obtained sparsely sampled monitor data set to determine which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the obtained sparsely sampled monitor data set is insufficient alone to process to generate an accurate three-dimensional (3D) representation of the subsurface region.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining comprises comparing each of the plurality of alternative models to the sparsely sampled monitor data set to determine which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface region as the subsurface region exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired is determined without generating a 3D image of the subsurface region at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining further comprises:
imaging the sparsely sampled monitor data set to generate a 3D image of the subsurface target area as the subsurface target area exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired; and
comparing the 3D image of the subsurface target area to a modeled 3D image of the plurality of alternative models of the subsurface target area as the subsurface target area exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired to determine which of the plurality of alternative models is representative of the subsurface target area as the subsurface target area exists at the time the sparsely sampled monitor data set was acquired.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the sparsely sampled monitor data set comprises seismic data for the subsurface region.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for communicating between a first party in a vehicle and a second external party, comprising the steps of:
initiating a telephone conversation between said first and second party;
preparing a depiction of an environment surrounding said vehicle;
extracting, from said depiction, relevant information concerning a traffic situation in said environment;
transmitting said relevant information to said second external party together with audio information from said telephone conversation.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said depiction is obtained by means of a preexisting navigation system on said vehicle.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said depiction is obtained by means of a sensor system on said vehicle.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said relevant information is updated periodically.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said periodic update occurs in time increments of several seconds.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of preparing a depiction includes the step of preparing an image of said environment surrounding said vehicle.
7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of preparing a depiction of an environment surrounding said vehicle include the steps of obtaining object information from a sensing system and obtaining map display information from a map database.
8. An arrangement for audio visual communication between a first party in a vehicle and a second external party, said arrangement comprising:
on-board sensory system for providing information of an environment outside of said vehicle;
extracting means for extracting portions of said information which are relevant to a traffic situation in said environment outside of said vehicle;
audio visual communication system for simultaneously transmitting a telephone conversation between said first and second party and said extracted relevant information to said second external party.
9. The arrangement according to claim 8, wherein said sensory system is an image acquisition system for providing an image of the environment outside of the vehicle.
10. The arrangement according to 8 wherein said extracting means for extracting portions of said information which are relevant to a traffic situation includes a means to provide map information concerning the location of said vehicle and means for combining portions of said map information with said information of said environment outside of said vehicle.
11. An arrangement for communication between a first party in a vehicle and a second external party, said arrangement comprising:
an automobile navigation system with a sensory system in said vehicle for providing traffic information concerning traffic in an environment outside of the vehicle;
a communication device for simultaneously transmitting telephone conversation between said first and second party and said traffic information from said first party to said second party.
12. The arrangement according to claim 11 wherein said automobile navigation system includes a sensor means for providing object information and a navigation device for providing map display information.