Method, system, and apparatus for color representation of seismic data and associated measurements

Abstract

The present invention is a method, system, and apparatus for visually displaying digitized information in a way that allows a human operator to detect easily patterns and characteristics within the data. A personal computer is used to extract raw data and to perform Boolean operations at the behest of a user. The manipulated information is then converted into a false-color image and displayed on an output screen. The images can be compared to known data, called a template, in order to detect one or more desired patterns that indicate desirable features. The desired pattern can then be highlighted (or illuminated) and be displayed to the operator so that the location of the desired feature may be identified.

1 . A method for visualizing geophysical information comprising:
 loading PDB data into a visualization program;   determining if Cartesian coordinates are to be used;   if Cartesian coordinates are not to be used, then:
 piping a first data channel into a hue color channel; 
 piping a second data channel into a saturation channel; 
 piping a third data channel into a value color channel; and 
 piping a fourth data channel into an alpha channel; 
   visualizing the piped information, wherein visualizing the piped information comprises isolating at least one feature of interest based at least in part on the fourth data channel;   determining if the feature of interest has unique colors; and   if the feature of interest does not have unique colors, then determining if there is convergence on a solution.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying a hue mapping and range. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 if the feature of interest has unique colors, then displaying the feature of interest; and   determining if the feature of interest has one or more brilliant colors.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein if the feature of interest does not have one or more brilliant colors, then determining if there is convergence on a solution. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein if there is convergence on the solution, then modifying a saturation mapping and range. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , said method further comprising:
 if of interest has unique colors, then displaying of interest; and   determining if the feature of interest has one or more light colors.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein if the feature of interest does not have one or more light colors, then determining if there is convergence on a solution. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying a value mapping and range. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , the method further comprising:
 if the feature of interest has unique colors, then displaying the feature of interest; and   determining if the feature of interest is isolated.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein if the feature of interest is not isolated, then determining if there is convergence on a solution. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying a transparency. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying saturation. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying value color. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying alpha. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying saturation. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying value color. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein if there is convergence on a solution, then modifying alpha. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, if the feature of interest has unique colors, then finding other features having the same unique colors. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a scene.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying one or more results of the method.   
   
   
       21 . A computer readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a computer, the set of instructions comprising:
 loading PDB data into a visualization program;   determining if Cartesian coordinates are to be used;   if Cartesian coordinates are not to be used, then:
 piping a first data channel into a hue color channel; 
 piping a second data channel into a saturation channel; 
 piping a third data channel into a value color channel; and 
 piping a fourth data channel into an alpha channel; 
   visualizing the piped information, wherein visualizing the piped information comprises isolating at least one feature of interest based at least in part on the fourth data channel;   determining if the feature of interest has unique colors; and   if the feature of interest does not have unique colors, then determining if there is convergence on a solution.   
   
   
       22 . A computer system constructed and arranged to execute a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
 loading PDB data into a visualization program;   determining if Cartesian coordinates are to be used;   if Cartesian coordinates are not to be used, then:
 piping a first data channel into a hue color channel; 
 piping a second data channel into a saturation channel; 
 piping a third data channel into a value color channel; and 
 piping a fourth data channel into an alpha channel; 
   visualizing the piped information, wherein visualizing the piped information comprises isolating at least one feature of interest based at least in part on the fourth data channel;   determining if the feature of interest has unique colors; and   if the feature of interest does not have unique colors, then determining if there is convergence on a solution.